D&D 4E Directly from a quote- 8 classes in 4e! (well, now subject to much debate)

[Someone]

The only classes not yet mentioned some way or the other are Bard and Monk. Druid has been mentioned once, but I'm not sure if the context means that he's in the core rules. Looks like there's a new Warlord class, which has a "leadership" role in the party.

 

[thalmin]

What was stated at the Friday seminar, there would be a limited number of classes in the PHB. Since they would have more to write about each class, they could not have all the classes that have been developed for 3rd. I believe it was said that there would be fewer than the 11 in the current PHB. More classes can be added with later books.
At least that is how I remember it.

 

[Alnag]

I think this thread could be merged with this one, because they are mostly about the same thing. Just a suggestion, because currently the threads are pretty fragmented.

 

[Nyaricus]

8, or no, I always have thought that we needed something like the following set up:

• Battlemage [Half warrior, half wizard] (like a duskblade, only better designed, etc)
• Crusader [half warrior, half priest] [like a cleric/paladin/blackguard
• Cut-throat [a martial-style rogue] (like a ranger, but only more city style)
• Priest/Shaman [priests of civilization and nature] (cleric/druid but more cloistered cleric/archivist type)
• Scout/Hunter [survivalists] (scouts/rangers, except very adept in their choice environment; nods towards horizon walkers and such)
• Thief [a diplomacy-style rogue] (just a rogue with more options other then SA)
• Warrior/Duelist/Pugilist [fighters/non-oriental-monks/swashbucklers all-in-one] (hopefully, the Crusader gets looked at for it's ability to draw aggro etc)
• Wizard/Mentalist [magick-types] (sorcerer/wizard/psion etc wth a bit more... flair and with Warlock nods, hopefully.)

with maybe a Noble class tacked on, maybe not.

Anyways, just my thoughts - and ironically, only 8 classes

cheers,
--N

 

[Atlatl Jones]

Lets do this the other way around, by trying to figure out which classes will not be in the PHB. It's reasonably certain that the new warlord class is going to be a part of the game, so we need to lose 4 of the PHB's 11 to get to 8.

- Monk: Doesn't fit the western style fantasy game, and can be replaced by fighter or rogue talent & feats.
- Barbarian: Could be easily replaced. However, there have been several mentions about 4e barbarians.
- Paladin: Uncertain. It was mentioned as a defender class by James Wyatt, but he wasn't specifically talking about 4e classes at the time, just giving examples of roles. It was also mentioned that paladins in 4e could be of any alignment. However, it could be a prestige class, which it suits very well.
- Bard: gone. The redheaded stepchild of D&D, which the designers on the podcast described as "the class that wandered in from another game." Could be replaced by multiclassing, inspiration feats/talents, the warlord class, and/or "song magic" talents for the sorcerer.
- Druid: There have been no mentions of the druid in connection with 4e. Could possibly be replaced with a more open-ended cleric/priest class & shapeshifting talents. OTOH, it's very different from the cleric, so I don't know how they could replace it and still retain the flavor.

This is tough. Aside from the archetypal 4, almost any other class could concievably be replaced with some form of multiclassing or talent trees.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

Edit: ...and Quandor found it. He was talking about the beginning of the playtest process. There very well may have been more added further along. It's not unusual to start focusing on a section (such as only a handful of classes).

In the end of the interview with James Wyatt, he appeared very reluctant to say that the setup of every character having a role wouldn't change, as if they were currently working on extra possibilties that didn't quite fit into the 4 role conception. So if they started with 8 classes (2 per role), they might be adding one or two more.

 

[Vegepygmy]

To take a shot in the dark, I'm guessing Monk will be gone from core and probably introduced later with the oriental stuff.

Yep. I thought they learned their lesson when they did that in 2e, then had to bring the monk back to core in 3e, but maybe not.

 

[Remathilis]

1e: fighter, ranger, paladin, magic-user, illusionist, cleric, druid, thief, assassin, monk (10)
2e: fighter, ranger, paladin, mage, specialist, cleric, druid, specialty priest, thief, bard (10)
3e: fighter, ranger, paladin, barbarian, wizard, sorcerer, cleric, druid, rogue, bard, monk (11)
---

The Typical D&D experience has been ~10 classes (barring OD&D and BD&D) so I can't see less than 9, personally.

My guesses:
Fighter (kills knight & warblade, takes his stuff)
Cleric (kills healer, THS)
Wizard
Rogue (kills swashbuckler & spellthief, THS)
Sorcerer (kills warlock, THS)
Ranger (kills scout, THS)
Barbarian
Warlord (kills bard and marshal, THS)
Shaman (kills dragon shaman and druid, THS)

Prestige Classes: Paladin/Blackguard, Monk, Bard, Assassin

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Ideally I'd want to see ...

Paladin, Bard, Monk, Psion

We already know psion will be supported but not part of the core ruleset (thank god!).

 

[I'm A Banana]

The title of this thread is a HUGE LIE!

*cries for being tricked*