Swordmages and half-orcs hit the streets!

[Boarstorm]

I'm surprised no one's found the other new information yet on the character sheets...

Well, maybe if someone would be so kind as to post said sheets on the WotC homepage...

*evil grin*

... or maybe I'm just bitter 'cuz I can't figure out how this whole RPGA thing works and my herald-level DM card just sits in my back pocket for lack of use.

 

[Ryuujin]

I suspect that the int bonus from the shield ward, if it is indeed based on int, would probably only be applicable if the swordmage is wearing no armor, or maybe as much as cloth armor just like the monk variant of the ranger.

 

[Boarstorm]

I suspect that the int bonus from the shield ward, if it is indeed based on int, would probably only be applicable if the swordmage is wearing no armor, or maybe as much as cloth armor just like the monk variant of the ranger.

I suspect that the int bonus is an ARMOR bonus, so it simply doesn't stack with armor, but the character may choose to wear, say, hide, just in case he gets denied that bonus for whatever reason.

Edit: Err... didn't mean to phrase the beginning exactly like your comment, Ryuujin. No mockery intended, just my prediction.

 

[Subedei]

Bah! I absolutely hate this class. It just doesn't look nearly as well designed as any of the PHB classes.

The sword shouldn't double as their implement. Why not model them after their divine counterpart, the Paladin, and have a sword enchantment that allows them to use it as an implement like the Holy Avenger or Pact Blade? That way you have a choice of using a melee weapon in one hand and an arcane implement (a wand!) in the other, or giving up your weapon special property to add the implement property to your weapon.

Aegis of Shielding is odd. It's arguably too powerful, it's not cool, and it's not as interesting a mechanic to work with as the Paladin and Fighter challenges. I'd design it as follows: When the marked target attacks someone other than you, you can teleport adjacent to them and make a melee basic attack.

If they really do get twice their int bonus to AC then that is completely broken for obvious reasons. Starting with a 20 and entering Demigod means you're pretty much impossible to hit on anything but a natural 20. You can buy whatever armor proficiencies you may or may not lack. Seriously, you're going to have an AC 9 points higher than a Paladin or Fighter in Plate armor; 11 points higher if they don't use a shield. Even if it IS just a straight +3 bonus I don't understand why it's 1 point higher than a heavy shield. Additionally, you may be able to use a shield in your main hand and just rely on something like Wizard or Cleric at-will powers to boost your AC even further.

Finally, and this is clearly a very subjective statement, I don't find most of the powers cool at all. People play Gish so they can hurl fireballs, teleport around, strike three enemies with a lightning bolt, etc and then mix it up in melee as well. The idea is that you have all these awesome single target and area of effect ranged magical attacks instead of the bow or throwing ax a normal fighter would carry, and then fight in melee the rest of the time.

This character doesn't do that, he just has a bunch of elemental effects for his sword. A warrior-mage casts spells.

 

[Subedei]

If the Int to AC doesn't stack with armor then it's still a few points out of whack. Masterwork Hide plus Heavy Shield is +7, while the Swordmage is going to have between +8 and +10. It's not much terribly out of whack in this case, but it's still out of whack. And why? All of the other armor math is perfectly balanced, shouldn't this be too?

Additionally, it's thematically strange. Why do we now see Swordmages fighting in no armor when Wizards can use Hide?

 

[AntlerDruid]

Wow this class sounds cool - I would love to know what their multiclass feat is like.

Would be great to multiclass my current warlock with this class.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Wow this class sounds cool - I would love to know what their multiclass feat is like.

Would be great to multiclass my current warlock with this class.

I bet it will just give you there mark 1x per encounter just like the other 2 defenders

 

[Ryuujin]

If the Int to AC doesn't stack with armor then it's still a few points out of whack. Masterwork Hide plus Heavy Shield is +7, while the Swordmage is going to have between +8 and +10. It's not much terribly out of whack in this case, but it's still out of whack. And why? All of the other armor math is perfectly balanced, shouldn't this be too?

Additionally, it's thematically strange. Why do we now see Swordmages fighting in no armor when Wizards can use Hide?

Honsetly I don't understand what you are saying. You do realize this is a Defender? Like the Fighter and Paladin, one who will likely be wearing at least scale, if not plate, and would likely specialize in his chosen armor; and the other who starts with plate and would likewise likely specialize in it. Godplate, the most likely armor for a defender to wear at the level that the int bonus would be 9 or 10, is 20 points of AC before specialization or shield bonus.

This character will be incapable of wielding a shield, is supposed to be lightly armored at best and if I, and others, are correct will not have this shielding ward stack with any worn armor. This gives a Demigod, with a maxed int, with a race that grants +2 to int, at the same level a total of +20 to AC. When you add in a heavy shield, and shield specialization or plate specialization the paladin or plate wearing fighter could fairly easily have 3 more points of AC.

Now I admit that if the Swordmage can wear armor and have its AC stack with this ward, which I highly doubt, it could potentially lead to them having a higher AC than any other Defender, but this would also require a huge investment in regards to their stats.

 

[Stogoe]

Wow this class sounds cool - I would love to know what their multiclass feat is like.

Would be great to multiclass my current warlock with this class.

Training in Arcana, and Aegis of Shielding 1/encounter.

Defender - mark ability 1/encounter
Leader - healing ability 1/day
Striker - additional damage 1/encounter
Controller - ???

 

[AntlerDruid]

I bet it will just give you there mark 1x per encounter just like the other 2 defenders

I wonder if you can use a weapon besides a sword for example a sickle.

Is the swordmage going to be in the FR Player's Guide or the Campaign book? I am guessing the Player's which means we will not see the full class for awhile.