FR stuff: Genasi race (+2 Str/Int), lvls 1-3 of the Swordmage, backgrounds, etc.

[X-Codes]

SIGH! discovered that sword mage has a non-option choice of arcana as a skill choice making the multi-class feat sucky at best. I still like grabbing wizard utility/daily powers, because they are super amazing.

Just because the non-option choice is Arcana doesn't mean that it's going to be the Multiclass feat option.  Besides, WotC should have put in a line saying "If you're already trained with the skill that the Multiclass feat grants training in, you can train another skill from the second class's skill list instead" or something better worded to that sort of effect.

[brislove]

if you want wizard, you get Arcana again. which sucks. Doesn't make it unplayable, but it still sucks. if you want WOST you have to have wizard...thusly you double up on arcana .

[PhoenixInferno]

Gonna try a Gensai Swordmage @ GenCon - I will report on how it works for me.  Probably an Earthsoul Assault Swordmage.

[PhoenixInferno]

I was all set on playing in this game except that I hung out with Meg, Josh and Zeke and had so much fun, I didn't realize they changed my game from 12 midnight to 7 PM.

[PhoenixInferno]

At their booth in the Exhibit Hall in GenCon, Wizards had a demo of 17th level characters - all of them with stuff from the upcoming Forgotten Realms Player's Guide.  I even got to play the Human Swordmage and drop a 58 damage crit.

[ImperiousLeader]

Any cool details you'd care to drop?

I have to confess, I'm eager for the Swordmage, I like a lightly armoured defender.

[PhoenixInferno]

Absolutely.

The Swordmage's paragon path was the Exarch of A____ (forgot the proper name), and I think the action point related ability was "Whenever you spend an action point to gain a standard action, you make a basic melee attack after you resolve the standard action".

He had a power called Dimensional Slash (copied from an excerpt):
Dimensional Slash - Swordmage Attack 13
As you slash your foe, your blade cuts a tear in reality, which drags you and your foe to a new location nearby
Encounter * Arcane, Teleportation, Weapon
Standard Action * Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Intelligence modifier damage. Teleport yourself and your target a number of squares equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier. You must appear in a square adjacent to the target.

He had a stance (Stance of Chaos, I think it was called), that traded -2 attack for 1d12 fire/cold/lightning damage (your choice).  He had a power that did 3[W]+INT damage, a power that let you do 2[W]+INT and drop your Aegis of Assault on the target for the duration of the encounter.

The sheets were pretty dumbed down so I don't remember which ones were daily/encounter.

There was also a Drow Warlock, a Dwarf Fighter, a Wizard with the Spellscarred Savant paragon path (and a power called Spellfire Healing), a Warlord with the Platinum Knight paragon path.

[PhoenixInferno]

Some epic level powers for the Swordmage:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ex/20080826a

[X-Codes]

Reliable power with an Effect entry.  That can be so abusable...

Keep that power in-mind for when we have more than 3 worthwhile Epic feats.  That said, Heavy Blade Mastery is going to be a tough feat to nab for a Swordmage, so it may yet prove useful.

[PhoenixInferno]

Yeah, but you have to miss all the time with it (right?) - and why do you want to miss?

[X-Codes]

It lasts until the end of the encounter, so miss once and then get a 19-20 critical range for the rest of the encounter.  On the other hand, if you want a 7W power then you've got one.  Smack the guy with it.

[PhoenixInferno]

This may change with the first real sourcebook, but why would I want to waste a power on that, when I can just take the appropriate Weapon Mastery feat, aside from stat prerequisites?  I'm fairly sure there are other nifty 29th level daily attack powers.