Elemental Power Source

[tyrlaan]

Hmmm...

PH1: A New Game
PH2: The Return of the Primals
PH3: The Far Realm Menace
PH4: The Primordials Strike Back?

This.

You might have been kidding, but I think this is dead on. Think about it. It fits the new 4e cosmology nicely. PH2 = Primal = Feywild. PH3 = Psionic = Far Realm. Stands to reason PH4 = Elemental = Elemental Chaos.

Well maybe not PH4, maybe PH5. Afterall, I'm sure there will be more than just one class with the Shadow power source, and that clearly maps to the Shadowfell, which just follows this line of thinking all too nicely.

 

[Nymrohd]

I really don't see the primal=feywild angle. If anything primal=World. Honestly the game never had a good elementalist to begin with. The one in Tome of Magic in AD&D simply had a weird spell list that tried to be elemental, 3E never managed to separate elements from energy too. Monte's Arcana Unearthed had great elemental support I guess but that's it. 4E however can do the elementalist simply because it will not try to fit the arcane spell list into elements which imo has always failed to represent the archetype. What I wonder is, whether the source will have pure elementalists (single element) some kind of mix (opposite or near elements?) or full use of all elements. Maybe different classes with different approaches though if pure elementalism is not available then the archetype is not really being used.

 

[Squizzle]

I very strongly expect that the siloing in the elemental source won't be to put each element into one class or role. I don't think the design team wants a scenario where a solo is immune to fire, so the defender better just sit this encounter out.

 

[davethegame]

When the monk playtest article was first released and it was revealed that the ki power source was being dropped, many speculated that the elemental power source would suffer the same fate (others also speculated that the shadow power source was also being sacrificed). Over at rpg.net, Mike Mearls said the following in response:

Hmmm.... Mike has made a lot of posts about the problem of resistances/energy types (i.e. cold wizards fighting cold beasts)... maybe he's laying the conceptual groundwork for elemental classes?

 

[AngryMojo]

Hmmm.... Mike has made a lot of posts about the problem of resistances/energy types (i.e. cold wizards fighting cold beasts)... maybe he's laying the conceptual groundwork for elemental classes?

Remember, 4e elementals are all combinations of two or more elements as well. We don't have a creature of living flame or a little tornado trying to eat you, we now have a flaming cyclone of death that sears you with burning winds. Not many monsters have multiple immunities, so that may be one way of doing elemental characters.

 

[Hellzon]

Rodney responded that they had not started at all with Elemental yet. However, when they did, they would create a story for the classes, and from that story would come their mechanics.

That aside, PHB2 and 3 have introduced a power source each (Primal and Psi). Dragon has started nibbling at Shadow, so I think it's likely that we'll see Shadow fully introduced as the new source in PHB4, and Elemental in PHB5.

And then Unearthed Arcana...

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Hmmm.... Mike has made a lot of posts about the problem of resistances/energy types (i.e. cold wizards fighting cold beasts)... maybe he's laying the conceptual groundwork for elemental classes?

I've noticed a lot of classes that really specialize in a damage type get abilities that reduce resistances.

 

[avin]

Remember, 4e elementals are all combinations of two or more elements as well.

Not all.

Rockfist Smasher (earth), Tempest Wisp and Windstriker (air) from MM2 are pure elementals.

 

[Jhaelen]

Not all.

Rockfist Smasher (earth), Tempest Wisp and Windstriker (air) from MM2 are pure elementals.

As far as the keywords are concerned, yes.

However, the windstriker does lightning and cold damage, so it really IS a mix of elements.

Note that the definition of elements is applied in a much looser sense than in earlier editions and not all of them have keywords. In fact I've been wondering why there are even still elemental keywords, but that's a topic for a different thread...

Similarly, there's something odd about the tempest wisp: When bloodied it becomes solid (i.e. losing insubstantial). It's not really explained why that is, but it's probably because there's another element mixed in.

Regarding the rockfist smasher, well, I'm inclined to grant you that one. Its internal avalanche power doesn't suggest any other elements to me right away. Judging from the picture it (re)assembles itself from a bunch of rocks that are held together by ... force, maybe?

 

[Nightson]

However, the windstriker does lightning and cold damage, so it really IS a mix of elements.

Pretty sure the discussion of elements refers to the classical four, earth, wind, fire and water. I see nothing odd about a creature of air doing both lightning and cold damage.