This discussion assumes you have access to the following books... Player's Handbook, Player's Handbook II, Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, Eberron Player's Guide, Book of Classes (GameVein), and Forgotten Heroes: Scythe and Shroud (Goodman Games).
MARTIAL
Defender (Fighter)
Striker (Ranger, Rogue)
Leader (Warlord)
Controller (see below)
DIVINE
Defender (Paladin, Valkyrie)
Striker (Avenger)
Leader (Cleric)
Controller (Invoker)
ARCANE
Defender (Swordmage)
Striker (Sorcerer, Warlock)
Leader (Artificer, Bard)
Controller (Elementalist, Wizard)
PRIMAL
Defender (Warden)
Striker (Barbarian)
Leader (Shaman)
Controller (Druid)
PSIONIC
Defender (Acrobat)
Striker (Monk, Psionicist)
Leader (Shamus)
Controller (Phantomancer)
DEATH
Defender (Spiritsworn)
Striker (Assassin)
Leader (Deathwarden)
Controller (Necromancer)
I can feel a lot of people's eyes crossing involuntarily right now, so I better get to explaining.
Goodman Games' Forgotten Heroes: Scythe and Shroud will introduce the death power source, something of a way to solidify the definition of what was probably before the shadow power source. It includes all four classes listed above.
GameVein's Book of Classes will introduce the acrobat, elementalist, phantomancer, psionicist, shamus, and valkyrie. It will also introduce the skald and strike lord, but I did not list those above for personal reasons. The thing with these classes is that I took an incredible amount of liberty with them as I compiled this list. As published, the acrobat and shamus are actually ki, the elementalist is actually elemental, and the phantomancer is actually shadow. Well, I decided that my settings actually wouldn't use the elemental, ki, or shadow sources... mostly due to the lack of support for them. So the ki classes became psionic, the elemental class became arcane, and the phantomancer became psionic because the premise of its powers segways nicely into the psionic niche.
So, as you can see, as of next week, we will have excellent published versions of the assassin and necromancer. Within a month or two, we'll have excellent published versions of acrobat, elementalist, illusionist, and psionicist. And the class matrix is excellently rounded.
Here's the clincher, though....
MARTIAL CONTROLLER
Nothing starts arguments faster than the idea of a martial controller, except maybe politics, religion, or 3E vs 4E. For as many as there are who clamor for a decent martial controller, there are just as many who vehemently feel that a martial controller is untenable without breaching suspension of disbelief and transcending into the realm of anime and video games.
Well, I'm in the former camp. So I offer two excellent possibilities for the slot to be filled. Perhaps both could be used...
The lancer was created by FF6Shadow. Inspired by the dragoon characters as they were featured in the Final Fantasy video game franchise, the lancer specialized in moving freely about the battlefield and using reach weapons to wreck havoc to all around him. While the lancer remains true to the purist's definition of the martial power source, it can also be argued that it transcends reality and goes into the realm of video game or anime physics. At the moment, the point is moot, as FF6Shadow has removed all of his work from circulation until he can resolve some issues in its distribution.
The guerrilla is created by CJ Lewis (aka Ekio here on the forums). The guerrilla specialized in traps, explosives, or firearms... perhaps a little of all three. While the guerrilla is perhaps a bit more realistic than the lancer, the guerrilla also utilizes a level of technology not always found in your traditional D&D game. And many gamers disagree that said technology even counts as martial (although I personally feel that it does).
I hope this helps fuel some thought... and let's all of the effort being pumped into these classes be diverted to less traveled roads. :D
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1206960
It's my personal favourite for filling the role ;)
I am thinking that for now a hybrid cleric and avenger would suffice.
But we need to create a Heavy Shod Staff (superior melee) +3 proficiency,
1d10 damage, otherwise a friar would not be a friar. And, hey, give him the wizard's staff defense bonus.
FF6Shadow: Thanks for the heads up, dude! I've always been a fan of your work and was a little miffed when people's actions forced your hand on the matter. Thank you for all of the hard work.
Hippolyte: Um, okay? Nothing personal, but... um... how did that contribute to this thread?
Undrave: Well, with the lancer, the guerrilla, and now the dreadnought, why would we even want to make the effort? Three people have separately done all of the work for us.
Thanks for the comments. Please keep them coming.
The guerrilla is created by CJ Lewis (aka Ekio here on the forums). The guerrilla specialized in traps, explosives, or firearms... perhaps a little of all three. While the guerrilla is perhaps a bit more realistic than the lancer, the guerrilla also utilizes a level of technology not always found in your traditional D&D game. And many gamers disagree that said technology even counts as martial (although I personally feel that it does)
Aww. Thanks.
Here in the next week or two, I'll be releasing the full out document of the Guerrilla, detailing all three builds with all their paragon paths and epic destinies. It's going to be a 40 page document altogether.
What's best is that it'll have all original art, all contributed by my friends in my group and people I've met online.
I'm a little excited to get the project done with though.
There's also the Dreadnought floating around on this board, here:
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1206960
It's my personal favourite for filling the role ;)
Aww, you're so nice.
For example, I love the idea of a martyr paladin. A leader-ish paladin build that deals with taking in damage that his allies suffers.
