Primal Power Excerpt - Stonefire Rager

[Reigan]

Remind me again why only spellcasters should get all the cool stuff?

 

[JoeGKushner]

My problem too.

I wish that as the game grows, there are core classes with different power sources and ideas.

Kind of how we have the article on assassins and then the 'real' assassins using the shadow power source.

An official martial barbarian would be great.

I don't know if it is all about new and flashy.

I don't particularly like this paragon path for barbarians either, but I wouldn't mind playing something similar for a gensai swordmage.

I also don't mind the direction of barbarians as "animist noble savages" with "totem powers" but I guess I don't particularly like overt magical effects like this with the primal power source, though the druid would get the most leeway.
.

 

[Phaezen]

My problem too.

I wish that as the game grows, there are core classes with different power sources and ideas.

Kind of how we have the article on assassins and then the 'real' assassins using the shadow power source.

An official martial barbarian would be great.

Problem is if you ask 20 people what would define a barbarian class, you will get 20 different answers.

As for a martial character who comes from a barbarian tribe, you have some choices.

Your barbarian could be a fighter (2 handed weapon or battlerager), a ranger or a Warlord with a small amount of re-fluffing of the class concerned. I find by disconnecting the name of the class with a character concept you open up many more character concepts in 4th edition.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Problem is if you ask 20 people what would define a barbarian class, you will get 20 different answers.

As for a martial character who comes from a barbarian tribe, you have some choices.

Your barbarian could be a fighter (2 handed weapon or battlerager), a ranger or a Warlord with a small amount of re-fluffing of the class concerned. I find by disconnecting the name of the class with a character concept you open up many more character concepts in 4th edition.

When I start renaming classes and ignoring fluff to make my own, then it's time to bust out Hero again, which does this by default.

 

[Garthanos]

When I start renaming classes and ignoring fluff to make my own, then it's time to bust out Hero again, which does this by default.

I think that boat sailed... in PHB1 they virtually tell you to do it....

"A power’s flavor text helps you understand what happens when you use a power and how you might describe it when you use it. You can alter this description as you like, to fit your own idea of what your power looks like. "

This could have easily said and I would argue implies heavily.

"A classes flavor text helps you understand your character abilities in a general fashion and how you might describe it within the game world. You can alter this description as you like, to fit your own idea of your characters general nature. "

The difference might be said HERO doesnt give you any starting point ... and D&D does and that is massive for some people and not a big deal for others. The point is really narrow eat this fluff is not the intended consumption method of D&D if it were those video games become a whole lot more competitive at least for me.

 

[JoeGKushner]

And in the PHB 3.0 they tell you to customize the classes too.

Not something I'm interested in doing. If I'm going that route, I'd rather go that route if that makes sense.

 

[Garthanos]

And in the PHB 3.0 they tell you to customize the classes too.

Not something I'm interested in doing. If I'm going that route, I'd rather go that route if that makes sense.

Welll HERO is way too much work heavy for my blood ;-)

I just built a Mongol Hoardesman for an alternate earth D&D campaign and no his class isnt Barbarian (or even Battlerager) but I'll be damned if he doesnt feel very much a barbarian

I gave him a background (Explorer/Guide) that boosted his nature connection ( then mc'd ranger on a tempest build fighter and a bunch of the right feats including one of the tribals and gave him mounted combat ... and its not about a bunch of extra work or reskinning.. just realizing the "names" are probably the least absolute feature of classes.

 

[avin]

Exactly. 4E Barbarians are not a martial class. How do you expect someone channelling a volcano spirit to look like?

Red eyes, aura of heat, his metal weapon dealing fire damage... not silly turning into magma. This pushes too much into videogame / cartoon for my taste.

 

[Garthanos]

Remind me again why only spellcasters should get all the cool stuff?

1. Impoverished modern imaginations ancient celts had less tech to deprive them of imaginative urges.
2. Arcane symbolizes science so it can do anything.
3. Wizards can do anything you can do better... who needs the other roles oh yeah that was 3e.
4. A wizard did it is more fun to some people than .... channelling volcano spirits (ok I dont get that channeling volcano spirits is very cool).
5. Its the art that somebody is allowing themselves to be over influcenced by.... nobody even mentioned cool stuff.
6. my impoverished imagination cant come up with 10 reasons.... perhaps you can help.

 

[Garthanos]

Red eyes, aura of heat, his metal weapon dealing fire damage... not silly turning into magma. This pushes too much into videogame / cartoon for my taste.

See that reads like a human warrior channelling a Dragon or Fire Spirit ..
(but change the words stone with metal hard scales in the description of the Paragon Path and its considerably different or is it.). At this point he could be hunting up a Adult Pact Dragon to ride because his Warwing Drake doesnt breath fire...

Sure tastes are fine and I influence players all the time urge them to bring there visualisations more in line with my game world... A goliath or dwarf chanelling a volcano spirit I would want more of the rock feel to because well the dwarves of may game world are constructs like warforged (and most are built that way) and they already have a more rock like nature.