So there will be 1 troll on this thread, I can already tell

[Kelvor Ravenstar]

In what edition was the DM explicitly granted the "power" to create classes?

That would be 2e, when a set of guidelines for creating custom classes was in the first printing of the DMG IIRC. I don't think they were very successful though, I can recall some experiments my friends and I tried back in high school; giving Paladins the Cleric's spell progression and so on. The balancing factor was mostly the XP table that was created by the process for your custom character.
In some ways I think it was a precursor to Skills and Powers, but put the control of custom classes in the DM's hands, rather than the players.

Of course, custom classes have been around forever, they were a major source of articles back in the days of The Dragon before AD&D and the magazine became just Dragon. 3rd edition was no different either, the DMG suggested making classes with custom spell lists, like the Witch example it printed, and the customization was codified in Unearthed Arcana at the beginning of 3.5.

While these were sometimes presented as player options, explicitly they were the purview of the DM, who decided which options would be available for the campaign, and may have created custom classes, in my experience.

 

[Kerranin]

A paladin in the group could be a secondary healer if he stays with lay on hands. And ofc there are a few other paladin powers which grant healing.

 

[Summer-Knight925]

I just need to clarify one thing

with powers when it says 1[w] or 3[w]
does that mean that number of attacks or that number of damage?

 

[lkj]

I just need to clarify one thing

with powers when it says 1[w] or 3[w]
does that mean that number of attacks or that number of damage?

It's the amount of damage. So if a weapon does 1d8, then 1[W] does 1d8 and 3[W] does 3d8.

AD

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

we found someone willing to play a wizard, and knowing him he'll want damage

Well, wizards don't really do that much damage in 4e, at least not to individual targets - their powers tend to generate fairly low damage but have fairly large areas so can catch several targets.

If he wants a higher damage spellcaster that still has abilities that can affect more than one target at once, the sorceror is a better match.

Though, if you are going PH only (sorceror is PH2), then your only arcane spellcasters are the wizard and the warlock, and the warlock has very few multi-target spells (and, with PH only, has other issues - particularly the star version).

 

[Summer-Knight925]

I guess it call kinda worked out in the end

the player that pushed hard for 4e decided to become, for lack of a better word and hopefully no one gets upset with this word, a dick

he had been a problem player before and now it seems like cutting him out would not only be best for the adventuring party, but also for the players

change up a few classes with them, let them have more choice and restart

its not a bad restart either, the last batch was only 4th level

also with this I can bring in some new people to play that are, if the term 'chill' makes sense, more chill

so my slight escape into 4e did do something, i have been working on some homebrew rules and 4e helped me see what works and what doesnt work with games like D&D