The Wall - fighter that doesn't miss on OAs

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Dungeons & Dragons
The Wall - fighter that doesn't miss on OAs
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#1 Jul 12, 2010 1:08:53
warrl
Joined Apr 2009
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I decided to play with maximizing opportunity attacks, figuring that a fighter with Combat Superiority and a really good OA might be useful in certain situations...

The (deliberately incomplete) build at level 16:
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
level 16
Half-Elf, Fighter, Doomguard Marauder
Build: Tempest Fighter
Fighter: Combat Superiority
Fighter Talents: Tempest Technique
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Heavy Blade)
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Light Blade)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 21, Con 11, Dex 15, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 13.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 8, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.


AC: 32 Fort: 28 Reflex: 24 Will: 25
HP: 116 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 29

TRAINED SKILLS


UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +9, Arcana +8, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +11, Dungeoneering +12, Endurance +7, Heal +12, History +8, Insight +14, Intimidate +9, Nature +12, Perception +12, Religion +8, Stealth +9, Streetwise +9, Thievery +9, Athletics +12

FEATS
Level 1: Blade Opportunist
Level 2: Versatile Expertise
Level 4: Focused Superiority
Level 6: Combat Intuition
Level 8: Combat Reflexes
Level 10: Bloodied Spear
Level 11: Heavy Blade Opportunity
Level 12: Versatile Master
Level 14: Plunging Blade

POWERS
Dilettante: Twin Strike
Fighter daily 1: Unstoppable Advance
Fighter utility 2: Defensive Stance
Fighter encounter 3: Parry and Riposte
Fighter daily 5: Dancing Defense
Fighter utility 6: Line in the Sand
Fighter encounter 7: Trip Up
Fighter daily 9: Stop Thrust

ITEMS
Longsword of Great Opportunity +3, Short sword of Great Opportunity +3, Helm of Exemplary Defense (heroic tier), Dual-Threat Gauntlets (heroic tier), Quickhit Braces (paragon tier)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======


This is all about maximizing to-hit chance (and, secondly, damage) on an opportunity attack. And quite frankly it's overkill on to-hit. It's Twin Striking on OAs and will score a double hit on a pair of 2's against enemies well above level. With a +4 attack bonus if its previous swing against the same enemy missed.

The OA damage is less impressive, averaging 27.71 at same level. That's 6 OAs to kill. (Fortunately, you'll rarely need to kill a non-minion with just OAs.)

But... Combat Superiority. The enemy might as well try to run through the wall.
"The world does not work the way you have been taught it does. We are not real as such; we exist within The Story. Unfortunately for you, you have inherited a condition from your mother known as Primary Protagonist Syndrome, which means The Story is interested in you. It will find you, and if you are not ready for the narrative strands it will throw at you..." - from Footloose
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Sep 19, 2010 15:21:41
warrl
Joined Apr 2009
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There are four component clusters in this build.

1) To make it hard to miss an OA (as compared to an ordinary attack):
  • Combat Superiority (Fighter class feature, +Wis to OA attack roll)

  • Blade Opportunist (Heroic feat, +2 to OA attack roll)

  • Arms of War item set*, four items, (+2 to OA attack roll)

  • Combat Reflexes (Heroic feat, +1 to OA attack roll)

  • Bloodied Spear* (Heroic tribal feat, +1 or more feat bonus to OA attack roll)

2) To get a second chance:
  • Being a Half-Elf

  • Two weapons, one of them a Heavy Blade - Tempest Fighter adds nice bonuses to dual-wielders, including to-hit and damage bonuses

  • Half-elf Dilettante power: Twin Strike (Ranger)

  • Versatile Master (Paragon Feat, makes the Dilettante power a full at-will)

  • Heavy Blade Opportunity (Paragon feat, can use an at-will for OA when using a Heavy Blade)

3) To make that second chance really lock things down:
  • Combat Intuition (Heroic feat, +2 to OA attack rolls against an enemy you miss until end of next turn)

  • Inevitable Doom (Doomguard Marauder paragon path level 16 feature, +2 bonus to next melee attack roll against an enemy you miss)

4) To increase damage
  • Focused Superiority (Heroic feat, +Wis to OA damage rolls)

  • Helm of Exemplary Defense* (level 6 item, +2 to damage on OAs, Arms of War item set)

  • Weapons of Great Opportunity* (level 5+ item, +enhD8 damage on an OA as encounter power, Arms of War item set)

  • Bloodied Spear* (Heroic tribal feat, +1 or more feat bonus to damage on an OA)

  • Plunging Blade (Paragon feat, crit on 19 for OA with light blade)

* Things with asterisks are in two clusters
"The world does not work the way you have been taught it does. We are not real as such; we exist within The Story. Unfortunately for you, you have inherited a condition from your mother known as Primary Protagonist Syndrome, which means The Story is interested in you. It will find you, and if you are not ready for the narrative strands it will throw at you..." - from Footloose
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