This One Goes to . . . Ten [Merged four Oct 29 Playtest Package announcement threads]

tuxgeo · Oct 29, 2012

mlund said:
< snip >
However, now I'm really uncertain where the Swashbuckler / Duelist archetype is going to go. The Rogue is definitely more inclined to use Finesse Weapons and Light or no Armor as a general rule, but the "Best Fencer in all the Land" is supposed to be a fighter, so how does that work?

Maybe, in some worlds, a pirate/Rogue such as "The Dread Pirate Roberts" is the best fencer in all the land.

Rune · Oct 29, 2012

fjw70 said:
There is no indication of when it will be released today.

Right. The confusing thing is that the OP links to the playtest packet download site--but currently that download isn't the one that the OP is actually talking about (that is, the one that will be current at some unspecified point later today).

See? It's even confusing to clarify the confusion.

mlund · Oct 29, 2012

tuxgeo said:
Maybe, in some worlds, a pirate/Rogue such as "The Dread Pirate Roberts" is the best fencer in all the land.

Plenty of pirates are Fighters (or non-PC-classed warriors). "Sailor" is just a single background. There can certainly be temporary aberrations, but the class mechanical designs should make it readily apparent than X levels of Fighter makes you a better Fencer than X levels of Rogue - assuming you dedicate those levels to the art of fencing. After all, the Rogue got an extra background and Skill Mastery. The Fighter got what - Hit Dice? I suppose that actually does make you better at Fighting, actually ...

I'm sure 10 years of disappointment, depression, and alcoholism without any worthwhile competition could dull even a once-in-1000-year grand wizard of fencing to the point where he could lose a match wielding a sword balanced for 6 fingers against a Rogue-type protagonist driven by the Power of Love.

- Marty Lund

mearls · Oct 29, 2012

Nikosandros said:
Why a typo? He doesn't specify what kind of level and, since he states that there is a dial-back, I'm assuming he means spell level.

I meant spell level, so two spells each from 1st to 5th spell level. I need to review the "Use of the Word Level" section from basic D&D before I write these things!

Blackwarder · Oct 29, 2012

I really hope they will use the rogue expertise dice for other things beside combat, leave the combat menuveres for the fighters and let the rogue use his dice for somthing else.

Warder

GameDoc · Oct 29, 2012

Blackwarder said:
I really hope they will use the rogue expertise dice for other things beside combat, leave the combat menuveres for the fighters and let the rogue use his dice for somthing else.

Warder

I think the article mentioned rogues being able to add their expertise dice to skill checks.

Blackwarder · Oct 29, 2012

GameDoc said:
I think the article mentioned rogues being able to add their expertise dice to skill checks.

They did, I'm hoping for somthing more substantial and with more focus on non combat maneuvers.

Let the ranger have the more balanced ED mechanic.

Warder

ZombieRoboNinja · Oct 29, 2012

Hmm, so we're down from six different class mechanics to two? I kind of hoped the core classes at least would remain more mechanically distinct... But I guess I should wait till I see the damn thin before I whine.

Jack99 · Oct 29, 2012

mearls said:
I meant spell level, so two spells each from 1st to 5th spell level. I need to review the "Use of the Word Level" section from basic D&D before I write these things!

Thanks for clarifying. That's not a lot of spells

avin · Oct 29, 2012

Zaukrie said:
Do you really think the majority of players minmax? I would bet the majority of groups have fighters in every version of the game. And generic clerics and wizards too.

In my humble experience, since AD&D2E, 4E is the only edition where Fighters (best class in the multiverse) isn't always present.