Essential Mage: The return of schools

[fanboy2000]

Yep, that's right. Their bringing back schools of magic. Heros of the Fallen Lands has three: Enchantment, Evocation, and Illusion. While their at it, all Essentials mages start with Magic Missile.

Oh, and this isn't a new edition. To prove it, he says something that, to me is revealing:

Just started with the Essentials? No problem! Add shadow-based powers to your storm warpriest with no fuss or bother. Got a battle cleric built with Player's Handbook and enhanced with Divine Power and a couple of feats from Essentials? No problem! It’s all D&D, so it’s all compatible!

 

[No Name]

Why is that reviling? Essentials just looks like more content to me.

 

[fanboy2000]

Because it suggests that shadow powers can be taken by classes that don't have the shadow power source.

 

[The Little Raven]

I think he means revealing, not reviling.

 

[fanboy2000]

I think he means revealing, not reviling.

Probably.

 

[mkill]

All I can say is: Yay!!! The essentials classes look more and more like 4th edition classes like I feel they should be. Hooray for the return of schools!

Things to note:
* It appears that like dailies and utilies, Wizards can now also prepare encounter spells.
* Powers now have extra fluff text (less bare metal rules)
* Beguiling strands is a whopping close blast 5! (But only does Int mod damage)
* Hypnotism is an at-will where you can choose the Hit effect. This is new for at-wills
* The power format is standard 4th edition. It looks like you can take Essentials powers as a PHB character without any compatibility issue (which is pretty much as announced, but hopefully this means that those who cried that all their old characters are suddenly invalid can take their medicine and calm down)

 

[the Jester]

I'm very interested to see the 4e take on schools of magic. Verrry interested indeed.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Again a lack of rituals...

I hope they are included in the apprentice mage etc. which allows wizards to cast rituals for reduced cost.

All in all teh new approach to the game seems very fine I really like it!
Maybe 3.9, but great from what we read until now And fully compatible... poor Bill, he seems a bit frustrated about the internet crowd...

 

[mkill]

Again a lack of rituals...

I speculate that there won't be any rituals in the Essentials books. It's a self-contained subsystem that you can easily cut for a beginner's book.

If you have DDI or a PHB, you can turn any Essentials character into a ritual caster at the cost of one feat, so I don't see any harm.

 

[Wik]

Based on entirely no evidence whatsoever, I speculate that Essentials will herald the return of the flumph. It will also give us a cure for the common cold, six easy tips for picking up attractive women, and magical powers.


To please those people who only see the bad side of things, it will also contain references to somebody's mother doing something inappropriate to nazis.