Compiled info on upcoming classes & races

Ondo

First Post
So I've decided to try and gather links to sources of info about upcoming classes, races, and power sources, in the hopes that it'll help people (like me, for instance) stay caught up on all the info.

Ranadiel has a thread compiling all known info on upcoming products on WotC's boards here.

Known power sources are Martial, Arcane, Divine, Psionic, Shadow, Primal, Elemental, and Ki (PHB). These 8 "should take care of basically 90% of the classes they foresee making." (source)

Products

"New classes are mainly going to be introduced in PHBs" (source).

The Manual of the Planes will include Bladelings as a playable race (source), done as a Monster Manual style writeup (source).

The Eberron Player's Guide will include the Artificer (source) and the Warforged (source).

Player's Handbook II
Amazon lists a release date of March 17th (source). The cover is available here.

The Player's Handbook II covers Arcane, Divine, and Primal heroes (from the cover).

The classes included are the Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Invoker, Shaman, Sorcerer, and Warden (source). We also know these tidbits about the classes:
  • There's a new class that's a Striker with a different flavor - "a guy who's a little more, maybe, deadly and dangerous kind of guy, not like a rogue, but a killer guy in a different sort of way." (source). (Probably the Avenger.)
  • One of the classes is a Leader class that "travels with a 'buddy' who keeps the party in tip-top shape" (source). (Probably the Shaman.)
Gnomes, Half-Orcs, Goliaths, and Shifters will be in the PHB2 (source, source), as well as one more race (source) that starts with De (source, source). (Probably Devas, as the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide mentions that is the new name for Aasimars.)

This thread in Greg Bilsland's blog has pictures of a fight that include four PCs, all with PHB2 classes, and various vague hints.

Player's Handbook III
Psionic was the new power source highest on the list to make the PHB2, along with Primal, but they weren't sure if there was room (source). Apparently there wasn't, so it seems like a good guess for PHB3.

Specific Power Sources
Primal
They're using the aspects of the druid as the bedrock to build the other primal classes - they'll do things that will remind you of the druid, but in their own unique way (source). The primal power source has a theme of transformation (source).

Specific Classes

Artificer
The Artificer will be an Arcane Leader, and a playtest version is available here. It will be in the Eberron Player's Guide.

Avenger
The Avenger uses the Divine power source (source), and will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Barbarian
The Barbarian will be a Primal Striker, and a playtest version is available here. It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Bard
The Bard will be an Arcane Leader (source). There is a bard preview here (D&D Insider only). It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Druid
There is a druid preview here (D&D Insider only). It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Elementalist
Elementalists are mentioned in the Dwarf entry in Races & Classes alongside clerics, paladins, fighters, barbarians, rangers, and wizards, so they are likely a planned class.

Empath
Empaths will be Psionic Leaders (source).

Illusionist
Illusionists will have better Invisibility options than a Wizard (source). They may use the Shadow power source (source).

Invoker
There is an invoker preview here (D&D Insider only). "This new controller class has mastered the original source of divine power, and will introduce summoning to D&D 4th Edition." (source) It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Monk
The Monk uses the Ki power source (PHB). As of D&D XP 2008 they had not seriously started designing the class (source).

Necromancer
Necromancers are mentioned here. They use the Shadow power source (Worlds & Monsters, and here).

Shaman
The Shaman is a Primal Leader (source, source, D&D Insider only). Rich Baker mentions it "includes some neat mechanisms for dealing with nature spirits". (source) It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Sorcerer
There is a sorcerer preview here (D&D Insider only). It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Warden
There is a warden preview here (D&D Insider only). It will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Specific Races
Rich Baker gives his guesstimate of traction for ten races from Aarakocra to Catfolk here.

Deva
This is the new name for the Aasimar (FRPG).

Gnome
Gnomes will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Goliath
"Goliaths are ideal rageblood barbarians" (source), which probably means they get bonuses to Strength and Constitution. They will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Goliaths will probably be in 4e Forgotten Realms, possibly with a spot in Faerun earmarked for them so you'll know where they're from when they're released (source).

Half-Giant
Half-Giants may be too similar to Goliaths (source).

Half-Orc
Half-Orcs "imply a very ugly backstory"; they may try to change that (source). "Half-orcs are often barbarians but don’t favor either of the two types" (source), which probably means they get a bonus to Strength but not to Constitution or Charisma. They will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Shifter
Shifters will be in the Player's Handbook II.

Warforged
Warforged will be in the Eberron Player's Guide.
 
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Exen Trik

First Post
Ondo said:
The Monk is not a Martial Striker, and as of D&D XP they had not seriously started designing the class (source).

Elementalists are mentioned in the Dwarf entry in Races & Classes alongside clerics, paladins, fighters, barbarians, rangers, and wizards, so they are likely a planned class.
I thought I was paying enough attention, but I've somehow missed these. Thanks!
 

Cirex

First Post
What role is the monk going to fit then? Melee controller...? With many single-target crowd controls to "spam" all around?

Hurm.
 

Jack99

Adventurer
DDXP interview said:
CH: So the monk will be a martial striker? Can we call that a scoop?

Andy: (laughs) That’s at least 50% wrong. I shouldn’t say too much since we haven’t seriously started designing the class.

Maybe he is a Psionic Striker.
 

Khuxan

First Post
It's also probably worth mentioning that Martial Power is not slated to contain any new classes, which is interesting since a lot of people were expecting it to.
 




Rechan

Adventurer
Mort_Q said:
I always thought of Ki as being a subset of Psi.

Ki: Psionics::Arcane: Divine.

Arcane and Divine are both MAGIC, but they are different.

Ki and Psionics are both internal forces, but they are DIFFERENT.
 
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