Ardent (Psionic Leader):
• Ardent Debut, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 5-16

Artificer (Arcane Leader):
• Artificer Class Entry, Eberron Player's Guide, pages 44-57
• Warrior Forge Artificer, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 55-64

Assassin (Shadow Striker):
• Assassin Class Entry, Dragon Magazine #379, pages 16-38
• More Toys for Assassins, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 30-32 (includes ki foci for monks)

Avenger (Divine Striker):
• Avenger Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 32-47
• Avenger Options, Divine Power, pages 4-27
• Avenger Essentials, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 33-41
• Class Acts: Avenger, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 42-44

Barbarian (Primal Striker):
• Barbarian Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 48-65
• Barbarian Options, Primal Power, pages 4-31
• Barbarian Essentials, Dragon Magazine #380, pages 32-35 (ignore the shoddy advice in pages 24-31)

Bard (Arcane Leader):
• Bard Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 66-81
• Bard Options, Arcane Power, pages 4-23
• Class Acts: Bard, Dragon Magazine #376, pages 54-58

Cleric (Divine Leader):
• Cleric Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 60-74
• Cleric Options, Divine Power, pages 28-53
• Cleric Essentials, Dragon Magazine #379, pages 49-57

Druid (Primal Controller):
• Druid Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 82-99
• Druid Options, Primal Power, pages 32-59
• Class Acts: Druid, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 53-55

Fighter (Martial Defender):
• Fighter Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 75-88
• Fighter Options, Martial Power, pages 4-35
• Fighter Essentials, Dragon Magazine #378, pages 39-50
• Class Acts: Fighter, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 45-47
• Fighter: The Great Weapon, Dragon Magazine #379, pages 58-67
• Power Play: Martial, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 78-80

Invoker (Divine Controller):
• Invoker Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 100-117
• Invoker Options, Divine Power, pages 54-79
• Class Acts: Invoker, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 75-77
• Class Acts: Invoker, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 56-58

Monk (Psionic Striker):
• Monk Class Entry, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 5-17 (ignore the playtest in Dragon #375)
• More Toys for Assassins, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 30-32 (includes ki foci for monks)

Paladin (Divine Defender):
• Paladin Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 89-102
• Paladin Options, Divine Power, pages 80-105
• Class Acts: Paladin, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 71-74

Psion (Psionic Controller):
• Psion Class Entry, Dragon Magazine #377, pages 5-15

Ranger (Martial Striker):
• Ranger Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 103-115
• Ranger Options, Martial Power, pages 36-69
• Class Acts: Ranger, Dragon Magazine #377, pages 70-72
• Class Acts: Ranger, Dragon Magazine #383, pages 5-7
• Power Play: Martial, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 78-80

Rogue (Martial Striker):
• Rogue Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 116-128
• Rogue Options, Martial Power, pages 70-99
• Class Acts: Rogue, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 68-70
• Power Play: Martial, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 78-80

Seeker (Primal Controller):
• Seeker Class Entry, Dragon Magazine #379, pages 5-17

Shaman (Primal Leader):
• Shaman Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 118-135
• Shaman Options, Primal Power, pages 60-85

Sorcerer (Arcane Striker):
• Sorcerer Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 136-151
• Sorcerer Options, Arcane Power, pages 24-47
• Sorcerer Essentials, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 34-44

Swordmage (Arcane Defender):
• Swordmage Class Entry, Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, pages 24-34
• Swordmage Options, Arcane Power, pages 48-69
• Swordmage Essentials, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 17-24
• Class Acts: Swordmage, Dragon Magazine #367, pages 55-57

Warden (Primal Defender):
• Warden Class Entry, Player's Handbook 2, pages 152-169
• Warden Options, Primal Power, pages 86-113
• Warden Essentials, Dragon Magazine #379, pages 39-48

Warlock (Arcane Striker):
• Warlock Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 129-142
• Warlock (Dark Pact), Arcane Power, pages 70-95
• Warlock Options, Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, pages 35-40
• Class Acts: Warlock, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 48-52
• Wish Upon a Star, Dragon Magazine #366, pages 17-25
• Performing the Pact, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 45-54

Warlord (Martial Leader):
• Warlord Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 143-155
• Warlord Options, Martial Power, pages 100-129
• Warlord Essentials, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 29-33 (ignore the shoddy advice in pages 24-28)
• Class Acts: Warlord, Dragon Magazine #369, pages 53-55
• Power Play: Martial, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 78-80

Wizard (Arcane Controller):
• Wizard Class Entry, Player's Handbook, pages 156-171
• Wizard Options, Arcane Power, pages 96-121
• Wizard Essentials, Dragon Magazine #380, pages 36-44
• Class Acts: Wizard, Dragon Magazine #381, pages 65-67
• Familiar Power, Dragon Magazine #382, pages 25-29

Or we can just IGNORE touhoufag and ask for advice anyway, because we're not asking for character optimization, we're asking for "what's good" advice.

Step Two: Instill the knowledge knowledge laid out in handbooks into your mind.

The official D&D 4e Character Optimization board greatly varies with regards to the quality of advice that it puts forth, but should you desire a comprehensive manual on optimization for a single class (or specific class build), then the board's "handbooks" should provide you with what you seek. There does exist an index of these handbooks (http://community.wizards.com/wiki/Dnd:CharOp/Index_of_Class_Guides), but many of the linked manuals are improperly formatted and/or out-of-date. What follows is a list of handbooks that I deem to be the most up-to-date, reliable, and credible sources of opinions and recommendations for each given class (minus the ardent and the psion, unfortunately):

• Artificer Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648970
• Assassin Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/21851365
• Avenger Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/charop/wiki/Avenger's_Handbook
• Barbarian Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648686
• Bard Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/21106285
• Cleric Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648946
• Druid Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648618
• Fighter Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19649078
• Invoker Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648982

>>7440181
> we're not asking for character optimization, we're asking for "what's good" advice
Errr...

• Monk Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/21806385
• Paladin Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19649038
• Ranger Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648298
• Rogue Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648978
• Seeker Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/20559357
• Shaman Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/21836709
• Sorcerer Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19649162
• Sorcerer (Storm) Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19647638
• Swordmage Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648554
• Warlock Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648994
• Warlord Handbook (1): http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648630
• Warlord Handbook (2): http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/21874089
• Warden Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19648098
• Wizard Handbook: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/20123797

Step Three: Should you desire an opinion tailored to your needs, ask away on this board.

Sometimes, that which has already been written is not enough for you. Sometimes, you are not confident in your personal ability to process the lore and the virtues of character optimization, and so you desire the consultation of an expert. Sometimes, you simply wish for a second opinion. In these cases, feel free to create a thread or post in an existing one (relevant to your request, of course) and send forth a call for suggestions on the optimization of your character's build. It is, however, of vital that your request includes as much pertinent information as possible:

1.) Be as clear and detailed as possible in what you wish for your build to be. Whether your concept is one grounded in mechanics or one grounded in fluff and flavor, be specific such that a common frequency can be established.
2.) Name the starting level of the character. Level is one of the most vital factors in character optimization; a level 1 Wildblood warden is an entirely different beast than a level 14 Wildblood warden. If the starting level of the character is unknown, then at least provide an estimate or the beginning tier of the character. The expected lifespan of a character is also important to state, as the ability scores and items for a character intended for a one-shot would vary compared to those for a character meant to last for a long-term campaign.
3.) If the ability scores of the character are not to be resolved through conventional 22-point buy, then do explain the ability score generation method that shall be used, possibly including the ability scores that you might have rolled for yourself.

4.) If the starting equipment of the character is not to be resolved through the default method in page 143 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, then please explain how magic items should be picked out for the character.
5.) If there are restrictions on the book sources that can be used for the character, then please point them out. For example, if your DM vetos the use of content from Dragon and Dungeon magazines, or the use of certain background benefits (Auspicious Birth, Born Under a Bad Sign, and *Windrise Ports*, especially), you should note this ban in your request.
6.) If you have any objections to particular options (such as denying the Student of Caiphon paragon path), then please state such.
7.) If possible, present a draft of what you have in mind for the character. It does not have to be a thoroughly optimized attempt, though it should serve as a sketch of what you wish for your character to be.
8.) After you have sent forth your appeal, please be patient. Substantial advice takes time. Abide by your thread or post for at least six hours before abandoning it.

That is all.

>>7440181
>we're not asking for character optimization, we're asking for "what's good" advice

haha oh wow

>>7440129
>>7440142
>>7440163
>>7440180
>>7440193
>>7440210
>>7440222
>>7440235
Translation; don't be a fucktard, do kinda know what you're doing, don't come into the act of character creation BLIND, do be civil about asking for help, and stay frosty.

>>7440276

If posters could understand what this entails without having it spelled out to them in excruciating detail, they would not be posting on 4chan.

Bumping a thread no one cares about, good job trolls

>>7440276
>>7440417

The point that is being driven at is that self-sufficiency is the foundation of gathering, analyzing, and understanding practical knowledge, and so it should be practiced.

>>7440547
Touhoufag, invoker of Ioun.

>>7440545

>>7440180
> • Warlock (Dark Pact), Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, pages 35-40
> • Warlock Options, Arcane Power, pages 70-95
fixed

thanks for the list touhoufag

>>7441481

You have my gratitude for the correction; that was a shameful error.

I came for the 40k, I stayed for the Touhou, I stayed even longer for the asspain.

I love /tg/

>>7440193
>>7440210
There's no handbook for ardent or psion?

>>7442994

Only the barest semblance of an ardent handbook exists (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/22020465), and the only psion handbook available (http://community.wizards.com/wiki/Dnd:CharOp/Controllers/Psion/Handbook) offers somewhat questionable recommendations in ratings, in my assessment.

>>7443745

I would think so, since the Ardent just came out recently and the Psion article everything is only visible through the compendium/character builder.

>>7443845

The psion being viewable only through the Compendium (or alternatively, here: www.big-metto.net/Upload/files/PHB3_Psion_Levels_1-30.htm) is no excuse for a psion handbook being one of poor quality. Rating Memory Hole as a blue power and Betrayal as a black power reeks of dubiousness to me.

>>7440276
>don't be a fucktard

But fucktards won't read this anyway, making it useless.

And a bump.

>>7443943

I was kind of thinking of doing a Psion next campaign I was in. Read through some of the stuff. Was planning on building one since everybody else is going to play a Striker except one Defender. That and mind-raping people is fun.

>>7443943

Did WotC's shitting all over the forum design suddenly disable all the communal accounts? Even if it has (or the Psion handbook is by someone who decided to not make a communal account for some stupid reason), why not make your own handbook if you disagree with their assessment? You have your head screwed on fairly tight when it comes to 4E optimisation, so I'm sure you could manage.

I herd Dragon magazine got butthurt over Touhou officially

>>7445867

No offense to Touhoufag, but I doubt he makes a big enough impact on them to do anything. Plus, everybody downloads the D&D insider shit without actually subscribing.

Has WotC released any info on the Psionic Defender (Battlemind or whatever it will be called?)

>>7445752

Well, would you happen to require any mechanical assistance with regards to the class?

>>7445785

The wiki-based handbooks may be wikis, but they are actually single-author affairs, as evidenced by the history pages of the avenger handbook and the psion handbook. Unauthorized revisions of such a handbook lead to drama and reversions. I shall not set out to create my own handbook, as such a project is one that requires far too much commitment and tending to than I find manageable, especially given my current sphere on this board. The realm CharOp is secondary to me.

>>7445894

as in, after the "Warlord Optimization" article, their next one had boxed text that more or less said >>7440181

>>7445894
I've seen the sidebar. WotC pretty much said "Yes, we realize you could be a FOOKAN POWERGAMER but this is just advice for newbies."

>>7445933

Sure. I was thinking of doing Tiefling for race.

>>7445964advice for newbies

and it was pretty terrible advice for newbies

>>7445977

Also, something that will slow down the enemies long enough for them not to kill the strikers before strikers kill them.

>>7445977

Well, you could have at least followed some of the points in >>7440222 and >>7440235, such as naming a starting level. Without that, the best advice that I can offer you would be to select Armor Proficiency (Leather) and Implement/Focused Expertise as your first two feats; remain faithful to Dishearten, Mind Thrust, and Betrayal for your three at-will powers, upgrading the third to Sudden Control at level 23; selecting the Psychic Lock paragon feat at level 11 for greatly increased control; and multiclassing into bard for the Life Singer paragon path from page 23 of Arcane Power, the single most momentous investment possible for a psion.

>>7446143

It was level 1, but I think that advice will work nicely.

Thanks for the reference lists, Touhoufag. It was also a nice surprise to see the relevant Dragon issues uploaded on /rs/; thanks too to whoever uploaded them!

is the most up to date character builder there too?

>>7446014

Dishearten can impose a -2 penalty to attack rolls against an area burst 1 of enemies, and the penalty increases to your Charisma modifier with an augment 2. Additionally, a 2-point Betrayal can break enemy formations and tactics quite nicely.

>>7446155

Additionally, do look into skill powers from pages 5-15 of Dragon Magazine #379, as most of the psion utility powers other than Intellect Fortress at level 2 are mediocre chaff. The Imperious Majesty heroic feat from page 87 of Dragon Magazine #382 would be a lovely feat for you to take later on in your career too, as it improves your initiative and protects you well during the first round of combat.

>>7446320

Intellect Fortress is awesome. A Shield spell that scales up.

Also, Imperious Majesty had no finds in Dragon 382, and page 87 was something about Splug.

>>7446444

My mistake; that should be page 87 of Dragon Magazine #381. Additionally, with regards to choice of implement, you would do well to favor a staff over an orb. Although the orb implement group is home to many a potent item power (such as the infamous Orb of Inescapable Consequences from page 94 of the Adventurer's Vault), most of those powers are daily powers. Staffs, on the other hand, offer you continuous properties and encounter powers much more often. They are also compatible with a Siberys Shard of the Mage from page 112 of the Eberron Player's Guide, and with 13 Wisdom at the paragon tier, you can select the Staff Fighting feat from page 58 of Dragon Magazine #368 for +1 AC. Also, despite all of the non-damaging powers that psions can bring to bear, ultimately, the Staff of Ruin from page 106 of the Adventurer's Vault is still the most optimal choice of specific implement for a psion, just as it is for any other staff-compatible implement-user.

>>7446610

Sounds awesome. Thanks Touhoufag,

>>7446610

Addendum: Shadowdance (Leather) Armor from page 26 of Seekers of the Ashen Crown, Adventure Book One is the most optimal armor slot item that you could ask for. As a level 5/10/15/20/25/30 item, it is fairly costly, though while its daily power is of limited use, its property allows you to avoid provoking opportunity attacks whenever you use a ranged or area power. The value of this should be self-explanatory to a psion.

An ability score array of Strength 8, Constitution 12, Dexterity 10, Intelligence 16+2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 16+2 would be good for you. Intelligence and Charisma are your primary ability scores, Constitution constitutes your hit points, healing surges, and (abysmal) Fortitude, and Wisdom should allow you to qualify for Staff Fighting at the paragon tier.

>>7446143

Okay, I just gotta ask - why Life Singer? The class features are decent, but the inability to match implements between Bards and Psions without a second feat dip into Arcane Implement Mastery seems suboptimal.

Am I missing something, or are the features really just that good?

>>7446920
Free attack rerolls vs Will.

>>7446956

Yeah, okay, duh. I'm gonna go sit in the corner now.

Dear touhou fag,

Your hideous English pendantry is tiresome, overwrought and almost invariably contains numerous incorrect word choices. Your avatar-fagging is also 4chan bandwidth rape. You get away with it by actually being an asset to the community.

I certainly don't have time to "abide by my thread" for 6 hours, but one of these days I'm going to ask you for some recommends on a two-player Paladin + Bard party I DM for. Deep down, the paladin really wants to be a striker... I'll provide full details at some later date when I know you are on and butchering my native language with your hyper-formal tripe.

>>7446920

http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wizards.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1396
>21. What implements can I use with powers granted by my paragon path or epic destiny?
>If a paragon path power or epic destiny power has the Implement keyword, you can use any implement that you are allowed to use from your class, as well as any implement you are allowed to use from another feature (such as a multiclass feat).

• Find Another Way, level 11 feature: Each ally within 5 squares of you gains a +2 untyped bonus to any, any ability check or skill check; recall that initiative checks are Dexterity checks.
• Peaceful Action, level 11 feature: Admittedly too conditional to be useful, but can prove effective when an ally spends an action point to, say, use a second wind or take a move action.
• Pacifying Voice, level 11 encounter power: Cripple an enemy for one turn.
• Inspired Solutions, level 12 daily utility power: You get to use Betrayal on an enemy, whereas each ally within 5 squares gets to use her Second Wind.
• Serene Will, level 16 feature: Reroll every single one of your attack powers, also with a +2 bonus if the attack does not deal damage (Betrayal, Mind Blast, Soothing Voice, Soothing Song).
• Soothing Song, level 20 daily power: Knock unconscious (save ends) each enemy in close burst 3, and each ally in the burst can spend one healing surge for each enemy hit by the attack. Also, the knocked-out enemies wake up if your allies attack them, but this limitation does not affect you, so feel free to use point-blank Mind Thrusts to coup de grace fallen enemies.

Also, if you could name a certain level, I could provide you with a build snapshot and plan out your feat and power progression until that level.

>>7447083

Forgot my image. Seriously, you need the help.

>>7447083

>I'm going to ask you for some recommends on a two-player Paladin + Bard party I DM for. Deep down, the paladin really wants to be a striker

Would the paladin be one focusing on Wisdom and Charisma, Strength and Charisma, or Strength and Wisdom? I can infer that she would most likely be a Strength/Wisdom paladin with the Ardent Vow class feature, in which case, minoring in striker is perfectly par for the course for the build. Secondly, what of the bard? Would she be a Virtue of Cunning bard, a Virtue of Valor bard, or a Virtue of Prescience bard; moreover, does she tend more towards ranged powers or melee powers?

>>7447281

Someday I'll ask for a party or character formulation that is actually unable to be simulated by a Touhou pic.

Just... Not today.

How is using a pic related to your post avatar-faggotry, anyway?
I could post a Touhou picture, but there's no way you're going to confuse me with Touhoufag.
It's how he posts that identifies him for who he is, not the pictures he uses.
Polite sage.

>>7447335

In truth, that would be a Wildblood warden and a warlock of sorts. This image, on the other hand, would depict be a Virtue of Cunning bard and a Primal Swarm druid.

Step One: Grow a fucking brain. 4e optimization boils down to "get an 18 or 20 in the ability that matters for your class, take the feats that obviously go together." If you can't optimize a character in 4e, kill yourself.

>>7447083
>I think I'm smarter than Touhoufag because I was born in an English speaking country. Now please help me learn to 4e so I can pretend I'm smarter than my players too.

I hope he answers you in Korean, you sack of crap.

Good evening to one and all my magnificen/tg/onads. It is said by the poets of old that communal intercourse of the intellectual variety ofttimes emerge, ens causa sui , within these azurine and cerulean threads in regard to the most sublime strategies of class one may adopt within the fabulist drama of The Coastal Magusaean's Donjons & Dragons &c, edition the Fourth. If we are to study with profit the finer points of this subject, then the communal basis of knowledge upon which any discussions shall take place must be clearly expressed on the subject thereof. I shall therefore, in passing, observe that it seems not so much from any essential distinction in the minutae of functionality between the classes or in their endless combinational interactions amidst the hypothetical mêlée, as in the state of one's own competence in the sagacious esoterica pertaining to either, that the typical interlocutor, in his earnest intellectual curiosity, would conduct himself before his peers with a measure of humility, while il fagotto di touhou, whose object of fascination has all along been himself, appealing through himself to himself, prefers to espouse his voluminous arguments with the utmost excess of garrulous prolixity so that all others may descry the path of the discourse at large only through the laborious and unhappy consumption of his moribund wit.

To wit, tl;dr I fucked your mother.

People still play 4e?

>>7448290
People still play 3.5? or AD&D? or First Ed.?

>>7448234
Normally I would interject with a cutting remark in response, but the fact that you spent over half an hour doing research to basically say you have no reading comprehension in the most archaeic way possible says more than I ever could.

Good day to you, /tg/.

..I SAID GOOD DAY.

>>7448234

11/10, you win over 9000 internets.

>>7448372
all trolling aside does anyone know if wizards is selling better than 3.5?

>>7448375
A leisurely half hour spent in friendly correspondence. Time well spent I say. That you would bring "reading comprehension" into it makes the irony all the sweeter.

Your father is a handsome beast.

>>7446857
Don't you need Dexterity for init?

>>7449372
Not with that tiefling feat mentioned.

>"It would benefit me greatly if I were to instruct myself on the basics of fishing prior to seeking out one who can teach me how to fish with greater proficiency"

Hahaaaa.

Never change.

>>7449842
It's hilarious because he doesn't need to roleplay, he just talks like that and that's his character right there.

>>7449842
And what's so bad about it? It applies to everyone when it comes to asking for help.

Thanks for the links. I found the ranger handbook really helpful, though whoever wrote it seriously needs to realize that Prime Punisher and Prime Shot are situational as fuck.

Bump for useful collection of links.

Good day to you, /tg/.
Herpa haderple derpderp 4e derpder derf. Hurpledurplederf haderple 4e derp. 4e derpderp derp derp. Derpderpderp STR derp CON derpderp WIS. 4e derp INT herple DEX derphurf derp.

>>7452863

bump

How would you rate the Weapon Master feats and powers in Dragon 382, Touhou?

>>7452863
About time you found new pics.

>>7454927
Wait... thats not even touhou...

ITT: Tohoufag comes to town, everyone gives a shit.

Sagefags have elevated him to a level of popularity that would not otherwise have been his.

>>7454935
Actually, it is.

>>7452863
Genius. But you're wrong about STR.

>>7454910

Allow me to repost my analyses of the options you have referred to from a previous thread.

While the concept of the Weapon Master feat is all well and dandy, I feel that it could have been executed more appropriately if Weapon Proficiency had been included in its prerequisites, if the feat had also granted proficiency with all melee weapons, and if the feat had also granted proficiency with ki foci. In situations other than those that call for a heavy thrown weapon, few fighters are willing to switch from a superior weapon that they are proficient in to a martial weapon. In addition, unless you would be willing to purchase and maintain a collection of magic melee weapons, you would have to take the Shadow Initiate assassin multiclass feat (which would grant you proficiency with ki foci) in order to use a variety of weapons with any real efficacy. As is, this feat benefits urgrosh-wielders, who would otherwise have to spend feats for both the axe weapon group and the spear weapon group, the most.

The Weapon Master's Strike at-will power similarly has a fine concept, yet poor execution. The additional hit effects for axes and spears/polearms are far and away superior to those for maces and heavy blades. Worse still is the fact that hammers and picks are forsaken entirely, and that this attack is not upgraded at level 21. What a shame. That said, for an axe-wielder, this 1[W] + Strength modifier + Constitution modifier attack is a fair alternative to Brash Strike, and for a spear/polearm-wielder, forcing an enemy to provoke both an opportunity attack and a Combat Challenge attack from you if it shifts, effectively encouraging the target to take a regular move instead of shift, lest it receive two attacks from you, is a maneuver of much tactical advantage. With a halberd (that is, an axe and a polearm), you could even take advantage of both of these hit effects.

>>7454935
Judging from the hair ornament, it's Sanae, though she has Koishi's hat for some reason.

bump