Barbu - Level 42 Science Stalker
Server: Freedom
Global: @furrycat
Primary powerset: Ninja Blade
Secondary powerset: Regeneration
Inf: 25055936
Progress to level 43: 96%
This character is my homage to Obi-Wan Kenobi with his Jedi-style robes and katana doubling for a lightsabre. I tried to think of powers that would give this character the same sort of abilities that Obi-Wan had in the movies.
The choice of Stalker archetype was easy. Obi-Wan is seen sneaking around in every episode in which he appears while still alive and the Stalker powersets are much more in tune with his elegant combat style than the raw aggression of a Brute. With the advent of the Going Rogue expansion he was even able to become a bona fide Hero.
Kenobi was famed for his mastery of defensive fighting techniques, waiting patiently for the ideal moment to strike. Thus I chose the Super Reflexes secondary powerset for Barbu, giving him excellent defence against melee and ranged attack. Indeed, against even-con mobs he is often able to avoid damage long enough to slip into the Hidden state, even while fighting toe-to-toe. With Build Up and Assasin's Blade in his primary powerset this allows him to bide his time then deliver the one lethal blow to end the fight.
The Placate power draws clear parallels with the Jedi mind trick and was an obvious choice of power. Similarly Combat Jumping and Super Jump for travel as Obi-Wan leaps around in all three prequel movies.
In Episode 1 we see him Force Run away from approaching droidekas which Quickness, Swift, Sprint and Ninja Run can emulate.
At first I was reluctant to take Practised Brawler which offers resistances to holds and knockbacks that I thought were out of character for an Obi-Wan build. Kenobi is knocked back twice (and eventually disarmed) by Darth Maul in Episode 1, held by Dooku in Episode 2 and knocked back and stunned by Dooku (again) in Episode 3. Later in Episode 3 he and Anakin knock back and grapple each other during the course of their final showdown.
These opponents were Sith Lords, however, and I eventually did take these powers, reasoning that regular minions and lieutenants would not be able to break Obi-Wan's defences.
For a while Barbu also had Challenge and Intimidate from the Presence powerset (and would have taken Invoke Panic later), giving him a taunt and a hold to represent Obi-Wan's use of mind control powers which we see in Episodes 2, 3 and 4. The build got too tight for that.
Levelling Barbu felt frustrating at times. Sticking to the build meant taking mostly defensive powers, some of which are passive. Thus reaching a new level could feel anticlimactic at times as there were no whizzbang new skills to play with. Eventually I gave in and respecced to a more sensible build.