Iron Curtain X.0.1
Here we go yet again. I'm always making new groups and never go anywhere with them because I get tired of them or they start to fall apart. This was my original powerhouse build and they have been practically begging me to revisit them, what with all the new additions and such.
Vraes, the Inexorable Machine.
-Role: Stand there and
DESTROY THINGS. Never retreat a single square, ever. Laugh maniacally as waves of enemies break upon his defenses and promptly have their skulls bashed in.
-Attributes: 2:1:1 Con:Str:Int (Int to 6 or so, then remove from template)
-Skills: Hammers, Leadership to 5-6 for Phalanx longevity.
-Talents: Phalanx 10, ASAFP. Will use Burst of Speed +2 MP. An attack talent; not Sweep, not FEROCITY.
-Gear focus: (descending order of importance) Parry/Dodge, Armor/HP, Damage/crit, SP drain.
---He just stands there. Untouchable and stoic, he lets his foes make their feeble attacks, then retaliates with vicious Mace strikes. Never retreat. Ever. He can and will take it, just stand there and reply in turn until everything is a bloody pulp.
Kjartan: Ash/Immo Wizard.
-Attributes: Int, Kno, Con
-Skills: Conjuring 9, Max Sorcery
-Talents: Ash to 5, then Immo to 5, then alternate until both are maxed out. Late game he starts with Burning Blades to boost Crit. He may also bring Firebolt to 10, just to have single target removal that my previous incarnations have needed so dearly.
-Gear focus: Fire Damage/Damage, Crit, SP/SP drain
---KJ fell off on damage every other time I played this group. I'm determined to not let that happen, and am focusing only on 2 talents. Ash makes sure everything hits at max damage or more, and Immo will allow him to further boost damage via Crit%, while providing vital AoE removal support.
Fyona: Heavy melee combatant. High armor, 2H weapon, smash things.
-Attributes: Con:Str:Int 2:1:1
-Skills: Hammers 16 ASAFP, Leadership for SoC longevity.
-Talents: SoC 10, Battlefield Devotion for single target heals. ZS and Reck make her hit hard later on, but first is survival. Mid level Fervor will provide added bulk and substitute for PfS so Kj stays focused.
-Gear focus: Dodge/Parry, HP/Armor, Damage/Holy Damage
---Fyona has a shield for backup, and will use it if she needs to. Until the time to bunker down and weather a storm comes, she will wield a 2H Hammer at all times. Another thing this group needed was efficient single target removal. The times where 2 shields are needed most are scripted pincers, and I know where they are, allowing for an easy switch to hold the line. The other 95% of the fights need a bit more oomph, and don't need anyone but Vraes to hold back the hoard. By giving her one or two opponents to fight at a time, without worrying about archers, she can stand there and fight, removing threats as needed and peeling mobs from Vraes' side if he gets overwhelmed.
Selen: Curser and Stealth lead.
-Attributes: Dex:Con:Int 2:2:1
-Skills: Blades, Bows, and Stealth.
-Talents: Pinning Shot 5, Dance, QsD, eventually going into Punishing Blades to help strip Armor.
-Gear focus: Stealth, Crit, Dodge/Parry, Damage
---She is arguably the most important member of the four, as she is the only one with an AP curse. Could Tamilin work in this group? Yes, but the short range of Torrent means that the defensive line needs to push in, which isn't what they want to do. Eventually Selen moves up to PS 8 for the added AoE, but she is content to boost crit chances with Dance and aid KJ in removing distant threats before they become imminent.
Imagine this: You pull a double spawn, a dozen archers sighting you in and another dozen fighters closing on you. Normally time to panic, but not with the Iron Curtain. Vraes and Fyona stand 2-4 squares apart, so nothing walks past them to the firing squad behind them. Before any enemy makes it to the shield wall, they are cursed by Ash and Pinning Shot, making every attack hit and hit hard. Immolation softens up those who close first, opening even more holes in their defense, and bringing them closer to a one hit kill. Vraes takes a step forward into enemy archer range and turns back to finish off enemy combatants. Enemy archers fire; few if any shots make it through to deal major damage. Shield wall moves up to close range, firing squad follows. Wash. Rinse. Repeat and repeat until everything dies, never taking a step back.
That is what this group is designed for: impenetrable defense, and steady removal. Nothing flashy, no tricks, nothing up the sleeve, just the ever marching shield wall... or just Vraes with Fyona crushing skulls with her 2H Hammer, whatever the situation requires.
Changes: (More for my own records, as this is a long-running build style of mine...(
CdrPlatypus , any thoughts?))
-No Pureflame
-No Shockwave
-New Immo as KJ main damage
-Fyona as striker with 2H
-Fyona running Fervor after SoC
-Heavier on the crit building with Selen and
maybe Berserk Rage with Vraes if he needs it.
