D&D 4E Will non-cleric leaders be just as effective as clerics in 4E?

[zoroaster100]

I was reading another thread about the "grid" of power sources and roles, and it made me wonder, since the designers are more willing to slay sacred cows for fourth edition, will they be making other leader characters as effective as clerics? In the past, the rules provided other "substitutes" for clerics, like druids and bards, but these were never truly as effective that a party could be well balanced against opponents of their level as they were with a cleric. The cleric was more effective at healing than a druid, and way more effective at healing than a bard. Will a warlord, bard, or other leader characters be made truly effective in their role so that the party can safely dispense with not having a cleric in the party?

 

[Sitara]

Well, from what we hear cleric will still be theking of healing, but other classes willalso have the ability (second wind ability everyone has for instance). Especially the warlord.

But clerics will also be the only ones to get raise dead type rituals, from what we gather.

Oh and I doubt the 4E druid will be anything like its predecessors save for the shapshifting dept.

 

[Frostmarrow]

They've pretty much said (in a podcast) that the 4E cleric will not necessarily be as powerful as the 3E counterpart since the role (healer) can be filled with more classes. I don't know if its true but it would surprise me a lot if the cleric will top the warlord in all areas.

 

[Incenjucar]

I expect that the cleric will be a little better at healing and the warlord will be a little better at buffing and damage-dealing.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I expect that the cleric will be a little better at healing and the warlord will be a little better at buffing and damage-dealing.

I agree. Maybe not the damage dealing but definitely the ally boosting.

 

[Aldarc]

I was reading another thread about the "grid" of power sources and roles, and it made me wonder, since the designers are more willing to slay sacred cows for fourth edition, will they be making other leader characters as effective as clerics? In the past, the rules provided other "substitutes" for clerics, like druids and bards, but these were never truly as effective that a party could be well balanced against opponents of their level as they were with a cleric. The cleric was more effective at healing than a druid, and way more effective at healing than a bard. Will a warlord, bard, or other leader characters be made truly effective in their role so that the party can safely dispense with not having a cleric in the party?

I've actually had the reverse reservation wondering "From the sounds of the Warlord, why would anyone want a cleric?"

 

[Doug McCrae]

I've actually had the reverse reservation wondering "From the sounds of the Warlord, why would anyone want a cleric?"

Oh that would be wonderful. At long last D&D parties won't require the presence of a knight hospitaller.

 

[Gundark]

ideally leaders are all equal/strikers are all equal/controllers are all equal/Protectors are all equal.

Very few people know at this point.

 

[Aldarc]

Oh that would be wonderful. At long last D&D parties won't require the presence of a knight hospitaller.

Just about the same could be said of any of the big four classes. I want to play a warlord, but I just hope that my other favorite class, the cleric, is not made completely obsolete by the warlord.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Just about the same could be said of any of the big four classes. I want to play a warlord, but I just hope that my other favorite class, the cleric, is not made completely obsolete by the warlord.

Yeah. As Gundark says they should all be close to equal and I expect they will be. The cleric probably majors in healing with a minor in combat boosts while for the warlord it's the other way around.