Essentials Ranger - wild speculation

[Plane Sailing]

Since many of the Essentials classes have a bit of a 'back to basics' feel about them, I wonder whether there is any chance that the Essentials ranger might regain some spell casting ability? It is something that the class had in OD&D/Strategic Review, 1e, 2e, 3e & 3.5e.

Now, it wouldn't fit in with the 'martial' power source, but who says a class has to entirely defined by one power source? Essentials is changing up some much less conceptual and more crunchy aspects of the rules than that.

I know that a magic using Ranger could be created via the Ritual Casting feat and rituals in 4e proper, but I'm interested in rampant speculation here. After all, it is the internet...

 

[Scribble]

Now, it wouldn't fit in with the 'martial' power source, but who says a class has to entirely defined by one power source? Essentials is changing up some much less conceptual and more crunchy aspects of the rules than that.

I think you might be on to something in that speculation... I also kind of remember Mike Mearls mentioning we wouldn't be seeing a Martial Controller.

 

[shamsael]

He said that they wouldn't create a martial controller just for the sake of creating one and that at time when they have tried, it just didn't feel right.

I don't think he ever said that there'd never be a martial controller.

 

[Scribble]

He said that they wouldn't create a martial controller just for the sake of creating one and that at time when they have tried, it just didn't feel right.

I don't think he ever said that there'd never be a martial controller.

Yeah- I couldn't remember the quote entirely, but still at the time I'm pretty sure the upcoming book was at least mostly finalized...

Whatever the case my guess is the same as PS on this one... It will involve magic.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

The Essentials ranger might have spellcasting capability, but I think the controller version of ranger will just use combat skill. I bet they'll have some forced movement powers, close bursts, powers fluffed as traps or exploiting terrain, and so on.

My question is what ability will they use as their primary. Will the scout and the hunter both use Dex? Str? Maybe something else like Wis? (my personal hope ... ) Or will they use a V-shaped split? (I hope not!)

 

[Infiniti2000]

He said that they wouldn't create a martial controller just for the sake of creating one and that at time when they have tried, it just didn't feel right.

That's because when they finished, they realized they'd have to name the new martial controller class "Wife."




Just kidding, honey! ;-)

 

[WalterKovacs]

They could easily give the essential ranger the primal power source (so the druid doesn't feel lonely). That would make the 8 classes:

Fighter and Rogue (martial), Cleric and Paladin (divine), Wizard and Warlock (arcane) and Ranger and Druid (primal). Nice symmetry there.

I'm not sure, but considering that a ranger is either a bow wielder, or a dual weapon wielder, I would think that dex would probably be the primary stat (also, elves are the archetypal ranger). The two builds would likely each focus on Str or Wis as secondary stats, with the striker being strong and more martially focussed while the controller is wise, and in touch with the magic of nature, etc ...

After seeing the cleric's build, I highly doubt we'll be seeing another V-shaped design, especially not in essentials [technically they could have each build be effectively it's own class, but I doubt it.]

The warlock, similarly, will probably have charisma as a primary with either con or int as secondary.

 

[thewok]

I think they'll stick with the martial flavor. Game Day had these orc archers in the first encounter that had an at-will Area Burst 1 volley attack.

I haven't actually seen the write-up, but I'm assuming that Range was Weapon, and the damage was 1W+Dex, rather than fixed values like current magic-based controllers.

Besides, the primal source already has an archer controller in the Seeker.

 

[Klaus]

And the divine source already had a leader, and that didn't stop the runepriest from coming along.

 

[thewok]

The arcane source had a leader before the Artificer came along, too. But it's not as if the Runepriest or Artificer already existed in another power source, and Wizards just decided to shift them over to where they are now.

I think we're going to see classes still tied to power sources, but not necessarily to roles anymore.