I am interested almost entirely on fluff. I love unique class/race combinations, characters others often view as underoverpowered, unique class elements that add fun in and outside of combat like cantrips, familiars, pets, shape changing, etc...
As far as combat goes, I generally prefer spell casters, but am often willing to play roles if something is needed. For example, in 2nd edition I got addicted to a Paladin which I didn't initially think I would enjoy, but played cause we needed it.
I am a little interested in Controllers. I was a huge fan of Enchanters in the original Everquest and the love of crowd control has stuck with me ever since. I am also fine with playing healers if need be, but from what I have read (not experienced yet) healing isn't really as important because of healing surges, correct?
One other character I really enjoyed playing was a Wild Mage in 2nd edition, but the Sorceror variant of Wild Mage doesn't appeal to me quite as much (from reading it).
If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Thanks so much ^^
Some people have strong opinions one way or another on the different editions, I personally have fun with them all (been playing since 1982), and feel as thought it has more to do with your group and the DM's abilities than it does with the edition you are playing. They all have good and bad things about them.
D.
Having a healer in the party is still important. Although we use healing surges now, most players can only use them once per encounter via Second Wind. Classes that fill the role of Leader are the typical healers in a party. If you're interested in an arcane leader, then play a bard (which multi-classes well with Sorcerer). Gnomes make great bards.
I am interested almost entirely on fluff. I love unique class/race combinations, characters others often view as underoverpowered, unique class elements that add fun in and outside of combat like cantrips, familiars, pets, shape changing, etc...
4e has a standing suggestion that you freely re-fluff things to suit, especially individual powers. I've seen someone play a Fighter as a 'merchant' whose greatspear was fluffed as an assortment of 'magic coins'. So if you find something that has the right style for you mechanically you can feel free to refluff a bit to suit.
Personally I play a Dragonborn Shielding Swordmage: A +Str/Cha race with a Int/Con based subclass. It works out quite well, which is why I tend to think the attribute bonuses are overvalued compared to race powers/bonuses/feats. My swordmage is a tough spellcaster with tons of AoEs, the power to protect allies, enough HP/surges/defenses to take quite a lot of heat himself, and is generally fun to play. I'm really interested in picking up a Dragonling familiar myself.
Wizards have a ton of potential, but generally need some work and cooperation to make them really effective. If you team doesn't work to open up AoEs for you, can't push enemies into a zone for the life of them, and such.. playing a wizard can get quite miserable. If your party plays smart and communicates with you, a wizard can easily be the best thing to happen to your party in many combats (usually not all, as it's their dailies that tend to radically reshape the flow of an entire encounter). Wizards currently have every attribute except Str as a secondary (Str -is- a secondary for Genasi Wizards though. Oi) so you have a lot of options for what to invest in, but you can't take them all.
Healing in 4e is no longer makes the difference between spending a night recovering from your injuries and spending 15 minutes with a stack of wands.. Where a healer really makes the difference now is in combat. Essentially, without any healers, each person can get back 25% of their health once during a fight. And it costs a std action to do so unless you're a dwarf. A party member can spend thier std to get you to do it (DC 10 heal check) if you need to be brought back from unconcious for example, but that's still the same 1/enc limit. Add in a healer and now 2/enc as a minor action someone in the party can recover 25% of their max HP with an extra bonus on top. (I've seen cleric's bonus + dragonborn's bonus on the recieving end add up to over 50% from a single Healing Word.) That's a huge difference in how much HP you are fielding in the fight. And that's just the level 1 class features all leaders get. A cleric that wants to be the ultimate heal-bot can blow that out of the water. It's possible to survive in 4e with no leader but you need to make up for it with good tactics and tons of focused DPR. Basically you need to kill them before they kill you.
I'm not saying you should play a leader, but if no one does you will be in for tough times. If you do decide on a leader role, I recommend the Bard from PHB2. While they are an insanely flexible class that can basically do whatever you want it to, it's primarily a leader and then a controller.
Some people have strong opinions one way or another on the different editions, I personally have fun with them all (been playing since 1982), and feel as thought it has more to do with your group and the DM's abilities than it does with the edition you are playing. They all have good and bad things about them.
D.
Oh, come now we ALL know that 1st is the only good edition and you can't possibly have ANY fun with the others because they are just bastardizations of the One True Rules! ;) lol.
Kinda sounds like you really are hankering to play a Wizard there CCarnage. Wizards are always fun. Just don't expect them to blast everything in sight quite like the old days. They can kick butt but everyone is more on a level playing field now.
Anyway, you can have a familiar (with Arcane Power splat book). You can summon things (PHB 2 has most of the summons in it). You can have various implements including now a Tome, etc. If you want to do other oddball stuff it actually isn't all that hard to do. You can use a basic multi class feat for example to get some small extra power from a different class. Those can be handy for customizing. Half elves get more options in that regard.
Oh, come now we ALL know that 1st is the only good edition and you can't possibly have ANY fun with the others because they are just bastardizations of the One True Rules! ;) lol.
Kinda sounds like you really are hankering to play a Wizard there CCarnage. Wizards are always fun. Just don't expect them to blast everything in sight quite like the old days. They can kick butt but everyone is more on a level playing field now.
Anyway, you can have a familiar (with Arcane Power splat book). You can summon things (PHB 2 has most of the summons in it). You can have various implements including now a Tome, etc. If you want to do other oddball stuff it actually isn't all that hard to do. You can use a basic multi class feat for example to get some small extra power from a different class. Those can be handy for customizing. Half elves get more options in that regard.
Invoker has some good blastyness to it and is a very flavourful class. As for 1e never played it would if given the oppurtunity though.
Goliath Bard with a fullblade going for weapon powers.
Gnome Invoker
Warforged Druid
Halfling Warden
Dwarf Swordmage
An Invoker also has that neat encounter that gives out an AC bonus to allies in the area of effect! So you can go Invoker and take powers with a Leader slant to them. The Invoker also got plenty of summons.
.If you prefer something less complicated Dwarven Staff Wizard is a great first choice character, thats what I played first in 4e.
I really like these suggestions:
Gnome Invoker
Dwarven Swordmage
Kobold Infernal Warlock with Druid Multiclass feat diguised as a
Unfortunately our group is very small... which I guess I should have mentioned up front and I think it will definitely be 1 per role and I am 99.9% sure the Defender role is already taken. So, if controller is open, I will definitely go Invoker (which like someone mentioned as decent leader qualities as well).
I love the Kobold idea (although I might have to tweek it hehe). I've always wanted to play a Kobold, but I've never been in an "evil" campaign and never wanted to make a good one. That said, the DM and the group has been talking about making an evil group for once, so if it goes through I might ask the DM if he'll allow a Kobold. I might end up being something like a Kobold Druid, Kobold Cleric, or fiddle playing Kobold Bard if that's the case. Anyways, thanks again for the suggestions everyone.
Gnome Barbarian.
Seriously. It's a small package filled with liquid AWESOME.
When I can't decide what to play it's because I'm torn between the fun of the game mechanics among my choices. (3E references) Do I play a warlock or prestige paladin from Unearthed Arcana. Do I take a level in crusader, swordsage, or warblade given I'm definitely multiclassing my martial adept character? Do I play a wizard or a psion? I know I will have fun playing whichever I decide at the same time regretting I'm not playing the choice I didn't make.
I need a tie-breaker. That's where roleplaying comes in. When thinking of what to play, in addition to my fun in the game mechanics, I try to find where I'm thinking of the fun in playing the character - his personality, his background, his personal goals - anything that is the fluff. At that point, I find my choices are no longer between two equally fun game mechanics. My choices are between very much fun game mechanics and very much fun game mechanics with very much fun roleplaying fluff. My choices are no longer equal, and I choose the very much fun game mechanics with the very much fun roleplaying fluff. I chose the warlock. I will multiclass warblade. I will play the wizard.
Since you are torn between equal choices of very much fun roleplaying fluff, let the game mechanics be your tie-breaker. What game mechanics will you have very much fun playing? You like spellcasting. You like Controller. For a 4E game, your choice is clear. Play a Wizard.