The 4E Wizard: Original concepts of the class?

[WhatGravitas]

Well, the wizard class in 4E is one of the oddest, I think. Unlike the other roles, there isn't something that obviously screams "controller" class feature (like Quarry, Healing Word or the Marking abilities). The wizard is also less dependant on secondary stats, at least there is only a very limited selection of powers which are dependant on stats other than Int (mainly thunderwave).

After rereading the old Design & Development article, it seems that the wizard originally had traditions, akin to the warlock's pact.

Feats like burning blizzard are probably renamed from things like the Emerald Frost, wheras the implements seem to be somewhat tied to the original traditions as well.

Now, I wonder how the wizard was originally planned, until they toned the implied flavour down - because the idea of traditions were pretty cool (despite the corny names).

Has anybody ideas how the wizard could have looked like? I'd like to read some speculations, based on the article and comments they've made before... but if somebody can "trace" some influence from stuff in the PHB (like the burning blizzard feat, it'd be pretty interesting as well).

Cheers, LT.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

I think we will have to wait for Arcane Power for the wizardly traditions.

Now, I seem to remember that several powers have effects that depend on Wisdom...

 

[WhatGravitas]

Now, I seem to remember that several powers have effects that depend on Wisdom...

The things affected by Wisdom are the Orb of Imposition (1st level), thunderwave (1st level) and confusion (27th level). That looks pretty randomly spread out and was one of the things that made me wonder so much!

Cheers, LT.

 

[Remathilis]

Some of those "traditions" appear to be feats in 4e...

"Astral Fire" = Hidden Fire
"Burning Blizzard" = Emerald Frost
"Dark Fury" = Serpent Eye(?)
"Raging Storm" = Stormwalker

In addition, the much-lamented Golden Wyvern Adept became the much blander-named Spell Mastery [epic]

Still, I wonder if the traditions or implements were supposed to affect the abilities scores more than they did.

(Oh, there is a mention in the wizard article to a deleted power: Cinder Swarm).

 

[WhatGravitas]

Still, I wonder if the traditions or implements were supposed to affect the abilities scores more than they did.

(Oh, there is a mention in the wizard article to a deleted power: Cinder Swarm).

Well, I bet that these traditions had powers fitting the traditions, possibly gaining additional effects depending on the secondary stat associated with the tradition:

Astral Fire - Hidden Flame - Dex/Cha-based
Burning Blizzard - Emerald Frost - Int/Wis-based
Dark Fury - Serpent Eye - Con/Wis-based (fits the Wis theme of the orb)
Raging Storm - Stormwalker - Con/Dex-based (could fit the Dex theme of the wand)

Looking at the Golden Wyvern Adept feat, it's associated with Wisdom and area attacks - possibly hinting at a connection with thunderwave, which also fits the even older article (implement article pre-revision), where staffs are associated with close attacks, whereas the Golden Wyvern is also associated with staffs.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The things affected by Wisdom are the Orb of Imposition (1st level), thunderwave (1st level) and confusion (27th level). That looks pretty randomly spread out and was one of the things that made me wonder so much!

Yes, I noted in an earlier thread that wizards are the only class that doesn't get a significant benefit from an alternative ability score.

It is almost as if wizard powers were designed by someone different and nobody bothered to get everyone on the same page in terms of power design. For instance, it would be nice if a whole bunch of wizard powers had extra bonuses based on Dex for wand wizards, on Con for staff wizards, on Wis for Orb wizards as an example. Or just had a bunch of other stuff which took advantage of Wis if we want to simply follow the pattern of other classes.