Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what a Martial Controller would look like?

[elrobey]

I forgot to mention another good classic example of a "pulp hero" style martial controller:

Indiana Jones III, Indy and his dad are on a seashore, along comes an enemy plane strafing them. The dad whips out his umbrella and runs at the plane, flapping the umbrella and yelling, which startles a huge flock of birds into flight, and the plane wrecks itself into the cloud of birds.

Now that's what I call a martial controller.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I forgot to mention another good classic example of a "pulp hero" style martial controller:

Indiana Jones III, Indy and his dad are on a seashore, along comes an enemy plane strafing them. The dad whips out his umbrella and runs at the plane, flapping the umbrella and yelling, which startles a huge flock of birds into flight, and the plane wrecks itself into the cloud of birds.

Now that's what I call a martial controller.

The Academic class?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Just noticing this thread, thought I'd chime in.

One way you could have a martial controller would be to have a class that functions much like a pulp hero. You are able to manufacture coincidences and warp circumstances to your benefit.

If you are familiar with 'dramatic editing' in Adventure! d20, you probably have some idea what I mean. The Iron Heroes hunter has some abilities like this, too.

A sample of how the flavor would work:

I THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER SHOW UP
You have unexpected allies who tend to show up at just the right time.
Benefit: Once per day you may, as a swift action, make a check. If successful, an unexpected ally is close by and actively trying to help you. (The particular mechanics can be sorted out by rule. The unexpected ally doesn't even have to be someone you, the player, know about; it could be an ally suddenly created and written into your character's backstory. The classic example: "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!")

Another general approach would be that you have a knack for noticing the military potential of terrain, or objects, or people. You would be able to actually create bonuses or penalties by "retroactively" altering the qualities of things.

The way this would work mechanically would be something like this: instead of spending the actual time and energy required to construct a trap or deadfall in an area you are trying to defend, you would make a check to "notice" something suitable that already exists there. You'd have encounters that begin like this:

DM: The orcs are charging across the field at you!
PC1 (fighter): I buff myself.
PC2 (warlord): I buff the fighter.
PC3 (martial controller): I don't think the orcs realize that this field is undermined by gopher warrens, right in this 20 x 40 area here (draws on map), and if they charge through here they could easily twist an ankle.

Feels very "Torg" to me. (Which means I like it. But I guess it doesn't fit in your "regular" D&D game)

 

[Lord Zardoz]

The Spiked Chain master is the best candidate I can think of, better even than the Monk since the Monk lacks the reach and will generally dish out more damage. Give Spikey the right feats -- Disarm, Trip, Reflexes, Whirlwind -- and you've got a controller ... and a PITA for the DM.

This is essentially what I was thinking. A spiked chain guy, especially when enlarged, can inflict a disproportionate amount of harrassment over a huge area. Assuming you build all the feats that can work with that weapon, and you end up with two modes of attack.

Given Cleave / Great Cleave, extra AoO from Combat Reflexes, and you can essentially keep your reach area clear of any low HP opponents.

Given the Trip / Disarm feats, you can render everyone in reach prone and disarmed.

A player would need to pick a fighter and be dedicated to snapping up all the feats that have any chance of helping, but such a character can do quite well control wise.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Baby Samurai]

As the designers have stated that they are not obsessing about filling the power source/role grid, we may never see this Martial Controller people are clamouring for.

 

[Baby Samurai]

Indiana Jones III, Indy and his dad are on a seashore, along comes an enemy plane strafing them. The dad whips out his umbrella and runs at the plane, flapping the umbrella and yelling, which startles a huge flock of birds into flight, and the plane wrecks itself into the cloud of birds.

"Might my armies be the rocks and the trees, and the birds in the sky…"

 

[FungiMuncher]

...
However, I can't wrap my head around the idea of a Martial Controller. I'm trying to figure out how a character can fulfill a similar role as a Wizard without actually using magic. So anyone want to guess how this could possibly be done? How a Martial character can possibly take on the role of a Controller in 4E?

{a bit of thread necromancy, but ... }

Hey, the Goblin Picador is a martial controller!

http://www.critical-hits.com/2008/02/29/want-to-play-4e-dd-tonight/

Goblin Picador
Small Natural Humanoid
Level 2 Controller
AC 16, Fort 14, Ref 16, Will 10, HP 26, Bloodied 13, Init +9, Spd 6
Senses: Perception +1
Attacks: Melee: Harpoon +9 vs AC, 1d4+3 plus Harpooned (see text)
Ranged: Thrown Harpoon Rg 5, +9 vs AC, 1d4+3 plus Harpooned (see text)
Melee: Tug of War Standard, M or smaller Harpooned enemy; +4 vs Fort; pull 3 (pull 1 on miss).
Abilities: Goblin Tactics Whenever a Melee attack against it misses, can immed shift away from attacker.
Harpooned Can’t move more than 5 from this creature. Remove standard; Str vs Fort.
Str +4 (16), Con +2 (13), Dex +5 (18), Int +0 (8), Wis +1 (10), Cha +0 (8)

Here's hoping they'll explore the idea more and develop a full fledged class. This has me kind of excited.

FM