With Arcane Implement Proficiency (light blades or heavy blades), any arcane character can fulfill this role. A bard, hexblade (who won't need the feat) or even a wizard could be this character.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Avenger
Just reflavor a lot of it as shadow magic instead of radiant and you're pretty set.
I'm right there with you on the houseruling, but the problem there is that if you have to do that too much, RangerWickett's argument of "see, you can make your old characters in 4e no problem" loses a little bit of steam.So houserule it? Power sources aren't exactly a fine art, they're thematic components. Also, I don't really understand why WIS being primary matters at all since Avengers have "spells" like anybody else and can fling them around just as readily. Go Retributive Avenger and take WIS/INT if you're really big on getting INT bonuses (or again, houserule it).
I'm right there with you on the houseruling, but the problem there is that if you have to do that too much, RangerWickett's argument of "see, you can make your old characters in 4e no problem" loses a little bit of steam.
I think, correct me if I'm wrong, that the intent was to show that these concepts could be realized with a minimum of DM fiat.
Oh, I agree, but I get the impression that there is a certain amount of catering to the hardcore old edition holdouts going on, so some leaps in logic must be made...Which is still pretty silly to me since this whole game is about imagination and fantasy, meaning the rules are what you make of them, full stop.
But it's a fair point.