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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pyrogod" data-source="post: 4404413" data-attributes="member: 68393">I would give them something besides armor to use for defense. It will help distinguish the class.To further discuss the idea, as I see it, a defender has three roles:- Protect allies from attacks- Have high HP and defenses to mitigate damage- Do good, but not great, damageThe Arcane powerset to me suggests use of magic, perhaps at range, including elemental attacks.To examine the fighter (my favorite defender), the fighter has the following to help in its role:-Combat challenge: This is huge. The ability to generate marks and to make special OA-like attacks that no other class can is the most pivotal role of the fighter.- Combat superiority: The ability to stop enemies from moving with an attack is very good at shielding allies.- Shield usage: This is quite common with many fighter builds, and provides for increased defense.- High hit points / surges.- Abilities like Tide of Iron and Covering AttackSo, let's brainstorm a class called the Magus (Arcane Defender), which will be totally different than a fighter.We'll have hit points and surges equal to a fighter. The Magus will use a staff, but will be awesome with it, instead of Wizards, who are merely OK.The main defense ability will be the following:Orb of Protection:You may put an orb of protection on an ally (note that ally does NOT include yourself) within 10 squares as a minor action. That ally gets +1 to all defenses. If the ally takes damage, you take the damage instead, less 1 and the orb is removed. You may only place one orb at a time.(Note: We may expand this with a paragon feat to allow two orbs perhaps?)We'll give the magus some defense ability to their defense to be determined later.We can also give them the following At-Wills:Taunting BoltYou fire a bolt of magical energy at a faraway enemy and then dare them to attack you.At-Will * Arcane, ImplementStandard, Ranged 10Target: One creatureAttack: Intelligence vs. ReflexHit: 1d8 + Intelligence modifier damage. The target is marked until the end of your next turn.Force GraspYou conjure up a magical force to wrench an enemy closer to you.At-Will * Arcane, ImplementStandard, Ranged 10Target: One creatureAttack: Intelligence vs. ???Hit: 1d8 + Intelligence modifier damage. You may pull the target one square.Those are just some idea on how I would design an arcane defender class. My goal in class design is always to fulfill the role of the class (Defender, controller, striker, or leader) while also making it totally unique from other classes of that type.As to the balance of this class, my general guideline would be to make it better at defending from a range, but perhaps slightly more vulnerable than a fighter and not as effective at defending from multiple targets (After all, a fighter can theoretically have many marks up, and does not need to hit to mark).My recommendation would be to do through level three or so for abilities and then to assess balance. Then go ahead and do the rest. I tend to immediately brainstorm a general idea for paragon paths, but leave the mechanics for after the 1-30 for the actual class (for example with the necromancer I said I want a hex user, an undead user, and a life stealing paragon path, and that's how I eventually came up with my final paths).</blockquote>

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