Primal Defender - any guesses?

[GnomeWorks]

I'd rather see Druids as the "Earth, Wind, and Water (and plant and animal)" mages in a way similar to how the wizard is a "Fire, Lightning, and Frost (and sonic and acid)" mage.

I see what you did there.

Wasn't it mentioned, at some point, that WotC was trying to divide the 3.5 druid into two 4e classes, making wildshape the focus of one class and nature-y spellcasting the focus of another? Or am I just imagining things?

 

[Kunimatyu]

Defender with a splash of controller would work well, I think.

 

[Rechan]

Wasn't it mentioned, at some point, that WotC was trying to divide the 3.5 druid into two 4e classes, making wildshape the focus of one class and nature-y spellcasting the focus of another? Or am I just imagining things?

I think you're imagining things. They were trying to split the class into two roles (called a HYBRID CLASS).

 

[Hawke]

What if they made the druid wholly controller (vines, storms, etc) and had some sort of shapeshifter class to fill that role for close up melee? Like Skinwalker or something... that could get up close and personal. It's secondary could be more another class depending on the forms you choose.

 

[Wonka]

I like the idea of a druid as a manipulator of terrain. Calls in rainstorms and makes vines tangle you and uses trees to move in front of you and generally weaves the battlefield around you. This sounds like great Controller territory.

Off topic, but if you happen to pick up Ari's Advanced Player's Guide, check out the "nature priest", its a controller druid who pretty much does just that His barbarian is a defender too! Good book, for what it's worth.

 

[Cadfan]

I doubt there will be one.

Maybe eventually they'll pull incarnum totemists out of the storage shed behind WOTCs headquarters, dust them off, and publish them as defenders. But of the most likely releases in the near term, I don't think there will be one. It was the barbarian or no one.

 

[hafrogman]

I'd rather see Druids as the "Earth, Wind, and Water (and plant and animal)" mages in a way similar to how the wizard is a "Fire, Lightning, and Frost (and sonic and acid)" mage.

See, this post was brilliant because it brought to mind the ultimate primal defender.

A cross between Druid and Wizard that gives us the "Earth, Wind, Fire, Water (and Heart)" mages. Planeteer = Primal Defender.

 

[Howndawg]

I would like to see a character in the mould of the 1e ranger, the staunch tough wilderness warrior. Str, con, and wis should be his key abilities. Perhaps he can use heavier armors. As for the name, I think warden fits.

 

[Ethalias]

I can imagine there not being one. It's pretty unlikely we'll see a martial controller either, but a primal defender does appear to have more design space to it than the former.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Maybe eventually they'll pull incarnum totemists out of the storage shed behind WOTCs headquarters, dust them off, and publish them as defenders. But of the most likely releases in the near term, I don't think there will be one. It was the barbarian or no one.

But then, they could get the totemist, graft the druid's shapeshifting focus on it (making the druid more control- and nature-magic focused) and... you get a pretty good defender, I think.

I mean, you could have an angry, mauling bear defending you!

Cheers, LT.