D&D 4E 4E PHB II & DMG II 1 year after release (and a new one every year after that)

[see]

Anyway, the four roles I spotted on the Wizards boards somewhere were Tank, Healer, Controller and Striker, but I can work with the four here.
[SNIP]
Martial Controller: Rogue
Martial Defender: Fighter
Martial Leader: Warlord
Martial Striker: Barbarian

Nah. We know, from the interviews, that Rogue is a Striker, not a Controller (and that it's Martial, not anything else).

If there is a full 3x4 set, my prediction would be (marking ones whose role we know from developer statements underlined):

Arcane Controller: Wizard
Arcane Defender: Duskblade?
Arcane Leader: Bard
Arcane Striker: Sorcerer

Divine Controller: Druid
Divine Defender: Paladin
Divine Leader: Cleric
Divine Striker: Ranger

Martial Controller: Barbarian?
Martial Defender: Fighter
Martial Leader: Warlord
Martial Striker: Rogue

Duskblade or Hexblade make plausible core designs for the arcane defender role.

Sorcerer I'm putting where it is because we know wizard is a controller, the sorcerer as played in 3e is closer to the striker role than defender or leader, and we know wizard and sorcerer are going to be differentiated. Leader strikes me as the most plausible other role for it.

Bards are of unknown role, and perhaps even inclusion in the game, but they're the current arcane class that best fits the leader role.

Druids are similarly of unknown role or even inclusion in the game, but there's only one divine slot left after putting the other 3e divine types in their known roles, and it's one the druid already fits moderately well.

Barbarian certainly isn't arcane, and it's implausible as a divine, too. If it's around (I'd make it a fighter talent tree), and we're following a strict 3x4 one-per-role, it can only be the martial controller. Really sort of depends on what a controller does, I guess.

EDIT: Unless the Warlord is the arcane leader. In which case the Barbarian could gain some sort of leader qualities? And then who knows what in the Melee Controller role -- a "Strategist"?

 

[Mokona]

Look at the facts. Player's Handbooks sell more copies. Doesn't bother me, because I'm going to buy the content I want either way. But from a marketing standpoint it's a good idea to go with strong name recognition.

I loved Complete Warrior and it sold way better than Complete Adventurer (isn't every character an adventurer, not just skillful guys?). Or look at the race series: Wizards of the Coast combined halflings with elves (in Races of the Wild) because they understood that not enough people are interested in paying $29.99 for a book dedicated 100% to hobbits. A 2nd Player's Handbook makes a lot more sense than randomly grouping disparate races so that they can cover marginal topics in addition to popular best sellers (like anything about elves).

 

[Gentlegamer]

Or look at the race series: Wizards of the Coast combined halflings with elves (in Races of the Wild) because they understood that not enough people are interested in paying $29.99 for a book dedicated 100% to hobbits.

How do all those hardcover copies of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings get sold?

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Because people are sheep without much in the way of taste?

 

[Gentlegamer]

Because people are sheep without much in the way of taste?

The publishers of your favored books appreciate your support.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

If there is a full 3x4 set, my prediction would be (marking ones whose role we know from developer statements underlined):

Arcane Controller: Wizard
Arcane Defender: Duskblade?
Arcane Leader: Bard
Arcane Striker: Sorcerer

Divine Controller: Druid
Divine Defender: Paladin
Divine Leader: Cleric
Divine Striker: Ranger

Martial Controller: Barbarian?
Martial Defender: Fighter
Martial Leader: Warlord
Martial Striker: Rogue

I completely forgot about the barbarian. I'm guessing that perhaps they are the martial controllers - either that, or there is no neat-and-tidy 3x4 grid and they represent another instance of the martial striker.

This is very possible, because I also recall reading that there will be fewer than eleven core classes in the Player's Handbook - so there can't be twelve, and if they're not doing a clean grid they might as well mix it up.

 

[Gentlegamer]

I have a feeling Barbarian characters will be developed based on Talent, Feat, and Skill selection rather than being a separate character class.

 

[Sammael]

I have a feeling Barbarian characters will be developed based on Talent, Feat, and Skill selection rather than being a separate character class.

That would be my guess as well.

Fighter-turned-Barbarian:

• Rage Talent Tree (incorporating both the Rage class ability from 3.x and a number of [Rage] feats)
• Resilience Talent Tree (more hp, DR, indomitable will, etc)
• Picking a feat which increases movement at 1st level instead of Heavy Armor Proficiency
• Adding Survival to the list of class skills

I think that trap sense and uncanny dodge will be gone in 4E at any rate, maybe replaced with easier to adjudicate abilities.

 

[Gentlegamer]

That would be my guess as well.

Fighter-turned-Barbarian:

• Rage Talent Tree (incorporating both the Rage class ability from 3.x and a number of [Rage] feats)
• Resilience Talent Tree (more hp, DR, indomitable will, etc)
• Picking a feat which increases movement at 1st level instead of Heavy Armor Proficiency
• Adding Survival to the list of class skills

I think that trap sense and uncanny dodge will be gone in 4E at any rate, maybe replaced with easier to adjudicate abilities.

The trap sense and uncanny dodge could be handled under a "sixth sense" talent tree with or without a "primitive Rousseau noble savage" theme (available to more than just barbarian characters).

Additionally, barbarian characters would not be limited to being created out of the Fighter class. There could be shamans, witch-doctors, hunters, and the like built off Wizards, Clerics, Rangers (even though Ranger could be based on talents, feats, and skills as well). Maybe even the Druid could be developed this way rather than being a separate character class.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Maybe, but the barbarian-becoming-a-frenzied-berserker was the specific example used to explain how prestige classes won't cause you to leave your current class in Fourth Edition.

If they meant "a fighter with barbarian talents taking frenzied berserker talents doesn't change her class", well, cool, but I'm not certain that's what they did mean.