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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 9346596" data-attributes="member: 58172">That is a great idea. The Warlord using a choice of Mental Ability for Unarmored Defense. Each has precedent. The AC bonus comes with great flavor:Intelligence (4e) − calculating eventualities, marshaling tacticsWisdom (Monk) − paying attention, opportunistic, relentlessCharisma (Suave, Glorious) − intimidating and persuading to psych out, amaze, bluff, outwitI associate Insight and reading people to anticipate moves, with Charisma.The choice of Primary Mental Ability flavors the rest of the build.Regarding armor, I envision the typical Warlord as either unarmored as an officer, or in Medium Armor in chain tunic or a breastplate while reasonably mobile. Light Armor is possible but the concept skips over it. A Shield is possible. In other words, the Armor Training is the same as Barbarian.The Barbarian uses Constitution for Unarmored Defense, then effectively chooses between either armor or Dexterity + Consititution. The Barbarian can add a Shield either way (unlike a Monk).Warlord can do similar using the Primary Mental Ability for Unarmored Defense.For Warlord, I would like an Unarmored Defense Improvement, at a higher tier, that allows both Medium Armor + Mental Ability. But this is alot within Bounded Accuracy. It would be: AC 14 Breastplate + 2 Dex + 2 Shield + 5 Mental = AC 23 even without magic. I guess around Epic?If we are talking about should.The squishy Wizard is gratuitous and disruptive. If forces players to beef up Constitution, which then makes the Wizard the opposite of squishy anyway. Indeed player Wizards are exceptionally tough. But the coercion prevents players from creating character concepts for their Wizard, like charismatic or strong, or even perceptive. The Gygax Wizard broken at low levels then broken at high levels, needs to rest.The Sorcerer depends on subclass. The Dragon should be tanky.Because of Wild Shape, the Druid is tanky even with a normal Hit Dice. The Swordmage tanks via magic, such as regeneration, with normal Hit Dice. Similarly, I expect the Warlord to benefit as part of buffing a team.I prefer the Hit Point expectations to rank something like.d12 Barbarian, Fighterd10 Paladin, Ranger, Monkd8 Druid, Swordmage, Warlordd8 Rogue, Bard, Cleric, Wizard, Psion, Warlock, Sorcerer, ArtificerEvery class in the d8 rank has a subclass to tank in the d10 rank. I am a fan of a pool of energy, flavoring variously as psychic focus, magical mana, physical stamina, and so on.Flavorwise, I like less masochism or vampirism.Converting energy into Hit Points is fine. But converting Hit Points into energy is less fine. Heh, its a flavor thing.</blockquote>

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