Swordmage-> annoying...

[Irda Ranger]

A bigger issue would be that, if it only appears in FR, then it isn't Core, and if it isn't Core, it won't get the same level as support as the Core classes.

I think that's a good thing, not a bad thing. The "biggest problem" with Core classes is often not their initial design but rather years of rules accumulation.

 

[hong]

Swordmage probably isn't so critical that it needs to be core, if you're talking about making appearances in modules and stuff. Besides, WotC have been happy to provide ongoing support for non-core classes in the past; you had extra crunch for warlocks, scouts, et al show up in splats after their initial appearance.

 

[Stogoe]

I, too, am saddened by the Swordmage being held for ransom by the nefarious Forgotten Realms.

 

[MaelStorm]

while this may not directly apply to the sword mage, I have been picking up vibes that tell me wizards is purposefully spreading out their core and fundamental d&d continent. By that i mean they are putting what used to be core into many different splat books in an effort to encourage people to buy more books or go with digital initiative. Like the druid, and the bard, and the monk and the frost giant... etc. I hope I am wrong though. I really do.

THIS. I agree so much with you. And it's not a tactic I approve of.
EDIT:I think you're dead-on.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I can't say on monsters but I disagree on classes.

I believe it is better to have fewer classes but everything needed to use them and use them correctly in one-book. Which is what they are doing, everything you need to play the PHB I classes are in the PHB.

The PHB II will have everything you need to play those classes.

Essentially when it comes to classes, I prefer quality over quantity.

 

[Mortellan]

Call me oblivious or confused but my first reaction to this being a 'new class' was: Sword/mage=Spell/sword. I'm sure theres a difference but it hardly seems unique to me on the surface.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Call me oblivious or confused but my first reaction to this being a 'new class' was: Sword/mage=Spell/sword. I'm sure theres a difference but it hardly seems unique to me on the surface.

Unique, I suppose not. It's more a thing "we always wanted a class to do it, but none of what we did was a good enough". Obviously, this is somewhat subjective. (There is another class with this problem in D&D - Swashbuckler and Swashbuckler variants)

Does this help, Oblivious the Confused?

 

[VBMEW-01]

I was always fairly happy with the warmage, hope they bring them back.

 

[hong]

while this may not directly apply to the sword mage, I have been picking up vibes that tell me wizards is purposefully spreading out their core and fundamental d&d continent. By that i mean they are putting what used to be core into many different splat books in an effort to encourage people to buy more books or go with digital initiative. Like the druid, and the bard, and the monk and the frost giant... etc. I hope I am wrong though. I really do.

I think they ended up in this situation as a byproduct of how the game is designed. In 4E, consider that every class is going to have its own unique list of special powers: like a spell list for every class, loosely speaking. The spells chapter in the 3.5 PHB takes up half the book, and that's for only 2 classes (plus hangers-on). There only so many spells you can fit in, so you end up having to spread the classes out among many books.

 

[Revinor]

The spells chapter in the 3.5 PHB takes up half the book, and that's for only 2 classes (plus hangers-on). There only so many spells you can fit in, so you end up having to spread the classes out among many books.

On the other hand, I expect 4e powers to take bit less space than average 3e spell, plus you will probably get a LOT less of them compared to 3e wizard/cleric. My rough estimate would be 80 powers per class, 6-8 powers per page - so we are talking about around 10-15 pages per class, including class description itself.

We will be getting new PHB with new classes each year. There should be plenty enough space there to put as many classes as you want (you won't have to repeat basic rules etc). Putting classes in campaign books has nothing to do with lack of space. I would expect more that they have noticed that Living Grayhawk Gazeteer was selling worse than mixed-content (campaign+rules) modules, so they have to spice up the world data with rules. Plus there is always a chance somebody will buy a book for rules alone.