Non-Core Class Survivor: Round 10 - The Top Ten (predict the final 3)

[drothgery]

Why the hate on for classes that can't be LG?

When all the classes left are interesting and mechanically sound, then I've got to rate them on how likely it is that I'd want to play them. If a class can't be LG, which is my preferred alignment for PCs, or even NG (a reasonable fallback position if there are too many chaotic types in the party), then the odds that I'll want to play it aren't very good.

 

[demiurge1138]

Beguiler. Again. Go!

I predict that archivist, duskblade and psion will survive to the end. I'd rather warlock and binder be on that list, but...

Demiurge out.

 

[Nyeshet]

The Final Three Prediction: Scout, Warlock, and Duskblade.

I would prefer it to be the Archivist or Psychic Warrior instead of the Duskblade, but I can see the way the votes are falling - and have been for the last several rounds. Personally, I voted for Beguiler this time. I just don't really like the class all that much - particularly when compared to the others on the list. I'd even prefer the Binder to the Beguiler.

I honestly have not yet formed an opinion on the Duskblade. The Duskblade appears to be the heavy armor variant of the more common dextrous warrior-mage theme. I generally don't like classes that rely on heavy armor, but that is a personal preferrence, as I like playing characters that focus on Dex over Str (rarely using any armor with more than a -2 armor check penalty). Thus the reason I have never played a Barbarian, despite liking the class and thinking it one of the most balanced and well thought out classes in the game - right up there with the Rogue.

Out of curiosity, will this series of polls stop when we reach three classes, or will it end when only one remains? Also, will you continue to remove two each time, or is it now down to removal of one each time?

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Would just ike to state that at this moment if the Duskblade were removed from the list, the vote record would show a fairly "normal" distribution - that is ... a good standard Bell Curve.

And regarding the elf/Duskblade connection ... isn't that why God made Sharpies? You simply go through the book and strike every elf-reference to the class and you don't change the class at all. I did that. [I didn't literally take a sharpie to the book.] I allow Duskblades in my homebrew that have no connection to elves. Some are connected to dragons, celestials, evil outsiders, etc. Why only elves for pete's sake?

 

[Mercule]

Well, we're definitely at the point where there isn't much blatant suckage. I'm voting for the Scout, though.

My bets for the final three are Archivist, Binder, and Warlock. Not sure if they'd be my picks, but each seems to be well built, interesting, and have a few fans.

 

[airwalkrr]

I'm guessing archivist, scout, and beguiler.

 

[smootrk]

Final Three:
- Archivist - I like the class a lot, and it seems that it few that actively dislike.
- Scout - has a lot of folks that like it. I like it too, except the skirmish ability has issues
- Warlock - another with a lot of folks who like it. I don't share the love, but I think it will make final three.

Definite Losers:
- Psi classes have too many who won't use the class, and see no point in supporting it (myself included)
- Dread Necromancer & Beguiler. I like the general concept, but hate the implementation (essentially the spell list thing), much like the Warmage. Others feel the same, and I don't see them lasting it out.

 

[airwalkrr]

Why all the Duskblade love, guys?

Because it is a revival of the elf class from OD&D, which OD&D guys love.

 

[Fieari]

Final three? Let me try four. Duskblade, Archivist, Scout, Warlock is my guess. Can't quite narrow it down from there.

 

[FireLance]

Went for the dread necromancer again, since the specialist spontaneous spellcaster classes are more redundant than the others.

I think the archivist and the binder have lasted this long because they are more obscure, but as the contest wears on, I think the mechanics of voting will change. People will stop voting for the class they actively dislike and start voting for the classes that aren't what they actively like.

There is a strong anti-psionic streak and a strong anti-videogame lobby that will likely see the psion, psychic warrior and knight leave us, too.

The dread necromancer looks likely to go this round, so this leaves us with the beguiler, the duskblade, the scout and the warlock. Of these four, I think the warlock is least likely to make it. The two strongest contenders will probably be the beguiler and the duskblade because they seem to have done a good job of capturing the trickster and the fighter-mage archetypes and will likely have quite a few supporters, and the low-magic crowd will avoid voting for the scout.

My prediction for the final three: beguiler, duskblade, scout.