Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 8201101" data-attributes="member: 7006">Hexblade's in the game because they determined their Warlock's 'Pact of the Blade' wasn't good enough apparently, so they combed through old 3E content and brought this class forward into a subclass (and even then they made sure to add story and fluff of the patron being a sentient weapon of some type, usually from the Raven Queen.)  And the EK is in the game because it was an arcane warrior whose story was no different than the Swordmage.  After all... here is what the 4E Forgotten Realms Player's Guide said a Swordmage was in their opening paragraphs of the class write-up:Swordmages apply the arcane arts to melee combat. The combat skills they possess are enhanced by the magic they wield. The flourish of a swordmage’s blade not only bites with steel, but also with fire, lightning, or other powerful forces. You studied and practiced for years to master your skills. You mastered the fundamentals of arcane magic and combined this academic study with endless hours of physical training. You might be a young eladrin in search of your fortune, a stranger to the wider world outside the seclusion of your homeland; a self-trained genasi sellsword, gifted with an affinity for elemental magic; the scion of a disgraced noble human family, taught by the finest tutors in youth but now a footloose expatriate; or a half-elf arcane champion, rigorously trained in a war magic academy to serve in the armies of your homeland. Magical barriers of force swirl around you, protecting you from harm. The blade you carry is an extension of your being, both body and mind. It pulses with eldritch energy as you prepare to defend your allies and unleash magical fury against your foes.The story of this class is "you add arcane magic to your melee combat".  That's it.  This brand new class added to D&D and this was the extent of it. That's all their fluff is.  A warrior who casts wizard spells.  Which is the exact same story the Eldritch Knight has.  So why does the Swordmage need to be a full class?  The only reason people give is because they want special game mechanics to exist for this class... which is never the sole reason why a new class would get made.  Heck... the designers have gone out of their way NOT to find reasons to create an entire Psion class for the simple reason they don't see enough of a story reason for it beyond what they already gave with their 3 subclasses.  And heck they tried to squeeze the Artificer into the Wizard at one point so they wouldn't have to make a new class just for engineering and magic item creation.  But at least the Artificer has enough story and legs to justify 3 to 4 different "engineering" types of subclasses that could come out of it so they finally gave in.As we've said above... if anyone can't give an in-world job or reason for the existence of a specialized class of arcane warrior that is necessary above and beyond the Pact of the Blade Warlock, the Hexblade Warlock, the Bladesinger Wizard, the Eldritch Knight Fighter, and the College of Sword Bard... the class will not get made by WotC to appear in an eventual book.  Now you all can create all manner of your own versions (just like the Warlord has been attempted again and again and again)... but that's going to have to suffice.  Because WotC has shown over all these years that they just don't see the necessity of making one themselves.</blockquote>

Verification