Nature Power Source

[Howndawg]

I was going to set up a whole new thread, but I discovered this one, so I'll add my thoughts here. There are several hints in R&C that there could very well be a nature based power source. Here they are:

p. 10: Mention of PHBII and barbarian and druid being in it. Not much on its own, but why not mention bard, monk, or sorcerer? Could it be that PHB's are for new power sources and splatbooks will cover existing ones?

pp. 14-15: Illusionist and druid are mentioned as being of "similar" power sources to wizard and cleric. This leaves the door open that they might be the basis for new power sources. Also power sources around the corner are mentioned in plural, thus psionics is not the only new power source planned.

p. 82: Barbarian and druid tied closer together like paladin and cleric. "Nature's Fury" mentioned. Hmmm... the second time these two classes are mentioned together in the same book. Could WotC be dropping hints?

p. 94: Picture of elf primal blaster. Probably a placeholder name for a nature based striker. As opposed to the ranger who uses speed and intuition to dart about the battlefield executing guerilla tactics, I imagine a guy who uses oneness with nature to camouflage himself and then charges arrows with elemental power to pepper his foes. He might even shoot arrows that transform into poisonous vipers or stinging bees. I would call him the Warden, but do we really need another war- class?

In the dwarf section, there is a mention of elementalists. Flavor text of possible new class? Maybe a nature-based controller.

I've been wrong before, and I've also been right for the wrong reasons, but I think I'm onto something.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

1: Someone who "doesn't do defense" isn't forbidden from being a "defender." Its a game design term. If your character wades into the middle of the battle and chops everyone within reach into little pieces, while grabbing those who flee screaming by the ankles and dragging them back into the fray for more chopping, he's a defender. But in his mind, he's probably not "doing defense." He's attacking.

2: If what the "nature shaman" is supposed to be accomplishing mimics the cleric, then I hope that WOTC has the guts to just release an ability tree or something for the cleric, and tell off everyone who objects because they don't like the name "cleric" on their character sheet. I only want a separate nature shaman if it actually does something different from what we already have.

Maybe it would be just enough to make the nature shaman rely more on ranged combat. The other two leader types - Warlord and Cleric - seem to be more into melee.
A Shaman (and a Bard) might be better off focusing on ranged combat.

 

[GreatLemur]

p. 94: Picture of elf primal blaster. Probably a placeholder name for a nature based striker.

I'm actually thinking that "primal" might be what they call the nature-based power source. It definitely sounds better than "nature", "natural", "feral", or "fey".

 

[I'm A Banana]

I think Barbarians are Defenders, but they are a different 'subrole' than pretty much any other Defender. Most Defenders are effectivley Soldiers--but Barbarians are Brutes (to borrow the Monster Role names).

I like the Barbarian better as a Striker.

I don't see them sitting there taking hits and watching out for the little guys. They don't make enemies stay next to them, or follow them around the battlefield.

With their fast movement, they LEAP into the CENTER of the battle, SLASHING WILDLY. Barbarians in rage are things you want to STAY AWAY FROM, not things you want to be near (like most defenders). If they're based on Rage (which drops their AC, too!), they'll be strikers. Instead of moving like a rogue, sneaking into the back row and delivering the perfectly exact strike, they will rush up to the front line, throw them all aside, leap over the second line, kick the elephant the wizard-king is sitting on in the face, and put an axe through that villain so hard it makes his poor imprisoned mother feel it.

Barbarians are like Rogues: DOES NOT PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS.

At least, that's how I'd LOVE to see it.

All that DR and HP and CON bonus are to be able to do that, to stand in full arrow-shot, to be the target of everyone's attacks, and still be able to make it back behind the Fighter before collapsing and needing a healer's attention badly.

Druid will likely be split between a Controller-type spellcaster (entangles, elemental spells, plenty of terrain effects) and likely Defender-type shapeshifters (I turn into a bear, a rhinoceros, a swarm of rats, a T-rex...), with the latter probably getting some pretty sweet movement-based powers (turn into a bird and fly, turn into a mole and dig, turn into a dolphin and swim) to help them keep up with whatever critter they're defending the rest from.

Potentially, a third druid "variant" would be something like the shaman mentioned upthread, a primal leader who channels nature itself to help you. "I give you the Blessing of the Rat. Use this to sneak through their walls like the mice of the fields."

 

[I'm A Banana]

Nature
Psi
Ki

...y'know, if they're keeping a similar number of classes....

1. Druid (shapeshifter or controller)
2. Barbarian
3. Psion
5. Monk
6....something else Primal-based? Shaman? Or the other Druid?
7....something else Psi-based? Psychic Warrior?
8....something else Ki-based? Ninja?

If they're not too concerned about "hitting all the notes," like they're not worrying about in the PH1, there's no reason they have to fill all the roles with all the power sources. Though I think you could do an entire OA-style book with Ki-based characters, and an entire PsiHB-style book with Psionic characaters, but packaging them all together means that it has a much broader appeal.

....but then, where do we get the Sorcerer and the Bard? They're basically "arcane" power sources.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Primal Power Source! Perfect Name.

PH2: Primal, Psionic, and (Ki/Artifice) Heroes

 

[DamnedChoir]

Barbarian: Nature Striker

Druid: Nature Controller

Shaman: Nature Leader

These would all make me happy. (Plus, having Shaman as a Nature Leader, just like having Warlock would put D&D on the quick path to having a WOW Campaign Setting, to make more cashbucks.)

 

[Sadrik]

I think it is going to be a nature based and psionic power sources:
Here is my best guess as to the classes (I'll guess 8)
Nature
1 Defender Barbarian (who hopefully gets renamed Berserker to remove the cultural connotation)
2 Leader Druid (With a smattering of striker and controller)
3 Controller Sorcerer (kills the shugenja and takes their stuff)
4 Striker (I actually like a shape changer here)
Psi
1 Defender Psychic Warrior (renamed Warmind to go with warlord and warlock)
2 Leader Telekinetic (Psion w/ force manipulation powers)
3 Controller Telepath (Psion w/ mind control powers)
4 Striker Monk (psion/monk w/ body control powers)

All of the psi guys should be able to dip into all three power trees (force, mind, body) though.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

One thought that comes to mind is allowing the Shaman to be a spirit medium. Literally allowing himself (or his allies) be possessed by spirits, and thus gaining some powers of the spirit inhabiting their body. Injecting an earth elemental's essence into an ally, giving him damage reduction, or the spirit of the snake into his striker friend so that his attacks are poisonous.

This is a really cool idea!

 

[Nahat Anoj]

I like the Barbarian better as a Striker.

Agreement all around.