Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms

[Fiery_Dragon]

I'm curious: does the Hexblade have any kind of "hex" or "curse" options - perhaps in the dailies? Do his encounter resources improve like the martial classes (y'know, +1 use of encounter power at level X, Y, and Z, and increased damage/effects)?

Does the Cavalier have more than the single mentioned feature dealing with mounts?

Are the Druid's attack powers all weapon-based, or do they mix implement and weapon?

HEXBLADE
Level 1: Pact Reward, Pact Boon, Pact Weapon, Daily Power (burst that does cold, burst that does fire, burst that does psychic)

Level 2: Utility (turn invisible, gain climb speed, +5 intimidate plus fire damage to those who hit you)

Level 3: Improved Pact Weapon - another use of the encounter power (still only 1/turn)

Level 4: Lesser Planar Ally - helps you locate object or person or explore an area

Level 5: Daily (shield bonus with immediate reaction damage, attack dealing poison damage plus daze plus ongoing, attack dealing cold damage and knocking prone)

Level 6: Utility (darkvision, teleport swap, resist damage)

Level 7: Pact Weapon Retribution - gain additional pact weapon power

Level 9: Summon Warlock's Ally (depends on your pact - either a Wood Woad Guardian or a Spined Devil Lackey).

Level 10: Utility (teleport as a reaction, zone of darkness, fly speed).


DRUID: Don't see any implement powers. They're either Weapon or Primal or both.

 

[Fiery_Dragon]

How's the art?

In line with the other books, that is to say sparse.

With the more exotic races (dragonborn, drow, half-orc) it's a little more out-there and "fantastic" than some of the other essentials art. That said, the images used to set a scene or show tone are some of my favourites so far. Really great pieces in here.

 

[RLBURNSIDE]

Are there

any race-specific feats? Like for Dragonborn, or Eladrin...

I'd love to hear more about the new types of magic armor and weapons. Any way to get defensive property on a non-double weapon? Are there new double weapons? or any good axes.

thanks

 

[WalterKovacs]

A bit disappointed that the only new Expertise feat seems to be Rod expertise. I had hoped that all weapon groups and implements would get appropriate Expertise feats.

Are there any new Ranger utilities of feats that strike you as particularly interesting or potent?

I'm guessing that either the Character Compendium, or DDi will be where the "other" expertise feats show up. Essential books are designed in such a way as to not really reference outside material. The druid, paladin and cleric are designed without implement powers (in the book), so feats for holy symbol expertise or totem expertise would be feats that would not be usable by anyone in either of the books without using outside material. The same can be said for weapons (other than staves) as implements. Also, the weapons "of choice" for the character builds do not include flails in any of their builds [the knight picks either sword or hammer, the slayer sword or axe, etc] so no flail expertise.

So, presumably as they introduce new builds, they may make a flail fighter build (say a chain slayer?) which would include flail expertise. Or they may just wait for the class compendium to fill in feats that fit the Essentials "mold" but are of use of characters using elements of pre-Essentials content, since that is the goal of that book.

 

[Fiery_Dragon]

Re: auras: Each animal companion has an aura (bear, for instance, has a +2 defenses aura).

I guess the question is: do the animal companions improve/change at higher levels (a Large bear, perhaps?)

These books are fun, but I can't wait until the one you co-wrote is release!!!

Animal Companions get an encounter power... at level 17.

 

[Fiery_Dragon]

any race-specific feats? Like for Dragonborn, or Eladrin...

I'd love to hear more about the new types of magic armor and weapons. Any way to get defensive property on a non-double weapon? Are there new double weapons? or any good axes.

thanks

Quick look shows no race-specific feats. I didn't notice any new equipment or weapons.

 

[RangerWickett]

Wait, is there no Bow Expertise feat? Are rangers just supposed to take the 'catch-all quickdraw' one from the first book?

 

[GreenWarlock]

Anything more you can tell us about Soul Feast? (the infernal pact reward)

Is it another non-stacking tidbit temp hp like the older warlocks pact boon?

Cannot wait for this book, I'm switching my infernal warlock to an infernal hexblade next session even though Ill be "gimping" myself I love the favor and style of this class over the original warlock that much. And the warlock was already my favorite class in 4e... And 3.5...


If you can't tell by my name I'm a little warlock obsessed.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Wait, is there no Bow Expertise feat? Are rangers just supposed to take the 'catch-all quickdraw' one from the first book?

There is both a bow expertise feat and crossbow expertise feat (they were both in the original book, so they aren't new to this book, although they are in there). The Hunter version in fact gets his choice of either for free as part of their "build" selection.

-----

For Warlocks:

The boons are similar to the original boons, but instead of triggering off of curses, the trigger is when the warlock reduces an enemy to 0 OR if an enemy adjacent to the warlock is dropped to 0.

For the hellock it's con mod worth of temp hit points, going to 2 + Con at 11 and 5 + con at 21. It triggers only once per round

For feylock it's teleport dex mod squares. Also only once per round.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Are there any utility powers or new daily powers for the hexblade that function for non-hexblades? Anything that my old melee Conlock can use?

Depends on what you consider to be good for them. [Note, all dailies are based on charisma for attacks and/or damage (some just do damage)

1 - All daily attacks are implement, but they are either close burst 1 or close blast 3
2 - Wrathful Aspect - hurts enemies that hit you with a melee attack
5 - Emerald Shield - Shield bonus and reaction to damae an enemy that attacks you, Nightshade Dreams is a Melee 1 implement attack, Roaring Storms of Cania is a close blast 5
10- Smothering darkness - A sustainable zone of darkness similar to the drow's darkess, Spined Devil's Boon - hurts enemies that hit you with melee attacks
15- Armor of Summer's Glory - Defense bonus against melee/range that has an minor action close burst attack,
19- Memory of Blades - shield bonus with close blast reaction attack, other two attacks also close blasts
29- Armor of the Void - AC bonus, hurts enemies that hit with melee attack and close burst power.

So no weapon attacks (all weapon attacks they get also require the use of the pact weapon specifically) but a number of close burst/blast attacks, ways to protect yourself from melee counter attacks and at least one or two Melee 1 implement attacks.