New "which 8 classes are in PHB" speculation thread

[Felon]

We've heard that the ranger is "killing the scout and taking his stuff". We've also been told that paladins will have a lot more exciting abilities at their disposal. So I think they're keepers. Barbarians will remain just because they are too darn simple and appealing to drop. Sorcerers will remain because they don't want "a third of the book [spells] devoted to one class", but will likely be toughened up a bit.

Man, I think we got a major indication that the bard is hitting the cutting room floor back in last month's podcast.

The druid could easily be wrapped into a cleric tree. I suspect in general, pet-oriented classes will not be the standard. They've learned from their mistakes in that area.

The monk will hopefully be supplanted by the fighter as the unarmed combatant specialist. This has always been a tough class to pull off, because on the one hand monks are so darn well-rounded (being both warrior and expert, both mental and physical paragons), and the other they just don't have a good angle for offense. Personally, I never cared for the monk as a character class that actually got weaker if you put a pair of nunchaku in his hands.

 

[F4NBOY]

fighter rogue cleric wizard druid barbarian paladin ranger

I think i missed the source for the Warlord guy, can someone point it out please?

 

[Glyfair]

I think i missed the source for the Warlord guy, can someone point it out please?

Also mentioned by James Wyatt here.

 

[Glyfair]

Or online. IIRC, there's a quote floating around that the stuff released through D&DI will be official, in the sense of having equal weight with published supplements. So if the Barbarian or Warlord or whatever doesn't make the elite eight in the PHB, it could still be released two days later in an online article.

Also, two of the early 4E books "leaked" were an arcane magic book and a melee oriented book. Either could contain classes (and maybe collect them in next year's PHB II).

 

[Aloïsius]

Also, two of the early 4E books "leaked" were an arcane magic book and a melee oriented book. Either could contain classes (and maybe collect them in next year's PHB II).

So, you buy a PHB with 3 class less that what you had in 3.5, buy an DI fee so that you can play them quickly, buy a splatbook with a revised version a few months later, and then buy the PHB2 with another errated version one year later ?
Genius !

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Agreed. WotC have a tough choice: put some quality material in the DI, and be accused of "forcing people to sign up", or don't put quality material in the DI, and be accused of short-changing their customers.

However, I still think I would prefer larger and more expensive core rulebooks. Make them really big and full of stuff, and you minimise the amount of stuff I have to lug around to my weekly game. (I know that sounds backwards - but most supplements only have about 5% used at any time, which means carrying a lot of 'dead' weight. Bigger core rulebooks means, in theory, fewer supplements, which means, in theory, less weight in total.)

But hey, I know that's not actually going to happen. Maybe one day, instead of a 4.5, we might get an "Expanded PHB"? That would be nice, I think.

I think Wizards preferred solution is for you to sign up to the DI, bring your core 3 with you, and use the DI to access / print off a few sheets with the info you need.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[F4NBOY]

thanks glyfar

 

[Snapdragyn]

We've heard that the ranger is "killing the scout and taking his stuff". We've also been told that paladins will have a lot more exciting abilities at their disposal. So I think they're keepers. Barbarians will remain just because they are too darn simple and appealing to drop. Sorcerers will remain because they don't want "a third of the book [spells] devoted to one class", but will likely be toughened up a bit.

We've been told all of that, but we've also been told that not every class mentioned so far will actually be in the first PHB. The only ones definitely stated for the first PHB are fighter, cleric, wizard, & rogue.

For speculation, I'm continuing with my hypothesis (first put forth in the Warlord thread) that Warlord is the renamed Barbarian, & will function as a Leader through warcries (or similar mechanic) which incite allies to berzerk, buff them against fear, & other sorts of things like that.

 

[delericho]

I think Wizards preferred solution is for you to sign up to the DI, bring your core 3 with you, and use the DI to access / print off a few sheets with the info you need.

Which would be ideal, if the host of my weekly game had a wireless network. Without it, I don't have internet access in the game room. Which leaves me printing out bits and pieces, which is likely to get disorganised fast. Still, can't have everything.

I should probably note: I don't begrudge WotC doing the DI, and I may even sign up (though I'm leaning towards 'no'). It's just that I would be using it as a preparation aide, and perhaps an additional gaming venue, rather than something to use at my regular gaming table.

 

[DItheringFool]

My guess?
Fighter | Monk
Rogue | Ranger
Wizard | Sorcerer
Cleric | Warlord

That would be a strong incentive to get people to sign up for D&DI early, but it would also create countless cries of "Why do I have to pay more money to get all the classes?! I didn't pay for an incomplete PHB!"

Wow, this would really screw the DDI is not required argument as WBaxter states above...