Themes

Since are becoming more widely used, I figured I'd start rating the ones that were interesting to avengers. As usually, I'm skipping the ones I think no one will ever consider.

Note: Themes are a bit of power bloat, and were introduced in Dark Sun, a world that has no gods and no divine classes by default. So your DM may not allow them.

Short list: Sohei (minor action attack), Guardian (Immediate action attack), Lycan (werecheese), Elemental Initiate (Immediate action attack & Ki-Focus proficiency)

Alchemist (D399)

The e1 is the f1 ability to make any alchemical item you want after a short rest. Unfortunately, most alchemical items are AoE attacks that don't work well with your usual approach of hitting monsters with really large weapons. The actual power of this path is going to depend on the power of the alchemical items. And the problem is that very few are really things that you want that badly. Ghoststrike will be useful if you know you're dealing with ghosts. Inferno Oil will be handy if your party has a pyro in it. Bloodstinger Poison is handy at low levels, but the ongoing never increases. Spotted Toadstool Venom isn't horrible, but taking your target off the board is better. You'll definitely want to pick up Alchemy Gloves . Those combined with the theme will make your attack at +4 over par, which is about as good as you can ask for.

Athasian Mistrel (DS)

Poisoned Strike is a weapon based attack that can also be used on thrown weapons, but the theme has nothing else of note. You won't take any of the power options, you have better in-class options everywhere.

Chevalier (D399)

Off-defenders don't mind the extra encounter power Valiant Charge : free immobilize on top of a charge, 1/enc. But it's overshadowed pretty heavily by Guardian

Demon Spawn (HotEC)

The e1 has to be timed well, but is clearly a no-action damage roll (albeit, a keyword-less one. So: get some Censure bonuses). And resistances when you're losing are a good stable feature. The utility powers are pretty much a waste.

Devil's Pawn (NWCS)

You won't take too many of the utility powers, because you're not an infernal pact warlock (although daily flight for an encounter is still flight for an encounter). But giving team PC +2 to hit for their nova turn is certainly worth a very very hard look, and that's before you consider that it minion sweeps (especially handy if your DM likes to use minions to deny you your oath)

Disgraced Noble (BoVD)

The encounter power grants an MBA when you're supposed to be the designated beatstick. The skill boosts are in social skills.

Dune Trader (DS)

The free power, Quick Formation , is a weapon based approach power that can be used with thrown weapons. That's about as useful as you can ever expect.

Elemental Initiate (HotEC)

The E1 is an immediate weapon attack, which is just awesome. And the other key bit here is Ki Focus proficiency, for flex-attackers without the usual costs. A +1 bonus to Will at level 10 is also nothing to sneeze at. The utility powers are pretty wasted though.

Escaped Slave (D390)

The free skill training and the e1 are pretty useless (because the e1 relies on bluff). But if your DM likes denying your oath, the e3 swap can solve that as an immediate. And the d5 is an immediate.

Explorer (D399)

The best part is the +1 bonus to Fortitude. And while that's quite good, that's not good enough.

Fey Beast Tamer (HoF)

The various animal options have nice abilities, including simple "+DRPz". They also act as decent meatshields, are allies for Censure of Unity . They give free CA. The main issue is just the game-time issues of adding extra creatures, and the risk the whole party will want one.

Gladiator (DS)

Disrupting Advance is 2{W} power that slows. That's not very interesting. However, Chasers really like Bloody Blades as a replacement daily power. Basically, your target can't shift and you'll deal autodamage to it.

Gloomwrought Emissary (D400)

This is mostly of interest to Martyrs. Your e1 weakens someone. While that shouldn't come up too often (because you had to hit someone who was not your OoE target to really benefit as a Marytr), the Shift-2 bit will help you when it does come up. The u6e swap gives you flight and insubstantial, for more OA fishing. The skills boosts aren't good, but they are skills you might find yourself rolling.

Guttersnipe (D399)

Running Slash is a Weapon-vs-Reflex approach power in case you're not accurate enough yet. It's not the most damage, but it frees up some power choices. The u2 ( Infuriating Taunt ) is worthwhile if you've jacked your defenses so that it turns into "-2 to attack until the end of the encounter", and the u6 and u10 are a great reaction to DMs who love to surround you.

I don't think you'll actually take many of those utility powers, but depending on DM you could. So that's a pretty strong recomendation.

Guardian (D399)

Guardian's Counter should play out a like like Relentless Stride : you've moved your Oath onto a target you're not yet engaging, and now you get to smack it before your turn starts. Remember to have a jacked up AC and other defenses, of course: monsters attacks can suck to get hit with. The boosts to Insight and Perception are, of course, quite nice. And +1 to hit someone who attacks the party squishy? Sold. (Your DM may balk: the RAW is melee skills less than yours. The RAI is likely "not a party member")

Harper Agent (NWCS)

+1d6, 1/enc. For those who really really hate missing. But the other boosts are not as interesting.

Infernal Slave (BoVD)

Adding a whopping 5/10/15 extra damage to your next attack is a pretty horrid use of a minor action encounter power. But the level 5 feature of +1 NADs isn't horrible. And Hellfire Step is actually really really nice, depending on your party.

Ironwrought (HotEC)

Resist all while bloodied is a great feature. Inevitable Strike is also pretty great for Crit Fishing if you have an extended crit range: like from the u10d Weapon Unity

Iron Wolf Warrior (D400)

The main issue is that the e1 doesn't have any keywords, so completely fails to scale. It's not a melee attack, so you don't get rerolls. You just tack on some trivial damage to your charge, and miss on your attempts to push one or two of the enemies friends away. (You did end your charge adjacent to only one monster, RIGHT?)

The e3/13/23 line of powers give you two attempts to crit, but the rules are rather less than clear what happens if you crit in that situation. The e7/17/27 line of powers let you split your targets. I don't have to explain why that's usually a bad idea, do I?

The Theoretical Optimization potential here is in the 10f: free attacks when you would drop. That's really only important to TO builds that can manage to stay conscious ( Revenant , Blooded Champion Minotaurs), and optionally heal on hits ( Refire the Forge ). But if you're running a post-heroic Lair Assault , this would be a go-to theme.

Hospitaler (D399)

Shield of Devotion effectively reads "Once or Twice per encounter, your ally regains consciousness immediately after dropping, and you get +2 to hit someone who needs to get hit". Except that you may already have quite a few interrupts and so not have the action available, and the level 5 feature is pure fluff. Fight On Friend might be worth taking: that's a lot of surgeless hp.

Mercenary (D399)

Takedown Strike is just a nice dose of extra damage and trivial control you can apply whenever. The f10 is quite nice for those who've already got decent defenses. But the utility swaps don't look like anything you should take. Too many dailies.

Noble (D399)

Noble Presence is a poor Reorient the axis, with a defensive kicker. That's really nice, actually. But as the striker, you're supposed to be the guy moving. The best use of the free item is LFR level 5 starting PCs, which isn't exactly intended, and you don't care about Diplomacy. All in all, underwhelming.

But if you do take this, Urge to Action is really really good.

Noble Adept (DS)

Add 1d4+1 to any attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, yours or an allies. I don't think you'll take any of the power swaps though: implement powers for psionic classes.

Oracle of the Evil Eye (D406)

You typically won't have the minor to spare early in the combat. And 2 damage/round won't convince anything to run (and take an estimated 16 damage). The only nice bit is Darkvision (or Lowlight for humans)

Ordained Priest (D399)

Not exactly flavor central, but the free encounter power helps you pretend to be a defender, if you're into that sort of thing, the level 5 skill bonuses are handy, and the level 10 feature will help unitarians get a good cluster going. Just ignore the utility power swaps.

Order Adept (D399)

The features you are about are the +2 bonus to will, and the +4 bonus to arcana checks for the smart ones. The power swap will probably not ever be relevant, and the encounter power is an implement-based AoE.

Outlaw (D399)

Free Daze is a very nice. Ignoring difficult terrain can also be very nice, if you guess your campaign's terrain type correctly. But the skill bonuses are pretty well wasted, and I think the utility powers are as well.

You'll likely prefer Son of Alagondar . It has the same e1, but with better skill bonuses.

Pack Outcast (NWCS)

An earlier "werewolf" theme. Essentially obsoleted by Werewolf . It's not actually a bad theme: Easy CA that depending on your party might save you a feat.

Oh yeah, you can also turn into a wolf, which helps with speed, and has tons of RP considerations. So consider it Blue if Werecheese is too distasteful. (Also, Erachima would suggest that longtooth plaguechanged shifters might prefer a theme for at-will shifty instead of a MC feat)

Primal Guardian (DS)

Mark of Thunder is pretty useless (marks, trivial damage and trivial mark punishment). But the dailies are both decent encounter long buffs.

Purple Dragon (D407,Good)

Either +1 to hit with your MBA-spam, or +1 to shift after a charge, your choice. That's really cool, either way. And "Sudden Formation" has some solid leading credentials as a power swap.

Reaver (BoVD)

Mainly of note for the PP. But the encounter power is a no-action splash attack, you get a small bonus to hit for doing your job, and at 10th you get some temps for critting. The u6d Killing Menace is also really good. BoVD, of course, will limit availability.

Samurai (D404)

If you don't push Init, the odds that you'll out-initiative 5 monsters is pretty small, for the exact same reasons that your odds of hitting are so high. So basically it's "Shift half-speed when you roll initiative, and get +2 to your fist attack". Occasionally, you'll get lucky and have a nice crit range too.

Obviously, better if you play with a Warlord or are a Wood Elf

Sarifal Feywarden(D406)

The point of this theme is abusing the LARGE vulnerability it can put out. Unfortunately, elemental damage isn't your forte, so you'll have to work a bit to find some. And you don't have the zone-auras that make this spectacular, so it's mostly "minor action for 10 bonus damage", which is a questionable use of a minor action.

If you work at it though (and gain a few levels), it becomes "Minor action for 45-60 bonus damage", which is far more interesting.

Scholar (D399)

For the smart ones only. Use Vulnerability gives you Int mod to damage for a round, assuming you're smart enough to hold off on the monster knowledge checks until you've picked a target, and that you can remember what the hard DCs look like, so that you know when to use the power. I'd point out that immortals who speak Supernal get nice bennies, except that the level 10 feature already covers them all.

Defensive Lore is good enough to consider taking.

Seer (D399)

Rich Baker's gift to tacticians. Use Cast Fortune immediately after a short rest to avoid the action cost. Make sure the recepient will appreciate the knowledge: you can't check your own future.

Your DM may get annoyed at particularly trivial skill checks to use up bad rolls. I suggest talking to your DM, and changing it to "attacks, saves, and skill checks as part of a skill challenge" as a rational compromise.

Sohei (D404)

Minor action attack power: Awesome. Bonus to Wis skills: handy. Bonuses to saves vs. things that suck? No complaints.

I'm not seeing you take any of the other power swaps, except perhaps Sohei Clarity , if your DM loves to dominate you. They are charge substitutions that rely on your highest ability, but they're "In Place Of". Odds are you'll be better off just charging.

Son of Alagondar (D402)

A +daze kicker, like Mercenary, but with better skills. And a "Allies get +1 to hit when flanking with you" bennie that's quite nice.

Student of Evard (D400)

Take some damage to deal a hair more. The other features are too conditional to come up enough to justify mentioning them.

Unseelie Agent (HoF)

The main advantage here is an extra-found item slot. Unseelie Eyes isn't horrible as a utility power, but it's inability to work well for exploration really hurts it (same for Shadow Cloak ). And while the attack powers are not horrible, you have attack powers you already like ... unless you're a Str/Dex PMC Ranger.

Wasteland Nomad (DS)

Wasteland Fury includes a shift 1, but is otherwise a low-damage pure damage power. The level 5 daily allows you to easily chase your target, but that's not historically an avenger weakness. The level 9 daily is a triple hit, but static damage. Still, 3 chances to crit.

Werebear (D410)

Wererat (D410)

Werewolf (D410)

All three are basically about using different variants of the same cheese: using the f10 to be in beast form while wielding huge weapons, so that you may tack on Claw Gloves to your damage.

Avoid wererat: it makes you small, even at 10th level.

I personally prefer Wolf's speed bonus to bear's AC&Fort bonus, but it's a personal call. And take the u2 swap, cause it's just too handy on surge savings.

Wilder (DS)

Implement based, so it will be an investment ... but then Psychic Surge is your free power, and it lets you crit on 18-20s for a turn. Psychic Feedback can cause people to run.

Ignore the PP though: "at-will psionic" really runs the fun.

Wizard Apprentice (D399)

More implement powered encounter powers. The free magic item will be helpful for those 6 levels, but ages poorly. The 6th and 10th level utility powers are actually useful enough to take over your existing utility powers.