Heroes of the Feywild Speculation

[Dalamar]

Feypack hexblade (and Binder too if they can really make it unique enough) sound like cool options.

But we've already got a feypact hexblade. Two, in fact, since they published an alternative version in Dragon right around the time Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms came out.

 

[ourchair]

I'm thinking a Fey Artificer.

And not just because the Artificer doesn't get love.

Heck the Artificer probably needs a mathematical overhaul because one of their class features (augment energy) is kind of underpowered, IMHO and impart energy is kind of obsolete now ever since they dropped the daily power rules.

I imagine an Essentialized Artificer can retain the 'item maker' feel of the character, improve its potency, diversify its options yet retain balance.

 

[keterys]

Heck the Artificer probably needs a mathematical overhaul because one of their class features (augment energy) is kind of underpowered, IMHO and impart energy is kind of obsolete now ever since they dropped the daily power rules.

Impart Energy and Arcane Rejuvenation both work much better now that the daily power rules have been changed - removing daily power limits gives you many many more options to generate temp hp or have someone re-use a daily item power.

And I've never thought that Augment Energy was underpowered - a +2 you can declare after you roll or a daily item gives you an awful lot of great versatility. That's like getting extra L10-L16 utility powers equal to 1 + the number of milestones you hit.

 

[TwoSix]

Let's think about what we know and try to extrapolate. Let's also add the caveat that when we did this two years ago, we thought we'd be discussing PHB4 right now.

1) Essentials is the core of the game. Just look at the flavor text in the themes articles if you don't believe it. I didn't see any mention of a single non-Essentials class in there. Any and all published framework-building will be on the Essentials chassis.

2) The idea of subclasses within classes seems to have caught on, and will continue. It's a good idea, and makes sense from a design perspective, because it allows use of pre-Essentials powers within post-Essentials design. After all, green is in, so recycle that 2008-2010 design work!

3) There are currently 10 Essential classes: Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, Wizard, Ranger, Druid, Warlock, Paladin, Assassin, Vampire. Of those, 4 have 2 essentials subclasses(ignoring the PHB1 repackaging oddities): Fighter, Ranger, Warlock, Paladin.

4) Although I don't think it will slavishly follow the HoS layout, I'd expect it will provide similar page count to races, classes, fluff, etc. So maybe one completely new class based on a previously released class, 1 or 2 new subclasses, a new class tackling a concept not previously released, and some more build options.

5) Conjecture here. New druid subclass based on the warden. New cleric subclass based on the shaman. It will still gets domains, but everything else is rearranged. Essentials bard. Fey-pact binder. Winter and Autumn Sentinels. I want to say swordmage or bladesinger like wizard subclass, but isn't that in Neverwinter? Essentials sorcerer will come out in Elemental Heroes.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Even though I'd doubt we see it, I'd want to see the "Ironjack" idea mentioned in the Design & Development article about what they originally had for the Battlemind. Though if they did have such a concept in Heroes of Feywild I'd doubt it would be tied to that class.

 

[Jhaelen]

I'm thinking a Fey Artificer.

Better not. Everyone'd soon be calling them Fartificers...

 

[noodle fish mice]

Essentials is the core of the game.

God, that's depressing. A year ago I'd have been SO excited about a Fey book. Now I'm guessing I won't even want to buy it.

 

[Camelot]

Fey-pact binder.

I don't think they'll have the fey-pact binder in there, unless they reprint the whole binder. They can't (or at least in my opinion, shouldn't) assume that whoever has the Heroes of the Feywild book will have Heroes of Shadow. For someone who doesn't, that whole section of the book would be useless unless they want to spend 30 dollars more. The only things they can assume groups to have are core books like Fallen Lands and Forgotten Realms (and maybe more in the future...?).

 

[Aegeri]

Considering how awful the binder in HoS is, I would hope they don't bother with a second one unless they give it some decent controller class features/powers. Right now, the Binder is one of the only classes that is worthless because it's original parent class does everything it does, with more damage, the same overall flavor in many ways and is better at what its role is supposed to be.

Minding Wizards are doing the Warlock in a CC article, they have plenty of time to nerf it into oblivion to make the binder actually playable (God that is a terrifying thought).

 

[Dice4Hire]

God, that's depressing. A year ago I'd have been SO excited about a Fey book. Now I'm guessing I won't even want to buy it.

Ditto.