And what about vampire? So bad as it seems?
It's going to have to be played to really see how good or bad probably. Of the stuff that was previewed, there was quite a bit left out ...
If you mean bad in terms of lack of choice, definitely. Outside of a couple of levels for utility powers, and your branching paragon path, you get no options in class. (There are always skill powers, etc).
If you mean being effective? It's questionable. You don't want to fall unconcious ... if you can stay upright, you have not only regeneration, but means of getting thp at-will. You have oher healing surges outside of your encounter power (at 9, for example, you have a dominating gaze. It's a reliable attack that dominates (save ends), but if the target is adjacent, you can end the domination by taking a surge and dealing your surge value in damage to the target. Similaly, if you need to run away to regen, your utilities provide polymorphs like becoming a bat, or gaseous form, etc. Your damage output is pretty good ... you get something similar to a slayer's damage bonus (although it's all implement powers), and you have some dailies and enconters with quite a bit of damage dice. Your level 3 encounter, for example, does 2d12+dex, and if you spend a surge either targets two people, or deals another 2d8 to the single target. Your level 5 daily is like a rage, as it gives you an encounter long boost to attack rolls and damage.
Of course, I've been playing an Ossassin, the dex/cha build, and their fragility hasn't come up that often either. Now, the Vampire might appreciate a Shaman or Artificer more, what with the surgeless healing options, but don'tsee it as bad. It may not be everyone, but it doesn't seem as bad as some have feared. As long as you hit an enemy with a melee at-will attack at least once each fight ... you effectively have 2 surges, plus one per encounter, probably don't need to spend surges outside of combat, that number increases over time (you get additional uses of the encounter power, you get an extra surge per day at 13, you et a daily that can also get a bonus surge, etc). At paragon tier, the vamp can gain 3 surges per encounter, and get another once per day, since all the encounters only go off when you hit, you can't waste it unless you don't use it during the encounter (in which case the encounter is over, and you can regen and steal someone's surge to get to max) and the daily is reliable. It may take multiple tries, but you can eventually "hit" with all your surge stealers given enough time. Unless the group is routinely using up 4 or 5 surges in a single fight, the vampire should be able to keep pace.
