Preview: The Shaman

[Majoru Oakheart]

I really like the Shaman. It's pretty cool. I'm not sure I'll actually make one. They aren't QUITE interesting enough for me. I'm already going to be a Bard anyway.

Even if it didn't grant your spirit the ability to flank, it would still be worthwhile just to have a good finisher for bloodied enemies.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it doesn't help anyone flank. It is never called out as an ally. It never even says it's a creature. It's pretty much the same as a flaming sphere. It takes up a square, but doesn't help anyone flank.

The spirit's defenses are a mystery, it would seem. Are there default rules for the defenses of a conjuration? Most (all other?) conjurations can't be attacked, so if there are, I've never memorized them.

This is the puzzling one. I certainly hope this is specified somewhere else in the book. There aren't any default rules for attacking conjurations that I am aware of. Maybe someone who played a Shaman at DDXP can show up and tell us what rules for defenses you were playing with. My best guess is that the DMs weren't told so no monsters ever attacked the Spirit Companion.

Maybe they don't have defenses and just get automatically hit with all attacks, but they ignore most?

 

[Cadfan]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it doesn't help anyone flank. It is never called out as an ally. It never even says it's a creature. It's pretty much the same as a flaming sphere. It takes up a square, but doesn't help anyone flank.

I was talking about the at will that grants the spirit the ability to flank. I'm pretty sure it can't flank normally, because if it could, it wouldn't need an at will to let it.

Maybe they don't have defenses and just get automatically hit with all attacks, but they ignore most?

Then it should say that.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Well, if it had the Summoning key word anywhere on it we would know that it has the same defenses as the shaman at the time of casting minus any temporary bonuses.

But it doesn't. So we could make some assumptions, but otherise it's a bit of a mystery.

Dispel Magic could target it as a conjuration, but that's not germane to what the Call Spirit Companion power indicates.

 

[WalterKovacs]

I really like the attacks made "through the spirit". They are effectively unlimited range (albeit with the restriction of getting the spirit there, but you have a long range on it's intitial conjuration), but more importantly, it's a melee attack so comes in handy when you'd be provoking if you were to make a ranged attack.

Another point ... not all powers help adjacent allies, some hurt adjacent enemies. Those powers would sync up perfectly with the spirit flanking. Not to mention, the enemy moving away from the spirit companion would get attacked by the opportunity action at-wills.

 

[Jack99]

The WotC shaman so reminds me of the EQ shaman. I like it. This is definitely a healer I would play.

 

[Baumi]

Thats quite an interesting and unique Leader.

I wonder how the split healing will effect play, especially the short rests, where one can spend a healing surge and help through the xd6 another one who is low on surges.

 

[the Jester]

I can't, not really. I'd rather have the damage and something entirely different. But my opinion's been aired.

The cleric in my campaign loves to trigger opportunity attacks from creatures marked by the party defenders. Instant radiant damage or a free attack from the fighter? Hell Yeahz!!

 

[Blizzardb]

I like the shaman, especially the fact that he does most of his "schtick" through his spirit companion - this will give him a very different flavor and feeling than the other defenders.

For me, the bard and the invoker are the two disappointing classes from all previews. All the others I like MORE that the ones in PHB. I've seen a bit of the avenger and at first glance he looks very cool too.

edit: I wonder what should be the DM behaviour towards the Spirit Companion. Should the enemies attack it or ignore it? Should he act like they know how much is his damage threshold (probably no)? Should he make tham make a single attack against it and give it up if they don't deal enough damage?

 

[BarkingDeathSquirrel]

Hrm, poor Protector Spirit Shamans, they certainly are going to have crap AC unless they burn some feats.

 

[thundershot]

The only companions you can have are a bear and panther? Something doesn't seem right... Hopefully it's like Ranger and you can have several variations. One of my players wants a fox spirit companion...