Do We Know (Officially) when Barbarians and Druids will be Released?

[cdrcjsn]

According to R&C the bard gains its powers from otherworldly patrons.

Otherworldly can include powers from the Feywild which could still tie Bard to Primal.

 

[Khaalis]

Otherworldly can include powers from the Feywild which could still tie Bard to Primal.

True, however 2 arguments against...

1) The warlock gets otherworldly pacts as well and is definitely arcane.
2) They actually said that the Bard was the first class that was "completed" for 4E even though it will not appear in the PHB. Since they have yet to set anything in stone for PHB2 (which has been indicated will include the Primal power source) I highly doubt that the first class completed was for a power source that had not even been fully decided on until late in the development cycle.

Thus, I am pretty certain the bard will fill the Arcane Leader role.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Barbarian = Primal Defender

I'll pimp again my guess that the barbarian might surprise us by being a controller.

A defender is supposed to be able to hold the line and defend the others. Not something really suited to the barbarian and his rage powers.

But with Whirlwind style attacks and fear based powers he could engage a lot of enemies at the same time and thus fill the role of a controller, albeit by personnally wading into the fray instead of using the artillery method.

It'd be fun to have a 'hands-on' controller to contrast with the wizard and the likely other controllers. It would change the dynamics (The Defender would be free to work more closely with a rogue, for example, if not worried about protecting a wizard).

 

[Steely Dan]

Otherworldly can include powers from the Feywild which could still tie Bard to Primal.

I was thinking about that – bring them back to their druidic tutelage roots!

 

[Steely Dan]

I'll pimp again my guess that the barbarian might surprise us by being a controller.

While a martial controller would appeal to my sphincter puckering nature, unfortunately, every idea I have seen for a martial controller has seemed a tad contrived.

And this alchemist/dragoon/engineer business is doing my head in.