Return of Reckoning

Lets talk Swordmaster.

Show builds. Tell us why you love/hate playing them. Planned builds for R40RR80? What playstyle? Renown specs? Exchange hints and tips!

My current build: http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=sm; ... 4:;0:0:0:0:

Planned build for R40: http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=sm; ... 7:;0:0:0:0:

Keep in mind crashing wave has been lowered to 9 pts ability.

Full DPS all the way, how else should one run a swordmaster
http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=sm; ... 5:;0:0:0:0:
not sure about the forth tactic thou, Great Weapon Mastery of Balance Accuracy.

If you go dps SM you'd do yourself a great disservice if you don't get balanced accuracy

I've always felt that a Swordmaster who can't keep himself alive is worse for the team than a DPS or a tank. Granted, it's been a while since I got a play a DPS SM in T4. On live, I would have played something like this.

Now that Crashing Wave has been moved though, I might enjoy something like this more.

But for group play, sometimes you have to sacrifice personal fun for group utility. In that case, if I could keep the 2H, I would run this. Impeccable Reactions is very useful as a 2H tank - you lose the ability to block guard damage, but you can still parry it. IR guarantees that your guard damage is directly reduced, and helps make up for the lack of block.

RE: Calming Winds - I really hate Sorcs. Also, Aethyric Armor can be shattered, doesn't stack with armor pots, and the disrupt it grants is barely worth the mastery point.

Well, WW buffed two Either Dances back to back is something to be afraid of.

The interaction between SS and WW was removed on live.

Ether dance and all khaine tree active skills would need some love imo, dunno why some ppl get so impressed by its damage while it can be easy interrupted and countered. Dazzling strike can replace it as main damage tool (no mastery point cost, insta cast, 0 cd). Till no changes are made gonna favor a Hoeth build similar to the t4 one proposed by genisaurus, with both GWM and BA from the khaine tree but as a str based 2h SM, with some ini and CW u can still survive.

My giant post was deleted and forgot to save it.

Love SM. Hate feeling subpar. Still love spamming ether dance, Gusting Winds on Tor Anroc, and Wings-of-Heaven'ing across the battlefield.
Anyways.

-SM is extremely selfish and isn't a threat when running Path of Vaul/full tank. It doesn't have the group utility or tools for it, besides 3 sec kd (specced) and Dragon's Talon (Compare to Crippling Strikes please). Recommend a heal debuff, "Destroy Confidence"/strip 3 enchantments tactic from KotBS, or something else to help the SM be a threat S/B while keeping more inline with their in-your-face disrupt role even when tanky. One-trick pony WW bot isn't fun.

Black Guard, destro's selfish tank, has a significant armor debuff, tons of stat debuffs, a heal debuff, specced aoe snare, game's best super punt, and a CORE 5 SECOND KD, among a few other things. That is how you be a threat without needing group buffs or utility even when running full defense.

-1.4.9 SM and BO changes would be nice.

-A friendly leap for SM and BO has been brought up before. Would love it, and it would be a great trade-off for not having a super-punt. Would give SM a more unique role of being more immune to super punts or quickly get to the front lines where they should be.

I'd just be happy with the 1.4.9 changes. One or two more tweaks after that and it would be a perfect class.

Well sm dosnt have an armor debuff because most of the dmg you deal is spiritual

One thing that you bring is stat steal and stealing iniative from a target significantly increasers that targets chance to be crit as was shown by enigma

Also WW is pretty dam strong for bombing

The problem is that unlike black orc who is in a pretty good place and only needs 2 minor changes

SM competes with iB and kotbs who are the 2 best tanks in the game and needs more to shine and stand out