Current Theories on Classes?

[beepeearr]

Arcane Controller: Wizard
Arcane Defender: Warlock maybe?
Arcane Leader: Bard
Arcane Striker: Sorcerer

Divine Controller: Druid
Divine Defender: Paladin
Divine Leader: Cleric
Divine Striker: Ranger

Martial Controller: Barbarian or Monk Maybe?
Martial Defender: Fighter
Martial Leader: Warlord
Martial Striker: Rogue

Edited for additional wild speculation

If they do only release the PHB with 8 classes, the other four may be extra content available though the DI, either as extra content if you buy the PDF version of the PHB or as an article in Dragon. I think I'd rather see the Martial controller be something more like the Knight from the PHB II. But I'd rather see barbarian (renamed maybe) then monk make the cut, since monk would be a good starting point for classes with ki as the power source.

 

[gothmaugCC]

What do you think 'controller' means? .

Its the guys who can sheep/root/howl/mind control of terror the opponents.

Oops wrong game.

Its the guys who polymorph/entangle/fear/charm thier opponents.

 

[Commonblade]

Classes

This is my current take

PHB1:
Defender Arcane: Sorcerer
Defender Divine: Paladin
Defender Martial: Fighter
Defender/Striker Martial: Barbarian (Could be a specialist Fighter, trading Defense for Damage)

Leader Divine: Cleric
Leader Martial: Warlord

Controller Arcane: Wizard
Controller Divine: Druid

Striker Divine: Ranger
Stiker Martial: Rouge

PHB2*
Leader Arcane: Bard
Striker Arcane: Warlock
Controller Martial: Siegemaster (I have no clue how this works, think Support in FPS)
Defender/Leader Chi: Samurai
Leader/Controller Chi: Wu Jen
Controller/Striker Chi: Ninja
Striker/Defender Chi: Monk

 

[Commonblade]

Barbarian

Its the guys who can sheep/root/howl/mind control of terror the opponents.

Oops wrong game.

Its the guys who polymorph/entangle/fear/charm thier opponents.

I think you could have something with the Barbarian as the Martial Controller (howls keyed it off). If given abilities that give him large attack arcs, the ability to instill fear, maybe even some ability to use "natural" traps to alter the terrain and battle field. His "range" could be his added mobility. It could make for a nice Martial controller. Interesting...very interesting.

 

[Jhaelen]

yes, change sorcerer to ranger and you're good.

Yup. I think it's already been confirmed that there will be eight classes. My guess for the only unknown class left is the sorcerer (controller).

 

[zoroaster100]

Unless sorcerer has been totally and drastically changed, I fail to see how wizard can be controller without sorcerer also being controller. What makes a wizard a controller is their access to spells that control the battlefield. If sorcerers have access to the same spells, but with a different casting mechanic, they'd still be a controller as well.

 

[Merlion]

First off, I hope the 1st PHB has more than 8 classes, because I cant think of a combination of just 8 that I'd personally be happy with.

I also think its a bit interesting with the Wizard. At the very least, Wizard would be both Striker and Controller. Many, I think, would say that Wizard could also be a Defender....personally I think they lack the right spells...but I also feel they should have those spells.

Likewise, I think that at least as things are in 3.x, a Cleric past low level could be a Leader, Defender, Striker and possibly even Controller without much trouble. However, one can hope that the Cleric is actually going to be balanced in 4e.

And the Fighter is much like the Wizard in this respect as well. I think any Fighter should be relatively capable as a Defender or Striker. And then if you want to sacrifice one for the other, you can.

If they do choose to put only 8 classes in the 1st PH, I dont really have any idea what the other 4 will be. They have mentioned a great many classes as being in, but always ambigiously. I hope, if thats the case, that the "new" classes such as Warlord, will be left for later books. I'd also really just as soon see Sorcerer relagated to a later book. If I had to choose 4 beyond the basic 4, it would probably be Bard, Druid, Ranger and Paladin.

 

[Remathilis]

Is there any PROOF that each class is going to be one power-source + one role?

It is very possible that certain roles are best suited to certain power sources, so there will be no obvious PS+R combo. Arcane Defender seems completely odd, as does Martial Controller. I'm sure we all can think of some manner of class that does just that, but I think those will be in future PHBs.

So how will the PH balance then? I'm thinking more by role than power source.

There are 8 classes* and 4 roles, two classes per role so that no class is required for balanced roles.

Defender: Fighter is the baseline (using all manner of weapon maneuvers) and Paladin will be the Alternate (mixing divine powers like smite with tanking abilities like knights challenge).

Leader: Cleric rules here with divine power for buffs and healing, but warlord will be the alternate using inspiration and tactics to achieve similar results.

Striker: Rogue is again baseline (thanks to sneak attack and urban skills) but the ranger will be just as good (using wilderness skills and skirmish).

Controller: Things get tricky here. We know the wizard is the archtypical controller, but what else fills that role? The warlock seems able to (from the playtest report) and does the sorcerer and druid. Despite this, I'm going to go with Warlock as the second controller, where the wizard will use classic spells mostly, the warlock will focus on a smaller pool of at will abilities. Plus, it just is asking for it with tieflings being in the mix.

Final Tally, we have...

Cleric (Leader, Divine)
Fighter (Defender, Martial)
Paladin (Defender, Divine)
Ranger (Striker, Martial)
Rogue (Striker, Martial)
Warlock (Controller, Arcane)
Warlord (Leader, Martial)
Wizard (Controller, Arcane)

Four martials, four "casters" (two arcane, two divine). Seems a good mix IMHO.

 

[Merlion]

Is there any PROOF that each class is going to be one power-source + one role?
.

I think its safe to say each class will only have one power source. But I doubt power source will be much tied to role.


Mostly, I hope they remember that each class should first and foremost fit its overall concepts as a class, and not instead tailor them mainly with mechanical combat party role in mind. A Ranger should be first and foremost a Ranger, and its being a "Striker" should be simply a convienient shorthand to guide tactics and the like, for example.

 

[Remathilis]

I think its safe to say each class will only have one power source. But I doubt power source will be much tied to role.

Agreed. I meant though, that each class would be a unique combo of PS+R with no overlapping classes in the PH (such as a rogue and ranger both being martial strikers)

Mostly, I hope they remember that each class should first and foremost fit its overall concepts as a class, and not instead tailor them mainly with mechanical combat party role in mind. A Ranger should be first and foremost a Ranger, and its being a "Striker" should be simply a convenient shorthand to guide tactics and the like, for example.

Well said.