Gladiator Options and Speculation on Upcoming Power Source Book.

[Zsig]

On today's Spotlight Interview on the WotC website, they talk about the Martial Power, upon reading it, one thing came to my attention:

WotC: With Dragon Magazine’s release of the gladiator, there’s been speculation that Martial Power will continue presenting options through new fighting styles and weapon specializations—is this a fair assessment, and if so how does Martial Power explore these areas?


RH: No, surprisingly enough, that is not the type of stuff that’s in Martial Power. Here’s why not: our plan with D&DI content that supports a specific book is often to provide a type of content that didn’t appear in the original book. So the gladiator material was originally conceived as an approach that was different than the much more straightforward class power approach taken in most of Martial Power.
And then a few funny things happened. Our first attempt at the mechanical approach for the gladiator theme didn’t work out. And we noticed that an approach we had come up while designing a different power book would fit the gladiator theme quite well.
So the gladiator approach is something that shows up in a later power book, but not in Martial Power itself.

I'm not sure I'm reading this right, but I think they're talking about the "multiclass" weapon specialization feats. Considering I am reading it right, what do you think is the book that presents that sort of mechanic, and what do you think would fit the model?


I've been thinking about it, and the first thing that came to mind would be a way of "fixing" the lack of customization (mechanics-wise) on the part of Clerics and their deities, and thus they could use a similar way they used on the gladiator article to give the Clerics some "deity specialization" on the upcoming Divine Power.


What do you guys think?

 

[Drkfathr1]

I would HOPE that's the idea. Clerics and Paladins definately need something to represent their differences from faith to faith...aside from good 'ole role playing!

I also wonder if something like this would work with Psionics? Allowing any character to dip into the Psionic pool much like psionics worked in 1E.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Maybe it is weapon specilization like the normal one Longsword...shortsword.

 

[Rechan]

I am pretty sure they are referring to the feats in the Gladiator article that modify at-will powers.

 

[Zsig]

I am pretty sure they are referring to the feats in the Gladiator article that modify at-will powers.

Really?

I mean, it could be, but I don't think it's important enough to a given Power Book, in fact, I think the powers that modify the at-wills (aka Arena Fighting Feats, or Fighting Style as the Spotlight seems to imply) are pretty simplist to be something worth "saving" for an upcoming, new, exclusive book.

The Weapon Specialization, on the other hand, is a feature that's interesting and different, enough to get a significant spot on the development of another book. And it only helps that it fits nicely into the Deity aspect of the Divine classes.

Not to mention, that I remember seeing somewhere that they're trying to do something about the clerics & deities on the future.

Maybe it is weapon specilization like the normal one Longsword...shortsword.

Why would they put Weapon Specialization (like longsword, shortsword etc) on the Arcane Power or Divine Power or Primal Power or any other Power Book other than the Martial Book? Even when it's stated that the Martial Book won't use that approach.