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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Garnfellow" data-source="post: 2838559" data-attributes="member: 1223">The Best New Base Class You Probably Aren’t Using Is . . .For my money, the best new base class that you probably aren't using right now isn't even in any of the recent Wizards of the Coast splatbooks -- it's in Green Ronin's Advanced Player's Manual. And that class is the eldritch weaver.There's an interesting thread here at Enworld on <a href="http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=162790" target="_blank">the recent proliferation of new base classes</a>. Some folks are all for 'em, some aren't. Me, I think most of them aren't worth the time, and the eldritch weaver is a great example of what I want to see in a new base class – and why so many of these new classes are found wanting.The eldritch weaver is an arcane spellcaster who chooses and then focuses on a handful of different specialties, or threads, of magic. Each thread represents a narrow series of thematically related spells, such as the thread of Fire, or the thread of Smiting. Following a thread gives mastery over the spells in that thread and also conveys some supernatural powers associated with the thread's theme. This class channels a nifty concept introduced into second edition by Wolfgang Baur and Steve Kurtz in a great article from Dragon 216, "Paths of Power."I think the eldritch weaver passes a couple of initial hurdles to being a worthy base class by having an interesting concept that is sufficiently broad to fit into a wide variety of campaigns. And to me it wins bonus points by using existing game mechanics but simply extending them and cleverly spinning them in a whole new manner. We don't have to introduce an entirely new subsystem of rules to use this class.The weaver is a little similar to the cleric class in that spell threads act a bit like clerical domains: they give players a series of interesting choices that offer nifty customized abilities: infinite variations from a finite set of options. Differing thread choices can result in eldritch weavers with completely different looks and powers, but all are built using the same basic rules.There are a lot of new spellcasting base classes that try to emphasize a very narrow specialty or theme over 20 levels: for example, consider the beguiler or the warmage. By using a thread-like system, it's very easy to build such a specialist character without having to design an entirely new class. Want an elementalist type character? Choose from the Air, Earth, Fire, or Water threads. Want a nice blaster mage? Take a look at the threads of Destruction, Smiting, or the Warrior? A sciomancer, or shadow mage? Consider the threads of Benighting, Shadow, or Veils. I've read a lot of posts pining for the 1st edition illusionist: a specialist magic user with a unique set of spells of abilities. No need to make up a whole new base class to get there; the eldritch weaver will take you there.</blockquote>

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