Debut: Ardent

[Rechan]

The class doesn't have an implement proficiency, so... yeah.

I didn't mean implements. I meant ranged weapons.

Namely because always having to get in melee and alwaays just effecting the adjacent ally really irked the warlord in my group.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Hmm, I am sorry to say, but I am quite disappointed. I was expecting the psionic classes to be as special as the primal ones. The ardent feels more like a psionic variation of the warlord, not as special as the shaman.

The ardent is an okay concept, but new classes need to be more than a variant of another class using a new power source. They need their own identity.

 

[the Jester]

Yeah, this is very "psionic warlord", at least from the one build we see here. I'll withhold judgment until I see the full class, but so far, meh.

 

[Rechan]

Hmm, I am sorry to say, but I am quite disappointed. I was expecting the psionic classes to be as special as the primal ones. The ardent feels more like a psionic variation of the warlord, not as special as the shaman.

It doesn't just feel that way, it looks like it was intentionally designed that way. On the first page of the article, the top right, James Wyatt: "The Ardent is the Psionic Warlord".

I'm with you guys here. THey don't need to repeat themselves.

Unless they're trying to make the Warlord better. I mean, I feel like the Bard is a better warlord than the warlord. So maybe this is another attempt to fix it.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

I think the comment that ardents are "psionic warlords" is just an easy way to summarize the class in ways that 4e players can understand quickly. I mean, they could have referred to them as "psionic battle clerics" and conveyed essentially the same idea. That is, ardents are a leader class whose members are rugged and fight on the front line.

While I see some thematic and power similarities between inspiring warlords and ardents, the ardent does a lot of things differently from a warlord. For example, I don't see warlords doing teleport effects, nor do I see warlords doing psychic damage, nor do I see warlords creating zones, nor do I see warlords augmenting their at-wills with power points.

So I totally disagree with those who say the ardent is "just" a different flavor of warlord. I agree that there are some similarities by virtue of them being melee Leader classes, but I think the differences in fluff and mechanics are quite sufficient at making this class distinct and able to stand on its own.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

What i wonder is why psionic at wills don´t increase their damage at level 21...

or at least why 21+ at wills don´t have 2W damage as default... it just makes no sense... (at least to me)

 

[hailstop]

I don't think I like the idea of the Mantle of Clarity giving a bonus to defenses against Opp Attacks equal to the Cha modifier. That seems a bit overwhelming at Epic levels...basically making the PC's nearly immune to Opportunity Attacks.

 

[Klaus]

The alternative was calling it "wardent"!

Dammit, you stole my line!

damn pirates...

As for the ardent, really awesome class. Matches the kalashtar perfectly, and such a character would be like J'onn J'onzz in the Justice League, serving as a central hub for battlefield coordination.

 

[Mouseferatu]

such a character would be like J'onn J'onzz

I'm thinking a changeling druid/ardent hybrid, now...

 

[WalterKovacs]

What i wonder is why psionic at wills don´t increase their damage at level 21...

or at least why 21+ at wills don´t have 2W damage as default... it just makes no sense... (at least to me)

The general concept is that while a "normal" at-will you get at 1 would need to double the base damage to 21 to keep up. However, in the case of a power designed to only be taken at a level around 21+, it could be designed to be useful at that level without having to rely on the extra damage thing to bring powers up to snuff.

On other notes:

The 'middle' power point powers are very corner case ... but when they are useful they can be arguably better than full cost versions. The augmentable powers are like a swiss army knife ... the at-will and full augment are things you'll be able to use just about every encounter, but the middle power are situational. And since it'sthree powers in one ... it's not wasteful to have a "just in case" half-augmented power if the unaugmeted and fully augmented are something that will be used frequently. It's a solid use of power point versatility, to create situationally powerful powers that people would actually take, since they are part of a group of powers you gain access to.