Exploiting Racial and Class Features: Fey Step

Knowing you can teleport once per encounter as a move action is like having a get out of jail free card in your back pocket. No matter how bad things get, if you’re conscious on your turn you can get yourself out of a bad situation. It doesn’t matter if you’re prone, bound, marked, surrounded or immobilized – Fey Step will give you options other characters in the exact same situation just won’t have.

There are also amazing, non-combat and role-playing implications that accompany the ability to teleport. Regardless of your class, your Fey Step will often give you access to areas that other characters can’t get to as easily, if at all. All you need it a glimpse of where you want to end up and if it’s within your range you’re there instantaneously. This makes it exceptionally difficult to keep Eladrins anywhere against their will.

Fey Step may not have any offensive implication like other racial powers (take the Dragonborn’s Breath Weapon for example), but you can just as easily build a competent and interesting character around this power. Improving your Fey Step has the added bonus (in most cases) of improving any other teleportation your character makes. With that in mind there are a few classes that provide access to a lot of great teleportation powers and really let you exploit Fey Step.

Best in Class

For purposes of this article we’re looking for powers that let you teleport. Choices that improve your Fey Step powers won’t help powers that let you teleport other creatures or powers that require you to end adjacent to a creature or ally. We’re looking for powers that will let you teleport more often and a lot farther.

There are three classes that stand out because of their abundance of teleporting powers. The key to all of these classes is to choose powers that let you teleport. If you’re going to spend feats and choose items to make your Fey Step better than you might as well pick powers that can piggy-back on those choices.

The Assassin

The Shadow Step class power is an at-will (which is nice), but you have to start and end adjacent to a creature. Extending the distance (which is normally just 3 squares, 4 at paragon, and 5 at epic) does give you more options in combat, but is still somewhat limiting. If you’re ok with that, and want to continue on with your build then you should consider these powers that let you teleport.

• Shadow Adept (Encounter 6 Utility)
• Slayer’s Escape (Encounter 6 Utility)
• Vanish (Encounter 6 Utility)
• Walk Through Shadow (Encounter 10 Utility)
• Well of Shades (Encounter 13)

The Sorcerer

Without an at-will teleport, the Sorcerer is going to find a lot of their choices to improve Fey Step limiting. However, since most of the Sorcerer’s teleport powers are reactions designed to get them out of trouble, increasing the distance be a few extra square may be worth it in the long run. After all, a lot of monsters target strikers that keep pounding them round after round like many Sorcerers often do. Consider these powers with teleportation if you’re creating an Eladrin Sorcerer specializing in Fey Step.

• Spatial Trip (Encounter 2 Utility)
• Slaad’s Gambit (Daily 5)
• Swift Escape (Encounter 6 Utility)
• Narrow Escape (Encounter 10 Utility)
• Poisonous Evasion (Encounter 17)

The Warlock (Fey Pact)

This is the money build. If you want to gt the most bang or your buck, you need to be a Fey Pact warlock.

The Misty Step boon lets you teleport 3 squares for free every time a cursed opponent drops. This is incredibly useful at low levels. However, the real payoff with this build comes at level 10 when you can finally get Ethereal Sidestep as an at-will utility power. It lets you teleport only 1 square, but you can use it every round. If only there was a way to increase the distance of your teleportation powers? Oh, there is – read on to find out all about it.

These powers should be mandatory if you’re going with this build.

• Ethereal Stride (Encounter 2 Utility)
• Otherwind Stride (Encounter 3)
• Shadowslip (Encounter 6 Utility)
• Warlock’s Leap (Daily 10 Utility)
• Diabolic Escape (Encounter 16 Utility)
• Infuriating Elusiveness (Encounter 16 Utility)

Paragon Paths

Until last week there was only one paragon path that worked well with a Fey Step (teleporting) build. However, with the recently release of Heroes of Shadow a new contender has joined the fray.

Shiere Knight

This is an Eladrin-specific paragon path. It’s not a bad choice as it gives you new teleporting powers; however, the best feature comes at level 16 when you get the power Cloaked in Magic. It provides +2 to all defenses until the start of your next turn every time you teleport. If you’re teleporting every round then it doesn’t really matter what the other powers are.

Shadow Dancer

To qualify you need an at-will or encounter teleport power and you need to be trained in Stealth. Well as an Eladrin you have Fey Step and your free skill training can be in any class so why not choose Stealth. Now you’ve qualified regardless of class.

When I read this paragon path the other day it was as if Wizards of the Coast knew that I wanted a better option for characters with a teleport build. If you focus on your Fey Step and go with this paragon path you won’t be disappointed.

For starters when you spend an action point, teleport 5 squares for free. Every time you teleport you gain combat advantage for the next attack. And the powers all involve teleporting too. I know this was just released this week, but be sure to check out Shadow Dancer.

Choosing the Best Feats

There may not be that many feats that will make you a better teleporter, but the few listed below should be strongly considered as soon as they become available.

Exultant Shadow Step (Heroic)

This one’s only for Warlocks, but when you crit a creature you’ve already cursed, you can teleport 4 squares as a free action. Teleporting for free is good.

Mark of Passage [Dragonmark] (Heroic)

This feat lets you teleport 1 extra square. However, if you’re playing in Eberron be mindful that Eladrins don’t generally carry the Mark of Passage, Humans do. If your Eladrin manifests the Mark of Passage it can have significant ramification to your campaign (unless you keep it a secret). Dragonmarks may or may not exist in other camping settings depending on what your DM allows, so check with him before taking this feat.

Improved Misty Step (Heroic)

When a Warlock with the Fey Pact uses Misty Step he gets an extra 2 squares to the teleportif he has this feat. This won’t stack with the Mark of Passage feat, it will supersede it for Misty Step teleportation only. This is a good choice if the DM does not allow you to take a dragonmark.

Moon Elf Resilience (Heroic)

Spend a healing surge for free when you use Fey Step once you’re bloodied. You can’t have any allies within 5 squares of you, but for a teleporter, that should be easy enough.

Fey Step Trailblazer (Paragon)

Now that you’re paragon tier it’s time to show your allies just how cool teleporting is. This feat lets you bring one ally along for the ride when you use Fey Step.

Feywild Flanker (Paragon)

You have to be a Warlord to qualify for this feat, but considering the up side, it might actually be worth taking a multi-class feat. After teleporting, one adjacent enemy grants you combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Fey Tactics (Paragon)

If you’ve already decided to multi-class into Warlord then you might as well take this feat too. When you use Fey Step you can also teleport one ally within 5 squares of your starting position your Fey Step distance. They do not have to end up beside you or anywhere near you.

Find the Right Tools for the Job

There are a lot of magic items that will let you teleport farther or more often. Below are the best of the best. Remember that similar bonuses don’t stack, so multiple bonuses of the same type (like item bonuses or enhancement bonuses) won’t help you. However, untyped bonuses do stack and most of the powers that let you teleport farther are untyped so mix and match and stack them up.

Note: In some cases bonuses provided by magic items specifically say that it’s an item bonus. In many of the examples listed below no source is listed for these bonuses. Considering how many items make a point of actually spelling out that it provides an “item bonus” I’ve always ruled and played that if it doesn’t say “item bonus” then it’s untyped and stacks. Since teleporting modifiers are conditional character builder won’t actually confirm whether or not these bonuses do indeed stack. However, I’ve equipped other characters with multiple items that improve initiative and don’t specifically say “item bonus” which character builder does stack (and displays on the legal character sheet). In either case this may be wrong (and if it is than many of the items listed below will not stack), but this is how numerous DMs I’ve played with have ruled as well as many DMs I’ve met while playing LFR.

Breaching Armor (Body)

This armor’s daily power lest you teleport up to 3 squares through a solid object without line of sight to your destination. It’s not something that you’ll likely need very often, but a good ability to have in your teleporting arsenal.

Eladrin Armor (Body)

Wearing this armor adds 1 to your teleporting distance (untyped bonus).

Boots of Jaunting (Feet)

As a minor action you can activate the daily power and teleport 1 square. Not normally a great power, but with all of the bonuses you get, that 1 square can easily become a much farther movement. Having this teleport in reserve as a minor action might mean the difference between life and death.

Eladrin Boots (Feet)

These boots increase your teleporting distance by 2, another untyped bonus. It also has a daily power that lets Eladrins teleport up to 10 squares as a move action.

Feystep Lacings (Feet)

The +1 bonus to Reflex is nice, but a teleporter with the right feats and accompanying items can really maximize this item’s power. They have 5 charges per day. You can expend some or all of the charges to teleport a distacne equal to the number of charges you’ve used. If other items and powers let you extend your teleporting then this means upto 5 more teleports every day.

Planestrider Boots (Feet)

These are level 18 so they won’t be something you can get right away. They let you break up your total distance teleported into two trips, perfect for teleporting around corners, over walls or into other areas you couldn’t see from your starting location. It also has a daily power that allows you to teleport 10 squares as a move action.

Cloak of Translocation (Neck)

I have to say that this item is a must-have for any teleporter. Every time you teleport you gain a +2 bonus to AC and Reflex until the end of your next turn. So if you’re teleporting every round that’s like having these bonuses permanently. But that’s not even the best part, as a daily power you can regain the use of an encounter teleportation power that you have already used. This is a great way to get multiple uses out of feats keyed specifically to your Fey Step.

Fey Step Potion (Potion)

For 200 gp you can quaff this potion and teleport 5 squares. Because this teleportation was granted by an item and not a power you have to be careful to only add benefits to distance teleported that don’t specifically say “granted by a power” (which about half of them do).

Eladrin Ring of Passage (Ring)

Are you an Eladrin? Then you need this ring. For starters it lets you teleport 2 extra squares (untyped bonus). As a daily power you can teleport 6 squares. Oh, and if you’ve hit a milestone then you can use this teleport without line of sight to your final destination. Awesome.

Ring of Retreat (Ring)

You can only wear two rings so this might as well be your other one. It lets you teleport 1 extra squares (untyped bonus). The daily power is less impressive as it teleports you and upto 7 allies to a really far away location. Good for the end of a quest or if you’re about to be eaten by a dragon. Not a lot of other good uses (except for angering the DM).

Rod of the Feywild (Implement)

This rod lets Warlocks teleport an additional number of squares equal to the rod’s enhancement bonus when they use Misty Step (another untyped bonus). As a move action once per encounter you can teleport 3 squares + the rod’s enhancement bonus.

Incisive Dagger (Weapon)

This is the jewel of the teleporter’s collection. Whether you use the dagger as an implement of just hold it in you off-hand you must have this weapon. Add 1 to the distance teleported for every plus of this weapon. By the time you’re paragon that’s +3, epic +5. This is another item that has a daily power that lets you teleport (this time 10 squares) without having line of sight to your destination square.

Addressing your Weaknesses

Now that your Eladrin is a teleporting master you need to beware of those crafty DMs that will try and rob you of your teleporting ability. The nemesis of teleporting is blindness. If you can’t see, you can’t teleport (with very few exceptions). For a character built around teleporting the ability to counter blindness is as important as the rest of the build. Fortunately there are a few simple ways to accomplish this objective.

Since many blinding effects are save ends, any feats that will improve your likelihood of making that save the first time (say by providing a bonus to the roll or allowing you to save before the end of your turn) is worth taking.

Never forget that your allies can also help you when you loose sight of your objective (in this case a destination square). Many leader powers grant saves, often as only a minor action for the leader. When all else fails, ask for help.

There are also a few choice magical items that should be in every teleporters inventory (or on their wish list).

Clearsense Powder (Alchemical Item)

Starting at only 20 gp, this consumable lets you make a save against blindness as a minor action. Money well spent if that save lets you teleport again.

Helm of Vigilant Awareness (Head)

There’s no better way to combat blindness than by using an immediate interrupt to shrug off the effect before it even happens.

Robe of Eyes (Body)

This it mandatory for any character build around teleporting. As long as you’re wearing this robe you cannot be blinded. Period. So long weakness. Oh, and the bonus to perception checks doesn’t hurt either.

Putting It All Together

Right now I’m playing a level 18 Eladrin Warlock. Assuming everything stacks then in most cases this character gets +14 to the distance teleported. So his Fey Step is 19 squares, and his Ethereal Sidestep (an at-will) is 15 squares. Here’s how it breaks down.

• Mark of Passage (teleport +1)
• Eladrin Boots (teleport +2)
• Eladrin Ring of Passage (teleport +2)
• Ring of Retreat (teleport +1)
• Rod of the Feywild +4 (teleport +4)
• Incisive Dagger +4 (teleport +4)

Even if all of these don’t stack (but I’m still convinced that they do) his bonus distance to teleport makes him impossible to nail down. Equipping him with the Robe of Eyes ensures he’s never blinded. I’ve had a blast playing him up from heroic through paragon.

Have you ever played a Eladrin? Did you take any steps to improve Fey Step? Did you exploit this racial ability to the limit or did you use it as a fringe benefit?

Related reading:

• Exploiting Racial and Class Powers: Dragon Breath
• A 4e D&D Rules Question: Teleporting What You Can’t See

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