Warden

[Transit]

That's my suggestion for renaming the Warlord class.

Warden means someone who guards and/or takes care of a place or a group of people. Isn't that sort-of what the "Warlord" class is meant to do?

People seem to dislike "Warlord" because "1st level Warlord" sounds funny. It also sounds strange if the Warlord character happens to be female, i.e. "My PC is a 1st level halfling female Warlord." (Uh, maybe that should be "Warlady?")

"Warden" would take away the gender issue and the implication of power and/or stature that "Lord" seems to evoke. "1st level Warden" doesn't sound any different than "10th level Warden."

Actually, the title Warden is very comparable to "Ranger" (In fact in some places Forest Rangers are called Forest Wardens)

So the list would be:
1. Fighter
2. Warden
3. Rogue
4. Bard
5. Cleric
6. Druid
7. Wizard
8. Warlock

That sounds smooth to me. Even if Wizards does stick with the class name Warlord, I think in my campaign they'll be called Wardens.

Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Well, 'warden' is one of those suggestions, I really dislike. Why? Because it also implies 'protection', 'warding'... which leads us to defending.

And we have the defender role (fighter, paladin).

That's going to confuse people.

Player 1: Hey, we still need a controller and a defender!
Player 2: Hey, sure, I'm playing a wizard, so we have a controller!
Player 3: Hmm... that warden sounds pretty cool, I guess he's some kind of martial defender.
Player 1: Erm... no, according to the book, he's a leader.
Player 3: What!?

See, where I'm going?

Cheers, LT.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Warden means someone who guards and/or takes care of a place or a group of people. Isn't that sort-of what the "Warlord" class is meant to do?

I don't think so. The Warlord fills the "Leader" roll, so of the two halves of his name ("war" and "lord"), I think the 'lord' part is pretty indispensable. Warlord isn't my favorite (I prefer Herald and Marshal), but it's better than Warden for this reason.

Warden sounds like a good class for someone in the Defender role.

I am curious though why the Paladin isn't a Leader. AD&D 2E required that Paladins have a 17 Charisma, and 3E Paladins have Aura of Courage and Diplomacy as a class skill. Sounds right "leaderish" to me. Meanwhile this would allow the Barbarian back in as Defender #2.

My guess as to why they put Paladin into the defender role was to make sure that both Leader slots weren't taken by an overly "religious" character. Instead of someone having to play "the Cleric" it would be "someone has to play the Holy guys." Which limits choices too.

EDIT: Lord Tirian and I have great minds.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

No thank you.

 

[Zamkaizer]

Reminds me of park rangers, and therefore rangers and druids.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Unless I get my own prison at first level, forget it.

The class is called Marshal in 3E. There's no need to change the name in 4E.

 

[Green Knight]

I am curious though why the Paladin isn't a Leader. AD&D 2E required that Paladins have a 17 Charisma, and 3E Paladins have Aura of Courage and Diplomacy as a class skill. Sounds right "leaderish" to me. Meanwhile this would allow the Barbarian back in as Defender #2.

Just because you're classed in the role of a 'leader' doesn't automatically make you the party leader. That's just a term they're using because calling the role "the heal/buff monkey" would suck.

As for the name Warden, like Herald, is another name that just does not fit the intended role.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

I don't like the name Warden.

Put your Warden
in your garden!

There, I think, it is best laid to rest.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Just because you're classed in the role of a 'leader' doesn't automatically make you the party leader. That's just a term they're using because calling the role "the heal/buff monkey" would suck.

It might suck, but at least we'd avoid a lot of confusion

 

[Baduin]

Unless I get my own prison at first level, forget it.

The class is called Marshal in 3E. There's no need to change the name in 4E.

Marshal is all right, but Warden has an interesting property - it (like marshal) has no implied power level. You can have game wardens, prison wardens, and you can have March Wardens and even a Lord Warden of the Marches

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Reivers

Another similar title is constable - although I don't know whether it would made a good name for a class.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable_of_France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_High_Constable_of_Scotland