From Spiders

Contents 1 Notes 1.1 General 1.2 Alternatives 1.2.1 Warlord Multiclass 1.2.2 Two-handed / Polearm 2 Build Choices 2.1 Basic Choices 2.2 Abilities 2.3 Powers 2.4 Feats 2.5 Skills 2.6 Equipment 2.7 Totals

Notes

General

Built at Level 8, optimized for play in the 8-10 range (Heroic).

Defender with heavy leanings toward Controller, which seems to be the Goliath Sweet Spot. Leaning also toward Striker via Barbarian multiclass.

Character sheet at TheRock. (Memit and Ker are the name of his weapon and shield.)

Alternatives

Warlord Multiclass

Do this if the party needs more healing.

• Multiclass Feat grants daily Inspiring Word (HS + d6)
• Swap Utility Level 6 for Inspiring Reaction: Encounter ImmRea I or an ally spends a HS when damaged.

Two-handed / Polearm

Trades -2 AC and Reflex for +2ish Damage (Goliath Great Weapon Prowess plus bigger damage die) and Reach (Warden Mark reactions work on non-adjacent foes). I'm saving this as a re-build for Paragon Tier where Polearms really shine via available Feats. It'll require some shuffling for a higher Wisdom.

Build Choices

Basic Choices

• Race: Goliath (Str+Con)
  • +2 Str, +2 Con
  • +2 Ath, +2 Nat
  • +1 Will
  • AW (Athletics Rolls): Powerful Athlete
  • Enc: Stone's Endurance
• Class: Warden (Str)
  • AW (Start of Turn): Font of Life
  • AW (1/turn on my turn): Nature's Wrath
  • +1 Fort, +1 Will
• Build: Earth-Strength (Con)
  • Constant: Use Con for AC
  • Enc (Second Wind): Earthstrength
• Multiclass: Barbarian (Str+Con/Cha)
  • Daily: Mini-Rage
• Style:
  • 1H Weapon + Shield
  • Weapon Group: Axes
• Alignment: Unaligned
• God: None (Primal Spirts)

Abilities

• Starting:
  • Str 18 (16)
  • Con 14 (5)
  • Dex 11 (1)
  • Int 8 (0)
  • Wis 10 (0)
  • Cha 10 (0)
• L4: +1 Str, +1 Con
• L8: +1 Str, +1 Con

Powers

• Feature AW: Warden's Fury
• Feature AW: Warden's Grasp
• 1 AW: Strength of Stone
• 1 AW: Thorn Strike
• 1 Enc: Earth Spikes [M+Bu1 Zone]
  • Alternate: Thunder Ram Assault [M+CBla3] - tough choice, but I like the damage and area-control of Earth Spikes
• 1 Daily: Form of Winter's Herald [CBu2 Zone, CBu1 attack]
• 2 Util: Nature's Abundance
• 3 Enc: Burst of Earth's Fury [CBu1]
  • Alternate: Earthgrasp Strike [M] - the secondary effects of Earth's Fury aren't as impressive as the Level 1s. Is it better to lock down one target?
• 5 Daily: Winter's Grip [CBla3]
  • Alternate: Hail of Thorns [CBla3] - discriminating, but doesn't give sustainable area control
• 6 Util: Bear's Endurance [IInt]
  • Alternate: Earthguard: +1 def stance, but it's a non-stacking Power bonus
• 7 Enc: [Barbarian] Curtain of Steel [IRea]
  • Alternate: Thorn Burst [M+Bu1] - if I weren't a Barbarian

Feats

• L1: Berzerker's Fury (Multiclass Barbarian)
• L2: Weapon Focus (Axes)
• L4: Weapon Expertise (Axes)
• L6: Sudden Roots (Warden)
  • Alternate: Improved Font of Life (Warden) - if Defenders are a huge target for SE effects as Andy says
• L8: Novice Power (Encounter Swap)

Skills

• [Required] Nature (Wis)
• Athletics (Str)
• Endurance (Con)
• Intimidate (Cha)
• [Barbarian] Acrobatics (Dex)

Equipment

• L9: +2 Bloodcut Hide Armor
• L8: +2 Force Axe
• L7: +2 Amulet of Resolution
• Purchased (L7 = 2600):
  • L6 (1800): Iron Armbands of Power
  • L1 (360): +1 Handaxe
  • 320 2x Potion of Regeneration
  • 100 2x Potion of Healing
  • 20 unspent
• Free Mundane Stuff:
  • Adventurer's Kit (+ Extra Sunrods)
  • Halberd
  • Climber's Kit
  • Tent
  • Rations
  • Emergency Ale

Totals

• Abilities:
  • Str 22 (+6)
  • Con 18 (+4)
  • Dex 11 (+0)
  • Int 8 (-1)
  • Wis 10 (+0)
  • Cha 10 (+0)
• Defenses:
  • AC: 25 [10 + Level/2 (4) + Con (4) + Hide (3) + ArmorEnh (2) + Shield (2)
  • Fort: 23 [10 + Level/2 (4) + Str (6) + Warden (1) + Amulet (2)]
  • Ref: 18 [10 + Level/2 (4) + Dex (0) + Shield (2) + Amulet (2)]
  • Will: 18 [10 + Level/2 (4) + Wis (0) + Goliath (1) + Warden (1) + Amulet (2)]
• Health:
  • HP: 84 [17 + Con (18) + ( 7 * Level-1 (7) )], Bloodied = 42, Surge = 21
  • HS: 13 [9 + ConMod (4)]
• Skills:
  • Acrobatics: +6 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (5) + Dex (0) - Armor (1) - Shield (2)]
  • Arcana: +3 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Int (-1)]
  • Athletics: +14 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (5) + Str (6) + Goliath (2) - Armor (1) - Shield (2)]
  • Bluff: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Cha (0)]
  • Diplomacy: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Cha (0)]
  • Dungeoneering: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Wis (0)]
  • Endurance: +12 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (5) + Str (6) - Armor (1) - Shield (2)]
  • Heal: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Wis (0)]
  • History: +3 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Int (-1)]
  • Insight: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Wis (0)]
  • Intimidate: +9 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (5) + Cha (0)]
  • Nature: +11 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (5) + Wis (0) + Goliath (2)]
  • Perception: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Wis (0)]
  • Religion: +3 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Int (-1)]
  • Stealth: +1 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Dex (0) - Armor (1) - Shield (2)]
  • Streetwise: +4 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Cha (0)]
  • Thievery: +1 [Level/2 (4) + Trained (0) + Dex (0) - Armor (1) - Shield (2)]
• Attacks
  • Melee Basic (+2 Battleaxe):
    • Attack: +15 [Level/2 (4) + Str (6) + Prof (2) + Enh (2) + Expertise (1)]
    • Damage: d10+11 [Str (6) + Enh (2) + Focus (1) + Armbands (2)]
  • Weapon Close (+2 Battleaxe):
    • Attack: +15 [Level/2 (4) + Str (6) + Prof (2) + Enh (2) + Expertise (1)]
    • Damage: d10+9 [Str (6) + Enh (2) + Focus (1)]
  • Ranged Basic (+1 Handaxe):
    • Attack: +14 [Level/2 (4) + Str (6) + Prof (2) + Enh (1) + Expertise (1)]
    • Damage: d6+9 [Str (6) + Enh (2) + Focus (1)]