Swordmage Class

[Victim]

I don't understand how using magic to fight better isn't being a bladesinger/gish thing. Using magic to improve fighting is pretty much the only thing that made fighter/mage/PrC multiclasses decent in 3.x. Otherwise, you just have a bunch of redundant attack options and little synergy.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I don't understand how using magic to fight better isn't being a bladesinger/gish thing. Using magic to improve fighting is pretty much the only thing that made fighter/mage/PrC multiclasses decent in 3.x. Otherwise, you just have a bunch of redundant attack options and little synergy.

Most wizard spells aren't designed to facilitate combat, but rather to bypass it. They either blow up the enemy or disable the enemy. Only a few wizard spells are really useful in melee, and those are mostly buffs like Bull's Strength and Blur. However, some of the things Rich Baker mentions, like teleporting around the battlefield, would be an excellent addition to a martial character's repertoire, especially if it were mostly kept to swift actions.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't understand how using magic to fight better isn't being a bladesinger/gish thing. Using magic to improve fighting is pretty much the only thing that made fighter/mage/PrC multiclasses decent in 3.x. Otherwise, you just have a bunch of redundant attack options and little synergy.

Fighter/magic-users predate 3E.

Elves in BD&D don't buff up (since there really aren't buff spells in BD&D) to become better fighters, they blast and zap and also use swords.

They won't be modeled well by swordmages, though.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, Rich said that they wouldn't be putting the Swordmage in the PHB1. So either he's going in the PHB2, or something in between them?

There's supposed to be an arcane book in 2008. The swordmage (and the bard and the gnome, come to think of it) would be a natural fit there.

 

[Rechan]

There's supposed to be an arcane book in 2008. The swordmage (and the bard and the gnome, come to think of it) would be a natural fit there.

Where has this arcane book been mentioned?

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Where has this arcane book been mentioned?

The Israel translator leaked a bunch of info the day before 4e hit.

Three Supplements were a "Martial Arts" book, an "Arcane Spells" Book and a "magic item" book.

It wasn't exactly clear, but my intepretation is that these are The Complete Martial Handbook, The Complete Arcane Handbook, and The Complete Divine Handbook.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

There's also supposed to be a "dragon" book. Whether this is more Draconomicon or more Dragon Magic remains to be seen. Obviously, if it's the former, it has a hell of a tough act to follow. (Other than its pukey dragon mount monster.)

 

[Intrope]

Fighter/magic-users predate 3E.

Elves in BD&D don't buff up (since there really aren't buff spells in BD&D) to become better fighters, they blast and zap and also use swords.

They won't be modeled well by swordmages, though.

True, but something that was adequate at both toe-to-toe fighting and blasting woudl be a defender/controller mix. Which might be best handled via straight multiclassing--and it sounds like (from the playtest's Warlord/Wizard) that you can be useful in both classes.

I guess I'm suggesting that classes that integrate a power source would be slotted into one role (fighter, paladin, swordmage: defenders); if you want mixed roles you multiclass?

 

[Li Shenron]

I'm glad the Swordmage won't be in the first PHB, I prefer the PHB remains mostly for traditional classes (you know, classes with a single-word name ).

I'm also glad that Baker said that they won't use role/power "grid" in a nerd way, by filling all the blanks, and instead they only use it as inspiration but won't feel restricted by it in any way. Great!

 

[FabioMilitoPagliara]

I don't see why it shouldn't go in the PHB2. The PHB1 is "Arcane, Divine and Martial power sources", so the PHB2 very well could be "Mental" power source.

I think that a single power source PHB would defy the concept of "one PHB each year" I expect the introduction of new power source but also expansions of old power source
what are they going to put in the annuals PHB otherwise?
skill will be in PHB1, lots of feats and talents and combat rules will be in PHB1 and they are not going to reprint each time the same stuff
so each annual PHB will have new power sources, new feats, new talents, new spells, new classes for new and old power sources, mixed-classe that match and mix power sources and so on
my question is how many Power Source can be done
I did a little list on another thread: Nature (could be split in Living Things, Weather), Psi, Chi, Spirits of the dead/ancestors, Spirit of Animals, Negative, Positive, Social, Sexual, Fey, Leyline, Elements, Stars, Music, Poetry.... and you can go on and on