>If you are GMing, remember... 1. To strongly consider giving out at least one free "tax feat," like Expertise and pre-errata Melee Training. >2. To use Monster Manual 3/Monster Vault/Monster Vault: Nentir Vale/Dark Sun Creature Catalog math. Avoid or manually update anything with Monster Manual 1 or 2 math. >3. That skill challenges have always been scene-framing devices for the GM, that players should never be overtly told that they are in a skill challenge, and that the Rules Compendium has the most up-to-date skill DCs and skill challenge rules.
As someone that has only played monks before, how should I go about playing a Defender?
Alexander Cooper
Pick a class and play it. What's the problem?
Adrian King
I just want to make sure I do my job properly. What kind of abilities should I be focusing on? I know I can still do damage, but as a defender type character I doubt I would be very effective if I just picked whichever ability does the most damage
Colton Nelson
>skill challenges have always been scene-framing devices for the GM, that players should never be overtly told that they are in a skill challenge This is the part I'm fucking struggling with, what sort of events do you have that are going to be a series of skill checks? Can you call an entire adventure a skill challenge if you have a series of checks over a dungeon? What sort of penalties or consequences would you have for failing a skill challenge?
Fucking help.
Also good skill challenges to have in an outlaw/pirate town?
Brandon Jenkins
Sort of pick a theme to the defender and stick to it. For example you could make yourself sticky and focus on your AC and abilities that shut down shifts and other movement. You could be an off-striker and focus on alot of damage. Certain defenders are better at certain roles, but it's all pretty balanced.
Also if you have as high a +hit as you possibly can it's real difficult to make a bad character. Unless you fuckup a hybrid I guess.
Lucas Thompson
Well, pick a class and I can give you some advice. I've played all the Defenders extensively.
Levi Hall
Made this guy last night and I'm still not sure if I've set him up properly or not
I was kind of looking at Cavelier too, but a robot with a love of nature that just wants to protect nice things sounds neat
Nolan Thompson
woops, I had one fucking job
Connor Morales
I also cheated a little and went over my 100g limit and bought a camel, but clearly thats essential to the character
Owen Cooper
Get a heavyblade like a longsword, you really want a +3 prof bonus, unless Bludgeon Expertise is fucking badass. Otherwise it seems okay. Also, just buy a fucking Adventuring Kit, and get a dagger, always have a damned dagger.
Grayson Sanchez
>Also, just buy a fucking Adventuring Kit, and get a dagger, always have a damned dagger. but I spent all of my money on stinky the camel
Camden Thompson
Looks like you read the handbook and are going for a crippling crush build?
John King
>telling a warden to go heavy blade
Silence, fool.
Jason Mitchell
Originally I went with warforged tactics but someone in a 4e thread last night recommended I go for crippling crush since I was using hammers
Oliver Thompson
Take warforged tactics at some point, sure.
As it is you have a solid foundation for a normal warden.
Kayden Bailey
The classic example of a skill challenge is a chase scene, but you can make a skill challenge out of pretty much any event. What differentiates a skill challenge from just skill usage is the format. A skill challenge is specifically an encounter in which the party is trying to get x successes before they get x failures.
I don't think there's anything wrong with telling the players they're in a skill challenge. Actually it can be useful for getting your players who don't care all that much about rping to participate. Where they might normally zone out during a scene focused on talking or exploring, once they're aware that there is an encounter happening in which they can win or lose they're more interested in participating.
As for consequences, in general I would suggest some healing surge loss or making the next combat encounter more difficult. Failure of a skill challenge should never stop the group from progressing, it just needs to slow them down a bit.
Aiden King
Enlighten me, because everything I read is like >get a +3 proficiency weapon
Jace Stewart
What is the absolute wackiest character you've ever made/seen in 4e?
David Barnes
Warden just has enough synergy with hammers that they don't mind missing out on +1 to hit all that much and all of their Paragon paths that matter have some sort of accuracy bonus.
Benjamin Anderson
>synergy with hammers Elaborate more please.
Owen Miller
You already got advice last thread my man
Evan Hill
Ye, it was good advice too, its appreciated for sure But the thread died and I figured I could ask again since this one wasn't taking off, nothing wrong with getting more input on my dude since I'm not too confident in my ability to play a defender
Nolan Edwards
1. That's earthstrength wardens only
2. The synergy is with hammers or maces, and there is a +3 proficiency mace, it takes a feat to get access to it and it's a 1d6 weapon, but it's totally worth it
Oliver Gutierrez
Different defenders play in different overall fashions. Swordmages, for example, are encouraged to kite away from whomever they mark. Furthermore, a defender's paradigm mutates by the paragon and epic tiers as more and more enemies become able to ignore a defender in many ways, from debuffing conditions to teleportation.
That said, there are some similarities between the playstyles of heroic-tier, non-swordmage defenders:
1. Be durable via high AC and non-AC defenses. Constitution can only do so much in the face of generation 3 monsters' raw damage and rider effects. This is why, for example, a balanced 16+2/16+2/12/12/10/8 ability score array is beneficial for a warden.
2. Go up to enemies and mark them (or place them within your defender aura) while hitting them.
3. Try to ensure that enemies are still eligible for your mark punishment.
This way, you offer enemies a choice: try to hit you and your strong defenses, or try to hit your allies and suffer a -2 attack penalty from your mark *and* a mark punishment.
Wardens have generally poor mark punishment compared to fighters and paladins, but wardens make up for it by being able to mark many enemies simultaneously. Thus, the idea for a warden is to move up to as large a cluster of enemies as possible, mark them all, and start hitting them. Apply steady raw damage (e.g. with Crippling Crush) and use your second wind when necessary.
That should cover the basics of a warden's defender playstyle. It is not very complex.
Jayden Parker
Superior weapons are almost never worth it on their own unless you're using it to stack feats, like with a Gouge.
Brayden Torres
Wardens also do a lot of their defending without as much need for accuracy as aa Fighter, say.
Colton Allen
Thanks for the help man, I'm sure its not as hard as I'm expecting it to be, but since its my parties lives on the line and not just my own if I fuck up, I want to make sure I know what to do going into this.
Aiden Hall
In this case it's +1 to hit for a feat, which is a good trade imo, once you don't have more important feats to take.
Oliver Myers
It can get you Heavy Blade Opportunity later, and you can combine it with headman's chop too. Considering Warden has some pretty ncie ways of proning people, it's not a terrible idea.
Angel Watson
There are a select few superior weapon feats that are worth it
The gouge for it's big damage die and dual weapon support from both spear and axe
and the Singing Stick, Greatspear, Triple-headed Flail and Superior Crossbow, for being +3 proficiency weapons in weapon categories that otherwise only contain +2 weapons
