New base classes for D&D coming--what could they be?

[Zaruthustran]

Everyone's talking about the size of the figures for the new D&D Miniatures game, but this tidbit seems to have been overlooked (emphasis mine):

Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Handbook
The Miniatures Handbook is the newest accessory for players who want to add depth and dimension to their roleplaying game or their miniatures experience. As with other D&D accessories, this title contains new feats, spells, magic items, and prestige classes, and is one of the few titles that adds new base classes to the D&D realm.
In addition to these features, this handbook gives expanded rules for three-dimensional, head-to-head miniatures play for both skirmish and mass battle conflicts and is instantly usable with the new D&D miniatures product line. There are new monsters presented with both full D&D and head-to-head statistics, and the battle book provides competitive scenarios for engaging miniatures combat.
This title is to include many illustrations of concept art for many of the upcoming miniatures and is to be released in September and retail for $29.95.

I mean, wow. New base classes. I wonder what they'll be?

WILD SPECULATION:

.
...
.

Actually, I got nothing. D&D already has too many base classes (Paladin, Wizard should be prestige classes).

Still, pretty significant news.

-z

 

[Oni]

Hurm....this is seems like kind of an oddball book to me. Why new PrC's and coreclasses for a book on miniture combat. I guess that means they will be focused on miniture combat, which seems kind of odd for a PrC. Or maybe it's to beef up the book so it will sell more and they don't really have much to do with the new mini rules.

Anywho.

Zaruthustran,

Totally unrelated, how and why would you make the wizard a PrC. Paladin I can understand, but the wizard is pretty basic to dnd.

Oh, BTW I did a pic of Jonah, it's posted over in my art thread.

 

[Crothian]

Maybe it's new base classes that have abilities that are specific to minatures? So, we'd have an alt fighter, alt rogue, etc redefined to use minis easier.

 

[heirodule]

Speculation on new core classes:

a warleader with specific abilities written for miniatures?

1 BAB +0 Command radius 6"
2 BAB +1 Command radius 8"
3 BAB +2 Command Radius 10", +1 action point
...

etc.

Anyone want to keep the design going? Then we can open source it before WOTC publishes

 

[Zaruthustran]

The crazy thing is, they're talking about new base classes, not just new prestige classes. Yowza.

I couldn't think of any base classes that would come from a D&D Miniatures handbook. Soldier? Covered by "Warrior". Battle Mage? More suited to a base class. Combat Medic? Well, that's the current Cleric class. Sniper? That'd be a Fighter, or Ranger. Berserker? That's a barbarian. Scout? Ranger again.

I'm really at a loss.

Unrelated note: Wizard should be a prestige class because in all the fantasy literature I've read, before you become a book-loving Wizard first you've got to have "the Gift". Or "The Spark". Or "The Shine". Or whatever term is used to describe natural magic talent. Therefore, before you can learn to codify magic (ie, practice book-learnin' Wizardy) you've got to first have innate magical ability (ie, sorcery). That's why I think Wizard should be a prestige class.

I admit that this would require changes to the magic system, like putting random variable on spells cast by Sorcerors while Wizard spells always behave exactly the same. So, maybe I should take back my "wizard as PrC" claim, or amend it with "wizard as PrC in D&D 4th ed".

-z

PS: Thanks for the pic! I'll check it out now.

 

[drnuncheon]

Based on ideas from other d20 games that would fit with armies & battles and such:

A noble, or other 'leader' type (since I think it's been in both WoT and SWd20, plus Fading Suns, Mongoose, some AEG stuff).

A non-magic-using woodsman/scout (almost doable with a Ftr/Rog multiclass, but still lacks things like Wilderness Lore/Survival).

J

 

[Enceladus]

The Cook

Not just any cook, but an Iron Chef type cook. That would be cool.

 

[Balsamic Dragon]

My guesses?

A general/warleader class, an artillerist class and some sort of seige engineer class. Stuff that's good for mass combat, but doesn't translate well to the dungeon.

Balsamic Dragon

 

[Praeco]

A general/warleader class, an artillerist class and some sort of seige engineer class. Stuff that's good for mass combat, but doesn't translate well to the dungeon.

I don't know... It still seems these would be better served by introducing skills (for example 'siege engineer' - provides the ability to maintain and operate seige weapons, or 'tactics' skills that provide group bonuses for warleaders). They seem a tad too specialized to be full blown PC classes.

 

[trancejeremy]

There are a ton of possibilities. Look at all the core classes in d20 products.


Noble
Archer
Ninja
Samurai
Scout
Gunslinger
Assassin
Witch
Knight
Priest
Alchemist

And tons more obscure ones

(Personally, I love core classes.)