D&D 4E Class options for other classes in 4e?

[Dragonblade]

So we saw the Artful Dodger and the Brutal Scoundrel option for the Rogue. What about the other classes?

I predict an Archer and a Two Weapon Fighting option for the Ranger, and a Two Handed Weapon and a Weapon and Shield option for the Fighter. What about the other classes?

Thoughts?

 

[Snarls-at-Fleas]

We all know the options for the warlock I guess

I say armored cleric & ... well... unarmored cleric for... um...cleric

Kinda academical wizards & hedge wizard maybe

No idea for warlord

 

[MasterGarrow05]

I noticed a split of pretty much every class in the Races and Classes book, which foreshadows this rogue split into two sub-classes. It pretty much said "X class can focus on option 1 or option 2."

Now, I don't think that even in classes like the cleric that a simple choice of deity or domains will subsume the "two sub-class" feature. If I recall, the book said something about how clerics can either focus on melee combat or hanging back and casting damage and buff spells (or a combo of both). Something like that. Fighters mentioned the focus on two-handed or sword/shield. Wish I had my book. . .

If I'm wrong about the perpetual two sub-class feature, it could be that the wizard options at first level are each of the 4 or so wizarding traditions (Iron Sigil, etc.), warlock options at first are the sources of pacts (Star, Vestige, etc.), cleric options are the domains or deities.

Warlord: maybe focus on either inspiration/buffs or combat/self-buff
Ranger: yeah probably two-weapon fighting or ranged
Paladin: hmmmm. . . . . smites or mounts (jk) maybe undead slayer or fiend slayer or something like that

I like this for ease of introduction and further making some differences within the same class, but I also like how it seems possible to be a middle ground between the two options by picking powers that complement either, thereby keeping some diversity. You will miss out on specialty though, but some players like utility more.

 

[Moochava]

Warlord: I'm guessing something like Tactician (smart warlord) versus Captain (charismatic warlord). Main stats will probably be Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma.

Cleric: I'm guessing Templar (armored cleric) and Preacher (undead-busting cleric). Main stats might be Wisdom, Constitution, and Charisma.

Fighter: I'm guessing it's either going to go Sword & Board vs. Zweihander or Tank (resilient fighter) vs. Skirmisher (fast fighter). Main stats are Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

Let's see. First off, here's me guess as to what these builds do and don't do:

-DO influence which "secondary" stats your character makes use of. (Artful dodger as Charisma rogue vs. Brutal Scoundrel as Strength rogue, but both are secondary to Dex.)

-DO affect the way various powers work.

-DON'T limit WHICH powers you can take... although some are way better with a particular build.

So here are my "educated" guesses:

-Fighters: 1h-weapon-and-shield or 2h-weapon. Sword-and-board fighters have more defensive capability, while zwiehander fighters pump out more damage. If Strength is the fighter primary stat, then I'd think 1hander guys would have Con as their secondary stat and 2hander guys would use maybe Dex.

-Clerics: Melee-focused, offensive-spell-focused, and healing-focused. Melee clerics are more resilient in melee and enjoy smacking down enemies by hand, while spell clerics use lots of power words and so on. Healing-focused clerics have more leader-y abilities, for players who really dig the "support" role. Since Wisdom is the primary stat, I'm guessing Con (or maybe Str) as a secondary for melee clerics, Int for spell clerics, and Cha for healing clerics.

-Wizards: Hm. One build for each implement, I guess? I'm actually hoping that they push secondary stats for wizards this time around. Maybe Wis for orb-users, Cha for wand-users, and Con for staff-users?

-Rangers: Easy one, archer vs. dervish. The archer gets all those ranged powers, while the dervish gets two-weapon fighting and related swashbuckly goodness. (I'm guessing that an optimal swashbuckler in 4e will be a ranger dipping or multiclassing into rogue.) Dex is obviously the main stat, so maybe... hrm. Wisdom as a secondary for archers and Cha (or Str) for dervishes?

-Warlocks: Another easy one, the three pacts. Here I'm not sure how (or if) secondary stats would be parsed out. Assuming Cha as the primary stat, Int as secondary for demon-pact, Wis for fey-pact, and, um, Insanity for star pact?

-Paladins: Judging from the Smites article, Charisma is their primary stat, with Wisdom as a strong secondary. I really don't know how the builds would break down, though.

-Warlords: This one's almost pure guesswork. Assuming Cha as the primary stat, Tactician (int) vs. Inspirer (wis)? The former could be heavier on offensive, cooperative powers (Feather Me Yon Oaf) and the latter more focused on healing and buffing.

 

[Belphanior]

I predict the paladin's options are all about his alignment, since he's no longer limited to LG. So every paladin might have a "terrify the enemy with a smite" power, but it's the evil ones that really put the fear of god into people.

Wizards sound like the implements they use, yeah. It's already a given that these items will influence their methods and I see no other obvious split that immediately springs to mind when you think of the word 'wizard'.

Clerics/warlords both might have a fight/buff split, except the former relies on faith and the latter on tactics.

I'm more curious to see what the non-PHB classes will be like...

Druid between shapeshift and spellcasting?
Barbarian between several types of rage?
Sorceror between fire, thunder, and ice? (Diablo 2 complaints in 3, 2, 1...)
Bards between buffing music and misleading bewitchments?
Monks between armed and unarmed?
I just dunno...

 

[jtrowell]

Note that nothing prevent several subclasses from using the same secondary, while still being two different styles.

Moreover, I wouldn't be surprised if some classes were first released with only one default subclasse (with other option in later splatbooks of course).

The fact that we could have a duelist rogue tactic based on int, or a two weapon fighting style for fighters released in the martial powers splatbook, as well as may other concepts, make limiting those choices to only one or two secondary ability seems unlikely for me.