Best martial controller ideas?

[Nahat Anoj]

My personal favorite martial controller idea is the mastermind, which is similar the general concept mentioned earlier. He uses uncanny foresight, guileful deception, and penetrating insight to stymie his foes and manipulate the flow of battle. Part of his arsenal might include loyal henchmen that harry the mastermind's foes.

 

[Siberys]

My favorite ideas have been;

Anti-Warlord [EDIT - One of the PPs would NEED to be 'Magnificent Bastard']
AoE-based Archer
The Explorer

 

[Shroomy]

Thinking about it some more, the best martial controller is probably the guardian fighter.

 

[S'mon]

I'd think chain, whip and net fighters were the obvious ones.

 

[karlindel]

I personally like the polearm and grappler ideas for a martial controller. Also, I disagree that a martial controller needs to be single target (in fact, that's the opposite of what a controller should be). I don't think the archer-type controller differs much from the current controllers, and the alchemical controller can be done with a re-skinned artificer.

I think a martial controller could be done fairly easily. Give them some movement based abilities (usually keyed as part of the attacks), multi-target attacks, and debuffs, and they'd be fine. The martial artist (or armed master warrior) who's incredibly fast and attacks multiple enemies is an old archetype. As we've already seen, status effects can be flavored for the martial character. You'd end up with a controller that lacked ranged area attacks, but would use plenty of blasts and bursts to control the battlefield.

 

[DragoonLance]

Sort of like Andre the Giant's character in the Princess Bride?

Or Batman. He's totally a martial controller.

Actually 4th ed already has a martial controller, just not a character. The Hobgoblin Fleshcarver in MM2 is a controller armed with both a polearm and poisoned darts. That could be a decent basis for a new class IMO. Although my Batman idea was in jest, I do think any martial controller needs some ranged abilities (batarangs.)

 

[awesomeocalypse]

Or Batman. He's totally a martial controller.

Actually 4th ed already has a martial controller, just not a character. The Hobgoblin Fleshcarver in MM2 is a controller armed with both a polearm and poisoned darts. That could be a decent basis for a new class IMO. Although my Batman idea was in jest, I do think any martial controller needs some ranged abilities (batarangs.)

What I love about the dragoon (or monk) approach though is that the character himself becomes the ranged attack. They leap and dart around the battlefield pretty much at will, which can be a huge advantage. The disadvantage is constantly being more or less within melee range. It would have to be played very strategically, but I could see it being an absolute blast, just leaping from enemy to enemy and swinging your polearm around in crazed whirlwinds that send enemies flying or delivering expert precision strikes to cripple him, always trying to stay one step ahead (and just out of range) of every enemy.

It is also a huge departure from the wizard, which is a challenge any controller will face due to the massive domain of abilities the wizard has cornered. If you're standing on the periphery launching ranged attacks that cover areas and deliver effects, you're going to play pretty much like a wizard unless you have something to really set you apart. Calling your staff a bow or your wand a dart doesn't quite create the sort of design separation you'd want in a new class.

Edited to say that Batman may be a martial controller, but he's also a martial striker, leader and defender. Why? How? Because he's the Goddamn Batman, and he can breathe in space.

 

[Klaus]

In the real world, when a warrior wanted to control the battlefield he did one thing: get a mount.

So a mount-based martial character (maybe attacks are Con-based, to represent the strain of directing the mount). Two initial builds would be a mounted archer and the lance-wielder. His charges would send enemies tumbling about, his steed would create difficult terrain around it, etc.

 

[Remathilis]

In the real world, when a warrior wanted to control the battlefield he did one thing: get a mount.

So a mount-based martial character (maybe attacks are Con-based, to represent the strain of directing the mount). Two initial builds would be a mounted archer and the lance-wielder. His charges would send enemies tumbling about, his steed would create difficult terrain around it, etc.

Wonderful idea, but mounts don't do well in dungeons, so the idea is right out (see: Mount, Poke-mount).

Considering a controller focuses on debuff, forced movement, and multiple-enemy hits, I'd say the best MC would focus on striking fear into foes, pushing/holding/sliding foes with melee attacks, and using multiple strikes to hit all foes in an area (whirlwind/great-cleave style).

... and I shall call him "Samurai"

 

[Klaus]

Wonderful idea, but mounts don't do well in dungeons, so the idea is right out (see: Mount, Poke-mount).

Considering a controller focuses on debuff, forced movement, and multiple-enemy hits, I'd say the best MC would focus on striking fear into foes, pushing/holding/sliding foes with melee attacks, and using multiple strikes to hit all foes in an area (whirlwind/great-cleave style).

... and I shall call him "Samurai"

Two words right back atcha: Obsidian Steed!