Although the Bladesinger is a widely despised class here at here Char-Op due to bad design choices, I have something of a weak spot for the class. I can't resist tinkering with something that's broken but can be fixed up to something decent. Call it the Seeker-fallacy, if you will.
Anyway, here's a list of several Bladesinger builds I've come up with that each have a different schtick. Enjoy if you like 'em , criticise 'em if you don't. Thanks for reading!
The Arcane INTimidator
This build goes for an explosive opening round by immediately trying to intimidate one bad guy out of the fight. It does so by using the Yakuza theme encounter power (roll an Intimidate check as a free action against an enemy you bloody to make it surrender) in combination with the Spook cantrip (use Arcana for Intimidate checks once per encounter), an unreal Arcana score and a nova turn that looks like this:
Minor action: Activate Bladesong.
Move action: Fey Step next to an enemy.
Free action: make a melee basic attack (Eladrin Swordmage Advance). If you hit with your Frost Weapon, inflict cold vulnerability (Lasting Frost) and gain combat advantage (Wintertouched).
No action: Lightning Ring, Arcane Admixtured to cold for extra cold damage.
Standard action: make a melee basic attack with combat advantage, doing extra cold damage.
No action: Unseen Hand, Arcane Admixtured to cold for extra cold damage, which also triggers Lightning Ring for even more cold damage.
Thanks to the damage bonuses from Bladesong, frostcheese, Light Blade Expertise, Weapon Focus and Bracers of Mighty Striking, most standard monsters should be bloodied after this. If not, just use an action point. If you miss with an attack, just reroll it with Life's Losing Hand (Yakuza utility 2).
Although enemies get a +10 bonus to Will vs your Arcana check, you can usually make them surrender on a roll of 5-10.
Build: (only relevant information shown)
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 21
Eladrin, Wizard (Bladesinger), [any paragon path], Sage of Ages
Blade Magic Option: Rapier
Arcane Admixture Damage Type: Arcane Admixture Cold
Arcane Admixture II Option: Arcane Admixture Cold II
Theme: Yakuza
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 13, CON 12, DEX 22, INT 26, WIS 10, CHA 12
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 10, DEX 14, INT 18, WIS 8, CHA 10
TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +39
POWERS
Yakuza Utility: Ruthless Demonstration
Eladrin Racial Power: Fey Step
Wizard Utility: Spook
Wizard Utility: Bladesong
Wizard Attack: Frost Bite
Wizard Attack: Lightning Ring
Wizard Attack: Unseen Hand
Yakuza Utility 2: Life's Losing Hand
FEATS
Level 1: Light Blade Expertise
Level 2: Skill Focus (Arcana)
Level 4: Blade Initiate
Level 6: Eladrin Swordmage Advance
Level 8: Weapon Focus (Light blade)
Level 10: Wintertouched
Level 11: Lasting Frost
Level 12: Nimble Blade
Level 14: Arcane Admixture
Level 16: Arcane Admixture II
ITEMS
Runic Leather Armor +5 x1
Frost Rapier +5 x1
Bracers of Mighty Striking (epic tier)
Gloves of Ice (paragon tier)
====== End ======
Thanks to your high INT-score you have a full choice of Wizard encounters in your second turn to back up your nova turn, and you can follow those up with minor action MBAs to milk your Bladesong for all it's worth. Finally, Sage of Ages does its thing as always.
The Lightning Monk
Wouldn't it be cool if you could use Lightning Ring and Unseen Hand simultaneously so Lightning Ring's damage would trigger immediately? Well, there is a way to do so on every melee basic attack. Paragon multiclass into Monk and at level 11 switch out your Magic Missile at-will power for Centered Flurry of Blows.
Whenever you hit with a melee basic attack, you first set up a Lightning Ring around the enemy and then Flurry of Blows to immediately move them out of it again. Deadly Draw gives you combat advantage, and the new Babau Gauntlets (Dragon 408) let you make DEX-based MBA's. Because come on, who needs INT anyway?
Build (only relevant info shown)
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 11
Human, Wizard (Bladesinger), Paragon Multiclassing
Blade Magic Option: Rapier
Human Power Selection Option: Heroic Effort
Theme: Purple Dragon Knight
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 13, CON 15, DEX 23, INT 11, WIS 9, CHA 13
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 12, CON 12, DEX 18, INT 10, WIS 8, CHA 12
POWERS
Human Racial Power: Heroic Effort
Wizard Utility: Bladesong
Wizard Attack: Lightning Ring
Monk Feature: Centered Flurry of Blows
Monk Attack 1: Drunken Monkey
Wizard Attack 3: Radiant Pillar
Wizard Attack 7: Phantom Foes
FEATS
Light Blade Expertise
Level 2: Monastic Disciple
Level 6: Novice Power
Level 8: Acolyte Power
Level 10: Adept Power
Level 11: Deadly Draw
ITEMS
Babau Gauntlets
====== End ======
Because of the intensive multiclassing, you gain access to different Monk powers, some of which are just delicious. You compensate for your low INT by only taking Wizard encounter powers that don't require an attack roll.
Be aware that although the strict wording of paragon multiclassing lets you take any at-will power from your multiclass, the Character Builder only lets you take a level 1 at-will attack power. So if your DM adheres to the CB, you're out of luck.
The Blade Cascade
I hope you like your Bladesingers with liberal application of cheese, because this build takes Dilettante and Paragon Multiclassing and stretches it to its thinnest. It attacks no less than 3 times per turn, using the following sequence:
1. Throw and Stab lets you attack one enemy at range with your Drow Long Knife
2. T&S then lets you move to another enemy to make an MBA
3. You make your MBA with your Drow Long Knife
4. Cast a Bladespell
5. Because you attacked with an MBA, you can attack the enemy again with your off-hand Drow Long Knife using Dual Weapon Attack. You qualify for DWA because you also wield Wrist Razors in your arm slot.
You get T&S from your Dilettante, which becomes an at-will thanks to Versatile Master. You paragon multiclass to Ranger for some spiffy powers and to swap Magic Missile for Dual Weapon Attack. Adept Dilettante lets you use your CON for the Throw part of Throw and Stab, and Babau Gauntlets let you make your MBA using DEX instead of STR. So statwise, you only have to put points in CON and DEX.
Build (only relevant info shown)
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 11
Half-Elf, Wizard (Bladesinger), Paragon Multiclassing
Blade Magic Option: Wrist Razors
Theme: Purple Dragon Knight
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 19, DEX 21, INT 11, WIS 9, CHA 14
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 14, DEX 18, INT 10, WIS 8, CHA 11
POWERS
Wizard Utility: Bladesong
Ranger Feature: Dual Weapon Attack
Dilettante Attack 1: Throw and Stab
FEATS
Level 1: Superior Weapon Training (Drow Long Knife)
Level 2: Expertise
Level 4: Adept Dilettante
Level 6: Novice Power
Level 8: Acolyte Power
Level 10: Adept Power
Level 11: Versatile Master
ITEMS
Wrist Razors
Drow Long Knife
Babau Gauntlets
====== End ======
Because Lasting Frost only lets you apply vulnerability to the first enemy you hit with a cold power each turn, and Throw and Stab forces you to attack 2 different enemies, frostcheese won't work. Instead, you could use Shadow Sever and Headman's Chop for extra damage on Dual Weapon Attack. Or get creative, replace your Drow Long Knife with a Throwing Hammer, and use Dazzling Sunray and Hammer Shock to accompany your MBA with a hefty -4 attack penalty.
Like the Lightning Monk, the Cascade gains access to different Ranger powers, among which a minor or out-of-turn encounter attack power. This build also compensates for its low INT by only taking Wizard encounter powers that don't require an attack roll.
Lastly, this build also won't work in the Character Builder.
The Wand Collector
This isn't a build, as much as it uses a fun trick. Not many people know the wand creation rules as they're written in the Player's Handbook (page 242):
"You can design your own wand. A wand can contain an encounter power of any class capable of using wands. When you craft a wand, you can choose any encounter power that you know or that is available to your class. You can’t choose anything other than a class power (you can’t choose a paragon path power, for instance)."
See where this is going? Bladesingers can use wands, and Bladesong is a class encounter power. So if you take the Ritual Caster feat and invest a little money in the Enchant Magic Item ritual, then you can construct a bunch of Wands of Bladesong. Each of those lets you use Bladesong one more time per day. After you've created your wands, retrain Ritual Caster and enjoy your new collection!
