A Wizard for Everything - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

A Wizard for Everything

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Johnathan_Vagabond
Mar 24, 2010 12:39:11 I've been ruminating for a while over my disappointment with the handling of the Arcane Power Source. I don't think the classes are bad, indeed, some of them are among my favorite classes in the game. However, with the release of sources and, indeed, the PHB so long ago I had a very specific dream. I had hoped that the Arcane class would have a Wizard for each role. Rather than have a swordmage, bard, warlock, sorcerer, artificer we'd have different specialized Wizards.

We already had a control wizard (though he was far more blasty than I'd imagined). What I'd hoped to see was Schools of Arcane Magic return in these classes. The schools were always an interesting twist (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation) on magic.

I'd hoped to see:
Controller (Wizard): Conjurer, Enchanter, Illusionist, and Transmuter
Striker (Sorcerer): Conjurer, Evoker, Necromancer
Defender (Mage): Aburer, Diviner, Evoker, Transmuter
Leader (Enchanter): Abjurer, Diviner, Enchanter, Necromancer

Thus, a Wizard for each role. Each coming from a different background, using different spells, all while maintaining the "I'm a Wizard" vibe.

I've wrestled with each in my mind for quite a while, struggling to fill in the niches and work out the little things. Then I realized I was being silly. There were a lot of people that do this sort of thing all the time.

So I thought I'd ask, how would you do it? How would you make the good old "I wear themed robes and a pointy hat" wizard fit each role?
#2
salla
Mar 24, 2010 12:40:39 In general, a character is not aware of his class. There's no reason any arcane character can't simply refer to himself as a wizard.
#3
heathan_v20
Mar 24, 2010 16:50:24 I like the idea and sense day one have hated the wizard...however I often have to remind myself that when they first started disigning the game the warlock was considered a controller as well as the wizard, it wasn't until mid-way through design they determined what a true controller was and saw that warlock was actually a striker. However they never went back and fixed the wizard.

I think that the wizard should stay Controller, however using the "schools of magic" to give them a secondary role. You've done a decent job so far on splitting them up and I like that. Just remember where as leaders give bonuses to allies, Controllers give penalties to enemies....and status effects.
#4
Johnathan_Vagabond
Mar 25, 2010 9:01:43
In general, a character is not aware of his class. There's no reason any arcane character can't simply refer to himself as a wizard.

Yes, but a wizard wearing leathers with a sword and board, leaping into melee and getting extremely physical (sword mage) doesn't quite strike the same note. I suppose the ranged bard could pull off something like that, but not the virtue of valor bard. The socerer I suppose fits the bill already, so no worries there.

I guess what I'm thinking of, would be a wizardy defender.
#5
heathan_v20
Mar 25, 2010 10:23:39 I get what you are saying Johnathan the thing is, a wizard should be a controller, however like I said I like the idea of the wizard having different builds that give them a secondary role, and even triatery roles (such as the Necromancer build would be Controller with smatterings of leader and striker). This to me would bring back more of the old school wizard feeling, but their other roles should never outshine classes built specifically for that role.

Perhaps they would even boost powers of other classes. For instance a defender based build would not mark a target. Instead it would read like this on a hit:

if the target is marked the penalty is increased by 2.

So now the defender build is actually helping the tank in the group.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Johnathan_Vagabond Mar 24, 2010 12:39:11	I've been ruminating for a while over my disappointment with the handling of the Arcane Power Source. I don't think the classes are bad, indeed, some of them are among my favorite classes in the game. However, with the release of sources and, indeed, the PHB so long ago I had a very specific dream. I had hoped that the Arcane class would have a Wizard for each role. Rather than have a swordmage, bard, warlock, sorcerer, artificer we'd have different specialized Wizards. We already had a control wizard (though he was far more blasty than I'd imagined). What I'd hoped to see was Schools of Arcane Magic return in these classes. The schools were always an interesting twist (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Transmutation) on magic. I'd hoped to see: Controller (Wizard): Conjurer, Enchanter, Illusionist, and Transmuter Striker (Sorcerer): Conjurer, Evoker, Necromancer Defender (Mage): Aburer, Diviner, Evoker, Transmuter Leader (Enchanter): Abjurer, Diviner, Enchanter, Necromancer Thus, a Wizard for each role. Each coming from a different background, using different spells, all while maintaining the "I'm a Wizard" vibe. I've wrestled with each in my mind for quite a while, struggling to fill in the niches and work out the little things. Then I realized I was being silly. There were a lot of people that do this sort of thing all the time. So I thought I'd ask, how would you do it? How would you make the good old "I wear themed robes and a pointy hat" wizard fit each role?
#2 salla Mar 24, 2010 12:40:39	In general, a character is not aware of his class. There's no reason any arcane character can't simply refer to himself as a wizard.
#3 heathan_v20 Mar 24, 2010 16:50:24	I like the idea and sense day one have hated the wizard...however I often have to remind myself that when they first started disigning the game the warlock was considered a controller as well as the wizard, it wasn't until mid-way through design they determined what a true controller was and saw that warlock was actually a striker. However they never went back and fixed the wizard. I think that the wizard should stay Controller, however using the "schools of magic" to give them a secondary role. You've done a decent job so far on splitting them up and I like that. Just remember where as leaders give bonuses to allies, Controllers give penalties to enemies....and status effects.
#4 Johnathan_Vagabond Mar 25, 2010 9:01:43	In general, a character is not aware of his class. There's no reason any arcane character can't simply refer to himself as a wizard. Yes, but a wizard wearing leathers with a sword and board, leaping into melee and getting extremely physical (sword mage) doesn't quite strike the same note. I suppose the ranged bard could pull off something like that, but not the virtue of valor bard. The socerer I suppose fits the bill already, so no worries there. I guess what I'm thinking of, would be a wizardy defender.
#5 heathan_v20 Mar 25, 2010 10:23:39	I get what you are saying Johnathan the thing is, a wizard should be a controller, however like I said I like the idea of the wizard having different builds that give them a secondary role, and even triatery roles (such as the Necromancer build would be Controller with smatterings of leader and striker). This to me would bring back more of the old school wizard feeling, but their other roles should never outshine classes built specifically for that role. Perhaps they would even boost powers of other classes. For instance a defender based build would not mark a target. Instead it would read like this on a hit: if the target is marked the penalty is increased by 2. So now the defender build is actually helping the tank in the group.