Can you please give me an Essential Classes/Build list?

[legopaidi]

I just got MV,RC and HotFL and I'm preparing to start my first ever D&D 4E campaign. I would like to keep things in the Essential Line so me and my players don't get overwhelmed by too many options.

Apart from the classes in HotFL and HofFK (which will most probably be my next purchase) are there any other classes/builds available for Essentials? Could somebody give a list of those and tell where to find them?

 

[Grydan]

Outside of those books there's only one class/subclass that Wizards of the Coast has specifically labelled as being 'Essentials': the Assassin (Executioner), which at first was a Dragon exclusive but later was released in Heroes of Shadow.

That said, the majority (all?) of the new classes/subclasses introduced since those books have hewed closer to the model of those appearing in Essentials than to those appearing before, with narrower selections of abilities, a greater emphasis on class abilities gained at higher levels, more frequent departure from the At-Will/Encounter/Daily/Utility formula, and (aside from the vampire) being a subclass linked to a pre-existing class (and thus able to use feat support, paragon paths, epic destinies, and sometimes powers from the parent class).

Where to find them:

Heroes of Shadow
Assassin (Executioner)
Paladin (Blackguard)
Vampire
Warlock (Binder)

Heroes of the Feywild
Barbarian (Berserker)
Bard (Skald)
Druid (Protector)
Wizard (Witch)

Heroes of the Elemental Chaos
Sorcerer (Elemantalist)
Wizard (Sha'ir)

Neverwinter Campaign Setting
Wizard (Bladesinger)

 

[legopaidi]

Thank you very much!

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

HoS also has the Necromancer and Nethermancer builds for Wizard, which use the Mage school feature, so they are strictly speaking only available to the Essentials Mage. I believe there is also some Warpriest material in HoS is there not? There are some other bits in there too IIRC. Anyway, its a bit of a tough question because WotC doesn't really acknowledge a 4e/Essentials 'split' exactly.