It would make me rather incredibly sad if I once again got extremely excited over nothing...
AsmodeusLore, could you please (please please please) bring forth your pokey stick/cattle prod once again?
In fact, there's a lack of Avenger Encounter and Daily charging powers for the class where charging their enemy is what they're supposed to do.
Uhh...that's not the Avenger's job. You're thinking of the barbarian. The avenger does lockdown.
It's not called a PURSUIT avenger for nothing you know, if you look in the PHB2 all of the pursuit feats are charge related and so is the PP geared most towards that build, so I agree more than wholeheartedly with Matt12 (although I'm afraid it's to late by now as the article is already written and coming out in a few days, but maybe they saw our previous complaints and put it full of chargy goodness already!).
Well, the Essentials article offers a bonus for Avengers running into combat. Not quite what you're after but it amuses me greatly as a caution-to-the-wind option.
Amazing Essentials article though, much needed feat support, a browsing of the fluffy part is very nice looking, and thank god WoTC nerfed the Avenger MC feat, as otherwise many classes would be feeding on these powerful feats.
Euhm, huh? Where did you get the article? I don't see it available anywhere, although it is now listed in the table of contents (and does mention a slew of new powers in the class acts article).
And woohoo!
Three feats jump out immediately:
Avenging resolution makes all 1's and 2's on your damage dice into 3's!
Painful Oath lets you deal +wis damage on each first attack of the round!
Hand of divine guidance let's you crit on 19-20 against your OoE!
Finally some damage boosts and crit enhancers for which you don't have to multiclass and do strange things with your stats!!!
All of the other feats are either very useful, fun or interesting...
Time to read the rest...
EDIT: It's a good read, there are some minor errors such as implying that censure of pursuit deals no extra damage, but that is corrected later on. Having been playing an avenger for a long time now the advice is not new but seems a very solid introduction for those just starting to build or play an avenger. I especially liked the focus on OoE as the main striker feature, while also explaining it's roleplay effects...
Now let us all hope there is a basic attack or a charging at-will in the class-acts article!
Here's me, wishing they did something this good in the Elf article
Anyone else notice the Monk Multiclassing stuff, which you can't do right now if you're not already a Monk?
Avenging Resolution: Not quite Brutal 2, but it supposedly fits in with the Avenger's schtick as reliable damage. This would override Brutal, right? If so, you don't get a benefit from this feat for the current crop of Brutal weapons, and it may make damage worse if you are looking for mean/avg damage. Feel free to refute my math if I'm wrong. I see this feat as good for weapon groups which don't normally have Brutal riders for superior versions of weapons, such as double weapons, spears, polearms, etc. Hybrid Ranger|Avenger? Use it with your bow. The feat says weapon attacks, not melee attacks (or Avenger powers).
Distant Vengence: Did I mention Ranger|Avengers? (I admit I'd probably only use basic attacks if I couldn't hit 'em otherwise.) Got a Watcher Spirit Shaman buddy? Use a magic Heavy Thrown weapon? Have the Closing Pledge feat?
Oath of Urgency: Useful. 'Nuff said.
Unyielding Pursuit: I can't help but think that if if you have to run to catch 'em, then something isn't going right.
Arbiter of Justice: Lots of interactions with other class abilities or powers, if you've got 'em.
Exposing Oath: Useful if you got the right powers (and right enemies).
Halo of Isolation: Nice, but would be nicer if it was also around the Oath target (so it was harder for them to buddy up).
Painful Oath: WOW. Has nothing to do with which class powers you are using. Scales, too! See also Exposing Oath.
Halo of Tethering: Some people will argue that if the creep shifts 5, you only get to shift 1. Others will argue that you can stick with them the whole way. Has this been resolved?
Halo of Warding: WOW. HBO/Sweeping Blade overdrive for Avenger|/Barbarians.
Hand of Divine Guidance: WOW. What every Avenger has been waiting for. You don't have to use Avenger powers.
Vengeful Declaration: Awesome article ends with a whimper for most folks. If you are Multi/Hybrid, this is great.
Avenging Resolution: Not quite Brutal 2, but it supposedly fits in with the Avenger's schtick as reliable damage. This would override Brutal, right? If so, you don't get a benefit from this feat for the current crop of Brutal weapons, and it may make damage worse if you are looking for mean/avg damage. Feel free to refute my math if I'm wrong. I see this feat as good for weapon groups which don't normally have Brutal riders for superior versions of weapons, such as double weapons, spears, polearms, etc. Hybrid Ranger|Avenger? Use it with your bow. The feat says weapon attacks, not melee attacks (or Avenger powers).
It works rather nicely with the extremely popular Fullblade as well, and over here we are discussing whether it also works on extra damage dice you get on the attack like from a horned helm or the damage dice you get for critting.
Avenging Resolution
[...] over here we are discussing whether it also works on extra damage dice you get on the attack like from a horned helm or the damage dice you get for critting.
Good call. It makes Multi|/Hybrid Avengers do better sneak attack damage than single-class Rogues can muster, as good (Brutal Shroud) or better shroud damage than single-class Assassins, etc.
[W] is fine. Hunter's Quarry? The extra dice in Barbarian at-wills? Curse damage, when single-classed Warlocks can't improve it to save their souls (pun intended)? That's too generous.
Distant Vengence: Did I mention Ranger|Avengers? (I admit I'd probably only use basic attacks if I couldn't hit 'em otherwise.) Got a Watcher Spirit Shaman buddy? Use a magic Heavy Thrown weapon? Have the Closing Pledge feat?
Yeah, and that's without even talkin about the Seeker, huh? I predict insane things will happen at CharOp on the following days...
Distant Vengence: Did I mention Ranger|Avengers? (I admit I'd probably only use basic attacks if I couldn't hit 'em otherwise.) Got a Watcher Spirit Shaman buddy? Use a magic Heavy Thrown weapon? Have the Closing Pledge feat?
Yeah, and that's without even talkin about the Seeker, huh? I predict insane things will happen at CharOp on the following days...
I wondered about this, too. Like Monks, we dunno what Seekers will be like Multi/|Hybrid. We do know that Multiclassing into Avenger isn't overwhelmingly useful for Seekers. (Get maybe almost two whole rounds of melee rerolls! Or... melee rerolls until you actually hit!) The feat looks like it trumps the Hybrid Avenger riders of only getting the benefit of OoE when you are using Avenger powers (and not basic attacks) as well as making it for ranged instead of melee.
If Seekers will be alright, Stinging Swarm is the way to go. You can use Avenging Retribution with it, too.
Magic Missile, Avenging Light, Sun Strike, Acid Orb, Dragon Frost. Low-hanging fruit for spammy Wizard or Invoker or Sorcerer Hybrids.
Eldritch Blast. You'll need Hybrid Talent (but you would otherwise for Eldritch Strike anyway). At least you get Hybrid Curse damage with it. The spammy Sorcerer is still laughin' at you.
Mind Thrust. Who knows if this will be worth it?
Distant Vengence: Did I mention Ranger|Avengers? (I admit I'd probably only use basic attacks if I couldn't hit 'em otherwise.) Got a Watcher Spirit Shaman buddy? Use a magic Heavy Thrown weapon? Have the Closing Pledge feat?
Yeah, and that's without even talkin about the Seeker, huh? I predict insane things will happen at CharOp on the following days...
I wondered about this, too. Like Monks, we dunno what Seekers will be like Multi/|Hybrid. We do know that Multiclassing into Avenger isn't overwhelmingly useful for Seekers. (Get maybe almost two whole rounds of melee rerolls! Or... melee rerolls until you actually hit!) The feat looks like it trumps the Hybrid Avenger riders of only getting the benefit of OoE when you are using Avenger powers (and not basic attacks) as well as making it for ranged instead of melee.
If Seekers will be alright, Stinging Swarm is the way to go. You can use Avenging Retribution with it, too.
Magic Missile, Avenging Light, Sun Strike, Acid Orb, Dragon Frost. Low-hanging fruit for spammy Wizard or Invoker or Sorcerer Hybrids.
Eldritch Blast. You'll need Hybrid Talent (but you would otherwise for Eldritch Strike anyway). At least you get Hybrid Curse damage with it. The spammy Sorcerer is still laughin' at you.
Mind Thrust. Who knows if this will be worth it?
Man, don't forget, Seekers got loads of Encounter and even Daily Powers that count as ranged basic attacks.
Man, don't forget, Seekers got loads of Encounter and even Daily Powers that count as ranged basic attacks.
Not forgotten. It's cool that they have options and fit well. I suspect Hybrids and Paragon MC Avenger/[whatever] will gravitate toward the at-wills though, as they can use the trick all day. Seeker/Avengers? You get 1 or 2 rounds, so what's best is variable. Maybe you do want to use the Encounters/Daily, maybe you don't have them anymore, etc.