D&D 4E Hypothetical 4e Class List

[Mark]

It's a reference to components, which is a common element of non-deific magic throughout all cultures.

And some deific magic, too, depending on your point of view, but my point was that it sounds silly. Unless the game is meant to be humorous, it would be wise to seek an alternate parenthetical for that class.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I don't see the cleric as being much of a fantasy archetype. Whole lotta fighter/rogues, a few wizards. Can't think of many holy men. Tripitaka? Jesus?

 

[DungeonMaster]

You don't need the parenthetical - that's just me throwing that in.
That's really what archetypes are if I say "warrior" you understand, even the person on the street unversed in D&D understands what that represents. It's an archetype.
If you walk up to them and say "mystic theurge" they're not going to know what the hell it is you're getting at.

 

[DungeonMaster]

I don't see the cleric as being much of a fantasy archetype. Whole lotta fighter/rogues, a few wizards. Can't think of many holy men. Tripitaka? Jesus?

Er... Moses? I know 3rd edition went all "politically correct" on the spells but there used to be a whole variety of spells like "sticks to snakes" and "part water" back when archetype was important. Even flamestrike has biblical connotations.
The song of Roland Archbishop Turpin is another great example.

 

[Arkhandus]

I'm not terribly fond of the Fighter/Rogue/Mage simplicity folks seem to like, because then it gets to be a complicated mess trying to make a character with all the options and no obvious guidelines or defined archetypes, abilities, or whatnot. And they're just plain bland and boring, without flavor, totally uninspiring. Plus it's just drifting too close to a completely point-based skill/attribute/feat setup that becomes easily abusable by some and needlessly complicated for most.

I'd at least like to see 4E stay closer to its D&D roots and the class-based system that makes it superior to GURPS and other junk for some of us. At minimum I'd expect about half a dozen classes to give players some archetypes and make the classes distinct. I.E. Ranger (wilderness warrior, whether barbarian or just huntsman), Soldier (well-trained warrior, less versatile than Ranger but more skilled at combat), Expert (skill-monkey, versatile and good with many skills, low-mediocre fighting ability), Rake (agile, canny cross between soldier and expert, a swashbuckler or noble fencer or mundane bard), Mage (arcane caster, scholar, item crafter), and Priest (divine caster, miracle-worker, inspirer).

If nothing else....I could see Cleric and Druid being merged as a Priest class. Bard, Paladin, and Ranger fused as an Adept class. Barbarian, Fighter, and Monk fused as a Warrior class. Sorcerer and Wizard combined as a Mage class. Rogue kept or split into an Expert class and a Generalist class. Psionics, if worked in, would likely be a set of options available to Rogues/Experts.

 

[Mark]

You don't need the parenthetical - that's just me throwing that in.
That's really what archetypes are if I say "warrior" you understand, even the person on the street unversed in D&D understands what that represents. It's an archetype.
If you walk up to them and say "mystic theurge" they're not going to know what the hell it is you're getting at.

"archetype"? You're making that word up, right?


Even by your own standards, and without the parenthetical, I don't think "Mage" gets the job done.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

By your system, shouldn't "Swashbuckler" be moved to the Occidental Classes? Isn't it meant to be a sort of Muskateer/Pirate hybrid?

I used that name for lack of a better term for a "lightly armored fineness fighter". Ideally that would be a combat style supported under the Fighter class banner.

 

[Mark]

I used that name for lack of a better term for a "lightly armored fineness fighter". Ideally that would be a combat style supported under the Fighter class banner.

I see.

 

[Turjan]

I used that name for lack of a better term for a "lightly armored fineness fighter". Ideally that would be a combat style supported under the Fighter class banner.

You mean the "unfettered" ?

 

[DungeonMaster]

"archetype"? You're making that word up, right?

Er... no... it's a word in the dictionary and it has a real meaning in the analysis of Myth.
I don't understand what you mean?

Even by your own standards, and without the parenthetical, I don't think "Mage" gets the job done.

Mage isn't the best word because it's associated with magi or magus who were priests. Wizard or magician is better term. But I wanted to find words dissociate from the classes we have in 3rd edition.