Primal Power new builds spoiled on RPG.net

[Squizzle]

Here's the thread in question:

[4E] Primal Power Previews - RPGnet Forums

The relevant post is #8. The relevant text is as follows:

Chris Youngs, editor of DDI, was at my FLGS for Games Day this saturday with a copy of primal power (Fanboy 3 for the win). Each class gets two new builds. Didn't get much time to look at it, but it did include:

Swarm Druid (Gain Resist con vs melee and ranged when in beast shape)
Summoner Druid
Eagle Spirit Shaman
Another Spirit that stops movement with its OAs
Warden build that moves enemies around when you Second Wind
and I can't remember the details of the last Warden Build.

 

[Rechan]

And we all ready know the two builds of the barb.

Sweet. Swarm shaman sounds sexy.

I wonder what the Eagle Shaman will focus on.

 

[Squizzle]

I'm expecting (read: hoping) that the eagle shaman will be the "taclord/bard" shaman, i.e. a mobility-oriented build that can rearrange the battle lines in preposterous ways.

 

[RefinedBean]

Well, crap. My druid that turns into a swarm uses the current Dex build.

Thank goodness that a house-rule is pretty easy to implement, GM approval pending.

 

[Hawke]

Neat... swarm druid might be tempting! I have a winter-themed controllery-druid... I wonder if the crunch might play well combined with some new powers to have his "beast form" be an actual mini-blizzard.

I also like that summoned druid creatures have a default attack if you don't do anything else. Seems reasonable, though I'm curious how they balance the economy of actions. My guess is the default is something uncomplex... so the boar charges and does a small amount of auto damage but maybe not destroys minions this way? Who knows!

 

[Shroomy]

Neat... swarm druid might be tempting! I have a winter-themed controllery-druid... I wonder if the crunch might play well combined with some new powers to have his "beast form" be an actual mini-blizzard.

I also like that summoned druid creatures have a default attack if you don't do anything else. Seems reasonable, though I'm curious how they balance the economy of actions. My guess is the default is something uncomplex... so the boar charges and does a small amount of auto damage but maybe not destroys minions this way? Who knows!

They had a Primal Power playtest article in Dragon 372 (its not in the compiled issue btw); most of the summoned monsters will move and attack an enemy under certain specific conditions, otherwise it does nothing. While these powers didn't have the most impressive damage and mainly required standard actions, I personally thought that the monsters should attack the nearest creature instead of enemy if you don't control them (more wild that way IMO, and some of the creatures already do that).

 

[Bold or Stupid]

Any ideas on the Barbarian builds?

 

[Hawke]

Shroomy: That is a good idea... sort of give it a double edged sword. Yes, they can rock, but also summoning too many can prove problematic for your party. Wish they'd used it.

 

[Rechan]

Any ideas on the Barbarian builds?

ONe is called the ThunderLord or thundersomething.

Another is a dual-wielding Barb called the Whirling Barb.

 

[Shroomy]

Shroomy: That is a good idea... sort of give it a double edged sword. Yes, they can rock, but also summoning too many can prove problematic for your party. Wish they'd used it.

Hopefully they did make the change; it was already present in some of their powers and I remember not being the only one who had the idea. I think having a summoned monster act on its own to attack enemies (yeah, maybe not the one you want and maybe it will be totally out of position for later in the battle) breaks the economy of actions. At least make it risky or interesting!