It's an interesting class but it fails my controller test.
To be a controller a class needs three things:
1.) Decent cheap area attacks or other mechanics for reliably hitting multiple opponents
- subpoint: Class probably shouldn't fall into the 'Controls the Battlefield' trap with a series of movement and area denial powers. I've seen it work before, but it's nearly always a bad sign.
2.) The class must have crappy defenses.
- subpoint: Every role has built in dependencies on the other roles. For Controllers the most important dependency is that they must make crappy frontliners, and probably have to be engineered as second liners. The DMG is pretty clear on the idea that Controllers need to have leaders or defenders keeping the pain off of them.
3.) The class can't step too heavily on the toes of other roles.
- subpoint: Clearly some hybridization is possible or even desirable, but such mechanics cannot break the dependencies and if a class is only nominally a leader and then a really effective defender you should make it a defender.
Now as I score it this is how you're doing thus far:
1.) First I look at the At Wills. You have two with multiple targets, that's good. None of them are effective minion killers, that's bad. One creates a zone that overdamages by wizard standards and does so slowly. It can also be avoided by creatures, but has no specified duration. Conversely the encounters look overpowered with huge bursts for that level. Burst 5 is 11 squares across. Second at will does no damage and certainly falls into the 'trap.' It'd be a great mechanic if the class was already doing its job at its role, but it isn't.
2.) HP looks too high. The weapon bonus with the leather armor looks potentially unbalanced and really favors a striker mindset rather than a secondline mindset. The number of powers that make it difficult for enemies to get near you seems a little bit much. That removes or weakens the dependency on Leaders or Defenders to an extent that really compromises the role dependency.
3.) The basic Charisma bonus to healing seems out of role and out of character. The controlling the battlefield mechanics also seem very very Warlord-like in character even if the mechanics are distinct - enemies are debuffed rather than PCs directly getting extra attacks.
My Conclusion is that I like the class but everything about it says Leader to me not Controller.
