I saw the book Class Compendium: Heroes of Legend at Amazon and I wonder if it is a reprint of the classes that do not appear in the other Essential products or if it is actually a compilation of the classes rewritten with the new format.
I saw the book Class Compendium: Heroes of Legend at Amazon and I wonder if it is a reprint of the classes that do not appear in the other Essential products or if it is actually a compilation of the classes rewritten with the new format.
Minor correction: That would appear to NOT be an Essentials product, so it is inaccurate to use the phrase "other Essential products".
Which is my subtle way of saying it has no connection to Essentials aside from also being written for 4e. Kind of hard to say what it IS, rather than what it ISN'T, without any sort of product description.
Sounds like it wants to put all (or many of anyway) of the classes into one book.
Or it could be a book for modding classes, multi-class feats, and pps, hybrid options.
Somehow I just don't see all 25 or so classes with their associated powers, to say nothing of PPs and EDs, fitting into a single tome.
Well at least not one I could count as a one-handed weapon.
Hopefully, they'll take the opportunity to incorporate the errata.
I can't imagine any compilation of existing rules that didn't integrate the current eratta. The convenience of not having to reference the eratta would be the main selling point for people who have most/all of the existing books with classes in them.
Just about every build for every class assumes 2 solid ability scores, and most classes will let you skate by with 1.
How is MAD a problem?
Maybe it'll replace PHB1... since we got the basic rules in the Rules Compendium they want people to be able to buy the classes and feat and items in the book without the rest of the redundant stuff??
This seems plausable. Reprint the PHB1, and perhaps 2.
Or, it could just be new classes.
Since there's no preview, and "legend" isn't saying much, all we really know is that it will contain classes.
MAD?
Just about every build for every class assumes 2 solid ability scores, and most classes will let you skate by with 1.
How is MAD a problem?
str paladin and star pact warlock, just to name a couple. even your fighter, arguably most fundamental class in the game, requires str, wis and con/dex at a minimum.
for the most part, you are correct, but there are some MAD issues out there.
Admittedly I'm not as familiar with locks (just can't seem to hold my attention for some reason) but what three stats does star use?
Fighter needs str and wis for his basic class abilities, and need never take a power that concerns any other stat. Dex and Con are nice stats to have, but not at all essential.
Str paladin needs Str and Wis
Admittedly I'm not as familiar with locks (just can't seem to hold my attention for some reason) but what three stats does star use?
Fighter needs str and wis for his basic class abilities, and need never take a power that concerns any other stat. Dex and Con are nice stats to have, but not at all essential.
Star Pact Warlocks have a variety of powers that they can choose, and not all of them use the same ability to attack - some are con, some are cha - In my experience you really only need to pick one and you can do just fine.
As for Fighter - they have a feat to make Dex do most of what Wisdom does, and a different feat to have Wisdom take over parts of what Dex does.
Simple answer - no build actually needs more that two stats... some people just feel that they do because they think "well, If I'm a fighter with a heavy blade I should be able to have all the possible heavy blade feats and not also have to choose to not have as much wisdom as a fighter that doesn't take all of that focus on dexterity."
Star Pact Warlocks have a variety of powers that they can choose, and not all of them use the same ability to attack - some are con, some are cha - In my experience you really only need to pick one and you can do just fine.
Except Cha based Starlocks get stuck with a worthless con based at-will no matter they do. Hence, they suffer MAD.
Some other MAD problem cases...
Any hide armor wearers who need to grab hide spec, but don't have con as a secondary.
Any scale wearers who need to grab scale spec, but don't have dex as a secondary.
Fighters have some nasty high stat requirements on many of their key feats.
Hybrids, of course.
Any melee class that doesn't have str as a class stat.
Melee Rangers have to juggle Str/Wis/Dex.
In fact any class without dex/int as class stats and doesn't get a viable band-aid class feature to fix their AC.
Paladins are a MAD mess, due to class features and various feat requirements.
Now granted, most of these MAD issues come down either AC or stat reqs on feats. If eveyone got either chainmail (or better) or a add stat X to your ac feature, and no feat could had a stat req higher than a 13, a lot of these problems would go away.
Except Cha based Starlocks get stuck with a worthless con based at-will no matter they do. Hence, they suffer MAD.
One at-will does not an ability score require - you don't want to have a high enough con to feel that dire radiance is worth using, then don't; Eldritch blast is just fine.
Some other MAD problem cases...
Any hide armor wearers who need to grab hide spec, but don't have con as a secondary.
There is no such thing as a character that "needs" to take any particular feat - the character will work fine without it.
[The others that are the same - claim that armor feat is "needed" - have been omitted]
Fighters have some nasty high stat requirements on many of their key feats.
There is no such "key feat." Sure, there are feats that you feel a fighter should take, as indicated by the term used, but playing a fighter without any of those feats works too.
Hybrids, of course.
They are only as MAD as you want them to be... and in my opinion Hybrid classing is an alltogether useless mechanic. My experience is that no one even cares to try and hybrid - a single class has enough customization and flavor "play room" for everyone I've personally gamed with.
I acknowledge that your experience is likely different, and that a number of people probably want hybrid classing to be a worthwhile option... but it is pretty worthwhile if you plan it out to avoid MAD "problems."
Summing up the rest as quickly as possible because my girlfriend is reminding me we have stuff to do today.
Any melee class that doesn't have str as a class stat.
Melee Rangers have to juggle Str/Wis/Dex.
In fact any class without dex/int as class stats and doesn't get a viable band-aid class feature to fix their AC.
Paladins are a MAD mess, due to class features and various feat requirements.
Now granted, most of these MAD issues come down either AC or stat reqs on feats. If eveyone got either chainmail (or better) or a add stat X to your ac feature, and no feat could had a stat req higher than a 13, a lot of these problems would go away.
These are perceived issues that do not genuinely exist. You may find a character treated as being MAD to be more enjoyable of a character to you, or even a "better" character - but that does not mean that a character actually has to be the "best" it can possibly be in order for it to be "good enough," and "fun," for someone to play.
mrsake did a great job of identifying existing MAD issues.
no class should feel hamstrung sans feats, but several classes are, in my opinion. for example, without the recent fix-it feat, a str paladin needs cha for divine challenge, that totals str, wis and cha. another example is the star pact warlock who focuses on cha. sure, you could go through life with only one reliable at-will, but that is hamstrung, imo, when everyone else can rely on two at-wills.
alexandraerin, i hope you are right.
my hope is that this compilation will provide a new look some of the classes, such as
str-wis pally build (defender, sub leader)
str-cha pally build (defender, sub striker)
principally melee based class (both builds)
A-shaped class with every attack power having a separate rider for every (nonessentials) build of that class. in other words, each attack power would conform to the class' primary role and each rider would support that build's secondary role.
hey, a guy can dream, can't he?
I hope it's a hardbound, non-essentials-formatted, collection of the Essentials classes.
I will hope beyond hope that it could be a reprinted set of those, without the horrible new formatting that puts 1-4 powers on a page. If they also cut some of the space-filling fluff, and made it look like the other products, I'd probably actually pick it up, despite my dislike of many of the classes.
I hope it's a hardbound, non-essentials-formatted, collection of the Essentials classes.
Essential classes converted into the normal core character advancement, with atwills, encounters, dailies, and everything?
IIRC its happened before, players discovered upcoming products thru Amazon, before WotC announced it.
They have, and sometimes Amazon pulled the product. I've seen it go on Amazon, then disapear, so it's possible this may not actually come out.
Interesting. My money is on spruced-up reprints.
Wow, I might be willing to buy quite a few of the speculations on this list... whether they are couched as simple mater of fact to optimistic to pessimistic... any horrible ideas other than the product being pulled.
I mean Heros of Legend is a cool name even.
Maybe I have been chewing on something funny.
Im thinking, Heroes of Legends is a book of divine classes and immortal races. Sorta like Heroes of Shadow is a book about shadow classes and shadow races.
I don't think so, if simply because of the "Class Compendium" part of the title. I think this is referring to some sort of collection of something. That's why most of us are guessing it's referring to pre-printed stuff.
It COULD be a multi-source version of a Power book. Could also be a book of options for higher level games to improve the level of support there - have seen some people complaining about a lack.
But, the book could consolidate all the divine classes - Cleric, Paladin, Avenger, Invoker, and Runepriest - all into a single book. Plus add some new 'Divine Power 2' content along with it.
It's also strange that its release date is a full month before Heroes of Shadow and it still doesn't even have a product description. The next Monster Vault releases in June and IT already has a product description.
Possible they're waiting until a bit after Essentials has had a full release.
Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell provides new character options for Dungeons & Dragons® Essentials players who are ready to move beyond the two player-oriented D&D™ Essentials books, Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms.
This book gathers five classes from the Player’s Handbook—the cleric, the fighter, the rogue, the warlord, and the wizard—and presents them in the new D&D Essentials class format introduced in Heroes of the Fallen Lands, with rules updates and errata. It features rules that allow D&D Essentials characters to select non-D&D Essentials powers, and it grants non-D&D Essentials characters access to class features from Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. In addition, this book presents feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Note that the title has changed names too. Heroes of Sword and Spell now.
With multi-classing.
Essentials brings in the newbies, and this book helps transition to true 4e.
From Amazon:
Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell provides new character options for Dungeons & Dragons® Essentials players who are ready to move beyond the two player-oriented D&D™ Essentials books, Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms.
This book gathers five classes from the Player’s Handbook—the cleric, the fighter, the rogue, the warlord, and the wizard—and presents them in the new D&D Essentials class format introduced in Heroes of the Fallen Lands, with rules updates and errata. It features rules that allow D&D Essentials characters to select non-D&D Essentials powers, and it grants non-D&D Essentials characters access to class features from Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. In addition, this book presents feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Note that the title has changed names too. Heroes of Sword and Spell now.
Oh well, as I have no interest in essential style characters, I won't have to bother with purchasing this. And if this continues with Heroes of Shadow then I might even have a few quid when they get to 5E
From Amazon:
Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell provides new character options for Dungeons & Dragons® Essentials players who are ready to move beyond the two player-oriented D&D™ Essentials books, Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms.
This book gathers five classes from the Player’s Handbook—the cleric, the fighter, the rogue, the warlord, and the wizard—and presents them in the new D&D Essentials class format introduced in Heroes of the Fallen Lands, with rules updates and errata. It features rules that allow D&D Essentials characters to select non-D&D Essentials powers, and it grants non-D&D Essentials characters access to class features from Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. In addition, this book presents feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Note that the title has changed names too. Heroes of Sword and Spell now.
It makes perfect sense. Classes like Warlord, Bard, Barbarian, Shaman, Avenger, Invoker, Shaman could all use updating. Even assuming some of these classes are now considered somewhat redundant (IE a Barbarian is really not MUCH different from a Slayer) there is still a good bit of interesting stuff that could be presented in an Essentials style format. Even if it IS just 5 classic classes I could see it being Domain builds for Clerics that are Essentials style, some more fighter variants that work like the Grappling and Tempest builds, more Mage schools and material to bring a lot of the fun stuff from AP etc into the new format, etc. They can roll out a book every 6 months for a while and it really won't take THAT long to cover the more interesting older options that Essentials itself doesn't.
wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4news...
Oh well, as I have no interest in essential style characters, I won't have to bother with purchasing this. And if this continues with Heroes of Shadow then I might even have a few quid when they get to 5E
Their not essential classes. It's a reprint, but in paperback, with feats organized by type instead of tier, and each class probably get's their own XP table, ect...
But it's still the same PHB1 classes (+ errata).
I kinda expect this for PHB2 and 3 eventually.
Note: not particularly complaining or tinfoil hatting, but I'd appreciate the book to be released earlier so that I can get a quicker grasp at how they plan to re-incorporate O4e.
Tinfoil hat time (per I think Undrave): This is infact an afterthought, since they radically changed designed philosophy again. This is mostly a bandaid to appease those who think that there will be no more support for O4e, because they will pretty much stop making anything in the same vein.
Oh well, as I have no interest in essential style characters, I won't have to bother with purchasing this. And if this continues with Heroes of Shadow then I might even have a few quid when they get to 5E
Their not essential classes. It's a reprint, but in paperback, with feats organized by type instead of tier, and each class probably get's their own XP table, ect...
But it's still the same PHB1 classes (+ errata).
I kinda expect this for PHB2 and 3 eventually.
Heck, they didn't even get all the classes from the PHB1: the Paladin, Ranger and Warlock are left out.
Speculating on the next book in this series, I'd guess we'll get the primals and the rest of the divine classes next. So Barbarian, Druid, Invoker, Paladin, Ranger, Warden... though that gets to six classes, which might be too much.
Maybe it'll just be the leftover PHB1 classes with the campaign book classes, so Artificer, Paladin, Ranger, Swordmage and Warlock. Though I'm not sure what kind of theme they'd name that with...
What I WANT is assurance we'll still see support for things from before Essential that isn't in the form of rigid 'Essential style' builds. That'll make me feel better.
The announcement linked by Kaviyd3 is a pretty strong indication that pre-Essentials builds are still going to be supported. This new 'Essentials-format' book will contain the existing PHB1 builds, meaning those builds are still officially a full part of the post-Essentials game. If I'm reading the announcement right, the PHB builds are going to be reformatted in 'Essentials-style', but that will be a purely cosmetic change. Mechanically, they're the same old builds (albeit updated with two years' worth of errata).
What I WANT is assurance we'll still see support for things from before Essential that isn't in the form of rigid 'Essential style' builds. That'll make me feel better.
The announcement linked by Kaviyd3 is a pretty strong indication that pre-Essentials builds are still going to be supported. This new 'Essentials-format' book will contain the existing PHB1 builds, meaning those builds are still officially a full part of the post-Essentials game. If I'm reading the announcement right, the PHB builds are going to be reformatted in 'Essentials-style', but that will be a purely cosmetic change. Mechanically, they're the same old builds (albeit updated with two years' worth of errata).
You mean fluff every three lines?
You mean fluff every three lines?
Yes. Plus splitting it up by tier, with advancement tables to summarize what you get at each level, listing powers in a single column rather than two columns (due to the smaller page size). Stuff like that.
I think people tend to see the phrase "Essentials format" and freak out because they think it is meant in a mechanical sense, and that it implies something like the Thief or Slayer. But the Mage and Warpriest are also in "Essentials format" in HotFL, yet, on a purely mechanical level, they could have fit just as well as new builds in Arcane Power 2 and Divine Power 2 in a pre-Essentials format and nobody would have batted an eyelid.
"Essentials format" does not imply "no true At-Will/Encounter/Daily attack powers" or "no choice of powers/features".
They're gonna present the Best class in the game, and those four other guys whom I'm sure contribute something, in a laboriously spelled out step by step process too give the essentials players the ability to step up to 4e prime, all the while bringing the essentials stuff increased compatibility with 4e prime, in the form of multiclassing, and feats.
I don't think making all current classes more essentials format with individual charts and overly wordy flavortext that should really just be in the power's flavourtext half the time, will do alot to apease the anti-essentials crowd. It also sounds alot more like 4.5.
This book doesn't make essentials conform to 4e, it makes 4e conform to essentials.
Oddly enough, both the warlock and the paladin who are a bit of a mess (though better off than they used to be due to later options) are of course left out of the 1 book that could actually fix them.
Oddly enough, both the warlock and the paladin who are a bit of a mess (though better off than they used to be due to later options) are of course left out of the 1 book that could actually fix them.
That could be WHY they left them out. Frankly, they pretty much sucked with just the stuff that was only in the PHB.
And the ranger, for being somewhat overpowered.
The Class Compendium seems to be the normal 'core' classes from the PHs. In other words, the Fighter class will have daily powers.
Apparently the Wizard class, will be the PH1 version, with Implement Mastery. Per rumor, designers said they will offer an essential basic-attack version of the Wizard, but apparently this wont be it. Re the need for core Wizard builds, the core-style Mage build already covers most of it. Perhaps, it will allow the Mage to swap out certain features for core features, including Ritual Caster and Implement Mastery.
I would love the CC to layout each Implement-Mastery Wizard build as its own separate section. (Sort of like how the subclasses are separate.) The Int-Dex Wand Wizard build is especially suitable for the Eladrin and the Elf. I strongly want more Wizard options and power riders that benefit from Dex. Also the Int-Con Staff Wizard build would do well to emphasize its weapon-combat gishy potential. Because its easy for customizers to swap out and mix-and-match Wizard features and powers, I dont mind there being a 'default' version of each build that preselects the powers, feats, skills, and so on. So newbies dont need to go foraging for these technical options. Please, consult the Char Op forum when choosing a competent preselection of options for these default builds.
Likely, there will be followup CC volumes to cover the other core classes. I hope the CC adds the significant options from the Power books.
Its hard to tell if designers planned this core Class Compendium all along, or put it out now as a compromise for core fans whose reception of Essentials is less than warm.
I like the use of the word 'compendium' to refer to the compilation of core materials with their most recent updates.
Oddly enough, both the warlock and the paladin who are a bit of a mess (though better off than they used to be due to later options) are of course left out of the 1 book that could actually fix them.
Oh don't worry, I'm sure we've got at least three more books like this where everything 4ed is updated to to 4es. I mean really why would WotC pass on getting money for material that has pretty much already been developed and paid for by consumers once already?
I strongly want more Wizard options and power riders that benefit from Dex.
to expand on this, and as i have expressed previously, i think it would be a good idea if
i) all of the classes were A-shaped;
ii) all classes expanded beyond the typical choice of only two secondary stats for their builds (e.g., rogue originally was dex primary and str or cha secondary); and
iii) all attack powers had a separate rider for each build, each rider supporting the build's secondary role.
i know that we are seeing some of this progress already, but i think that this compendium could be an opportunity to make sweeping, comprehensive improvements.
I wish WOTC would print a 1000 page, VERY WELL EDITED, hardback, VERY WELL INDEXED, book for ALL Classes, All Races, All the Gear, and All the rules for play and character creation, ALL player tips, and then STOP, PLEASE, PLEASE STOP (for a year at least)!!! Reinventing the same basic classes over and over again! It is as if the writers, creators and other staff have NO CONFIDENCE in what is Fun with the D&D RPG. Give it a rest already! I like the Rules Compendium very much, but, as chance would have it, I opened it to page 240, looked at the graphic and saw a TYPO (change should read charge). I got more technical statistics books that get better proof reading than D&D books... so dumb, when you consider you got thousands who would gladly proof read for FREE just for a chance to have our name printed at the end of the book in some thanks section. And where are our iTouch, iPhone, iPad, etc apps??? Where are our PDFs??? The creativity and vision seems to be getting lost, very very lost. I am NOT sorry about the venting here... it needs to be said and said more often. I would boycott the stuff if it were so much fun. :-)
The Anatomist
By the way,
The latest rules for Magic Missile SUCK! You took away my roll, now I have NO suspense... NO suspense at all. If I got to house rule back all the fun into the game, then you guys are jacking the game up!
And did anyone check the price? $24.95! That's $5 more for a book with less pages and probably less new content than either of the two "Heroes of..." books!
I'm all for WotC making money, but someone explain to me how that's not gouging.
Anatomist, couldn't have said it better myself.
And did anyone check the price? $24.95! That's $5 more for a book with less pages and probably less new content than either of the two "Heroes of..." books!
I'm all for WotC making money, but someone explain to me how that's not gouging.
It's not gouguing because those books (assuming the present updated versions of the original classes) are a convenience for people (like myself) who don't want to sift through eratta when using the old books. If you still have your original books, and don't mind printing up and referencing the eratta, then by all means continue to use your old books.
It's not gouguing because those books (assuming the present updated versions of the original classes) are a convenience for people (like myself) who don't want to sift through eratta when using the old books. If you still have your original books, and don't mind printing up and referencing the eratta, then by all means continue to use your old books.
Convenience is why I'd pay anything for this book, when it's basically just a re-hash of stuff I already have. What I'm asking is why I'd pay more for this book than HoFL or HoFK when those books have more pages and are entirely new material.
It's not gouguing because those books (assuming the present updated versions of the original classes) are a convenience for people (like myself) who don't want to sift through eratta when using the old books. If you still have your original books, and don't mind printing up and referencing the eratta, then by all means continue to use your old books.
Convenience is why I'd pay anything for this book, when it's basically just a re-hash of stuff I already have. What I'm asking is why I'd pay more for this book than HoFL or HoFK when those books have more pages and are entirely new material.
Then you are willingly paying more because they are charging more. Convenience is a luxury, and luxuries often cost more.
Then you are willingly paying more because they are charging more. Convenience is a luxury, and luxuries often cost more.
Let me see if I can make this more clear. I already have the PHB1 classes, and all the errata. So there is arguably $0 worth of new material in this book. Now, since I'm a big fan of convenience, I'll agree to pay the cost of a separate book with all the stuff I already have. So the question is, since all I'm paying for is convenience, why does that convenience cost $5 more than two other books with more pages and more new material?
Then you are willingly paying more because they are charging more. Convenience is a luxury, and luxuries often cost more.
Let me see if I can make this more clear. I already have the PHB1 classes, and all the errata. So there is arguably $0 worth of new material in this book. Now, since I'm a big fan of convenience, I'll agree to pay the cost of a separate book with all the stuff I already have. So the question is, since all I'm paying for is convenience, why does that convenience cost $5 more than two other books with more pages and more new material?
Because convenience is a luxury and luxury items cost more. Haven't you ever seen the price difference between a luxury car and an economy car?
Because convenience is a luxury and luxury items cost more. Haven't you ever seen the price difference between a luxury car and an economy car?
I have to agree.
In the past, I felt free to critique WotC business methods, when something seemed problematic.
But here, offering a new book that also includes the latest updates is legitimate business.
WotC has already satisfied its obligation to keep previous customers current. Non-digital customers can download printable updates (tho many non-digital customers dont feel the need to stay current and dont even require this). Digital customers enjoy full integration of updates via D&D Insider.
The future Class Compendium will include more than updates of core content, but ways for core and essential to share some of eachothers content.
This book is for adding new classes to essentials, and essentials players already know how to build paladins and warlocks from reading page xx of heros of the fallen kingdoms.
And it will have the official rules for essentials characters multiclassing and the special rules for PHB classes to use the weird new essentials stuff that are not leveled class powers.
Of course I bought the dragonborn race book even though I have no dragonborn pcs.
I have bought many books just in case I might need them some day.
So don't take my interest as any kind of recomendation.
Why are people complaining about the paladin and the warlock not being in this book?
This book is for adding new classes to essentials, and essentials players already know how to build paladins and warlocks from reading page xx of heros of the fallen kingdoms.
Yes because clerics, fighters, rogues and wizards are completely new to Essentials.
With the "update of PHB classes", however, I sincerely hope for an announcement prior to a Character Builder update. If all existing classes will be "essentialized", I'd very much like to know when to cancel my subscription or (assuming the magazine content will dramatically improve) when not to update the CB anymore.
Well, maybe they'll give an option or release a CB for 4e and one for Essentials.
And while I was just shaking my head at the numerous amounts of threads concerning 4.5 - well, I guess with a reprint and update of the PHB, I have to agree.
I really didn't care about Essentials so far and haven't posted in any threads concerning it.
With the "update of PHB classes", however, I sincerely hope for an announcement prior to a Character Builder update. If all existing classes will be "essentialized", I'd very much like to know when to cancel my subscription or (assuming the magazine content will dramatically improve) when not to update the CB anymore.
Well, maybe they'll give an option or release a CB for 4e and one for Essentials.
And while I was just shaking my head at the numerous amounts of threads concerning 4.5 - well, I guess with a reprint and update of the PHB, I have to agree.
What's so wrong with the PHB1 classes being on a levelling chart?
I really didn't care about Essentials so far and haven't posted in any threads concerning it.
With the "update of PHB classes", however, I sincerely hope for an announcement prior to a Character Builder update. If all existing classes will be "essentialized", I'd very much like to know when to cancel my subscription or (assuming the magazine content will dramatically improve) when not to update the CB anymore.
Well, maybe they'll give an option or release a CB for 4e and one for Essentials.
And while I was just shaking my head at the numerous amounts of threads concerning 4.5 - well, I guess with a reprint and update of the PHB, I have to agree.
What's so wrong with the PHB1 classes being on a levelling chart?
Too early to tell what the "update" will include, obviously. Unless details have been stated anywhere. I am just a bit afraid that all classes will be in line with essentials (e.g. defender's aura for all fighters and similar big changes). If it's just a levelling chart, then why would they call it "important updates"?
Too early to tell what the "update" will include, obviously. Unless details have been stated anywhere. I am just a bit afraid that all classes will be in line with essentials (e.g. defender's aura for all fighters and similar big changes). If it's just a levelling chart, then why would they call it "important updates"?
Where does it say that?
Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell provides new character options for Dungeons & Dragons® Essentials players who are ready to move beyond the two player-oriented D&D™ Essentials books, Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms.
This book gathers five classes from the Player’s Handbook—the cleric, the fighter, the rogue, the warlord, and the wizard—and presents them in the new D&D Essentials class format introduced in Heroes of the Fallen Lands, with rules updates and errata. It features rules that allow D&D Essentials characters to select non-D&D Essentials powers, and it grants non-D&D Essentials characters access to class features from Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. In addition, this book presents feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Seems pretty much like a reprint to me. In fact, the only thing new (besided formatting and the strong possiblility of extra fluff) will be the feature swaps.
Wednesday, October 13
Announcing the D&D Class Compendium
A new Dungeons & Dragons player-focused character class book debuts in February, 2011 with the release of Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell. This product compiles information and important rules updates for the original Player’s Handbook versions of the Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Warlord, and Wizard. Utilizing the new 6x9 digest-sized Essentials-style presentation format, new players looking for more options beyond Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms can easily dive into this Class Compendium. It incorporates the original class builds, which have been totally updated and recast in the new presentation format, along with feats that allow the original class builds and the new class builds to work together. It also features more feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Going forward, we want to ensure that players using either the printed products or the D&D Insider Digital Tools have the same access to rules updates and other game material. Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell helps us achieve that goal while also making it easier to expand your options for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.
From the October news article:Wednesday, October 13
Announcing the D&D Class Compendium
A new Dungeons & Dragons player-focused character class book debuts in February, 2011 with the release of Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell. This product compiles information and important rules updates for the original Player’s Handbook versions of the Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Warlord, and Wizard. Utilizing the new 6x9 digest-sized Essentials-style presentation format, new players looking for more options beyond Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms can easily dive into this Class Compendium. It incorporates the original class builds, which have been totally updated and recast in the new presentation format, along with feats that allow the original class builds and the new class builds to work together. It also features more feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Going forward, we want to ensure that players using either the printed products or the D&D Insider Digital Tools have the same access to rules updates and other game material. Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell helps us achieve that goal while also making it easier to expand your options for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.
Totally updated most likely means simply that they have been altered to reflect the changes presented in the most recent compiled update available online.
From the October news article:Wednesday, October 13
Announcing the D&D Class Compendium
A new Dungeons & Dragons player-focused character class book debuts in February, 2011 with the release of Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell. This product compiles information and important rules updates for the original Player’s Handbook versions of the Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Warlord, and Wizard. Utilizing the new 6x9 digest-sized Essentials-style presentation format, new players looking for more options beyond Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms can easily dive into this Class Compendium. It incorporates the original class builds, which have been totally updated and recast in the new presentation format, along with feats that allow the original class builds and the new class builds to work together. It also features more feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Going forward, we want to ensure that players using either the printed products or the D&D Insider Digital Tools have the same access to rules updates and other game material. Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell helps us achieve that goal while also making it easier to expand your options for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.
The errata document hit 80 pages in December '09. There are things on the pages of the PHB1 that are not accurate to rules anymore.
From the October news article:Wednesday, October 13
Announcing the D&D Class Compendium
A new Dungeons & Dragons player-focused character class book debuts in February, 2011 with the release of Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell. This product compiles information and important rules updates for the original Player’s Handbook versions of the Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Warlord, and Wizard. Utilizing the new 6x9 digest-sized Essentials-style presentation format, new players looking for more options beyond Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms can easily dive into this Class Compendium. It incorporates the original class builds, which have been totally updated and recast in the new presentation format, along with feats that allow the original class builds and the new class builds to work together. It also features more feats, rituals, and rules for multiclassing.
Going forward, we want to ensure that players using either the printed products or the D&D Insider Digital Tools have the same access to rules updates and other game material. Class Compendium: Heroes of Sword and Spell helps us achieve that goal while also making it easier to expand your options for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.
A-shaping the classes would be nice, too.
So if you only buy one Player's Handbook, this book...it will show you how to roll characters and give you everything you need as a player from 1-30?
There are only three books that do that: The Player's Handbook (And NOT the Player's Handbook 2, or 3 - they present new classes but not the base rules those classes work within, and Power books add only options for existing classes), Heroes of the Fallen Lands, and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. This book, on ther other hand, is designed to help stuff from the second two mix with the first and things designed around it. It's a "bridge".
It is not normal to reprint the base character creation rules in new books. In this manner, the Essentials books are an aberration, and are that way because of their intended purpose.
Notably, this is not a Player's Handbook.
Unfortunately this product was cancelled alongside two more products.