Mearls talks about his inspiration for the 4e classes

[Keefe the Thief]

Over at RPG.net, someone started a thread for creating a "Appendix N - suggested reading" for 4e. Some people used that as an incentive to post about what they think can inspire you for 4e and what they think has inspired 4e.

In post #11, Mearls talks about his inspiration for designing the 4e classes

 

[Hussar]

Interesting read. Good catch.

 

[Thanee]

Ranger: Surprise! Drizzt was a big inspiration for the design direction...

So, Drizzt was (in part) the inspiration for the D&D Ranger, but Drizzt is a D&D Ranger, so the (old school) D&D Ranger is the inspiration for the D&D Ranger.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Relique du Madde]

So, Drizzt was (in part) the inspiration for the D&D Ranger, but Drizzt is a D&D Ranger, so the (old school) D&D Ranger is the inspiration for the D&D Ranger.

Bye
Thanee

*Head Explodes*

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

*Head Explodes*

Relique, your head does that a lot! You should ask a doctor about it.

 

[Relique du Madde]

I did... but he mistook what I meant..

 

[Aus_Snow]

Invoker: As this class shaped up, it became increasingly clear that Gandalf was our best model, both from Tolkien's books and Jackson's film version.

Does this make any sense to any of you 4e-heads? That is not, by the way, a confrontational query! I simply don't know anything about the Invoker. Um, except the name, and that it's not in the core 3. . . and this new reveal from Mr. Mearls.

So. Why (or even how) is the Invoker anything like Gandalf?

 

[Plane Sailing]

Does this make any sense to any of you 4e-heads? That is not, by the way, a confrontational query! I simply don't know anything about the Invoker. Um, except the name, and that it's not in the core 3. . . and this new reveal from Mr. Mearls.

So. Why (or even how) is the Invoker anything like Gandalf?

I was thinking this myself. Apart from uber-geeks, it seems likely to me that Gandalf should be the quintessential wizard - probably the most well known 'fantasy wizard' alongside merlin.

(caveat: while I like about half of the PHB2 classes, I can't stand the invoker which seemed like merely a reason to do a 'divine controller' aka divine wizard. It seems to me to be a 'fill in the grid' class, which I have no value for. Especially since its at-will powers out-shine the wizard)

Cheers

 

[Nymrohd]

Considering Gandalf was a creature of light send by the gods and Merlin was mostly a druid with some arcane spells, no neither of the archetype wizards was actually a wizard . . .

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I was thinking this myself. Apart from uber-geeks, it seems likely to me that Gandalf should be the quintessential wizard - probably the most well known 'fantasy wizard' alongside merlin.

(caveat: while I like about half of the PHB2 classes, I can't stand the invoker which seemed like merely a reason to do a 'divine controller' aka divine wizard. It seems to me to be a 'fill in the grid' class, which I have no value for. Especially since its at-will powers out-shine the wizard)

Cheers

The "problem" is that neither Merlin or Gandalf are quintessential Wizards as described by D&D. Merlin and Gandalf don't cast fireballs. (Maybe Pyrotechncs, in Gandalfs case).
Moreover, Gandalf specifically is not a "Human Wizard" but a kind of angelic creature, if I understand the Middleearth lore correctly.

Invokers have powers that often thematically inspire "awe" - Utility Powers that grant you bonuses to Intimidate/Diplomacy, powers that force the enemy to hold back or suffer damage, powers that an enemy can avoid if he falls to his knees before the Invoker. That is the kind of powers that fit to Gandalf. Especially thinking of the movies. The scene where he raises his voice with terifying side effects, the time where he rides into battle parallel to the suns first beams.

It is not a perfect match, but it is an inspiration, not a copy-cat.