Short Guide: Feats, Boons, and Gear
Feats
I am going to assume that your GWF is not 4,000 Ilvl and lacks 100% Crit Chance 24/7, because 100% Critical 24/7 changes some of the extra feats quite a bit.
Swordmaster NonHuman:
http://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gwf?b=23c ... &h=0&p=smr
Swordmaster Human:
http://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gwf?b=23c ... &h=1&p=smr
Reasoning: The Extra Critical Chance + Damage Resistance debuff from the Instigator feats will help you and your team while you are learning how to roflstomp, plus they also indirectly add to your damage. Flanking Maneuvers helps you and your team set up or can help interrupt enemy attacks. Unfettered Strikes is there to help you learn the GWF's movement.
Iron Vanguard NonHuman
http://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gwf?b=23c ... &h=0&p=ivn
Iron Vanguard Human
http://nwcalc.com/index.html#/gwf?b=23c ... &h=1&p=ivn
Reasoning: This version lacks Swordmaster's Staying Power, which trumphs the worthless Improved Reaction. Instead, to make up for some lost offense, I decided to use Battle Awareness (but you must use Slam to make use of it).
The biggest conflict for me was the Student of the Sword + Vicious Advantage versus Unstoppable Recovery + Powerful Challenge decision. The Iron Vanguard's Threatening Rush is a good mark (combined with good usage of Rush or combining with Daring Shout, you can keep the mark up 24/7). Overall, I turned towards Vicious Advantage + Student because I feel that the simpler team oriented bonus would help you contribute to the group (while you learn how to GWF) and is not as ability dependent. If you feel that Unstoppable Recovery + Powerful Challenge is better, then go for it.
Boons:
Sharandar:
Dark Fey Hunter, Fey Precision, Elven Haste, Elven Tranquility,
Elvish Fury or Elven Resolve
Dread Ring:
Conjurer's Gambit, Evoker's Thirst, Forbidden Piercing, Enraged Regrowth, Rampaging Madness
Icewind Dale:
Encroaching Tactics, Refreshing Chill, Sleet Skills, Cool Resolve, Winter's Bounty
Tedium of the Dragons:
Dragon's Claws, Dragon's Gaze, Draconic Armorbreaker, Dragon's Greed, Dragon's Fury x1 and Dragon's Thirst x2
(If you have a lot of time on your hands to get Linu's Favors, first get the first point of Thirst, then get Fury, then finish off with the final point of Thirst. Toss in the other boons and some Rank7 Darks and you can get a respectable 8-10% Lifesteal).
Underdark:
Primordial Might, Primordial Focus, Drow Ambush Tactics, Dwarven Stamina, and Abyssal Strikes
Maze Engine:
Abyssal Siphoning, Demonic Influence, your choice, and
Baphomet's Might
Stronghold: (hypothetical)
Barracks, Mount Speed Bonus, Defense/HP (depends on what you have and need more of),
and whatever for the PvP boon.
Gear
Aim for 60% ArmorPen and as much Critical as you can.
Weapon Enchantment:
Vorpal or
Feytouched.
Armor Enchantment::
Soulforged or
Negation (for when you get hit alot)
Overloads: : Greater Black Dragon Glyphs/Greater Corrupt Lethal.
Offense Slots: Darks (if lacking 60% ArmorPen),
Azures (more Critical),
Brutals/
Radiants (if you have 100% Critical)
Defense Slots: Radiants/
Azures (depends on what you have or can get, ideally Azures for maximum synergy with Steely Defense),
Darks (use until you have up to 8% or more Lifesteal), or
Savages (yields HP and Lifesteal).
Utility Slots: Your choice.
Weapon: Twisted Labrys + Sword Knot. Sure Strike, Weapon Master, and
one of Combat Advantage Bonus/Action Point Gain/Stamina Gain/AoE Resist (chose the stat of which you do not have 1000 or more of) from the Cubes of Augmentation
Armor:
Alliance/Guild are easy to get stepping stones. E
lven/Drowcraft/Dusk will be your penultimate armors.
Best combo:
Adamant Raid Armor (hope you have 30mil AD to drop for a full set!
)
My Combo:
Elemental Dragonflight Assault Scalemail, Elemental Dragonflight Raid Greaves + Sallet, and
Elemental Drowcraft Assault Vambraces.
Necklace:
Lostmauth's Hoard Necklace.
Belt: Golden Belt of Pussiance.
Rings: The Jewelcrafting P
ersonalized Rings (Recovery, Revitilization, or Piercing) or any of the
+4/
+5 Rings of
Rising Power, Rising Precision, Brutality, Sudden Precision, Ambush shall do.
Shirt/Pants: Drowcraft Shirt/Pants or B
eserker's Gemmed Exquisite Elemental Shirt/Pants are the best.
Artifacts
Lantern of Revelation and
Lostmauth's Horn of Blasting are almost mandatory. Otherwise, I personally liked these artifacts:
-
Thayan Book of the Dead
-
Sigil of the Controller
-
Wheel of Elements
-
Horn of Valhalla
-
Sigil of the Great Weapon
-
Heart of the Blue Dragon
-
Symbol of Water
Best Combo:
Wheel of Elements (primary),
Lostmauth's Horn of Blasting,
Lantern of Revelation, and
Sigil of the Controller.
Companions:
Augment is a must (
Ioun Stones of Allure, Black Dragon, Might, etc.). Then you have your choices of mixing and matching the following:
-Air Archon
-Fire Archon
-Siege Master
-Intellect Devourer
-Blink Dog
-Dancing Blade
-Enryines of Belail
-Staldorf
My combo:
Air Archon, Blink Dog, Enryines of Belail, and Dancing Blade
Mounts:
-Pick whatever has the stats you like.
-Tenser's Transformation has the best mount combat power.
-If you have the spare money to afford extra Insignias, aim for getting at least the Gladiator's Guile and Barbarian's Revelry insignia bonuses.