Book with Races + Classes: Yes. Player's Option: Heroes of Shadow has already been announced.
Book with "Player's Handbook 4" as its title: Personally, I wouldn't be shocked if there wasn't now that we have a new model to distrubute races and classes with Player's Option.
I see the power source books like Heroes of Shadow being the new players option book every March
Hardcovers vs. softcovers will be a sticking point. I prefer the SCs for the dramatically reduced price point (I wouldn't have been able to afford the last few 4e releases even if the constant flow errata and the existance of DDI didn't have me skeptical of any physical products to begin with). But I could see someone else prefering the hardcovers and being very unhappy about it.
My biggest concern is that, if for some reason, I or my players do not like the new design model for Essentials classes, we're left high and dry. I'm stoked for heroes of shadow, but now I realize that they'll be following the Essentials class progression, which is supposed to be different from the original unified class progression. At least, with all the sub classes and whatnot.
Necromancer and hexblade will never have a PHB-core equivalent without say, a PHB4 and a Shadow power equivalent. Unless Heroes of Shadow includes the old unified build philosophy alongside a sub-class-based set of builds, the two will not exist outside of the Essentials model.
Not that it's a bad thing, since Essentials is compatible with hardcover 4e...but hopefully Player's Option will appeal to everyone...not just fans of Essentials.
In all honesty, I'm probably just afraid of change. Seeing as it's a "Player's Option", not basic Essentials for beginners, I can forsee that the Player's Option books will probably include options just as robust and complex as what we've seen in the past. At least, that's my hope.
Besides PHB4, will we get MM4 or a Monster Vault 2?
I'd bet on a Monster Vault 2. Then again maybe WotC could get cute and start changing all the names of the source books. We could have a Creature Collection or Dungeon Denizens.
Food For Thought: With this new way of breaking down classes and using a subclass system, who wants to wade into the depths that this is an early trial run on future 5e design? Why not? Two years after 3.5 was released (May 2005) they were sitting down discussing early 4e design. We were also told that Bo9S was a big test of early design ideas for 4e. And if we take what Monte Cook has said as truth 3.5 was already in the works when the original 3e was still wet at the printers.
Hey, I'm just sayin'. If anything Essentials may actually be a stealth stepping stone into future 5e ideas.
Also, off-topic. Discuss that ELSEWHERE.
I'd love a Shadow leader. I have a bunch of ideas that would be cool for one too. Also, about Warlordy-leaders… Leaders often imply the main character, who inspires his allies to work as a team through whatever determination he has. Said leaders often like to have a sword and fight a white-haired pretty boy in sword-to-sword combat. It's not surprising that most leader classes have melee options.
Ardent, Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Warlord. All of these play out to a Shounen protagonist of sorts. Even if you don't hit as hard as the Striker, or are as sticky as the Defender for one-on-one duels, the Leader likes the idea of getting in the fight and inspiring allies to fight too. It's a common leader trope.
If shadow power and elemental power are essentials specific.....
Even though I'm a pessimist towards the Essential line (as they may prove to a .5 revision), it was clearly stated that they intend backwards compability.
Even if, as evidence suggests, new classes become "essential design", they should fit fine with all your other products, not overlapping old archetypes and such.
Though I really wish my Necromancer gets dailies!!! Don't know if he will follow the essential fighter in his "dailiesless" :P.
Can't wait for the Necro! ^^ Though I also wish they'd maintain the PHB, DMG, MM release scheme :P.
PHB3 = Hero's of Psyion (+ruinpriest)
So if you want to call Hero's of Shadow PHB4 then go ahead.
If shadow power and elemental power are essentials specific.....
Nothing is essentials specific. All essential classes will work in regular games, and vice versa. You can even take "essential" feats, and "essential" powers. At least those with without the "insert essentials build" prereq, which isn't any different the beastmasters. Though i do expect there to be more build specific stuff then usual.
Though I really wish my Necromancer gets dailies!!! Don't know if he will follow the essential fighter in his "dailiesless" :P.
IMO it's only the martial classes that will get alternitives to dailies. Probably traded for an extra encounter power.
That said, we don't know anything about who's trading out dailies. We SPECULATE the fighter is, and the Rogue and Ranger might too. But there's no Essential kit for the Warlord, and no evidence to think there will be.
There is no such thing as Essentials specific. If they are put out in the same format as the Essentials, they'll still be usable without ever needing to even crack open one of the Essentials books, because they will still use the regular 4e rules, because all Essentials products still use the regular 4e rules.
I hope you're right. Only time will tell.
There is no such thing as Essentials specific. If they are put out in the same format as the Essentials, they'll still be usable without ever needing to even crack open one of the Essentials books, because they will still use the regular 4e rules, because all Essentials products still use the regular 4e rules.
I hope you're right. Only time will tell.
They said so in the preview. "Compatibility" is the #1 statement about it, with 2 paragraphs explaining it. The dev's even came on the board and said so.
There is no such thing as Essentials specific. If they are put out in the same format as the Essentials, they'll still be usable without ever needing to even crack open one of the Essentials books, because they will still use the regular 4e rules, because all Essentials products still use the regular 4e rules.
I hope you're right. Only time will tell.
They said so in the preview. "Compatibility" is the #1 statement about it, with 2 paragraphs explaining it. The dev's even came on the board and said so.
They've said lots of things that either never happened or changed. So, their word isn't reliable as far as I'm concerned. When it comes to this hobby, I take a "I'll believe it when I see it" stance.