PHB3 Debut: Ardent Speculation

[Moon_Goddess]

Or devolves, depending on how one sees it.

No such thing as devolution, evolution is change over time, it carries no value judgement. It's neither good or bad, it's just change.

 

[RefinedBean]

No such thing as devolution, evolution is change over time, it carries no value judgement. It's neither good or bad, it's just change.

Yes, but devolve is a word. "To go downhill," only slightly less pejorative in connotation.

Evolution has the connotation that things got better (you know this, you're Darwin) over time...in essence, that the change was needed, for whatever reason. Doctorhook reasonably changed it to "change over time," which works much better when applied to linguistics.

God, do I love being a pedant!

Seriously, though. Why make an adjective into a noun when there are better, more creative alternatives? That's all I'm saying.

EDIT: Couldn't find a way to work in a Devo reference. Sad.

 

[fuzzlewump]

It's a flawed question, I don't think they saw a ton of great alternatives and said "let's pick this crappy one," obviously whoever thought 'ardent' was reasonably good back when they first used it.

As for me, it sounded fine until I read this thread and now it's starting to sound funny!

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Actually, it's clear to me that in 4th Edition D&D, characters understand that a certain mix of abilities makes for a good party. I wouldn't find it too out of line for in-character dialogue to include discussion of who's going to be the new striker now that the dwarf got killed, or whether they should add a second defender. There must be some sort of slang among adventurers to cover these concepts.

for years we have been (in character) saying we need another wall/brickwall, or another blaster, or another warrior, or another sneak, or less healers, or diffrent archers....

 

[dontmazemebro]

I will second (or is that thirty-second?) the sentiment that the name "Ardent" is just plain awful. It just lacks an aesthetic quality that a name such as "Mystic" would carry (plus, "Mystic" has the added advantage of being a noun). As silly as it sounds, I don't think I could ever play a class named "Ardent", the name is literally that grating to me.

On a related note, I'm very distressed at the direction of the PHB3. I just don't see the point of adding more divine and primal classes, especially when the results are as contrived as "the Seeker". PH3 should have been 4 psionic / 4 shadow.

 

[Dausuul]

On a related note, I'm very distressed at the direction of the PHB3. I just don't see the point of adding more divine and primal classes, especially when the results are as contrived as "the Seeker". PH3 should have been 4 psionic / 4 shadow.

I wouldn't go so far as to say "very distressed," but I share your sentiments in essence if not intensity. I can't believe they think there's more of a market for the Seeker than for the Assassin. I mean, Assassin is one of the old-school classes for a reason, and the 4E implementation is really quite good.

Unless they decided to try to leverage the Assassin's popularity as a way to drive DDI sales...?

Or perhaps they're just out of power source ideas and want to make the ones they've got last as long as possible, so they're saving Shadow for PHB4.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Unless they decided to try to leverage the Assassin's popularity as a way to drive DDI sales...?

Or perhaps they're just out of power source ideas and want to make the ones they've got last as long as possible, so they're saving Shadow for PHB4.

IIRC, "Shadow" will basically be a "DDI only" power source. So it seems to be a way to drive DDI sales by providing exclusive content.

 

[Jhaelen]

IIRC, "Shadow" will basically be a "DDI only" power source. So it seems to be a way to drive DDI sales by providing exclusive content.

Uh? Really? I must have missed that - or were only DDI subscribers informed about this?!

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Uh? Really? I must have missed that - or were only DDI subscribers informed about this?!

Keep the "IIRC" in mind,but I think something to that effect was mentioned and also talked about online.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Wow, a whole power source strictly in DDI.

The rift between DDI and non-DDI gets bigger and bigger every day. I wonder if it already has, or will start to hurt groups trying to play with both subscribers and non-subscribers in it.

My groups are all on the non-DDI side and will stay there.