The Brawler Style fighter is a class build that was introduced in the recent Martial Power 2. Such a fighter is a Strength/Dexterity-based melee defender/controller who wields a one-handed weapon in one hand, nothing in the other, and keeps foes from harming her allies by directly restricting its movement through the imposition of the grabbed pseudo-condition. What she forgos in durability and offensive capabilities, she makes up for by pragmatically suffocating the mobility of her adversaries, so the build is advertised. In my assessment, Brawler Style fighters are divided into a distinct dichotomy: those who eschew unarmed attacks, and those who do not.

It is *relatively* simple to create an optimal member of the former breed:

• Race: The primary ability score of the build is Strength, and Dexterity is its secondary score. As such, selecting a race possessing of +2 Strength, such as dragonborn, goliath, or warforged, would be for the best. A race with +2 Dexterity, such as elf, githzerai, or revenant, would be a fair second-place choice. An ideal race would be bugbear, half-orc, or human. The former two are blessed with a golden +2 Strength and +2 Dexterity, while the human bonus feat assuages the feat tax issues of the build and a +1 bonus to all non-AC defenses (including Fortitude) helps prevent your grabs from being disrupted.

• Ability Scores: Arrange your ability scores at level 1 into a pre-racial array of Strength 16, Constitution 12, Dexterity 16, and a 12, a 10, and an 8 distributed into Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as you see fit. Raise Strength and Dexterity at levels 4, 8, 14, 18, 24, and 28.

• Class Features: Opt for Brawler Style in place of Fighter Weapon Talent, but do not trade in Combat Superiority for Combat Agility. This is one of the unintuitive aspects of the build. Apart from Combat Agility being less threatening than Combat Superiority overall, even with a high Dexterity modifier, it does not mesh well with the Brawler Style fighter, who cannot afford to chase down a second enemy using Combat Agility if she already has one grabbed, lest the grab be abrogated.

• At-Will Powers: Select Grappling Strike as one of your two at-will powers. It is the iconic cornerstone of the Brawler Style fighter, and it should fill in the movement-halting capacity of Combat Superiority. Cleave or Footwork Lure would be a solid second at-will.

• Heroic Feats: To fill out your heroic feats slots, you may wish to select Agile Superiority at level 1 to make enemies think twice about provoking an opportunity attack from you, Weapon Expertise at level 2 to increase your accuracy, Inescapable Hold as your level 4 feat to improve the authority of your grabs, Weapon Proficiency at level 6 in the name of more damage per [W], Weapon Focus at level 8 for another boost to your damage, and lastly, Wrenching Grasp at level 10 for automatic damage equal to your Dexterity modifier on a miss with Grappling Strike and a few of your other powers. Rearrange and substitute these feats according to your preferences.

• Paragon and Epic Feats: The Pin Down heroic feat prevents prone enemies from standing until they have escaped your grab, but I do not believe that this is a worthwhile investment, as attempting to render an enemy both prone and grabbed without compromising your power selection is a difficult prospect. Crushing Pin is a crucial paragon feat, as it discourages enemies from escaping your grabs. Also available at the paragon tier is Paragon Defenses, which grants you a +1 feat bonus to Fortitude (the stability of your grabs), Reflex, and Will. Paragon Defenses should be retrained into Robust Defenses at level 21, and Epic Fortitude would also be a good epic feat; with both of these epic defense boosters, your grabs should be nigh-inescapable. The most vital epic feat for a grab-focused fighter, however, is Crushing Grab, which lets you deal automatic damage whenever you sustain a grab; remember that you can sustain a grab from, say, Pin Down before it ends on your current turn.

• Paragon Paths: Good fighter paragon paths for you include the Kensei and the Swordmaster. The writers of Martial Power 2 had, alas, overlooked the need for a Brawler Style fighter paragon path.

• Armor: If your Dexterity at level 1 was 16 or 14+2, then be sure that you are clad in scale armor for maximum proficiency. If your Dexterity at level 1 was 16+2, on the other hand, then garbing yourself in hide armor would eke out roughly the same AC while maintaining a valuable speed 6.

• Weapon: A one-handed, non-off-hand melee weapon suits the build well. A flail or a heavy blade would be an optimal weapon for you, as these two weapon groups are driven by Strength and Dexterity, your primary and secondary scores. Lesser alternatives would be the axe and hammer weapon groups. In other words, without Weapon Proficiency, you should consider a flail, a longsword, a battleaxe, or a warhammer. With Weapon Proficiency, a triple flail, a bastard sword, a waraxe, or a craghammer would be your weapon of choice.

• Magic Equipment: Iron Armbands of Power (level 6/16/26) for most melee characters, as they confer a large item bonus unto all of your melee daamge rolls. A Backlash Tattoo (level 9) and Strikebacks (level 10) are must-haves for any fighter, as they each offer you a free melee basic attack each encounter. The latter even grants you a +1 item bonus to opportunity attack rolls. A Goliath's Belt (level 9) would enable you to grab Huge creatures, a process that becomes a necessity midway into the paragon tier. Once you reach the epic tier, consider a Ring of Personal Gravity (level 16) and Defiant Boots (level 18) to ensure that forced movement does not annul your grabs. Salves of Power (level 10) can restore your level 5 daily attack power(s), most likely a stance such as Rain of Steel.

As a Brawler Style fighter who forsakes unarmed attacks, do look over these attack powers that were designed with such characters in mind:
• At-Will 1: Grappling Strike
• Encounter 1: Bash and Pinion
• Encounter 1: Serpent's Coil
• Encounter 1: Takedown Attack
• Encounter 13: Stranglehold
• Encounter 17: Shifting Blade
• Encounter 27: Wrenching Assault
• Daily 1: Seize and Stab
• Daily 5: Crushing Foot
• Daily 9: Staggering Blow
• Daily 15: Relentless Headlock
• Daily 25: Hammering Pommel
• Utility 2: Forceful Drag
• Utility 6: Makeshift Shield
• Utility 10: Body Shield
• Utility 10: Grappler's Stance
• Utility 16: Painful Drag
• Utility 22: Surprising Finish

Additionally, keep your distance from these attack powers that call for unarmed attacks:
• At-Will 1: Slash and Pummel
• Encounter 3: Slamming Rush
• Encounter 7: Bludgeoning Vise
• Encounter 17: Battering Ram
• Encounter 17: Vicious Uppercut
• Encounter 23: Gut Punch
• Encounter 23: Trollclaw Grip
• Daily 5: Bare-Knuckled Rebuke
• Daily 15: Eye Gouge
• Daily 19: Iron Tornado
• Daily 19: Pugilist's Resolve
• Daily 25: Hold at Bay
• Daily 29: Neck Snap

Simple enough. However, I consider this type of fighter to be somewhat less effective than a traditional Weapon Talent fighter. The feat tax of a Brawler Style fighter is more pressing than that of other fighters, and such a fighter's attack bonus is 1 less than that of a Weapon Talent fighter. Between Combat Challenge and Combat Superiority alone, enemies that you have marked shall find it difficult to break off from you, bringing to question the necessity of grabbing. This pseudo-condition has its flaws as well:
• Forced movement against a Brawler Style fighter can instantaneously spoil a grab. Granted, it can invalidate the stickiness of other fighters as well.
• Grabbing a Huge creature requires a level 9 waist slot item.
• Grabbing a Gargantuan creature is all but impossible.
• The Brawler Style class feature's +1 bonus to AC and +2 bonus to Fortitude is contingent upon you wielding a weapon in your primary hand and your off-hand being free, that is, "you can't be using it for anything else." Grabbing a creature with your off-hand, therefore, denies you these bonuses. Quite a shameful rules oversight.
• At the heroic tier, even a fighter with a high Fortitude defense and the Inescapable Grasp heroic feat shall see enemies trained in Acrobatics or Athletics wriggle away every so often, partly due to the loss of Fortitude above.

Also, the powers of the Brawler style fighter are no better, if not less impressive overall due to the sheer relative lack of breadth, than those of conventional fighters. I can see the value of imposing imperfect pseudo-immobilization (and incidentally lowering your AC by 1 and your Fortitude by 2) with Grappling Strike, but is it really superior to inflicting a stupendous amount of damage with Brash Strike, repositioning yourself and an enemy with Footwork Lure or Tide of Iron, or forcing a large amount of ongoing damage onto a foe with Cleave through Cruel Cut Style? Why grab and daze an enemy with Stranglehold when you can *stun* with Anvil of Doom, send an enemy's defenses spiraling down with Chains of Sorrow, or execute a triple attack with Storm of Blows? Why lock down an enemy for a round with Seize and Stab when you can gain a power bonus to attack and damage rolls with Villain's Menace, perform a triple attack with Tempest Dance, or inflict a large amount of daamge, gain temporary hit points, and slow (save ends) with Knee Breaker? Why "immobilize" an enemy and cause it to grant combat advantage usnig Relentless Headlock when you can devastate a line of enemies with Boulder Charge, carry out a quadruple attack with Serpent Dance Strike, or unleash the automatic damage stance that is Unyielding Avalanche? Further insult to injury would be the fact that there are no Brawler Style-specific paragon paths in Martial Power 2 whatsoever.

With all of the above said, despite the potential that you forgo, as a Brawler Style fighter sans unarmed attacks, you can definitely serve as a competent and effective single-target defender. If a Weapon Talent fighter could hypothetically be considered a blue (4/5) defender, then a Brawler Style fighter would be black (3/5): not as spectacular, but serviceable nonetheless. To facilitate comparison, below are two builds for a level 10 half-orc fighter. They share the same ability scores, the same daily attack powers, and the same magic equipment. One is a Brawler Style fighter, and the other is a sword-and-shield Weapon Talent fighter.

Build: Level 10 Half-Orc Brawler Style Fighter
Level: 10
Race: Half-Orc, Player's Handbook 2, pages 14-15
Class: Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 75-77
Combat Speciality: Combat Superiority, Player's Handbook, page 76
Combat Talent: Brawler Style, Martial Power 2, page 6

Ability Scores:
Level 1: Strength 16+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 16+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 4: Strength 17+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 17+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 8: Strength 18+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 18+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12

Feats:
Level 1: Agile Superiority, Dragon Magazine #378, page 45
Level 2: Weapon Proficiency (Triple Flail), Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Flails), Player's Handbook 2, page 190
Level 6: Inescapable Hold, Martial Power 2, page 136
Level 8: Weapon Focus (Flails), Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 10: Wrenching Grasp, Martial Power 2, page 140

At-Will Attack Powers:
Level 1: Cleave, Player's Handbook, page 77
Level 1: Grappling Strike, Martial Power 2, page 7

Encounter Attack Powers:
Level 1: Bash and Pinion, Martial Power 2, page 8
Level 3: Rain of Blows, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 7: Come and Get It, Player's Handbook, page 80

Daily Attack Powers:
Level 1: Tempest Dance, Martial Power, page 9
Level 5: Rain of Steel, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 9: Jackal Strike, Martial Power, page 13

Utility Powers:
Level 2: Forceful Drag, Martial Power 2, page 9
Level 6: Makeshift Shield, Martial Power 2, page 11
Level 10: Fighter's Grit, Martial Power 2, page 14

Equipment:
Main Hand: Sacrificial Triple Flail +3 (Level 11, Free), Adventurer's Vault, page 77
Armor: Summoned Hide +2 (Level 6, 1,800 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 53
Neck: Resplendent Cloak +2 (Level 8, Free), Adventurer's Vault 2, page 104
Arms: Iron Armbands of Power +2 (Level 6, 1,800 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 117
Hands: Strikebacks (Level 10, Free), Adventurer's Vault, page 136
Feet: Acrobat Boots (Level 2, 520 gp), Player's Handbook, page 246
Loose Change: 80 gp

Miscellany:
Initiative: +10 (5 half level + 5 Dexterity modifier)
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares, 8 when charging (half-orc)
Vision: Low-light
Passive Insight: 14 (10 base + 5 half level - 1 Wisdom modifier)
Passive Perception: 14 (10 base + 5 half level - 1 Wisdom modifier)
Trained Skills: Athletics, Endurance (+2 racial), Intimidate (+2 racial)
Languages: Common, Giant

Hit Points:
Hit Points: 81 (69 fighter + 12 Constitution score)
Bloodied: 40
Healing Surge Value: 20
Healing Surges per Day: 10 (9 fighter + 1 Constitution modifier)
Special (Half-Orc Resilience): The first time you are bloodied during an encounter, you gain 5 temporary hit points.

Defenses:
AC: 25 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 5 Dexterity modifier + 3 hide)
Fortitude: 24 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 2 class)
Reflex: 22 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 5 Dexterity modifier)
Will: 18 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 1 Charisma modifier)
Special (Resplendent Cloak +2): You and each ally within 10 squares of you gain a +2 bonus to Will against charm, fear, and illusion attacks.
Special (Brawler Style): While you wield a weapon in your primary hand and your off hand is free, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Fortitude.

Attacks:
Attack Bonus (Non-Opportunity): +17 (5 half level + 3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Expertise + 3 proficiency)
Attack Bonus (Opportunity): +23 (5 half level + 3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Expertise + 3 proficiency + 5 Dexterity modifier [Agile Superiority] + 1 Strikebacks)
Damage Bonus (Melee): +11 (3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Focus + 2 Iron Armbands of Power)
Damage (Come and Get It): 1d10+9 (1d10 triple flail + 3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Focus)
Damage (Rain of Steel): 1d10+4 (1d10 triple flail + 3 enhancement + 1 Weapon Focus)
Damage per [W]: 1d10 (Sacrificial Triple Flail +3)
Extra Critical Damage: +3d6 (Sacrificial Triple Flail +3)
Special (Brawler Style): You gain a +2 proficiency bonus with unarmed attacks and a +2 bonus to grab attacks and attacks to move a creature grabbed by you.
Special (Inescapable Hold): Whenever an enemy grabbed by you attempts to escape your grab, it must make its escape check against your Fortitude even if it uses Acrobatics.
Special (Wrenching Grasp): Whenever you miss an enemy with an attack that would allow you to grab it (Grappling Strike, Bash and Pinion), you deal damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (+5) to that enemy.

Item Powers:
Summoned Hide +2 (At-Will): Minor Action. You banish this armor to a secure extradimensional location. At any point in the future, unless you are wearing armor, you can use another minor action to recall the armor. The armor appears on you as though you had donned it normally.
Acrobat Boots (At-Will): Minor Action. Stand up from prone.
Strikebacks (Encounter): Immediate Reaction. Use this power when an adjacent enemy hits you. Make a melee basic attack against that enemy.
Sacrificial Triple Flail +3 (Daily): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. Spend a healing surge, and instead of regaining hit points, you cause the target to become weakened until the end of your next turn.

Build: Level 10 Half-Orc Sword-and-Shield Weapon Talent Fighter
Level: 10
Race: Half-Orc, Player's Handbook 2, pages 14-15
Class: Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 75-77
Combat Speciality: Combat Superiority, Player's Handbook, page 76
Combat Talent: Fighter Weapon Talent (One-Handed), Player's Handbook, page 76

Ability Scores:
Level 1: Strength 16+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 16+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 4: Strength 17+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 17+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 8: Strength 18+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 18+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12

Feats:
Level 1: Agile Superiority, Dragon Magazine #378, page 45
Level 2: Weapon Proficiency (Triple Flail), Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 4: Weapon Expertise (Flails), Player's Handbook 2, page 190
Level 6: Shield Push, Player's Handbook, page 200
Level 8: Mobile Challenge, Dragon Magazine #378, page 45
Level 10: Weapon Focus (Flails), Player's Handbook, page 201

At-Will Attack Powers:
Level 1: Cleave, Player's Handbook, page 77
Level 1: Tide of Iron, Player's Handbook, page 8

Encounter Attack Powers:
Level 1: Serpent's Coil, Martial Power 2, page 8
Level 3: Rain of Blows, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 7: Come and Get It, Player's Handbook, page 80

Daily Attack Powers:
Level 1: Tempest Dance, Martial Power, page 9
Level 5: Rain of Steel, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 9: Jackal Strike, Martial Power, page 13

Utility Powers:
Level 2: Pass Forward, Martial Power, page 10
Level 6: Daring Shout, Player's Handbook Heroes, Series One
Level 10: Fighter's Grit, Martial Power 2, page 14

Miscellany:
Initiative: +10 (5 half level + 5 Dexterity modifier)
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares, 8 when charging (half-orc)
Vision: Low-light
Passive Insight: 14 (10 base + 5 half level - 1 Wisdom modifier)
Passive Perception: 14 (10 base + 5 half level - 1 Wisdom modifier)
Trained Skills: Athletics, Endurance (+2 racial), Intimidate (+2 racial)
Languages: Common, Giant

Hit Points:
Hit Points: 81 (69 fighter + 12 Constitution score)
Bloodied: 40
Healing Surge Value: 20
Healing Surges per Day: 10 (9 fighter + 1 Constitution modifier)
Special (Half-Orc Resilience): The first time you are bloodied during an encounter, you gain 5 temporary hit points.

Defenses:
AC: 25 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 5 Dexterity modifier + 3 hide)
Fortitude: 24 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 2 class)
Reflex: 22 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 5 Dexterity modifier)
Will: 18 (10 base + 5 half level + 2 enhancement + 1 Charisma modifier)
Special (Resplendent Cloak +2): You and each ally within 10 squares of you gain a +2 bonus to Will against charm, fear, and illusion attacks.

Attacks:
Attack Bonus (Non-Opportunity): +18 (5 half level + 3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Expertise + 3 proficiency + 1 Fighter Weapon Talent)
Attack Bonus (Opportunity): +24 (5 half level + 3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Expertise + 3 proficiency + 1 Fighter Weapon Talent + 5 Dexterity modifier [Agile Superiority] + 1 Strikebacks)
Damage Bonus (Melee): +11 (3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Focus + 2 Iron Armbands of Power)
Damage (Come and Get It): 1d10+9 (1d10 triple flail + 3 enhancement + 5 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Focus)
Damage (Rain of Steel): 1d10+4 (1d10 triple flail + 3 enhancement + 1 Weapon Focus)
Damage per [W]: 1d10 (Sacrificial Triple Flail +3)
Extra Critical Damage: +3d6 (Sacrificial Triple Flail +3)
Special (Shield Push): If you hit a foe with an attack granted by your Combat Challenge class feature, you push the target 1 square after dealing damage.
Special (Mobile Challenge): After you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack granted by your Combat Challenge class feature, you can shift 1 square.

Item Powers:
Summoned Hide +2 (At-Will): Minor Action. You banish this armor to a secure extradimensional location. At any point in the future, unless you are wearing armor, you can use another minor action to recall the armor. The armor appears on you as though you had donned it normally.
Acrobat Boots (At-Will): Minor Action. Stand up from prone.
Strikebacks (Encounter): Immediate Reaction. Use this power when an adjacent enemy hits you. Make a melee basic attack against that enemy.
Sacrificial Triple Flail +3 (Daily): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. Spend a healing surge, and instead of regaining hit points, you cause the target to become weakened until the end of your next turn.

As you can see, the Brawler Style fighter holds only three powers in her class power list, Grappling Strike, Bash and Pinion, and Makeshift Shield, as a testament to the effectiveness of Brawler Style powers. Although Rain of Blows, Come and Get It, Tempest Dance, Rain of Steel, and Jackal Strike are all generic powers from the year 2008, there is truly no contest between them and the various heroic-tier Brawler Style fighter powers in terms of potency. The Weapon Talent fighter is endowed with arsenal of powers that can match that of the Brawler Style fighter, to the point where she can even duplicate Bash and Pinion through Serpent's Coil, but where she shines is her unconditional +1 bonus to attack rolls, +2 shield bonus to AC, and +2 shield bonus to Reflex. Shield Push and Mobile Challenge augment her into an insurmountably sticky defender as well. Still, the level 10 Brawler Style fighter is a solid enough defender. She makes up for the lack of Mobile Challenge and Shield Push by virtue of grabbing, and apart from that, sheeven wields three things that the Weapon Talent fighter does not: the substantial repositioning and forced movement of Forceful Drag, the attack deflection of Makeshift Shield, and the automatic miss damage of Wrenching Grasp.

Perhaps you desire to perform unarmed attacks. Perhaps you wish to intermix slashes and haymakers, to play a pure pugilist or a luchador for the sake of character concept, to use the Slash and Pummel at-will power (that shall be covered later), to not lose your bonus to AC and Fortitude while you are grabbing one creature, or to grab two creatures simultaeneously. Ah, now... that is where the optimization nightmare begins. Consider the amount of feats you must collect as part of the accuracy and damage package alone: Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Expertise, Weapon Focus, Weapon Master, and Brutal Brawler. Five feats for a 1d10/+3 main weapon and a 1d8/+2 off-hand weapon seems highly unimpressive, and the situation worsens when you consider that you must pay for both a one-handed weapon and a spiked gauntlet as well. If you trim your budget down to three feats, Weapon Expertise, Brutal Brawler, and Weapon Focus, you do receive the luxury of maintaining your +1 AC and +2 Fortitude when you grab a single opponent, though your puny 1d8/+2 weapons cannot stand up to the effectively 1d10/+4 bastard swords and triple flails and 1d12/+3 waraxes of sword-and-shield Weapon Talent fighters by any stretch of the imagination.

Simply put, a Brawler Style fighter who uses unarmed attacks is highly impractical from levels 1-10. For a heroic-tier Brawler Style fighter, it would be best to abstain from unarmed attacks. You could certainly attempt to play a sword-and-fist-swinging fighter at this point in your career, but your offensive capabilities would be laughable in comparison to those of other fighters, and your magic item budget concerns would be troublesome. Come level 11, however, a glimmer of hope coalesces, for you see, a Brawler Style fighter's proficiency bonus with unarmed attacks, those without the use of spiked gauntlets, at that, rises to +4. Multiclassing into assassin grants you proficiency with ki foci; you can use apply a ki focus's enhancement bonus, properties, and powers onto any of your weapon powers. In other words, with a ki focus and Brutal Brawler, you would effectively wield a pair of 1d6/+4 weapons whose enhancement bonuses are financed by a single magic item. While still a far cry from a Weapon Talent fighter's 1d10/+4 or 1d12/+3 weapons, this is certainly a step in the correct direction. "Go assassin or go home" should be the optimization credo of any self-respecting Brawler Style fighter who seeks to use unarmed attacks at the paragon and epic tiers. Speaking of which, an epic-tier Brawler Style fighter's unarmed attacks are effectively 1d6/+6 weapons, which is quite spectacular.

Character building guidelines for such a fighter generally follow those for Brawler Style fighters who abandon unarmed attacks. Deviations include taking Brutal Brawler instead of Weapon Proficiency, making way for an assassin multiclass feat such as Shadow Initiate or Acolyte of the Shadow Veil, and picking out attack powers normally meant for Tempest Technique fighters. This generates an effective blend between a Tempest Technique fighter and a Brawler Style fighter, a character who can unleash both multiattacks and grab attacks to adapt to the circumstances at hand. The infamous *Iron Body Ki Focus* drastically improves your resilience against marked foes as well. Below is a sample level 14 Brawler Style fighter/assassin.

Build: Level 14 Half-Orc Brawler Style Fighter
Level: 14
Race: Half-Orc, Player's Handbook 2, pages 14-15
Class: Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 75-77
Combat Speciality: Combat Superiority, Player's Handbook, page 76
Combat Talent: Brawler Style, Martial Power 2, page 6
Paragon Path: Shock Trooper, Martial Power, page 34

Ability Scores:
Level 1: Strength 16+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 16+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 4: Strength 17+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 17+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 8: Strength 18+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 18+2, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 8, Charisma 12
Level 11: Strength 19+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 19+2, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 9, Charisma 13
Level 14: Strength 20+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 20+2, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 9, Charisma 13

Feats:
Level 1: Agile Superiority, Dragon Magazine #378, page 45
Level 2: Weapon Expertise (Unarmed), Player's Handbook 2, page 190
Level 4: Inescapable Hold, Martial Power 2, page 136
Level 6: Brutal Brawler, Martial Power 2, page 131
Level 8: Shadow Initiate, Dragon Magazine #382, page 31
Level 10: Weapon Focus (Unarmed), Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 11: Crushing Pin, Martial Power 2, page 142
Level 12: Wrenching Grasp, Martial Power 2, page 140
Level 14: Paragon Defenses, Player's Handbook 2, page 191

At-Will Attack Powers:
Level 1: Dual Strike, Martial Power, page 7
Level 1: Grappling Strike, Martial Power 2, page 7

Encounter Attack Powers:
Level 1: Bash and Pinion, Martial Power 2, page 8
Level 3: Parry and Riposte, Martial Power, page 10
Level 7: Come and Get It, Player's Handbook, page 80
Level 11: Shocking Twister, Martial Power, page 34
Level 13 (replaces Parry and Riposte): Hilt Smash, Martial Power 2, page 15

Daily Attack Powers:
Level 1: Tempest Dance, Martial Power, page 9
Level 5: Rain of Steel, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 9: Bare-Knuckled Rebuke, Martial Power 2, page 10

Utility Powers:
Level 2: Forceful Drag, Martial Power 2, page 9
Level 6: Makeshift Shield, Martial Power 2, page 11
Level 10: Fist of Lightning, Martial Power 2, page 14
Level 12: Assault Footwork, Martial Power, page 34

Equipment:
Armor: Displacer Earthhide +3 (Level 14, Free), Adventurer's Vault, page 44
Neck: Resplendent Cloak +3 (Level 13, Free), Adventurer's Vault 2, page 104
Arms: Iron Armbands of Power +2 (Level 6, 1,800 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 117
Hands: Strikebacks (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 136
Head: Savage Mask (Level 6, 1,800 gp), Adventurer's Vault 2, page 107
Waist: Goliath Belt (Level 9, 4,200 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 165
Wondrous: Backlash Tattoo (Level 9, 4,200 gp), Adventurer's Vault 2, page 84
Ki Focus: Iron Body Ki Focus +3 (Level 15, Free), Dragon Magazine #382, page 32
Loose Change: 0 gp

Miscellany:
Initiative: +13 (7 half level + 6 Dexterity modifier)
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares, 8 when charging (half-orc)
Vision: Low-light
Passive Insight: 16 (10 base + 7 half level - 1 Wisdom modifier)
Passive Perception: 16 (10 base + 7 half level - 1 Wisdom modifier)
Trained Skills: Athletics, Endurance (+2 racial), Intimidate (+2 racial), Stealth
Languages: Common, Giant

Hit Points:
Hit Points: 106 (93 fighter + 13 Constitution score)
Bloodied: 53
Healing Surge Value: 26
Healing Surges per Day: 10 (9 fighter + 1 Constitution modifier)
Special (Half-Orc Resilience): The first time you are bloodied during an encounter, you gain 10 temporary hit points.
Special (Backlash Tattoo): The first time you're bloodied during an encounter, you can make a basic attack as an immediate reaction.

Defenses:
AC: 29 (10 base + 7 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Dexterity modifier + 3 earthhide)
Fortitude: 30 (10 base + 7 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses + 2 class + 1 earthhide)
Reflex: 27 (10 base + 7 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Dexterity modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses)
Will: 22 (10 base + 7 half level + 3 enhancement + 1 Charisma modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses)
Action Point (Footwork Action): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you gain a +2 bonus to AC and Reflex until the end of your next turn. If a melee attack misses you while this bonus applies, you can shift 1 square as a free action.
Special (Resplendent Cloak +3): You and each ally within 10 squares of you gain a +2 bonus to Will against charm, fear, and illusion attacks.
Special (Savage Mask): You gain a +2 item bonus to Will against close and area attacks.
Special (Brawler Style): While you wield a weapon in your primary hand and your off hand is free, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Fortitude.

Attacks:
Attack Bonus (Non-Opportunity): +21 (7 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Expertise + 4 proficiency [Brawler Style])
Attack Bonus (Opportunity): +28 (7 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 1 Weapon Expertise + 4 proficiency [Brawler Style] + 6 Dexterity modifier [Agile Superiority] + 1 Strikebacks)
Damage Bonus (Melee): +13 (3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Focus + 2 Iron Armbands of Power)
Damage (Come and Get It): 1d8+11 (1d8 Brutal Brawler, Deadly Soldier + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Focus)
Damage (Rain of Steel): 1d8+5 (1d8 Brutal Brawler, Deadly Soldier + 3 enhancement + 2 Weapon Focus)
Damage per [W]: 1d8 (Brutal Brawler, Deadly Soldier)
Extra Critical Damage: +3d10 (Iron Body Ki Focus +3)
Special (Iron Body Ki Focus +3): If you hit an opponent with an attack using this ki focus, you gain resistance to all of that target's attacks equal to 2 + this implement's enhancement bonus (total of 5) until the end of your next turn.
Special (Brawler Style): You gain a +4 proficiency bonus with unarmed attacks and a +4 bonus to grab attacks and attacks to move a creature grabbed by you.
Special (Goliath's Belt): You gain a +2 item bonus on Strength attacks to bull rush or grab a target. In addition, you can attempt to bull rush or grab a target up to two sizes larger than you.
Special (Inescapable Hold): Whenever an enemy grabbed by you attempts to escape your grab, it must make its escape check against your Fortitude even if it uses Acrobatics.
Special (Crushing Pin): Whenever an enemy grabbed by you attempts to escape the grab and fails, it takes damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (+6).
Special (Wrenching Grasp): Whenever you miss an enemy with an attack that would allow you to grab it (Grappling Strike, Bash and Pinion), you deal damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (+6) to that enemy.

Item Powers:
Strikebacks (Encounter): Immediate Reaction. Use this power when an adjacent enemy hits you. Make a melee basic attack against that enemy.
Displacer Earthhide +3 (Daily ✦ Illusion): Minor Action. Any enemy making a melee or ranged attack against you must roll two d20s for the attack roll and use the lower result. This effect lasts until the end of the encounter.

Shock Trooper was chosen as the character's paragon path to increase the damage per [W] of her unarmed attacks to 1d8, and also to grant her the exceptional Shocking Twister level 11 encounter power. Her Grappling Strike at-will power allows her to lock down a single enemy, maintaining her +1 AC and +2 Fortitude thanks to keeping her other hand free, whereas Dual Strike can apply twin marks against two foes. Hilt Smash is another notable power, as it is a single-target double attack that dazes the enemy. For one encounter per day, she can even cause her unarmed attacks to each deal an additional 6 damage thanks to the Fist of Lightning daily utility, and during another encounter, Bare-Knuckled Rebuke enables her to counterattack any enemy that misses her with a melee attack. Amidst all of these highlights, though, you may notice that only two of her powers actually involve grabbing, Grappling Strike and Bash and Pinion. You can swap out some of her powers here for alternatives that grab, such as Seize and Stab, Crushing Foot, and Stranglehold, but they simply shall not be as effective as the powers recommended above. You may be a more adept *brawler* with the aforementioned grabbing powers, but you would be less efficient a *fighter* overall.

While the level 14 Brawler Style fighter in the previous section is a perfectly operable defender who can switch from single-target duty with Grappling Strike and Bash and Pinion and multimarking skirmishes with Dual Strike and Come and Get It, perhaps a thought might have sparked in the back of your mind, a sentiment along the lines of, "Why inconvenience myself with grabbing when I can simplify the build into a faux-Tempest Technique fighter? After all, it would not be unthematic for my character concept of an unarmed combatant."

A Brawler Style fighter who makes use of unarmed attacks yet forsakes the art of grabbing is a viable and effective defender/striker, more akin to an alternate Tempest Technique fighter than anything else. Similar to the Brawler Style fighters of the previous section, they come with the caveat of being effective only at the paragon and epic tiers. This variant of the unarmed fighter/assassin mostly eschews Dexterity, instead raising their Strength and Wisdom; equipping herself in scale armor; reaping the benefits of not having to take Agile Superiority, Inescapable Hold, Wrenching Grasp, and Crushing Pin; being able to use the Marked Scourge, Slashing Storm, and Martial Resolve feats with efficacy; and becoming a bare-fisted behemoth at level 16 thanks to the Pit Fighter paragon path. Combat Superiority and Mobile Challenge can surely take the place of grabbing when it comes to enforcing that enemies stay where they are.

Such that the offensive capabilities of a level 16 Brawler Style fighter/assassin/Pit Fighter are viewable by all, below is a sample specimen of the longtooth shifter race.

Build: Level 16 Longtooth Shifter Brawler Style Fighter/Pit Fighter
Level: 16
Race: Longtooth Shifter, Player's Handbook 2, pages 16-17
Class: Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 75-77
Combat Specialty: Combat Superiority, Player's Handbook, page 76
Combat Talent: Brawler Style, Martial Power 2, page 6
Paragon Path: Pit Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 87-88

Ability Scores:
Level 1: Strength 16+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 16+2, Charisma 8
Level 4: Strength 17+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 17+2, Charisma 8
Level 8: Strength 18+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 18+2, Charisma 8
Level 11: Strength 19+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 19+2, Charisma 9
Level 14: Strength 20+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 20+2, Charisma 9

Feats:
Level 1: Weapon Expertise (Unarmed), Player's Handbook 2, page 190
Level 2: Brutal Brawler, Martial Power 2, page 131
Level 4: Mobile Challenge, Dragon Magazine #378, page 45
Level 6: Brawler Guard, Martial Power 2, page 131
Level 8: Weapon Focus (Unarmed), Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 10: Toughness, Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 11: Shadow Initiate, Dragon Magazine #382, page 31
Level 11 (replaces Toughness): Marked Scourge, Martial Power, page 144
Level 12: Paragon Defenses, Player's Handbook 2, page 191
Level 14: Toughness, Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 16: Durable, Player's Handbook, page 194

At-Will Attack Powers:
Level 1: Dual Strike, Martial Power, page 7
Level 1: Slash and Pummel, Martial Power 2, page 7

Encounter Attack Powers:
Level 1: Passing Attack, Player's Handbook, page 78
Level 3: Parry and Riposte, Martial Power, page 10
Level 7: Come and Get It, Player's Handbook, page 80
Level 11: All Bets Are Off, Player's Handbook, page 88
Level 13 (replaces Passing Attack): Hilt Smash, Martial Power 2, page 15

Daily Attack Powers:
Level 1: Tempest Dance, Martial Power, page 9
Level 5: Rain of Steel, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 9: Bare-Knuckled Rebuke, Martial Power 2, page 10
Level 15 (replaces Tempest Dance): Unyielding Avalanche, Player's Handbook, page 82

Utility Powers:
Level 2: Pass Forward, Martial Power, page 10
Level 6: Swift Recovery, Dragon Magazine #3
Level 10: Fighter's Grit, Martial Power 2, page 14
Level 12: Deadly Payback, Player's Handbook, page 88

Equipment:
Armor: Dwarven Wyrmscale +4 (Level 17, Free), Player's Handbook, page 229
Neck: Amulet of Protection +3 (Level 11, 9,000 gp), Player's Handbook, page 246
Arms: Iron Armbands of Power +4 (Level 16, Free), Adventurer's Vault, page 117
Feet: Boots of Free Movement (Level 6, 1,800 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 126
Hands: Strikebacks (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 136
Wondrous: Backlash Tattoo (Level 9, 4,200 gp), Adventurer's Vault 2, page 84
Wondrous: Salve of Power (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 176
Ki Focus: Iron Body Ki Focus +3 (Level 15, Free), Dragon Magazine #382, page 32
Loose Change: 0 gp

Miscellany:
Initiative: +9 (8 half level + 1 Dexterity modifier)
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 squares (wyrmscale)
Vision: Low-light
Passive Insight: 24 (10 base + 8 half level + 6 Wisdom modifier)
Passive Perception: 24 (10 base + 8 half level + 6 Wisdom modifier)
Trained Skills: Athletics (+2 racial), Endurance (+2 racial, +4 item), Heal, Stealth
Languages: Common, choice of one other

Hit Points:
Hit Points: 128 (105 fighter + 13 Constitution score + 10 Toughness)
Bloodied: 64
Healing Surge Value: 32
Healing Surges per Day: 12 (9 fighter + 1 Constitution modifier + 2 Durable)
Special (Backlash Tattoo): The first time you're bloodied during an encounter, you can make a basic attack as an immediate reaction.

Defenses:
AC: 34 (10 base + 8 half level + 3 enhancement + 10 wyrmscale + 1 Brawler Style + 1 Brawler Guard + 1 Armor Optimization)
Fortitude: 31 (10 base + 8 half level + 2 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses + 2 class + 2 Brawler Style)
Reflex: 23 (10 base + 8 half level + 2 enhancement + 1 Dexterity modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses + 1 Brawler Guard)
Will: 27 (10 base + 8 half level + 2 enhancement + 6 Wisdom modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses)
Special (Boots of Free Movement): You gain a +2 item bonus to saving throws against effects that apply the slowed, immobilized, or restrained condition.

Attacks:
Attack Bonus (Non-Opportunity): +23 (8 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Expertise + 4 proficiency [Brawler Style])
Attack Bonus (Opportunity): +30 (8 half level + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Expertise + 4 proficiency [Brawler Style] + 6 Wisdom modifier [Combat Superiority] + 1 Strikebacks)
Damage Bonus (Melee): +21 (3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Focus + 4 Iron Armbands of Power + 6 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Slash and Pummel Primary): 1d6+15 (1d6 Brutal Brawler + 3 enhancement + 2 Weapon Focus + 4 Iron Armbands of Power + 6 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Slash and Pummel Secondary): 15 (3 paragon tier + 6 Strength modifier + 6 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Come and Get It): 1d6+17 (1d6 Brutal Brawler + 3 enhancement + 6 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Focus + 6 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Stance): 1d6+11 (1d6 Brutal Brawler + 3 enhancement + 2 Weapon Focus + 6 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage per [W]: 1d6 (Brutal Brawler)
Extra Critical Damage: +3d10 (Iron Body Ki Focus +3)
Action Point (Extra Damage Action): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also add one-half your level (8) to the damage dealt by any of your standard action attacks this turn.
Special (Brawler Style): You gain a +4 proficiency bonus with unarmed attacks and a +4 bonus to grab attacks and attacks to move a creature grabbed by you.
Special (Iron Body Ki Focus +3): If you hit an opponent with an attack using this ki focus, you gain resistance to all of that target's attacks equal to 2 + this implement's enhancement bonus (total of 5) until the end of your next turn.
Special (Marked Scourge): Once per round, you can add your Wisdom modifier (+6) to your damage roll against an enemy marked by you.
Special (Shadow Initiate): Twice per encounter, you can use the Assassin's Shroud power (Dragon Magazine #379, page 19).

Item Powers:
Dwarven Wyrmscale +4 (Daily): Free Action. Regain hit points as if you had spent a healing surge.
Boots of Free Movement (Encounter): Minor Action. Make a saving throw against a slow, immobilize, or restrain effect that a save can end.
Strikebacks (Encounter): Immediate Reaction. Use this power when an adjacent enemy hits you. Make a melee basic attack against that enemy.
Salve of Power (Daily): Minor Action. When Salve of Power is applied to a creature, the target can expend one healing surge to regain the use of one daily power of 5th level or lower (instead of regaining hit points). If the target has no healing surges remaining, it cannot benefit from the salve.

The fighter above relies on Dual Strike, each hit of which deals 1d6+21 damage, while adjacent to multiple enemies, and Slash and Pummel, which inflicts 1d6+15 damage with its primary attack and 15 with its secondary, when faced with a single foe that must be held off. Marked Scourge allows her to add 6 to a damage roll against a marked enemy once per round, increasing her damage output further. Parry and Riposte, Rain of Steel, Bare-Knuckled Rebuke, and Unyielding Avalanche accompany her Strikebacks and her Backlash Tattoo as sources of out-of-turn damage, and the multiattack powers of Come and Get It and Hilt Strike allow her to make full use of her large static damage bonus. She even has a Salve of Power for recharging Rain of Steel, a stance that inflicts 1d6+11 damage each time it triggers, and an Iron Body Ki Focus +3 augments her survivability well. This pugilist can definitely hold her own against an equivalent longtooth shifter Tempest Technique fighter/Pit Fighter with a double sword.

Below is the same character five levels later.

Build: Level 21 Longtooth Shifter Brawler Style Fighter/Pit Fighter/Demigod
Level: 21
Race: Longtooth Shifter, Player's Handbook 2, pages 16-17
Class: Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 75-77
Combat Specialty: Combat Superiority, Player's Handbook, page 76
Combat Talent: Brawler Style, Martial Power 2, page 6
Paragon Path: Pit Fighter, Player's Handbook, pages 87-88
Epic Destiny: Demigod, Player's Handbook, pages 174-175

Ability Scores:
Level 1: Strength 16+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 16+2, Charisma 8
Level 4: Strength 17+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 17+2, Charisma 8
Level 8: Strength 18+2, Constitution 12, Dexterity 12, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 18+2, Charisma 8
Level 11: Strength 19+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 19+2, Charisma 9
Level 14: Strength 20+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 20+2, Charisma 9
Level 18: Strength 21+2, Constitution 13, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 21+2, Charisma 9
Level 21: Strength 22+2+2, Constitution 14, Dexterity 14, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 22+2+2, Charisma 10

Feats:
Level 1: Weapon Expertise (Unarmed), Player's Handbook 2, page 190
Level 2: Brutal Brawler, Martial Power 2, page 131
Level 4: Mobile Challenge, Dragon Magazine #378, page 45
Level 6: Brawler Guard, Martial Power 2, page 131
Level 8: Weapon Focus (Unarmed), Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 10: Toughness, Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 11: Shadow Initiate, Dragon Magazine #382, page 31
Level 11 (replaces Toughness): Marked Scourge, Martial Power, page 144
Level 12: Paragon Defenses, Player's Handbook 2, page 191
Level 14: Toughness, Player's Handbook, page 201
Level 16: Durable, Player's Handbook, page 194
Level 18: Martial Freedom, Martial Power, page 138
Level 20: Daunting Challenge, Martial Power, page 141
Level 21: Slashing Storm, Martial Power 2, page 145
Level 21 (replaces Daunting Challenge): Martial Resolve, Martial Power, page 147

At-Will Attack Powers:
Level 1: Dual Strike, Martial Power, page 7
Level 1: Slash and Pummel, Martial Power 2, page 7

Encounter Attack Powers:
Level 1: Passing Attack, Player's Handbook, page 78
Level 3: Parry and Riposte, Martial Power, page 10
Level 7: Come and Get It, Player's Handbook, page 80
Level 11: All Bets Are Off, Player's Handbook, page 88
Level 13 (replaces Passing Attack): Hilt Smash, Martial Power 2, page 15
Level 17 (replaces Parry and Riposte): Revel in Pain, Dragon Magazine #381, page 79

Daily Attack Powers:
Level 1: Tempest Dance, Martial Power, page 9
Level 5: Rain of Steel, Player's Handbook, page 79
Level 9: Bare-Knuckled Rebuke, Martial Power 2, page 10
Level 15 (replaces Tempest Dance): Unyielding Avalanche, Player's Handbook, page 82
Level 19 (replaces Bare-Knuckled): Persistence of Blades, Martial Power 2, page 17
Level 20: Lion of Battle, Player's Handbook, page 88

Utility Powers:
Level 2: Pass Forward, Martial Power, page 10
Level 6: Swift Recovery, Dragon Magazine #3
Level 10: Fighter's Grit, Martial Power 2, page 14
Level 12: Deadly Payback, Player's Handbook, page 88
Level 16: Crowd Cover, Dragon Magazine #379, page 14

Equipment:
Armor: Imposter's Nagascale +5 (Level 21, Free), Adventurer's Vault, page 46
Neck: Amulet of Physical Resolve +5 (Level 22, Free), Adventurer's Vault, page 148
Arms: Iron Armbands of Power +4 (Level 16, 45,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 117
Hands: Strikebacks (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 136
Feet: Heroic-Tier Boots of Quickness (Level 8, 3,400 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 126
Head: Heroic-Tier Circlet of Indomitability (Level 8, 3,400 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 139
Waist: Heroic-Tier Belt of Vim (Level 8, 3,400 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 164
Ring: Ring of Uncanny Judgment (Level 13, 17,000 gp), Dragon Magazine #381, page 94
Wondrous: Backlash Tattoo (Level 9, 4,200 gp), Adventurer's Vault 2, page 84
Wondrous: Salve of Power (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 176
Wondrous: Salve of Power (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 176
Wondrous: Salve of Power (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 176
Wondrous: Salve of Power (Level 10, 5,000 gp), Adventurer's Vault, page 176
Grandmaster Training: Davros Elden's Defensive Step (Level 9, 2,600 gp), Dungeon Master's Guide 2, page 145
Ki Focus: Iron Body Ki Focus +4 (Level 20, Free), Dragon Magazine #382, page 32
Loose Change: 1,000 gp

Miscellany:
Initiative: +12 (10 half level + 2 Dexterity modifier)
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 squares (nagascale)
Vision: Low-light
Passive Insight: 30 (10 base + 10 half level + 8 Wisdom modifier + 2 Ring of Uncanny Judgment)
Passive Perception: 28 (10 base + 10 half level + 8 Wisdom modifier)
Trained Skills: Athletics (+2 racial), Endurance (+2 racial), Heal, Stealth
Languages: Common, choice of one other

Hit Points:
Hit Points: 164 (135 fighter + 14 Constitution score + 15 Toughness)
Bloodied: 82
Healing Surge Value: 41
Healing Surges per Day: 13 (9 fighter + 2 Constitution modifier + 2 Durable)
Special (Backlash Tattoo): The first time you're bloodied during an encounter, you can make a basic attack as an immediate reaction.

Defenses:
AC: 39 (10 base + 10 half level + 5 enhancement + 11 nagascale + 1 Brawler Style + 1 Brawler Guard + 1 Armor Optimization)
Fortitude: 40 (10 base + 10 half level + 5 enhancement + 8 Strength modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses + 1 Belt of Vim + 2 class + 2 Brawler Style + 1 nagascale)
Reflex: 30 (10 base + 10 half level + 5 enhancement + 2 Dexterity modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses + 1 Boots of Quickness + 1 Brawler Guard)
Will: 35 (10 base + 10 half level + 5 enhancement + 8 Wisdom modifier + 1 Paragon Defenses + 1 Circlet of Indomitability)
Special (Davros Elden's Defensive Step): When you shift, you gain a +1 item bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.
Special (Amulet of Physical Resolve +5): You gain a +2 item bonus to saving throws against effects with the poison keyword and effects that render you weakened, slowed, or immobilized.
Special (Martial Freedom): You gain a +5 bonus to saving throws against the slowed and immobilized conditions.
Special (Martial Resolve): You can make saving throws against the dazed, slowed, stunned, weakened, and immobilized conditions both at the start and the end of your turn.

Attacks:
Attack Bonus (Non-Opportunity): +30 (10 half level + 4 enhancement + 8 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Expertise + 6 proficiency [Brawler Style])
Attack Bonus (Opportunity): +39 (10 half level + 4 enhancement + 8 Strength modifier + 2 Weapon Expertise + 6 proficiency [Brawler Style] + 8 Wisdom modifier [Combat Superiority] + 1 Strikebacks)
Damage Bonus (Melee): +27 (4 enhancement + 8 Strength modifier + 3 Weapon Focus + 4 Iron Armbands of Power + 8 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Slash and Pummel Primary): 2d6+19 (2d6 Brutal Brawler + 4 enhancement + 3 Weapon Focus + 4 Iron Armbands of Power + 8 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Slash and Pummel Secondary): 24 (8 epic tier + 8 Strength modifier + 8 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Come and Get It): 1d6+23 (1d6 Brutal Brawler + 4 enhancement + 8 Strength modifier + 3 Weapon Focus + 8 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage (Stance): 1d6+15 (1d6 Brutal Brawler + 4 enhancement + 3 Weapon Focus + 8 Wisdom modifier [Dirty Fighting])
Damage per [W]: 1d6 (Brutal Brawler)
Extra Critical Damage: +4d10 (Iron Body Ki Focus +4)
Action Point (Extra Damage Action): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you also add one-half your level (10) to the damage dealt by any of your standard action attacks this turn.
Special (Brawler Style): You gain a +6 proficiency bonus with unarmed attacks and a +6 bonus to grab attacks and attacks to move a creature grabbed by you.
Special (Iron Body Ki Focus +4): If you hit an opponent with an attack using this ki focus, you gain resistance to all of that target's attacks equal to 2 + this implement's enhancement bonus (total of 6) until the end of your next turn.

Special (Marked Scourge): Once per round, you can add your Wisdom modifier (+8) to your damage roll against an enemy marked by you.
Special (Slashing Storm): Any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to your Wisdom modifier (+8) if you hit a creature during your last turn with a melee attack.
Special (Ring of Uncanny Judgment): When you mark an enemy, you automatically know the distance and direction to that enemy at all times while the mark persists.
Special (Shadow Initiate): Twice per encounter, you can use the Assassin's Shroud power (Dragon Magazine #379, page 19).

Item Powers:
Imposter's Nagascale +5 (At-Will ✦ Polymorph): Minor Action. You can transform this armor into a normal-looking set of clothes. While in clothes form, the armor does not provide an armor bonus, but neither does it impose an armor check penalty or speed reduction. You can add this armor's enhancement bonus to any Bluff check made to attempt to disguise your appearance. You can change this armor back into its true form as a minor action.
Davros Elden's Defensive Step (Encounter): Minor Action. Shift 2 squares. (You gain a +1 item bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.)
Strikebacks (Encounter): Immediate Reaction. Use this power when an adjacent enemy hits you. Make a melee basic attack against that enemy.
Salve of Power (Daily): Minor Action. When Salve of Power is applied to a creature, the target can expend one healing surge to regain the use of one daily power of 5th level or lower (instead of regaining hit points). If the target has no healing surges remaining, it cannot benefit from the salve.

At level 21, this fighter inflicts 2d6+27 damage with each hit of Dual Strike and 2d6+19 and 24 damage with the primary and secondary attacks of Slash and Pummel respectively. Replacing Parry and Riposte is Revel in Pain, an out-of-turn attack that ties movement, damage, and temporary hit points into one useful package. She is nearly impervious to most conditions that can be ended by a saving throw thanks to a combination of Martial Freedom, Martial Resolve, and an Amulet of Physical Resolve +5. The Slashing Storm feat, which really should be considered severely overpowered, lets her splash damage onto all adjacent foes during each round in which she hits with a melee attack. This is complemented by her gratuitous use of Salves of Power to ensure that she can use Rain of Steel up to five times each day, reserving Unyielding Avalanche and the accuracy-enhancing Persistence of Blades for special occasions, the latter just in case a +30 attack bonus against AC is inadequate against a high-level soldier monster. I would like to claim that this is one of the premier fighter builds at the epic tier simply due to its high attack bonus, despite its questionable 1d6 damage per [W].

When it comes to a Brawler Style fighter, the real difficulty lies not in playing the character out on the table, but in figuring out how to go about designing its build. You should take into consideration the starting level of the character, what levels your campaign shall span across, whether or not you intend on using grabs, and whether or not you intend on performing unarmed attacks. Remember that unarmed attacks start becoming noteworthy and practical only at the paragon tier.

The Brawler Style fighter may be an underdog build, but if your heart has set out to play one, then by all means, give it your all. I hope you had all learned something from this monolithic wall of text.

That is all.

Any thoughts on a Fighter/Swordmage hybrid using Brawler?

is the Blood Knight dhampyr paragon path any good with dis?

>>8180414
I tend to agree with this assessment.

>>8180402

Hybrid Talent (Combat Talent [Brawler Style]) would be a mandatory tax feat for such a character . Your armor proficiencies would start you off in mere leather, and you would have to be a genasi with Strength 16+2 and Intelligence 16+2 for respectable attack bonuses, damage bonuses, and defenses. You could wield a heavy blade, make use of swordmage implement powers such as Sword Burst, and forgo unarmed attacks; or you could multiclass into assassin, focus on unarmed attacks, and ignore swordmage implement powers. The character would be an adequate enough defender, but the loss of Combat Superiority would be harsh, and I have difficulty in seeing the synergy between a Brawler Style fighter and an Aegis of Assault swordmage.

>>8180469

The Marked Blood level 16 encounter power would be appreciably useful for a grab-based Brawler Style fighter, but I do not approve of the general inaccuracy of the +2/+4/+6 attack bonus progression of the Blood Drain feat power. Given that you must sacrifice a feat to gain Blood Drain in the first place, I would deem the Bloodknight to be a so-so paragon path for such a fighter, but it is by no means a poor choice.

Seems to me like they just need to make the AC/Fort bonus work when you're grabbed, make unarmed attacks off-hand weapons, give Brawlers ki focuses, and make Inescapable Hold built-in for it to be better.

>>8180540
He could be a paragon hybrid and keep a hand free for +3 AC from the warding... but then he'd lose the paragon path.

thanks touhoufag -- despite being uninterested in the brawler fighter, I appreciate the effort. I prefer my DEX fighters with flails.

offtopic: have you reviewed the avenger and warlock articles yet? anyone have links to PDFs?

holy mother of tl;dr

Well, this puts my vague inclinations of playing a Brawler Style Fighter to rest.
Too bad, I liked the grabby idea. Maybe if I can talk my DM into letting me fix some of the more egregious issues.

>>8179906
>You may be a more adept *brawler* with the aforementioned grabbing powers, but you would be less efficient a *fighter* overall.

Yeah, that's my main issue with brawlers. They're cool and fluffy, with how they manipulate and throw around anything they grab, but the rules side of it has many holes.

>>8185478
If you take all brawler powers, you're kinda dumb. The brawler CLASS FEATURES and at wills are solid.

>>8185487
>CLASS FEATURES

"I lose AC and Fortitude when I grab something."

>>8185499
Oh noes.

>>8179223
>• Class Features: Opt for Brawler Style in place of Fighter Weapon Talent, but do not trade in Combat Superiority for Combat Agility. This is one of the unintuitive aspects of the build. Apart from Combat Agility being less threatening than Combat Superiority overall, even with a high Dexterity modifier, it does not mesh well with the Brawler Style fighter, who cannot afford to chase down a second enemy using Combat Agility if she already has one grabbed, lest the grab be abrogated.

Combat Agility lets you knock enemies prone, doesn't it? Then you could use Pin Down to keep them prone.

>>8186020

Combat Agility does not offer enough reliability to make practical the usage of Pin Down.

>>8186060
Oh, come on, it's a freaking attack. You're going to be getting it whenever you get an OA, and you'll normally hit with it. You'll be knocking dudes down all the time.

>>8186130

Combat Agility also tends to be unusable for a Brawler Style fighter who is currently occupied with maintaining a grab. On the other hand, Combat Superiority with Agile Superiority allows such a fighter, even one in the midst of grabbing an enemy, to halt any enemies who dare to provoke opportunity attacks from her. A high Dexterity modifier and Strikebacks do not simply offer you probable hits with opportunity attacks, but nigh-guaranteed ones.

I heard Warlock Basics is out.

Does anyone have it?

>>8186461

Writing review articles for Warlock Basics, Channel Divinity: Avandra, and Class Acts: Avenger, in that order, is on my agenda for this day. However, other matters call, and so expect to see them in at least two hours from the time of this writing.

Thanks for this, TF.

Just out of curiosity, what are your (brief) thoughts on the two new Warlord builds. I'm not asking for a full review since you're already busy, but I've been thinking of playing a Warlord for my next character, and the new builds sound rather interesting.

>>8187898
Well, I'm not TF, but I can offer my thoughts.

The Archer stuff is really neat, and can offer some really promising options to Tactical Warlords, though I think almost anyone (except Bravuras) will be able to get something out of them.

The Intuitive Warlord is sorta strange, but some of the powers he gets are freakin' amazing. I'm really anxious to see someone with more of a mind for optimization take a whack at it.

MP2 means it's a really good time to be a Warlord. Fighters and Rogues got some decent, if not overwhelming new stuff, but Rangers and Warlords will have a field day.

>>8188527
>Slashing Storm is not overwhelming.

Right.

>>8186130
It isn't that difficult for a monster to move too far for you to catch it, and you don't know how far it's going to move when you have to choose between normal AoO and Combat Agility.

>>8187898

Archer warlords are a welcome build, and they have access to a host of attack powers that are approximately on par with the standard action powers of melee warlords. There is currently very little reason to create a Strength/Wisdom-based archer warlord. A Strength/Intelligence setup would grant you adequate AC and a full speed 6 in hide armor, whereas Strength/Wisdom would force you to spend feats for heavy armor and would deprive you of the benefit of the Combat Commander paragon feat. Additionally, Strength/Intelligence-based archer warlords can opt for the more potent Tactical Presence class feature in place of Skirmishing Presence. This said, the paragon path support for the build (Arcane Battlemaster, Arrowhead Commander, Captain of Fortune) leaves much wanting, though the Arrowhead Commander suddenly becomes sky blue (5/5) when used with a Forceful Bow.

Non-standard-action encounter and daily attack powers have been, and always shall be, above the power curve of standard action powers due to how they generate damage rolls and special effects without you having to forgo using one of your at-will powers during your turn. Insightful Presence warlords specialize in these powers, receiving upgraded riders on strong powers such as No Gambit is Wasted, Join the Crowd, Bolstering Insight, and Impromptu Attack. This is their main selling point, canceled out almost completely by the Insightful Presence class feature itself being chaff due to how its "until the end of your turn" timing is not favorable at all. The paragon path support for this build is equally poor.

>>8189072

Addendum: A warlord with a Hungry Spear or a Farbond Spellblade can invest in archer warlord powers to add ranged attacks to her repertoire.

With regards to other aspects of Martial Power 2, I feel that the Hunter Style ranger was a completely unnecessary addition. It caters to little mechanical niche, given that versatile melee/ranged rangers are already covered by those who wield a pair of thrown weapons, and this type of build is even covered by the Marauder Style ranger. A Dexterity-based ranger who switches from bow to blade suffers from heightened feat tax and budget concerns (which, of course, can be feat taxed away by Shadow Initiate and a ki focus), cannot benefit as much from Iron Armbands of Power or Bracers of Archery, has few effective Dexterity-based melee powers to choose from, and has little reason to actually switch from melee weapon to ranged weapon in the first place. The build is a travesty.

>>8189072
Thanks. I can't wait to write up an Eladrin Archer Warlord now.

brawler style seems kinda useless

save grabbing for monk luchadore builds

>>8189371

Do note that you may suffer from accuracy issues with a starting Strength of 16 and a +2 proficiency bonus greatbow. It would be best to use a Hungry Greatspear through the Eladrin Soldier feat, or failing that, a superior crossbow augmented by Bracers of Archery.

>>8190843
Well, I was actually thinking of going with a Hungry Greatspear to let me fight in both melee and at range. I might also do a Genasi, though fluffwise I prefer the Eladrin to them.

>>8192146
A Genasi would be the optimal pick for a Tactical Bowlord. However, a Human would work to, simply because you'd get some mileage out of the extra feat & power. Heck, I could even see a Deva being a decent choice, especially if you want to go for the magic spear.

>>8192188
Eladrin get waaaaay better warlord racial feats though. Plus the skill bonuses and extra trained skill are sweet.

What about a hybrid fighter|ranger going Pit Fighter? You could punch up dudes with Twin Strike pretty hard.

>>8189188
Touhoufag, the best Hunter Rangers use Str/Wis, not Str/Dex.

>>8193208
Marauders are Str/Wis.
Hunters are Dex/Wis.

Stormwardens are Str/Dex.

>>8193276
>Hunters are Dex/Wis
wellfuckyourshit.jpg

Hunter Ranger class feature works far better than Marauder if you're into the whole weapon switch thing.

>>8193317
The weapon switching business for Hunters keys off Dex/Wis because they have Dex-based ranged AND melee powers.

Marauders don't need to switch weapons because, you know, they use thrown weapons.

>>8193377
>The weapon switching business for Hunters keys off Dex/Wis because they have Dex-based ranged AND melee powers.
Who cares? My point is, you can still Str/Wis on a Hunter and do it effectively.

>>8193398
Okay, so you switch from a fullblade to a greatbow, Mr. Str/Wis Hunter.

How do you shoot it accurately with Str/Wis?

Speaking of Martial Power 2 is there a pdf available yet? I just checked /rs/ and the only live link is a misnamed MP1.

>>8193408
It's called a heavy thrown weapon, dipshit. Ever heard of one?

>>8193500
So why aren't you playing a Marauder and using that thrown weapon for melee and ranged attacks again?

>>8193534
Because Marauders encourage light armor, whereas Str/Wis makes light armor impossible. It encourages additional mobility where Rangers bleed mobility. Free TWD is nice, though you don't get oversized TWF like normal TWF Rangers. You could wield a drow long knife and a bastard sword, OR...

You can be a Hunter and keep the fulblade around for normal attacking and do one of two things: pick up the Farbond enchant for the Fullblade and go to town like a demented bladeflinger, OR pack a drow long knife to exploit the +4 AC for provoking an OA with ranged attacks in melee along with the exploitation of quickdraw+ they give you.

Or you can be a dual dagger wielding Marauder Ranger/Rogue/Daggermaster with Shadowdance armor for the lol and Roundabout Charge and Surprising Charge.

>>8193425
find what you seek on filestube

(the megaupload link)
Filename: Martial Power 2.pdf
File description: Powered by Multiupload.com
File size: 94.35 MB

>>8193683
Marauders aren't encouraged to wear light armor. They take heavy armor like every other two weapon ranger. They're Str/Wis, like the sidebar on page 45 says, and probably because the Throw and Stab + Marauder's Rush combo works off Str/Wis.

You know, I just realized...a Brawler Fighter with a Farbond Spellblade Spiked Shield would make a kick-ass Captain America!!

>>8194532
I don't think a 1d6 damage, +2 prof weapon counts as awesome.

That's even worse than a short sword.

>>8194532
Isn't there just a magic shield that you can use as a thrown weapon?

>>8194669
Only as an encounter power.

>>8194817
No, the Throwing Shield has both an At-Will and an Encounter ability. The At-Will is STR + 2 vs. AC, and does 1d8+STR damage.

Now, the thing is, since the Throwing Shield's At-Will is only a ranged attack, you wouldn't be able to use it in melee, unless you're able to get a Throwing Spiked Shield, which I THINK is possible, but I'd have to check.

>>8194547
It's better than a Spiked Gauntlet, since it doesn't take up your Arm slot, and offers you some extra defense. Damage-wise it wouldn't be great, but let's face it: you aren't gonna be playing a Brawling Fighter to be a damage monster.

>>8194894
I at least want to hit accurately, and it doesn't really make me proud to have an attack bonus 2 points lower than a sword 'n' boarder's.

>>8193981
Derp, I misread the +1 soeed bonus as only in light armor, instead of being +1 with no shield or two handed weapon.

>>8194894
Spiked gauntlets take up your hands slot.

Bye-bye Strikebacks.

bump

bu- er, hijack?

anyone have links to the warlock basics, class acts avengers, or channel divinity avandra pdfs?

>>8199356
give me a second and I'll see what I can do

>>8200041
Yeah I've got nothing, sorry.

>>8200506
thanks for looking -- anyone?

>>8200974
CA Avenger: http://www.mediafire.com/?mw4mhztwtqi
CD Avandra: http://www.mediafire.com/?2zjwmtwwz2x
Warlock Basics: http://www.mediafire.com/?5qnyot1jylg

>>8201741
oh shi- you rock. I was just about to go to sleep too.

>>8203014
You come to an thread in the last pages of /tg/ to post your unrelated comments and bump the thread. Aren't you a special snowflake.

Seek professional help, now. There are pills that can cure you, or at least keep the condition in check.

Who keeps ghost bumping this?

>>8207565
Fuck you, bro.

>>8193054
You'd have to take feats for heavy armor proficiency, and your defenses and hp wouldn't be too good.

>>8203014
You're so witty and clever.

bump

>>8193054

The feat tax from Hybrid Talent (Brawler Style), Armor Proficiency (Chain), and Armor Proficiency (Scale) alone would be enough to dissuade me from such a build at the heroic and paragon tiers. It would be quite viable at the paragon tier, however.

>>8194894

>you aren't gonna be playing a Brawling Fighter to be a damage monster.
My issue with this design philosophy is that traditional Strength/Dexterity- and Strength/Wisdom-based fighters are quite adept at keeping enemies adjacent to them, and yet their damage output outclasses that of a spiked gauntlet-wielding Brawler Style fighter by a considerable degree.

>>8197145

This is another reason for an assassin multiclass and a ki focus being extremely beneficial for a paragon- or epic-tier Brawler Style fighter.

>>8215240
Why do you consider literally every single feat a feat tax?

>>8216130

It is impossible to create an effective unarmed hybrid fighter|ranger without the Hybrid Talent feat.

>>8216489

http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4dnd/20080613a

Unarmed ranger "monk"?

>>8216777
Those don't apply any more since the real monk is out.

>>8216905
Would it then be just an unarmed varient of the ranger then, in a way?

>>8216957
Ranger, not a fighter|ranger, and now it's fallen into "house rules lol" territory.

>>8216489

It is impossible to make an effective hybrid anything/anything without the Hybrid Talent feat. You have to spend a feat and make a choice of one extra class feature from one of your classes as the price for playing a hybrid.

Weird... it's almost as if this were done... intentionally.

>>8216996
And that, kids, is why it's called feat tax.

>>8216489
Calling that a 'tax' is almost as stupid as calling Weapon Focus a 'tax'.

>>8217161
Weapon Focus is a good feat. It's not that much of a tax.

Weapon Expertise? Now, THAT is a goddamn tax.

It's also why it's hard to play a Brawler who uses a sword and a spiked gauntlet.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/7537500/

>>8217251
All I see is "baww, I want to have more feats to twink with, why do I have to take Melee Training to get good opportunity attacks".

>>8217282
I think it's more "I want to choose feats that do something interesting, instead of having to take these +1 feats in order to be effective."

>>8218619
You don't need to take those feats to be effective, but I bet you can't comprehend that, you powergaming fuckwit.

>>8217282

If every class needs to expend a certain number of feats to be effective then why not just remove an appropriate number of feats and include them as class features instead of trying to kid us.

Feats should be for if you want to dual wield whips like Indiana Jones Shiva God of War, they should be for if you want your character to specialise in fighting the ice elementals that killed his father, they should be for if you want your wizard's affinity for fire to show in combat.

They should not be used because the game designers forgot the basic AC of a monster of your level.

>>8218802
If you don't have an expertise feat, your attacks will not hit nearly as often. If you don't have Paragon/Robust Defenses, you will die very quickly. That is the very definition of being ineffective.

>>8218802
Then why include them? If the balance of the game was A.O.K before them why would they consistently release very obviously powerful and generic feats?

For a fun game ideally you want the party not to die without the DM's intervention and the party to be roughly equal in terms of power. Feat taxes are clearly constructed with the latter in mind.

No designer with a shred of sense would have ever released the infamous feat taxes unless they adressed something far more damaging to party balance.

Now whilst this might completely undermine the point of feats as a way to make your character's game mechanics more personal to you it is a conveniant modular solution which they continue to implement because releasing a second edition of 4e a few months after its release would have been embarassing. This approach almost masks their failures completely as it is simply an "optional extra" so rifling through errata is strictly speaking necessary (Yes it is).

>>8218935
>If you don't have an expertise feat, your attacks will not hit nearly as often.
Learn to tactics.
>If you don't have Paragon/Robust Defenses, you will die very quickly.
Learn to exploit debuffs, cover, concealment, their bigger cousins, and tactics.
>That is the very definition of being ineffective.
No, it's the definition of you unimaginative crybabies whining about how you can't just buttonmash your way through encounters and win.

It's marketing strategy, pure and simple.

By releasing slightly more powerful feats they encourage you to buy the splatbooks, which you never actually needed at any time. That's how WW does it, and that's how WotC will be doing it from now on, since they're using the same marketing strategy - don't release a complete system, release a system in pieces and then offer up splatbooks to make the system look better.

>>8219495
>Learn to tactics.
Tactics mean shit if nothing you do works.

>Learn to exploit debuffs, cover, concealment, their bigger cousins, and tactics.

The game's math is designed with all of that in mind. Even using cover, etc., without the taxes you're still only as effective as someone with the feats that doesn't use any tactics, and you're miles behind someone who uses both.

>No, it's the definition of you unimaginative crybabies whining about how you can't just buttonmash your way through encounters and win.

0/10, troll harder.

>>8218619, >>8218935, >>8219602 here. Keep in mind, I don't even play; I DM. I just like my players not having to choose between a mechanically interesting character and a powerful character that works with the game's math as intended.

>>8219566
I bet you're one of those fags that wanted every single damn book for a game system condensed into one huge book, because any splatbooks are just the evil corporate company trying to siphon your money.

>>8220476
Not at all. A splatbook here and there is a good thing. Keeping actual pices of the game out of your players hands and giving it to them at the cost of $30-$40 dollars, making sure the new shit is always more valuable than the old shit, and purposefully nerfing older character types for the sake of enforcing a purchase policy does not a good game make.

oWoD sucked so hard by the time they'd finished their stupidity that it was by and large unplayable. They took care of some of the problems in nWoD...and started reintroducing the same problems as in oWoD by makign sure the new shit overpowered the old shit.

I mean, really, 9 core books? New feats more valuable than the old feats? Enforced redesign of classes through new 'power sets' because you nerfed the older powersets by accident, so you instead make the older book info obsolete by making the new powersets more capable and useful? It's still well balanced overall, yes, but if you don't keep up with their books, you end up with two levels of game, the optimal and the suck.

>>8220578
Out of a few exceptions, the PHB1 stuff is by far and large more "overpowered" than everything else.

So can you use Marked Scourge with Slash and Pummel to mark an enemy with the first attack and deal the extra damage on your second?

>>8222373

Slash and Pummel's secondary isn't a damage roll, so no.

>>8222373
>>8222435
How the Fist of the North Star build works is that the Pit Fighter doesn't need you to make a damage roll, it just gives you straight up damage when you attack with a weapon, getting you the bonus on both attacks of Slash and Pummel.

sage

There are enough non standard campaigns, (without magic items, Magic items scale automatically by level etc.) that any talk about magic item budget isn't universal.

Also same goes with the golden goal of damage as be all and end all of effectiveness. Lot of the time getting somebody prone is better than just stopping them.

>>8225081
>There are enough non standard campaigns

Which are all driven by houserules. Even the inherent bonuses variant in the DMG2 is incomplete and tells you to fill in the gaps yourself, Mr. DM. When we talk about the rules of the game here, we talk about them without any house rules in mind, because we need a baseline.

>Also same goes with the golden goal of damage as be all and end all of effectiveness. Lot of the time getting somebody prone is better than just stopping them.

>My issue with this design philosophy is that traditional Strength/Dexterity- and Strength/Wisdom-based fighters are quite adept at keeping enemies adjacent to them, and yet their damage output outclasses that of a spiked gauntlet-wielding Brawler Style fighter by a considerable degree.

And Combat Agility just plain isn't as practical as Combat Superiority.

>>8225136
You seem to need a baseline, I don't.

You probably play in a group consisting of nothing except strikers, because that's the only thing you value. I bet you'd play a stupid retarded build that had nothing but a single boring power, if it did best and largest damage to-date.

You sound like everything that is shit about D&D.

>>8225435
I've been playing a Strength cleric, actually. He started off at level 8 and is level 17 now, undergoing a few total retrains whenever new material came out. He's great at handing out attack bonuses and healing with his powers, but he needs to hit first, which is why he has Weapon Expertise and is a Kensei.

Huh, I swear I hid this thread yesterday.

How do you feel about using Frost Weapons to make Slash and Pummel more powerful?

>>8227090

Multiclassing into assassin and using an Iron Body Ki Focus would prove significantly more cost-effective than resorting to a pair of Frost Spiked Gauntlets and the Lasting Frost and Wintertouched feats.

> any splatbooks are just the evil corporate company trying to siphon your money
money?

>>8228335
MONEY

>>8229501
gb2/loser's hall/ Money.

Hey, Touhoufag. Would this brawling shit work with an Eladrin or an Elf?

>>8232134
No +2 Strength means less attack bonus, less damage bonus, less Fortitude.