Battle Cleric Options is up

[UngeheuerLich]

4e suffers a lot from powers that "encourage". Simple "yes" and "no" worked for 2 decades and it worked fine. Powergaming not withstanding...

So leave your game of magical elves and dragons and full blade wielding rogues out of my game.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

You know what else worked for 2 decades (more actually)? DMs saying what goes in their games.

Which means that it is easier to leave the restrictions out of the rules for those who want to play outside of traditional tropes, (and let those decisions happen at the individual game-tables), than it is to force everyone who disagrees with the sacred cows to have to houserule like mad.

 

[Nullzone]

I'm okay with the Rogue restrictions, because they've set out from the getgo and said "Rogue is a master of agility and uses light blades to best strike his target with precise, lethal attacks".

This has nothing. I wouldn't even complain if there was a specific deity these were tied to and the deity required the use of simple weapons. As it is, it's just a "because I said so".

 

[UngeheuerLich]

There is no difference in allowing more than restricting. Allowing dwarves to become paladins also worked for a while.

If a power is designed to make simple weapons good enough, it may be unbalanced for other types of weapons. There are enough powers out there for such clerics. (Righteous brand e.g.)
One of the new options only encourages using simple weapons, as it only adds 1d6 to the roll. And it is still a great option with a +2 shield bonus as an effect, even if it only gives +1d6 damage with simple weapons.

I really can´t see the problem here...

If you like full blade wielding rogues in your game, by all means, let him take them. But don´t make it the default playstyle...
Rogues actually beeing encouraged to stay with the dagger was one of the things I liked most in the initial design.

Really, making restrictions is as valid as making none. Someone has to houserule if it is not to the liking of the group. And it is more easy to allow more later than to balance all possibilities.

If you have a different opinion, so be it, you can´t change mine. And I hope the power does not change.
If an eladrin could actuall use the first power with his great spear the power may actually be too good.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Which means that it is easier to leave the restrictions out of the rules for those who want to play outside of traditional tropes, (and let those decisions happen at the individual game-tables), than it is to force everyone who disagrees with the sacred cows to have to houserule like mad.

I can't XP, but I must agree.

If you like full blade wielding rogues in your game, by all means, let him take them. But don´t make it the default playstyle

The "default playstyle" for D&D should probably allow BOTH players who want to have unorthodox characters, and players that want highly iconic characters, without making one or the other allowable only through a DM's house rule.

If you have a different opinion, so be it, you can´t change mine. And I hope the power does not change.

Well, no one can force an open mind. Though I'd like the designers to keep one, even if you don't.

 

[Mummolus]

I don't really get what the big issue is - that the powers require a simple weapon and subsequently buff it up (with +1 to hit and +damage) effectively removes a feat tax that would otherwise go towards getting the cleric a superior weapon for comparable damage or accuracy.

I can see the point about dwarf clerics, but that's a minor thing that can be fixed easily. Otherwise I quite like how the powers work.

 

[I'm A Banana]

"Big Issue" is an exaggeration.

It's just irksome.

 

[Mummolus]

"Big Issue" is an exaggeration.

It's just irksome.

Okay... I still don't get why it's "irksome". One less feat taken up by something previously considered essential.

 

[Colmarr]

It does raise some interesting issues with the (old?) concept of favoured weapons.

As mentioned, dwarven Clerics can't wield Moradin's favoured weapon (hammer) and gain the bonuses. Kord's followers can't wield his favoured weapon (battleaxe), and from personal experience, my Tempuran cleric* won't be able to wield the weapon that is displayed in Tempus' holy symbol (sword) and get the bonuses.

Not that I'm complaining. From the sounds of it, this article is good enough that I wouldn't really care, but I can see where some people are coming from.

* No, he doesn't have Righteous Rage. Nor does he wield a fullblade. Stop looking at me that way.

 

[Herschel]

etc.