I am well aware of the "general interpretation" of Beast Mastery being a Fighting Style / replaces both Fighting Style and Prime Shot, but was there ever any clarification (Q&A or anything) which clarified this?
Just to explain the confusion (I am not searching for interpretations, but some source which clarified this):
Does someone have insight? Was there somewhere posted a clarification? (I know for other unclear things like Assassin's Shadow there was one posted (even though people ignored it XD)).
(This is just another of these situations where its soo annoying the WotC forums are just deleted...)
- I checked the compiled 4E errata, there nothing was changed in the original beas mastery class feature which released in Martial Power (1)
- I also checked the old ranger guide in the wizard forum (web archive) and found no clarification (only page 37 did not work)
- I found an old enworld thread (in the wrong subforum), partially about this topic, but there was also not more info: Beastmaster with Running Attack
Just to explain the confusion (I am not searching for interpretations, but some source which clarified this):
- The new class features for the other classes in the Martial Power books are clear. They are clear replacements for specific things. They are worded like
- "You can select one of the following features in place of the Fighter Weapon Talent class feature."
- "Instead of selecting either Artful Dodger or Brutal Scoundrel as your rogue tactic, you can select Ruthless Ruffian."
- "These two variants of the Commanding Presenceclass feature are available to any warlord. You can pick one of them instead of another version, such as Inspiring Presence or Tactical Presence."
- On the other hand the Beast Mastery class feature is worded in the following way:
- The Beast Mastery class feature is available to any ranger who wishes to gain a loyal beast companion. To select this class feature, you must give up the Prime Shot class feature, and you do not select either the Archer Fighting Style or the Two-Blade Fighting Style."
- In MP2 new class features were released and there is also a general text about new class features:
- "You can select the following class features instead of another option, such as the ones presented in the Player's Handbook or Martial Power. You need not pick the hunter ranger build to select these features."
- This text speaks about Martial power and there the only class feature was Beast Mastery, but this is also the exact same wording for all class features of all classes. It is a generic wording (even with such as in case other options get released).
- Below this text there is more specific text for the class features. Like for the new OTHER fighting styles:
- "When you choose a fighting style, you can select Hunter Fighting Style." (same for Marauder Fighting Style)
- Also another new class feature was released called Running Attack:
- "This class feature replaces the Prime Shot class feature."
- So unlike other features the Beast Mastery class feature does not replace class features directly. It mentiones specific selections of class features.
- To add on this a textbox in MP2 about Ranger builds states:
- "Running Attack rewards rangers whose powers and tactics keep them mobile during a fight. Although this alternative class feature is aimed at the hunter ranger and the marauder ranger, other rangers can also benefit from choosing this alternative. Two-blade rangers and beastmaster rangers have little use for the Prime Shot class feature, because they rarely make ranged attacks. For these builds, you might as well choose Running Attack to replace Prime Shot."
- To make things more confusing on the Hybrid Ranger a (weaker) Beast Mastery was listed under Fighting Styles (but had not Fighting Style in its name)
- The strange thing here is you could potentially now get this weaker Beast Mastery as a Hybrid AND Prime shot. (Hybrid Feat + not choosing a paragon path)
Does someone have insight? Was there somewhere posted a clarification? (I know for other unclear things like Assassin's Shadow there was one posted (even though people ignored it XD)).
(This is just another of these situations where its soo annoying the WotC forums are just deleted...)