Race/Class Publishing System Prediction for 4e - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Race/Class Publishing System Prediction for 4e

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
lawfulgoodgnoll
Feb 26, 2009 17:59:57 I've been brainstorming ideas for how new races and classes will be published for 4th Edition, and after learning a bit (well, a LOT, anyway) I have come up with a prediction system, which is as follows:

A. In each Player's Handbook, there may be about one to two races previously in the Monster Manual: Player's Handbook has the Tiefling (originally a monster-race); while PH2 has the Gnome and Shifter races, both in the Monster Manual as playable races. So I figure each PH will have roughly two races from any Monster Manual of the current edition.

B. In each Campaign Player's Guide, there may be two races, one from the Monster Manual(s) and one new-to-4e race. The FRPG has the Drow (present as a monster race in the MM) and the Genasi (new to 4e). The Eberron Player's Guide seems to introduce the Warforged (an MM monster race) and...actually, what IS the other new race? I'm curious. It's either the Changelings or...to be honest, I'm not sure. PLZ don't yell http://forums.gleemax.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

C. In each PH, there may be four classes of a particular Power Source and two each of two others; the catch being that across four PHs, each of the eight originally announced Power Sources will have exactly four classes.

D. In each Campaign Player's Guide, there may be exactly one new-to-4e class. FR has the Swordmage and EB has the Artificer. A further thought indicates that across eight Campaign Settings, each Power Source may receive a new class (unless the Artificer is Arcane-empowered; if it is, PLZ excuse me...I haven't playtested the Artificer let alone researched it!).

E. In each Player's Handbook, there may be three or four Paragon Paths for each race and class...poor Warlock, it only had three in the PH http://forums.gleemax.com/images/smilies/cry.gif

Well, that's my prediction. Feel free to critique, just don't be harsh about it.
#2
Grazel
Feb 26, 2009 18:24:39 Well they're not holding a set formula from the looks.

PH1 had no racial paragon paths.
PH2 is going to have racial paragon paths for PH1 and PH2 as well as FRPG races.

We're getting 4/2/2 in PH1 and PH2 but that may not hold up in future PH's though it's likely as long as they keep to the three power source / PHB model. I think part of this has more to do with what's ready from a development point of view rather than a business plan since PH2 is bringing back the 'missing' 2 races from older editions (gnome and half-orc) and all but one of the missing classes (adding barbarian, druid, bard, sorceror and still missing monk which has been stated as being in PH3).

All of these classes were listed as being 'worked on' from since before the PH1 and the druid and barbarian at least were probably pushed off to PH2 partially because of their power source and because the druid needed some heavy work to fit the 4e model. Similar issues is what have pushed out the bard and monk as well.

About all I think we can safely say is that each PHB and campaign PG will add at least 1 new race, likely 1 new class, and a handful of paragon paths and likely at least 1 epic destiny (campaign PGs especially for paragon paths and epic destinies since those would fit the campaign's fluff).
#3
Nautilus
Feb 26, 2009 18:24:41 From PHB3 onwards, I'd say all races will be from a Monster Manual. (In fact, strictly speaking, they all are anyway).

Kalashtar? That was a race of elegantly angular humanoids from the Eberron setting? I haven't seen the EPG front cover, but apart from changelings/dopplegangers, that's the only option. Unless another race has been promoted.

When choosing a class for a campaign setting, I doubt that power sources count for too much. It's what fits the world that counts. If Dark Sun gets published, you'll probably see the defiler or preserver - maybe even both - or a psionic class. I don't know what those classes would fit into - primal, perhaps? Dragonlance may introduce the knight class as a martial defender with plate. Sure, I know about the 'Knight Protector' paragon path, but knights are so fundamental to Dragonlance that some sort of knight class is a real possibility.

By the way, the artificer is arcane. It's an Arcane Leader.

The power source split is what's worked so far, but there's no guarantee it will stay that way in the future. Some people have opined that PHB3 may feature two sources, giving the opportunity to feature two power source books before PHB4. It's a decent point and they may be right.
#4
doctorhook
Feb 26, 2009 19:23:04 Current word is that the Eberron Player's Guide might actually contain three races: an updated version of Warforged, and presumably Doppelgangers and Kalashtar. This is based on a comment from DDXP by Mike Mearls (IIRC and IIRC) to the effect that, "EPG would include two new races, and that's not counting Warforged."

The reasons we say it'll likely be Warforged, Doppelganger, and Kalashtar is that Doppelganger and Kalashtar will be the only two "Eberron races" which haven't been published in 4E yet. Doppelgangers are a shoe-in, if not for EPG then for a PH race. Keith Baker indicated that Kalashtar are being statted for publication, and being a uniquely Eberron race, it's hard to imagine they'll be published anywhere else. As for Warforged, they are iconically "Eberron"; it would be heresy to publish a book called "Eberron Player's Guide" without rules for Warforged.

This is in addition to the Artificer (Arcane Leader) class, and presumed rules for Dragonmarks (speculated to be multiclass-only classes, similar in mechanics to FR's Spellscarred).
#5
Dragon9
Feb 26, 2009 23:05:35
A. In each Player's Handbook, there may be about one to two races previously in the Monster Manual: Player's Handbook has the Tiefling (originally a monster-race); while PH2 has the Gnome and Shifter races, both in the Monster Manual as playable races. So I figure each PH will have roughly two races from any Monster Manual of the current edition.

There may be a new race or two as well. Or I should say a race from a previous edition. After all, PH2 has Devas (Aasimar) and Goliaths. We may yet see the return of Illumians, Raptorans, and... wasn't there a cat-like race in one of the "Races of..." books?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lawfulgoodgnoll Feb 26, 2009 17:59:57	I've been brainstorming ideas for how new races and classes will be published for 4th Edition, and after learning a bit (well, a LOT, anyway) I have come up with a prediction system, which is as follows: A. In each Player's Handbook, there may be about one to two races previously in the Monster Manual: Player's Handbook has the Tiefling (originally a monster-race); while PH2 has the Gnome and Shifter races, both in the Monster Manual as playable races. So I figure each PH will have roughly two races from any Monster Manual of the current edition. B. In each Campaign Player's Guide, there may be two races, one from the Monster Manual(s) and one new-to-4e race. The FRPG has the Drow (present as a monster race in the MM) and the Genasi (new to 4e). The Eberron Player's Guide seems to introduce the Warforged (an MM monster race) and...actually, what IS the other new race? I'm curious. It's either the Changelings or...to be honest, I'm not sure. PLZ don't yell http://forums.gleemax.com/images/smilies/frown.gif C. In each PH, there may be four classes of a particular Power Source and two each of two others; the catch being that across four PHs, each of the eight originally announced Power Sources will have exactly four classes. D. In each Campaign Player's Guide, there may be exactly one new-to-4e class. FR has the Swordmage and EB has the Artificer. A further thought indicates that across eight Campaign Settings, each Power Source may receive a new class (unless the Artificer is Arcane-empowered; if it is, PLZ excuse me...I haven't playtested the Artificer let alone researched it!). E. In each Player's Handbook, there may be three or four Paragon Paths for each race and class...poor Warlock, it only had three in the PH http://forums.gleemax.com/images/smilies/cry.gif Well, that's my prediction. Feel free to critique, just don't be harsh about it.
#2 Grazel Feb 26, 2009 18:24:39	Well they're not holding a set formula from the looks. PH1 had no racial paragon paths. PH2 is going to have racial paragon paths for PH1 and PH2 as well as FRPG races. We're getting 4/2/2 in PH1 and PH2 but that may not hold up in future PH's though it's likely as long as they keep to the three power source / PHB model. I think part of this has more to do with what's ready from a development point of view rather than a business plan since PH2 is bringing back the 'missing' 2 races from older editions (gnome and half-orc) and all but one of the missing classes (adding barbarian, druid, bard, sorceror and still missing monk which has been stated as being in PH3). All of these classes were listed as being 'worked on' from since before the PH1 and the druid and barbarian at least were probably pushed off to PH2 partially because of their power source and because the druid needed some heavy work to fit the 4e model. Similar issues is what have pushed out the bard and monk as well. About all I think we can safely say is that each PHB and campaign PG will add at least 1 new race, likely 1 new class, and a handful of paragon paths and likely at least 1 epic destiny (campaign PGs especially for paragon paths and epic destinies since those would fit the campaign's fluff).
#3 Nautilus Feb 26, 2009 18:24:41	From PHB3 onwards, I'd say all races will be from a Monster Manual. (In fact, strictly speaking, they all are anyway). Kalashtar? That was a race of elegantly angular humanoids from the Eberron setting? I haven't seen the EPG front cover, but apart from changelings/dopplegangers, that's the only option. Unless another race has been promoted. When choosing a class for a campaign setting, I doubt that power sources count for too much. It's what fits the world that counts. If Dark Sun gets published, you'll probably see the defiler or preserver - maybe even both - or a psionic class. I don't know what those classes would fit into - primal, perhaps? Dragonlance may introduce the knight class as a martial defender with plate. Sure, I know about the 'Knight Protector' paragon path, but knights are so fundamental to Dragonlance that some sort of knight class is a real possibility. By the way, the artificer is arcane. It's an Arcane Leader. The power source split is what's worked so far, but there's no guarantee it will stay that way in the future. Some people have opined that PHB3 may feature two sources, giving the opportunity to feature two power source books before PHB4. It's a decent point and they may be right.
#4 doctorhook Feb 26, 2009 19:23:04	Current word is that the Eberron Player's Guide might actually contain three races: an updated version of Warforged, and presumably Doppelgangers and Kalashtar. This is based on a comment from DDXP by Mike Mearls (IIRC and IIRC) to the effect that, "EPG would include two new races, and that's not counting Warforged." The reasons we say it'll likely be Warforged, Doppelganger, and Kalashtar is that Doppelganger and Kalashtar will be the only two "Eberron races" which haven't been published in 4E yet. Doppelgangers are a shoe-in, if not for EPG then for a PH race. Keith Baker indicated that Kalashtar are being statted for publication, and being a uniquely Eberron race, it's hard to imagine they'll be published anywhere else. As for Warforged, they are iconically "Eberron"; it would be heresy to publish a book called "Eberron Player's Guide" without rules for Warforged. This is in addition to the Artificer (Arcane Leader) class, and presumed rules for Dragonmarks (speculated to be multiclass-only classes, similar in mechanics to FR's Spellscarred).
#5 Dragon9 Feb 26, 2009 23:05:35	A. In each Player's Handbook, there may be about one to two races previously in the Monster Manual: Player's Handbook has the Tiefling (originally a monster-race); while PH2 has the Gnome and Shifter races, both in the Monster Manual as playable races. So I figure each PH will have roughly two races from any Monster Manual of the current edition. There may be a new race or two as well. Or I should say a race from a previous edition. After all, PH2 has Devas (Aasimar) and Goliaths. We may yet see the return of Illumians, Raptorans, and... wasn't there a cat-like race in one of the "Races of..." books?