Druid, Barbarian to be online content

[metal71dog]

I am writing this on my iPod so apologies in advance for lack of quotes/links.
After reading the interview on the home page of ENWorld I was struck by the fact that Andy Collins was as non-commital as he was regarding the possibility of primal (aka Wild/Nature) powered characters appearing in the Player's Handbook 2. We already know the Barbarian is coming. References to a new barbarian go back as far as last August. My best understanding is that new players handbooks will appear only once per year. As I read that portion of the interveiw it seemed to me that the PH2 would almost certainly only deal with arcane, martial and divine power sources. If he felt the need to be ambiguous and keep some mystery around the PH2 he could have simply made a vague response like 'we are working on a lot of new power sources' or something like that. Anyway I may be wrong but I get the distinct feeling that something is up with the nature themed characters. This could include the sorcerer and bard as well. The sorcerer is said to have a new focus on elemental (nature) effects and bard is involved with pacts somehow (fey anyone).

Thanks for listening and if someone could bring this up at the XP tomorrow that would be great.

 

[Dire Bare]

I am writing this on my iPod so apologies in advance for lack of quotes/links.
After reading the interview on the home page of ENWorld I was struck by the fact that Andy Collins was as non-commital as he was regarding the possibility of primal (aka Wild/Nature) powered characters appearing in the Player's Handbook 2. We already know the Barbarian is coming. References to a new barbarian go back as far as last August. My best understanding is that new players handbooks will appear only once per year. As I read that portion of the interveiw it seemed to me that the PH2 would almost certainly only deal with arcane, martial and divine power sources. If he felt the need to be ambiguous and keep some mystery around the PH2 he could have simply made a vague response like 'we are working on a lot of new power sources' or something like that. Anyway I may be wrong but I get the distinct feeling that something is up with the nature themed characters. This could include the sorcerer and bard as well. The sorcerer is said to have a new focus on elemental (nature) effects and bard is involved with pacts somehow (fey anyone).

Thanks for listening and if someone could bring this up at the XP tomorrow that would be great.

Actually, what he said is while that there will definitely be new material for arcance, divine and martial power sources, they are planning on also including psionic and primal power sources in the PHBII . . . they are just not sure yet if they can fit it all in there. If they can't, will they drop Primal (presumably the barbarian and druid) . . . we don't know yet (and neither does WotC).

 

[Moon-Lancer]

If they drop the druid... that would make me cry.

 

[metal71dog]

Actually, what he said is while that there will definitely be new material for arcance, divine and martial power sources, they are planning on also including psionic and primal power sources in the PHBII . . . they are just not sure yet if they can fit it all in there. If they can't, will they drop Primal (presumably the barbarian and druid) . . . we don't know yet (and neither does WotC).

I would find it incredible if they didn't release the barbarian and the Druid untill 2010. The expected date of the PH3. They have already stated Psionics will be dealt with in an expansion book. Maybe primal will be dealt with that way too. But I can't see it.
Too many 3e players love the barbarian. While I am sure its true that they don't have a release date for the PH2 I would also be shocked if the Barbarian, Druid and Sorcerer were not on the WOTC high priority release list and slated for release as soon they are ready. And would they really release a PH with four power sources when the first one with only three power sets didn't contain everything.

Whybe 'resistant' to comenting on a set of classes we already know are coming out when you could simply say its coming in one form or the other? That's what strikes me as odd. The conclusion that the classes will be available online of course is a leap, but again these classes should be a high enough priority that they will be available before 2010. So where else would they be available if not in print?

Sorry if any of this comes off wrong I am writing this on my iPod.

 

[MaelStorm]

Too many 3e players love the barbarian. While I am sure its true that they don't have a release date for the PH2 I would also be shocked if the Barbarian, Druid and Sorcerer were not on the WOTC high priority release list and slated for release as soon they are ready. And would they really release a PH with four power sources when the first one with only three power sets didn't contain everything.

Druid, Sorcerer, Barbarian is a sure bet.
Bard and Monk are less certain but a lot of people want them too.
Plus if there are 3 psychic class you have PHB2's 8 new class.

Half Orc and maybe Gnome for races.

EDIT: I also see Necromancer and Illusionist as big contender too.

 

[Szatany]

For PHB2 it might look like this (monk and psionics left for phb3):

defenders: shifter (primal), swordmage (arcane)*
leaders: bard (arcane), druid (primal)
strikers: barbarian (primal)
controllers: sorcerer (arcane), necromancer? (divine), shaman (primal)

* - I know he's in FRCS but I wouldn't mind him reprinted as an exception.