I got to thinking today about how Roles will effect multiclassing in 4E and it occured to me that they put an entirely different spin on the idea. Indeed, examining the limited info we have on classes, it occured to me that the base classes already 'multiclass' into a secondary Role. It's also been noted by the designers and playtesters that players seem to improvising their characters into secondary roles as combat naturally evolves.
I'm interested in this since the pre-beta Druid has been described as a Hybrid. If this is so, and the main classes are already slightly cross-pollinated, what does this mean for future 'Hybrid' classes? And, most important of all, how can we stop Hybrids from becoming 4E's Bard?
Looking at the DDXP characters, I came up with the following theory (note: the syntax I'm using is 'class: major role/minor role (brief explaination)').
Fighter: Defender/Striker (definitely sticky and all that, hard to hit with high AC but also with high damage output. Get some speed on you and you'd make a decent striker)
Rogue: Striker/Defender (Definitely built for damage output but with a better AC and a melee focus.)
Wizard: Controller/Striker (The ultimate battlefield shaper but those damaging spells work on one opponant just as well as a group, just not as good damage as Striker major.)
Cleric: Leader/Defender and Controller? (tough one. heal and buff the party while wearing heavy armour and deal radient damage to large groups?)
Warlord: Leader/Defender (buff the party, wear heavy armour and slow the opposition with stunning attacks from what we've seen so far)
Ranger: Striker/Controller (high ranged damage, with the possibility of hitting multiple targets)
Paladin: Defender/Leader (Sitcky, but with the ability to buff other PCs)
Warlock: Striker/Controller (high ranged damage, minor abilities that manipulate the enemy.
It seems likely to me that Swordmage will fill the Defender/Controller gap.
Thoughts?
I'm interested in this since the pre-beta Druid has been described as a Hybrid. If this is so, and the main classes are already slightly cross-pollinated, what does this mean for future 'Hybrid' classes? And, most important of all, how can we stop Hybrids from becoming 4E's Bard?
Looking at the DDXP characters, I came up with the following theory (note: the syntax I'm using is 'class: major role/minor role (brief explaination)').
Fighter: Defender/Striker (definitely sticky and all that, hard to hit with high AC but also with high damage output. Get some speed on you and you'd make a decent striker)
Rogue: Striker/Defender (Definitely built for damage output but with a better AC and a melee focus.)
Wizard: Controller/Striker (The ultimate battlefield shaper but those damaging spells work on one opponant just as well as a group, just not as good damage as Striker major.)
Cleric: Leader/Defender and Controller? (tough one. heal and buff the party while wearing heavy armour and deal radient damage to large groups?)
Warlord: Leader/Defender (buff the party, wear heavy armour and slow the opposition with stunning attacks from what we've seen so far)
Ranger: Striker/Controller (high ranged damage, with the possibility of hitting multiple targets)
Paladin: Defender/Leader (Sitcky, but with the ability to buff other PCs)
Warlock: Striker/Controller (high ranged damage, minor abilities that manipulate the enemy.
It seems likely to me that Swordmage will fill the Defender/Controller gap.
Thoughts?
