What classes will be in the martial power book?

[fnwc]

The problem with Assassin as a base class is that no matter how you flavor it, you've basically got Rogue MKII.

I would expect an assassin to be a rogue that focuses more on subterfuge skills, perhaps with some poison abilities and emphasis on delayed single target damage.

It's not really as combat friendly as many people would want an assassin to be; many times I find designers create prestige classes as a 'better' version of their base classes. I'm not sure how 4th edition is going to handle prestige classes -- perhaps you're forced to change class at paragon and epic levels (e.g., become an 'assassin' or 'shadowblade' at 11th).

In 3rd, there are only a few base classes that you generally want to stay in until 20th level (druid, for example). Most of the time is spent trying to figure out how you can plan your character to get into the prestige class(es) you want. Even the Loremaster is better than just staying 'Wizard'.

 

[Belorin]

Cavalier- D&D has long had a love affair with this concept, but it never seems to work. Perhaps the Knight in the PHB2. However, this is a second martial defender, and would really just be redundant next to the Fighter class at the moment. Again, we are trying to show love for the fighter, not outdo him in the first supplement. Aside from being a paladin without the magic, I really can't see anything that this class could do that the fighter couldn't, except perhaps as a class based on horseback fighting.

Archer- Lots of players seek the Archer archetype, so it stands to reason that this could be a class of its own, except that it is probably stepping on the toes of the Ranger, who tries to occupy both the Bow-User and Two-Weapon-Fighter archetypes... Again, we are trying to show love to the new classes, rather than overshadow them.

Alchemist- I love the idea of an alchemist class. I think ever since I saw the alchemist in Exodus Ultima I wanted to see an alchemist class in D&D. (not to say the alchemist in Exodus was a terribly good class... It was basically half the strength of the wizard. But it seemed like a cool idea...) I often try to play to that archetype myself. BUT, I don't think it qualifies as a martial class. To me, an alchemist is someone who is both a primitive scientist and a magician. He excels at brewing potions and tossing explosives, and even perhaps an inventor. Even if you take away the magical portion of it, and leave it as a primitive scientist, the alchemist still isn't what I would call a martial class. Nonmagical, yes, but martial, no.

I don't know... going over it, I really expect these first books to be more like the sword & fist/tome & blood/etc. run of books than the later "complete" series... books to build on the classes in the PHB, rather than an introduction for new classes.

Cavalier is mentioned as a paragon path in races & classes, Archer as you say would definitely step on the Rangers toes and Alchemist, if implemented would not be a martial class.
I am at a loss to come up with new classes as I don't really know what will be covered by the PHB rules and what PP & ED's will exist.


Bel

 

[fnwc]

I've never heard of a martial controller before. What would one look like in d20 terms?

3rd edition already has it. Enter the DM nightmare known as the spiked chain tripper.

 

[I'm A Banana]

A swashbuckler could work as a martial controller. Taunts, stunts, and interest in one-on-one duelling could give them PHBII knight-like mechanics, de-buffs, etc

A gladiator could work as a martial controller. Throwing creatures around, using trips and disarms and special battle-stunts, some sort of wrestler/grappler/battle-trickster.

A juggler could be a martial striker or martial controller. They throw things, have trick-throws, use distracting stunts or pins.

I do see a niche for a lightly-armored, heavy-damage type that could be a striker, but if they are totally in love with the idea of barbarians as druid-defenders, that'll be in a Primal power source.

I would be astonished if we don't see some sort of weapon specialist by the time that this is out, and with weapons providing special effects, they could possibly be a controller, too.

 

[Zelster]

I think a martial controller would have some unique abilities, but still focus on melee combat. Probably some ability to Taunt opponents into focusing on them, a stunning shield bash that can counter magic, a 2-handed strike that reduces the amount of healing by half, and perhaps a sunder based specialty. Also it would be handy to give them a beefed-up charge ability, with less restrictions on pathing and some additional "oompf" up front. Throw in some area-effect shouts to lower enemy melee ability and you've got a well-developed class that millions of people would want to play.

 

[Conjurer]

Even though they've said they're not going to do so, I hope they fill out the positions on the power source / role grid. The idea of an all martial or all arcane campaign is too compelling.

 

[Victim]

3rd edition already has it. Enter the DM nightmare known as the spiked chain tripper.

Still basically a defender.

 

[pawsplay]

Fighters have already been described as tripping, debuffing, drawing attacks, and so forth. To be a controller, you would have to be a battlefield-wide attacker. Maybe some kind of archer, with ranged AoOs and hail of arrows?

Anyway. I don't think Martial Power is going to have new classes. It's going to have paragon paths and stuff. New classes will be in the PHB II. That will preserve their foremat, and also ensure that each class as it appears will get support in forthcoming supplements. If classes appear in scattered supplements, support will also be scattered. We already know future PHBs will have new classes.

 

[Mouseferatu]

We already know future PHBs will have new classes.

Yes, but it's been implied that each PHB will present new classes with new power sources. Thus, new classes based on existing power sources would--or so it seems to be--be found in power source-specific splatbooks.

 

[Gloombunny]

Even though they've said they're not going to do so, I hope they fill out the positions on the power source / role grid. The idea of an all martial or all arcane campaign is too compelling.

It would be nice! I just don't think it's possible. There's just no way to control a battlefield without magic, extensive pre-fight preparation... or outright silliness, like, for one example, archers who have the precision to pin someone to the wall by their shirt but are strangely incompetent at killing anyone with those ultra-accurate arrows.

The best we can really hope for is that running a campaign without a controller won't be too difficult, so that a party of fighters, rogues, rangers, and warlords can get by.