So I'm playing LFR as a dwarven battle rager, pretty fun so far. I recently saw the changes they made to the class in the errata, and I am attempting to adapt my character to fit. Personally I don't mind the changes, allot of people are complaining that they're chopping the balls off the class, but I disagree. Its allot more balanced this way, and still an effective tank. My only frustration is that they're changing it now instead of in the play testing a few months ago. Wasn't that the whole point?
Anyway, I recently leveled up, meaning I'm allowed to change one power or feat or whatever, but since the rules were different when I created my character, there are actually several things I need to alter to make him work. I was wondering if, since this due to WOTC changing the rules, they have special circumstances in which I can make changes to multiple powers, feats, or maybe even ability scores?
I'd heard there was a similar situation when they altered veteran armor, and allowed people who had chosen it to select another magical item of equal level.
So, whats the verdict?
Anyway, I recently leveled up, meaning I'm allowed to change one power or feat or whatever, but since the rules were different when I created my character, there are actually several things I need to alter to make him work. I was wondering if, since this due to WOTC changing the rules, they have special circumstances in which I can make changes to multiple powers, feats, or maybe even ability scores?
Ability scores cannot be changed aside from the growth at levels ending in 1, 4, and 8. Some people complained about this with Swordmages when they came out (one of the nicer PPs is Wis dependant, and the class is not in any way wis dependant, causing some griping among a few who used the playtest rules). Sorry but there's no exceptions there to date.
For changing multiple other things, you have two choices:
1) Slow and steady: my guess is the one thing that really doesn't work is you have Improved Vigor and Dwarven Stoneblood (or whatever it's called), the two feats that used to complement each other for a BRV Fighter and are now non-stacking. If so retrain that one now. Then do the rest of your retrains one level at a time. LFR is not usually too demanding of optimization, especially if you refrain from playing up when you're at the bottom of a tier.
2) Fast and not BRV: Per the CCG, each character is allowed a one time class feature retrain. When you replace your class feature (i.e. trading battlerage vigor for 2h weapon talent) you can change several other parts of your character at the same time. I believe it was 2 feats and 2 powers, but check the CCG to get it right.
Obviously neither of these is what you seem to be wishing for, but that is what is available. In all fairness, the only parts of the old BRV setup that aren't synergistic with the new BRV rules are the feat pair that no longer stacks and the fact that having higher Con than Str is much less optimal.
I'd heard there was a similar situation when they altered veteran armor, and allowed people who had chosen it to select another magical item of equal level.
So, whats the verdict?
In the case of Veteran Armor there's two things to concider.. one is that a healthy chunk of people had Veteran Armor because the +1 Surge Armor in Spec 1-1 (original version) didn't actually make it into print (the Surge Armor rules were change and made to +2 and higher), and the campaign solved the problem by giving them an alternative armor. Then WotC realized how overpowered the Veteran Armor was and removed the power that everyone wanted it for, leaving only a mediocre property (that already existed). If WotC had flat out removed Battlerage Vigor I would expect a free retrain; instead they redisigned it in a way that preserves the old synergies with feats/powers/weapons/attributes but changes the details of how it does so. You still get free temp HP regardless of power choices. you still get more temp HP by using Invigorating powers. Those are still both based on Con. You still get bonus damage for having temp HP and using appropriate weapons with sufficiently light armor. The balance seems to have shifted a bit more pro-Str (and Wis) compared to Con, but it still relies on the same three.
So, whats the verdict?
Istaran gave a good looooong explanation. The quick and dirty explanation is: there is no formal rule in place in regards to errata changes affecting you character allowing a full retrain. Such things seem to be taken on a case by case basis and there has been no word yet for these. Since they aren't binding until August 7th, they may be waiting on it, or they may not offer it. We'll have to wait and see.
Istaran gave a good looooong explanation.
I prefer the term "verbose". It has more syllables.
The problem is I'm invested up to the ears in feats in my current combat style, and all the changes favor my original style. I have at least 3 feats and at least 3 powers all dedicated to my current combat style. Since you can only swap one of those per level I have no way of correcting those before the changes go through, and no way not having completely worthless feats/powers while only half of them are swapped out.
That said, I'm in a similar boat with my beastmaster as I'm running into problems with [b] powers not getting static modifiers which I am starting to accrue on my attacks. I still want to be a beastmaster so I've got a list of retrains from here until paragon. I think you just have to accept that you have put yourself in a harsh position and either stick with it (as a non-standard BRV you still have gained +CON tHP on every attack you hit with and you did suggest your new version is a better defender. Higher to hit + multiattack = nearly guaranteed tHP every round.) or accept that there will be a somewhat painful transition period. Maybe you can set yourself up with Bastard Sword + Waraxe or Craghammer or something temporarily so you can abuse both Heavy Blade and Axe/Hammer powers for a time while you transition? If I had a clear idea of your current and desired build we could work on an upgrade path to minimize the pain.
I think you just have to accept that you have put yourself in a harsh position and either stick with it (as a non-standard BRV you still have gained +CON tHP on every attack you hit with and you did suggest your new version is a better defender. Higher to hit + multiattack = nearly guaranteed tHP every round.)
Well I set out to make a standard BRV fighter. As a gnoll I picked stats that look something like 16,18,14,8,12,10. As a BRV fighter with 18 con the character was extremely tough, the problem though, is that with 16 strength and a low (+2) proficiency weapon I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn, particulalry with the low powered invigorating at will. So I switched to dual bastard swords and dual strike. Once I threw out the BRV bonus damage by changing weapon types, there was no reason to remain in chain, and I picked up platemail prof.
or accept that there will be a somewhat painful transition period. Maybe you can set yourself up with Bastard Sword + Waraxe or Craghammer or something temporarily so you can abuse both Heavy Blade and Axe/Hammer powers for a time while you transition? If I had a clear idea of your current and desired build we could work on an upgrade path to minimize the pain.
So what I have going at 7th is:
Feats-
Weapon Prof:Bastard Sword
Armor Prof: Plate
Two-Blade Warrior, Ranger Multi-Class from MP
Improved Initiative
Powers-
Dual Strike, At-will
Footwork Lure, At-Will
Passing Attack, Encounter 1
Villian's Menace, Daily 1
Create Opening, Encounter Utility 2
Hesitation Slash, Encounter 3
Rain if Steel, Daily 5
Unbreakable, Encounter Utility 6
Come and Get it, Encounter 7
Gear-
+2 Dwarven Rimfire Plate
+2 Wounding Bastard Sword
+1 Sunblade Bastard Sword
+2 Javelin
The bold items are based around my 2 heavy blade fighting style, the underlined items are all based around getting temps whenever I get hit. Any items without either are the rare few things I have that are not based on either.
As you can see my single target sequence was fairly simple, hold my +2 sword in both hands and use Hesitation Slash to get combat advantage for Villain's Menace, then pull out the other sword and Dual Strike until they were dead. So the problems with this build are now:
1. A BRV fighter no longer gets temps when hit, so they don't necessarily want to invite a billion hits. That means dropping Create Opening for something like Pass Forward, and possibly the plate from Rimfire plate to Layered plate, particularly if I use a shield, assuming I keep in platemail.
2. Dual Strike is no longer single target. Its not a bad ability for marking an extra target (which is what I often used create opening for), it just can't be used in conjunction with Villain's Menace anymore. Even if I keep dual strike for utility Villain's Menace has to go.
3. BRV fighters now gets hit points from invigorating power even when they miss, making the previously worthless invigorating powers the new BRV fighter's primary form of temp hit point gain.
4. I picked up two weapons in treasure bundles, and purchased a 3rd. If I don't stick with duel wielding I have too many weapons, and the Sunblade is limited to heavy blades only (Its also been one of the best items ever with all the undead there are in mods).
On the plus side I think their +damage mechanic is even worse than before. Now you only get the bonus when you aren't hit between turns, rather than getting the bonus when you are. So the fact that I'm not using a BRV weapon or BRV armor isn't that big of a deal.
If I pretend the Dual Strike change was an upgrade to my marking ability rather than a nerf to my single target damage then I might be able to keep most of my abilities. If I don't pretend that, then I'm really up a creek.