5. Weapon

The stereotypical avenger uses the largest weapon he can find and looks for bigger [W] attacks. There is basically a four way tie for largest weapon, assuming you've spent one feat:

• The Executioner's Axe puts out the most DPR by a smidge

• The Fullblade is right there, but is more accurate for your kickers

• The Falchion with Avenging Resolution is right up there.

• The Gouge has the biggest [W] value, and has a ton of very good feat support.

But really, a large number of weapons can be perfectly viable options, and feats will tend to dominate the discussion. For example, if you can get Fullblade proficiency, and a better weapon focus in one feat, then do so. Or give up some damage per {W} for some insane charging accuracy, and use a spear (Gouge or Greatspear).

Spears

The real draw of the spear is Impaling Spear , which allows your basic attacks to target Reflex. Since Overwhelming Strike can be a basic attack, this can work out very well for you. The main spears of note are the Gouge , which is a 2d6b1 axe-spear from Dark Sun, and the Greatspear for the +3 proficiency bonus, reach, and Polearm Gamble

• Gouge (DS): +2, 2d6b1, axe-spear

• Greatspear (PHB): +3, 1d10, reach, polearm-spear.

• Urgosh (AV): +2, 1d12(/1d6), stout, axe-spear

Feats

Spear Expertise (HtoFL)

+1/2/3 damage when charging, untyped. A no-brainer if you charge much.

Surprising Charge (PHB,Fighter or Rogue)

If you charge with CA, do +1W. Great, but the list of requirements (CA,Charging,MC) makes this a late-heroic play.

Impaling Spear (MP2,Martial,Paragon)

Your melee basic attacks target reflex. Did I mentioned that Overwhelming Strike can be a melee basic attack?

Polearm Momentum (MP,Fighter,Dex 15+)

If you push/slide someone 2 squares, they fall prone. Overwhelming Strike slides 1, so if you find some way to add another square (and there are many), your MBA now knocks prone.

Enchantments

• Bloodiron, like everyone else

• Hungry

Flails

Flails are about forced movement, particularly in Heroic. Your expertise feat lets Overwhelming Strike prone. Dragging Flail (Fighter MC required) lets anything that slid before slide again. And then Lashing Flail lets Overwhelming strike slide again. The main downside is that the damage dice tend to be sub-par.

• Alhulak: Military +3/1d8 versatile flail

• Heavy Flail: Military +2/2d6 two-handed.

• Spiked Chain: Superior, +3/2d4/reach/MC feat of note

Enchantments

• Staggering: If Overwhelming Strike comtains two "slide 1" instances, how would you like that to be two "Slide 1+Enh" instances?

• Bloodiron, like everyone else.

• Disrupting Weapon, for Weaplements. Probably not relevant to you.

• Battle Spirit Weapon: For Martyrs: insubstantial on all charges

Heavy Blades

Heavy Blades offer a lot of nice features: big damage weapons and nice enhancements. What they don't offer is great feats: in general the feats seem to assume the weapons are good enough as it is, and don't give you too much more.

• Fullblade (AV): one of the default choices for an avenger: a giant two-handed +3, 1d12 high crit sword. Hard to go wrong here. Githzerai basically don't have a choice; Githzerai Blade Master is too good to pass up.

• Falchion (PHB): you automatically have proficiency, but it's a +3, 2d4 high crit weapon. Assuming Avenging Resolution , that 2d4 suddenly starts averaging 6.5/{W}, which ties a fullbade, so it's basically identical after one feat, except that crits are not quite as nice. The key is your next feat: Valenar Weapon Training instead of Weapon Focus

• Double Scimitar (EPG): more Valenar Weapon Training for the Twin Strike ers. +2, 1d6 High Crit, Stout & Defensive. Nice features, but the d6 hurts, badly, and not even Avenging Resolution can save you, because there's only one die.

Feats

Githzerai Blade Master

Fullblade prof + Weapon Focus in one.

Valenar Weapon Training

Better weapon focus, but no feat savings.

Turathi Weapon Training

Better weapon focus, but no feat savings, and you're a Tiefling.

Heavy Blade Expertise (HotFL)

A +2 bonus on OAs is nice when it's free, but Devoted Priest Expertise is likely better, because it also works with your holy symbol and works well with your Morninglord .

Heavy Blade Opportunity (PHB)

Use an at-will instead of an OA. If you took Melee Training or Power of Skill (and you did, right?) then you've already got a very punishing OA that will never be provoked. Use the feat for something else.

Wicked Blade (MP2)

On melee basic attacks, your heavy blade gains the High Crit feature. But, you're using a Fullblade or Falchion , right? It already has the High Crit feature.

Enchantments

• Firewind Blade

• Jagged

• Var. Lightsabers

• Carnage

• Bloodiron, like everyone else

Axes

The two main axes to talk about are the Executioner's Axe and the Gouge . The Executioner's Axe will have the best DPR for the vanilla case, but the Gouge offers more feat and enhancement options. Twin-Striking half-elves will want to consider the Double Axe heavily, as some of them can afford Deadly Axe.

• Executioner's Axe(AV): +2, 1d12b2 hc.

• Gouge(DS): +2, 2d6b1, spear.

• Double Axe(AV): +2, 1d10, stout, double weapon.

Feats

Axe Expertise (HotFL)

Your axe gains a poor man's brutal one. But ... you're wielding a Gouge or an Executioner's Axe, right? It's already brutal 1 or 2. If you're a twin-striker using a Double-Axe, you still probably take Two Weapon Expertise instead.

Deadly Axe (PHB)

This is for the Crit Fisherman that go ranger. The War Axe would be a fine axe, except it's not High Crit. Well, now it is, as is the hand-axe in your off hand. Makes Bloodiron weapons work better. The Preqs are low too, so you don't have to be pumping Con hard to qualify. If you're a Gouge Wielder, you'll look at this with lust in your eyes, but probably won't be able to afford the 17 str required to get it.

Punishing Axe (MP2,Martial)

Crit dice gain a rather poor brutal-2. This won't add enough damage to be noticeable.

Enchantments

• Jagged

• Rending

• Carnage

Light Blades

The elephant in the room here is the Spiked Chain . You have to spend your multi-class feat to learn how to use it this way, but then it becomes a very nice weapon by adding the light-blade group to an already decent flail. Avenging Resolution to get the damage up to fullblade levels, and then the various nice Light Blade feats to increase accuracy and damage with CA.

• Rapier : Martial, +3, 1d8. The good news is it's free.

• Double Sword : +3,1d6, Defensive, Off-Hand. Shocktroopers like this more than most.

• Spiked Chain : Assuming the MC Feat, +3, 2d4, Stout, Flail, Reach

Feats

Light Blade Expertise (HtoFL)

+1/2/3 to damage with Combat Advantage. There are lots of ways you can get that as an Avenger, including Deadly Draw .

Nimble Blade (PHB, Dex 15+)

There are lots of ways you can get that as an Avenger, including Deadly Draw , so take the +1 to hit.

Dusk Elf Weapon Training (D382,Dusk Elf)

You have to take another feat to get this, but it's a better weapon training, for Rapiers. In most cases, you're better off taking normal weapon training, and a better feat instead of Dusk Elf Stealth.

Surprising Charge (PHB,Fighter or Rogue)

As above for Spears

Enchantments:

• Subtle

Polearms

Feats

Hafted Defense (PHB3)

Get a shield bonus to AC and Reflex without wielding a shield.

Polearm Gamble (PHB,Paragon)

The requirements are a reach, but there's an interesting game-theory choice here for Martyrs. The enemies may not approach from fear of the attack, which gives you your oath.. or they do. If they do, they are more likely to hit you, fueling your Censure of Retribution. So it's sort of win-win, but not worth stretching to get your strength high enough unless you were already planning on getting Power Attack

Polearm Momentum (MP,Fighter,Dex 15+)

As above for Spears

Polearm Enhancements:

• Staggering

• Controlling

• Grasping

Hammers

• Mordenkrad: +2, 2d6b1

Feats:

Bludgeon Expertise (HotFL)

+1 to slides and pushes. You'll slide more, but Overwhelming Strike has a position requirement for the slide, so adding one to the distance does nothing until the invention of the hammer-spear.

Hammer Shock (MP2,Martial,Intimidate)

Your MBAs ( Overwhelming Strike? ) are rattling, which means that you apply a -2 penalty to attack rolls. This is nice if you're isolating someone, less relevant if you're applying the "Dead" condition instead.

Hammer Rhythm (PHB,Str 15+,Con 18+)

Miss damage has an unexpectedly high effect on DPR, except that you shouldn't miss. And the stat requirements are ... really high.

Justice Hammer (D381,Paragon)

Daze is a great condition to inflict, and you crit a lot. So this is a great feat. Note, it only works on Divine At-Will powers, so CritVengers that spam Twin Strike should pass it by.

Enhancements:

TBC

Maces

• Singing Stick(DS): +3, 1d6, Defensive, Off-Hand

• Greatclub(PHB): +2, 2d4

Feats:

Bludgeon Expertise(HotFL)

+1 to slides and pushes. You'll slide more, but Overwhelming Strike has a position requirement for the slide, so adding one to the distance does nothing until the invention of the hammer-spear.

Enhancements:

• Unforgettable Cudgel. Crit 19+, Weaplement, can daze on crits. This is why you consider maces.

Staves

Feats:

Staff Expertise (HotFL)

Expertise to Implement powers too, if you want to use implement powers, so it's equal to Versatile expertise for most purposes (assuming Wizard or Psion MC). The extra bennies don't help much though: don't provoke on implement attacks, and your reach increases by 1. Protip: Oath of Enmity only works on melee attacks when you're adjacent to your target.

Staff of Travel (D391)

Your divine weapon powers (all of your powers) allow you to shift one on a hit. That's helpful mobility.

Hafted Defense (PHB3)

Get a shield bonus to AC and Reflex without wielding a shield. But you are wielding a staff or a polearm...

Picks

No.

Ranged

TBC