New Martial Power Excerpt Up.

[Asbestos]

A new fighter paragon path

Even though its called a 'Polearm Master' nothing in that list of abilities/powers makes it so you couldn't use a spiked chain for them. Also, they emphasize 'two-handed reach weapon' a lot. Makes me think we'll be seeing the whip again.

I'm wondering though, how useful are reach weapons for fighters before hitting paragon tier?

[Starbuck_II]

A new fighter paragon path

Even though its called a 'Polearm Master' nothing in that lit of abilities/powers makes it so you couldn't use a spiked chain for them. Also, they emphasize 'two-handed reach weapon' a lot. Makes me think we'll be seeing the whip again.

I'm wondering though, how useful are reach weapons for fighters before hitting paragon tier?

Wait, when did D&D have 2 hande whips?

Edit: Oh, why would they put 2 handed reach weapon ifno one handed ones.

[Asbestos]

Wait, when did D&D have 2 hande whips?

Oh, it doesn't. I meant that the emphasis on two-handed reach weapons means we might be seeing one-handed reach weapons, aka the whip. In retrospect, I don't think I was being at all clear.

Edit: Yes, exactly.

[Zocelot]

The encounter and daily powers are really boring, but the utility looks really fun to use. I don't think Lunging Action actually does anything useful, because normally you could just take another move action to move closer instead. It doesn't affect close attacks either, because those have a standard range, not whatever your reach is.

[Asbestos]

I don't think Lunging Action actually does anything useful, because normally you could just take another move action to move closer instead.

I can see it being useful if you're engaging more than one enemy and want to lay some hurt on a guy that's *just* out of reach.


Also... a dozen new fighter paragon paths??? Yes, please! Thinking that might mean a dozen new paragon paths for all the martial classes.

[Tengu_temp]

Drawing that image (which looks very weird to me for some reason) took much more time than making the actual class, I bet. It does seem useful for polearm users, yes, it's just rather bland.

[Kurald Galain]

This is just meh.

[Vacavriach]

Anyone able to Spoiler this for those of us at work that can't access the WotC site?

[Person_Man]

Anyone able to Spoiler this for those of us at work that can't access the WotC site?

Normally I'm blocked as well, but I'm at home for Columbus Day today, and happy to oblige. Sorry if it looks a bit funny, it's very annoying reformatting it:

Spoiler

Show

31
CHAPTER 1 | Fighter

ADAM GILLESPIE

NEW PARAGON PATHS

Polearm Master
“Victory is easier to achieve when your reach is longer.”

Prerequisite: Fighter

The versatile polearm is easier to manufacture than a sword, and often easier to use effectively. In its simplest form, the polearm is a longspear—a short blade on the end of a long shaft. Since reach is an advantage, even the humble longspear is an effective weapon in unpracticed hands. In the hands of a master, its deadliness can be unparalleled.

More complex polearms offer even greater rewards on the battlefield and off. They combine the best aspects of spear and blade or axe, allowing the user control and damage unmatched by other weapons. It’s little wonder that whole units of soldiers use polearms in war, and that city watches use these weapons to protect citizens, as well as keep them in line.

Because polearms are so common and easily crafted, learning to use one is part of most basic military instruction. Advanced skill isn’t so easy to obtain,
but the trials of regular combat serve as well as, if not better than, the training ground. The ability to use a polearm against a variety of foes can seldom be learned through the rigors of soldierly education.

Through your adventures, you have mastered the polearm. You prefer a weapon that extends your options and your reach, understanding that it’s better to keep monsters at a distance. With such a weapon at your disposal, you not only deal wounding blows to your adversaries and cut wide arcs through multiple foes, you also better protect your allies by commanding
more of your surroundings.

Polearm Master Features

Lunging Action (11th level): You can spend an action point to increase the reach of your reach weapons by 1 square until the start of your next turn,
instead of taking an extra action.

Forceful Reach (11th level): If you use a reach weapon to deliver a weapon power that pushes, pulls, or slides a target, you increase the distance of the
forced movement by 1 square.

Longarm Grasp (16th level): If you’re wielding a reach weapon, whenever an enemy within 2 squares of you and marked by you shifts or makes an attack
that doesn’t include you as a target, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt.

Polearm Master Exploits

Leveraging Strike Polearm Master Attack 11
You use your weapon to move your target where you want.
Encounter: Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Requirement: You must be wielding a two-handed reach weapon.
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you slide the target a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Miss: Half damage, and no slide.

Reaching Stance Polearm Master Utility 12
You take a wide stance that allows you to lunge at careless foes.
Daily: Martial, Stance, Weapon
Minor Action Personal
Requirement: You must be wielding a two-handed reach weapon.
Effect: Until the stance ends, you can make opportunity attacks against enemies within your weapon’s reach.

Polearm Sweep Polearm Master Attack 20
Whirling your weapon, you strike all foes within your reach.
Daily: Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Close burst 2
Requirement: You must be wielding a two-handed reach weapon.
Target: Each enemy in burst you can see
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 3[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Miss: Half damage.

You know, something like this might have made a really interesting PrC in 3.5. He moves his enemy around, gets Whirlwind Attack, can increase his reach, etc. But for 4E, there's nothing he really does that seems that interesting.

[Asbestos]

Just realized that the Utility power (the stance) complements "Lunging Action" significantly.

[RTGoodman]

Wasn't one of the big talking points at the beginning of 4E all about how reach now only works on your turn and you can't have one guy with a spiked chain and a slew of feats (Standstill, etc.) basically standing in the middle of the battlefield AoOing everyone to death?

Well, say good-bye to that with this. It does exactly that - it lets you make Opportunity Attacks and your other immediate interrupt attacks (Combat Superiority or whatever it's called) with Reach, which is now supposedly only reserved for special monsters with the Threatening Reach ability.

I'll admit it's "Meh" overall, but I'm worried if we are about to hit the "Codex Creep" era.

[ShaggyMarco]

Sure you can OA people to death with this PP--in ONE FIGHT PER DAY> That stance is daily, which means, if you have the right abilities, at high paragon/epic you might be able to pull it off twice a day with some daily recovery powers/items, but it won't be your standard operating procedure like it was in 4th ed.

The reach COmbat Challenge-type ability only works 1/round, so it isn't going to completely lock-down a battlefield.

A Paragon Path that lets you BE that special monster with Threatening Reach 1/day? Fine with me.

[RTGoodman]

Sure you can OA people to death with this PP--in ONE FIGHT PER DAY> That stance is daily, which means, if you have the right abilities, at high paragon/epic you might be able to pull it off twice a day with some daily recovery powers/items, but it won't be your standard operating procedure like it was in 4th ed.

Indeed, I'll give you that - I mis-read and thought the stance was an Encounter power rather than a Daily, which as a stance would mean it's basically gonna be on all the time.

I guess it's not as bad as it seemed at first.

[The Mormegil]

Hmmm... I think this would be better for paladins and swordmages than it is for fighters... lvl 16 ability: "an enemy that you marked"...


Also, for the AP feature: how about wanting to be OUT OF HIS REACH? So that another fighter/defender can tank him while you are hitting him from away. This is useful against Large or bigger targets... which are most MM monsters.

[YPU]

One of my players is a polearm fighter, and he realy likes to work that way. So I am prety sure he would like this one.

[ShaggyMarco]

Indeed, I'll give you that - I mis-read and thought the stance was an Encounter power rather than a Daily, which as a stance would mean it's basically gonna be on all the time.

I guess it's not as bad as it seemed at first.

Ah, that explains that.

Encounter Power Stances, unless they have a drawback that balances out their benefit, would be just plain broken.

Are there any yet?

There should be a daily power for some class that forces a character out of a stance...that would be evil...and mostly useful for NPCs vs. PCs.

[Mewtarthio]

...Wow, that epigraph is simply terrible. "Victory is easier to acheive when your reach is longer"? I mean, really, who thought that one up? That's not a quotable quote: That's just basic advice. It doesn't even sound pretty. You might as well say "Killing things may be necessary if you would like for them to be dead."

[Enlong]

Indeed, I'll give you that - I mis-read and thought the stance was an Encounter power rather than a Daily, which as a stance would mean it's basically gonna be on all the time.

I guess it's not as bad as it seemed at first.

Also, we've got Wizards and Warlocks with unlimited use of Eldritch Blast, Magic Missile, etc. so he's not game breaking, just real good.

[Silvarelion]

"Killing things may be necessary if you would like for them to be dead."

... Can I quote this?

[Kurald Galain]

...Wow, that epigraph is simply terrible. "Victory is easier to acheive when your reach is longer"? I mean, really, who thought that one up?

Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. The player's handbook is also full of such quotes in the flavor text. Nearly all of the martial powers are worded like "[adjective] Strike - you [adverb] strike your enemy with your [weapon] causing him to [emote] in [synonym of pain]". Just fill in the blanks!

[Mewtarthio]

... Can I quote this?

Sure; go ahead.

[Yakk]

Neat. Note that OAs and Immediate Interrupt attacks are not the same thing.

So you'll be able to make OAs based on movement (which can stop targets in their tracks), but you won't be able to make OAs based on shifting or attacking a 3rd party due to the target being marked.

The lunging stance is the core of this paragon path -- once per day, you can generate a 2 to 3 range "I get an OA if you try to move, and if it hits your move action ends" aura around yourself that makes it hard to deal with you.

Interestingly, blocking someone at the 3 range is pretty pointless -- they could just use their next action to charge you. At the 2 range, however, they are too close to charge, and too far to swing a weapon at you...

[RPGuru1331]

It doesn't even sound pretty. You might as well say "Killing things may be necessary if you would like for them to be dead."

Things die when they are killed.

Oh what the devil was that meme again?

[TSGames]

Drawing that image (which looks very weird to me for some reason)

It's the lipstick...on a male elf fighter.

[erikun]

Well, the class itself is quite nice. The polearm's primary advantage, reach, doesn't help the base fighter any as you need to be adjacent to a marked target to do anything to it. The only thing you're getting with the extra range is marking someone 2 squares away, and you can't stop them from moving away (the usual fighter sthick).

So yes, the class looks rather impressive. Longarm Grasp increases your marking range to 2 squares, although it allows an odd lockdown effect - stand 2 squares away, hit to mark, attack to prevent movement if it tries to shift closer, attack if it uses a ranged attack. The powers are nice, for either wide sweeping coverage or shoving people around. There's even still some use for Polearm Gamble, as Longarm Grasp doesn't affect non-marked creatures and Reaching Stance is a daily. Forceful Reach + Spear Push is nice, too.

The one thing that concerns me is lack of mention about Ranger, Rogue, and Warlord paragon paths. This is supposed to be the Martial Power guide, not the Fighter guide.

[Inyssius Tor]

The one thing that concerns me is lack of mention about Ranger, Rogue, and Warlord paragon paths. This is supposed to be the Martial Power guide, not the Fighter guide.

Dude. This is a preview for the fighter chapter.