# New Class and Race?



## No Name (Jan 22, 2010)

Runepriest (leader) lets you enter a rune state that affects allies. For example, the destruction state gives your allies +1 to hit against enemies adjacent to you.

Shardmind at a glance looks like a psionic flavored warforged. Wish they would have named it something different. The shardmind battlemind vs. the warforged warlord. Ugh.


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## Piratecat (Jan 22, 2010)

Linky?


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## No Name (Jan 22, 2010)

Sorry, can't link. 

It was from a glimpse at the character cards for the next D&D game day.

They were Shardmind Psion, Elf Seeker, Minotaur Runepriest, Githzerai Monk, Half-Elf Ardent, and Wilden Battlemind.

Everything on the monk was stuff from the debut in issue 381 except for the Ghost Strike Ki Focus (which lets you ignore insubstantial when you have combat advantage).

The Ardent had Mantle of Elation (allies within 5 get +3 damage to attacks of opportunity, and a +2 bonus to diplomacy and intimidate).

The Runepriest's heal works about the same as all of the other leaders (healing surge +_x_d6 to one ally in burst 5) but it has an added +2 to damage for you and all allies in burst until end of your next turn (destruction) or you and all allies in burst get +1 to all defenses until end of your next turn (protection). You choose when you use it.


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## Squizzle (Jan 22, 2010)

Any recollection of the shardmind's ability bonuses or other racial traits? And did they do anything interesting with the minotaur, compared to its prior published versions?  Edit: Looking at it, they appear to have picked optimal race/class arrangements for these characters--and so, we can assume that a shardmind is int/wis or cha/int, which would sadly indicate that there is still no con/int player race in 4E. Runepriest would then be con- or str-primary, with the other stat as a secondary.


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## No Name (Jan 22, 2010)

Squizzle said:


> Any recollection of the shardmind's ability bonuses or other racial traits? And did they do anything interesting with the minotaur, compared to its prior published versions?



 The cards didn't show ability bonuses, but I could eliminate strength, dexterity, and charisma from the shardmind based on the character stats (one was an 8, the other two were both 10).

The way the powers were shown on the card, it's difficult to tell what is what. I think Kinetic Trawl was a new Psion at-will. It targets reflex and does damage + pull target _x_ squares depending on how much you augment it, and it's also listed as the character's ranged basic attack.

I think the shardmind racial was Shard Swarm. It's burst 1 and all enemies in the burst grant you combat advantage until end of your next turn, and you then teleport 3 squares.

I didn't see any changes on the minotaur.


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## Hellzon (Jan 22, 2010)

No Name said:


> Minotaur Runepriest




Methinks we've identified the guy on the PHB3 cover. And here I thought he was a Minotaur Battlemind...


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## MatthewJHanson (Jan 22, 2010)

I feel like there was some concept art floating around a couple months ago that showed some crystalline humanoids. Sounds like that fits the shardmind.


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## No Name (Jan 22, 2010)

Hellzon said:


> Methinks we've identified the guy on the PHB3 cover. And here I thought he was a Minotaur Battlemind...



 The pic on the card and the phb3 cover are the same. They even gave that minotaur a name...

*Foostus*


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## Squizzle (Jan 22, 2010)

MatthewJHanson said:


> I feel like there was some concept art floating around a couple months ago that showed some crystalline humanoids. Sounds like that fits the shardmind.


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## mdosantos (Jan 22, 2010)

Remember the "Female Dragonborn have bewbs" threads?? If that's a female Shardmind, they're coming again... Though this time around... come on... mammalian crystal beings??


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## Attilla (Jan 22, 2010)

We don't really know their origins however. They may well be some sort of synthetic body created by psionicists to either just mess around and create a new race, or perhaps make some form of immortality.

As such their aesthetics may well be up entirely to their creator, who may well want theirs to have the same apparent gender as they did originally.


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## Hellzon (Jan 22, 2010)

As someone pointed out elsewhere, breasts on a rock is no weirder than arms or a head on the same. Much as I loathe the dragonboob whining, there are at least real boobless lizards to point to.


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## lukelightning (Jan 22, 2010)

Hellzon said:


> As someone pointed out elsewhere, breasts on a rock is no weirder than arms or a head on the same. Much as I loathe the dragonboob whining, there are at least real boobless lizards to point to.




At least limbs have a practical purpose, and since a rock-being needs to move and manipulate items, they are reasonable. Breasts, on the other hand, are udderly strange.


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## mdosantos (Jan 22, 2010)

Point granted


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## mdosantos (Jan 22, 2010)

lukelightning said:


> At least limbs have a practical purpose, and since a rock-being needs to move and manipulate items, they are reasonable. Breasts, on the other hand, are udderly strange.




I think the same... but Attilla has a point, we don't know the fluff... yet...


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## Ishi (Jan 22, 2010)

Did you get a look at the Battlemind? We're getting it next month, but I'm very curious nonetheless.


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## FireLance (Jan 22, 2010)

No Name said:


> The cards didn't show ability bonuses, but I could eliminate strength, dexterity, and charisma from the shardmind based on the character stats (one was an 8, the other two were both 10).



Well, given that psions are Intelligence primary, it seems likely that shardminds will have an Intelligence boost. 

Of the remaining two stats, Constitution seems the more likely since deva already boost both Intelligence and Wisdom.

So, I'm guessing Intelligence and Constitution for the shardmind.


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## No Name (Jan 23, 2010)

Ishi said:


> Did you get a look at the Battlemind? We're getting it next month, but I'm very curious nonetheless.



 Yes, the Battlemind had an insane at-will power called Mind Spike. When an enemy adjacent to the Battlemind (and marked by the Battlemind) deals damage on an attack that doesn't include the BM, as an immediate reaction the BM deals force and psychic damage to that enemy equal to the damage it did to your ally.

It also had a daily similar to the Monk's Drunken Monkey, and another daily that reduced the reach of an enemy (minimum of 1 though). There was an augmentable at-will that worked like Eyebite, but made an ally invisible instead of yourself.

Most of the powers had primal sounding names, like Feather Step and Stag's Leap, but the class was definately psionic. Maybe some of those were skill powers or belonged to the Wilden race. And speaking of that, the Battlemind was a female Wilden. I wonder if they're going to have a mini for that.


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## Destil (Jan 23, 2010)

FireLance said:


> Well, given that psions are Intelligence primary, it seems likely that shardminds will have an Intelligence boost.
> 
> Of the remaining two stats, Constitution seems the more likely since deva already boost both Intelligence and Wisdom.
> 
> So, I'm guessing Intelligence and Constitution for the shardmind.




This sounds like a safe bet, since it's also a stat boost pair that's both useful (most arcane classes) and unfilled outside of the MM only Githyanki.


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## Valesin (Jan 24, 2010)

Anything new for the seeker?  I tried to make one for the game we are just starting but there wasn't enough crunch to justify one.  I went druid instead, but still hope to swap out before I am too high a level.


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## Squizzle (Jan 24, 2010)

Sorry to pile on with additional questions, but I'm curious: do you have any recollection as to whether the new classes had weapons, or implement-type (staff, orb, wand, rod, tome, holy symbol, ki focus) items?


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## No Name (Jan 24, 2010)

Valesin said:
			
		

> Anything new for the seeker? I tried to make one for the game we are just starting but there wasn't enough crunch to justify one. I went druid instead, but still hope to swap out before I am too high a level.



Yes, some new stuff. I've got this info now too, but don't want to get myself or anyone else in trouble. I'll still spoil what I can though. 

The Seeker has a new at-will, Grappling Spirits. It's a ranged attack that slows the enemy and prevents them from shifting until the end of their next turn.

The only other new thing was a daily, Wildfire Shot. It's also ranged and does ongoing fire damage. When that enemy takes the ongoing damage, adjacent enemies take it as well.



			
				Squizzle said:
			
		

> Sorry to pile on with additional questions, but I'm curious: do you have any recollection as to whether the new classes had weapons, or implement-type (staff, orb, wand, rod, tome, holy symbol, ki focus) items?



Glad to answer questions. Ask away.

The Runepriest uses a warhammer (with an enchantment from AV2) with a light shield, and wears magical drakescale armor. The Battlemind uses a waraxe (also with an enchantment from AV2) with a heavy shield, and wears magical drakescale armor.


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## swiftshade (Jan 24, 2010)

No Name said:


> Yes, the Battlemind had an insane at-will power called Mind Spike. When an enemy adjacent to the Battlemind (and marked by the Battlemind) deals damage on an attack that doesn't include the BM, as an immediate reaction the BM deals force and psychic damage to that enemy equal to the damage it did to your ally.
> 
> It also had a daily similar to the Monk's Drunken Monkey, and another daily that reduced the reach of an enemy (minimum of 1 though). There was an augmentable at-will that worked like Eyebite, but made an ally invisible instead of yourself.
> 
> Most of the powers had primal sounding names, like Feather Step and Stag's Leap, but the class was definately psionic. Maybe some of those were skill powers or belonged to the Wilden race. And speaking of that, the Battlemind was a female Wilden. I wonder if they're going to have a mini for that.




Thanks for the info. The Mind Spike at-will you posted, is it the battlemind's marking mechanic, or does he get somethig else?


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## No Name (Jan 24, 2010)

swiftshade said:


> The Mind Spike at-will you posted, is it the battlemind's marking mechanic, or does he get somethig else?



 It marks with Battlemind's Demand. Target 1 creature in close burst 3 as a minor at-will, and the creature stays marked until you use the power again or until the end of the encounter. If you augment it with a power point, you can target up to 2 creatures.


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## Camelot (Jan 24, 2010)

Let me get this straight...

RACES

*Githzerai* - +2 Dex, +2 Wis
*Minotaur* - +2 Str, +2 Con
*Shardmind* - +2 Con?, +2 Int?
*Wilden* - +2 ?, +2 ?

CLASSES

*Ardent* - Psionic Leader
*Battlemind -* Psionic Defender
*Monk* - Psionic Striker
*Psion* - Psionic Controller
*Runepriest* - Divine Leader?
*Seeker* - Primal Controller

Do I have this right? Mind if I ask some questions too? =) What ability boosts does the wilden get? I know we're not too sure about the shardmind. Does the Runepriest's healing ability have anything unique about it?

I'm glad to see more controllers, bringing the count to controllers: 5, defenders: 5, leaders: 7, strikers: 8.  Much more balanced, though not compeltely.  I guess more stikers makes sense, since people love to play strikers, but leaders is the last role most players want to take, so why are there so many of them?

Thanks again for the info, No Name! I am _sooo_ psyched about the new stuff!


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## Kez Darksun (Jan 24, 2010)

Wilden is +2 Con, +2 Wis.  They didn't reprint a finalized version from the playtest, but it did get updated to the official PH3 version in an earlier update.


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## No Name (Jan 24, 2010)

The Wilden is in the Character Builder. Looks like it's still +2 Con, +2 Wis. Those are the two highest stats for the gameday character. When I stat a Wilden in the CB, I can't get the numbers to add up correctly. It's stats are Str 13, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 10 at level 6.

The Shardmind is probably +2 Int / +2 Wis. It's stats are 8 Str, 13 Con, 10 Dex, 20 Int, 18 Wis, 10 Cha at level 6. In the CB, using the Deva as a substitute, the numbers work.

I put the Runepriest's heal in post #3. All of the at-will and encounter powers listed have Destruction and Protection in the description. The extra stuff the power does is determined by which one you choose. Plus, after choosing either destruction or protection, it places you in a rune state. The rune state grants an ongoing bonus to your allies (Destruction gives allies +1 to attack rolls against enemies adjacent to the Runepriest, while Protection grants resist 2 all to allies adjacent to the Runepriest). Looks like you can switch rune states all you want. One round you could use an at-will and choose the destructive rune state, and then the next round you could use the same at-will again but choose protection. The rune state lasts until you choose another or until the encounter ends.


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## Vael (Jan 24, 2010)

Which stats are primary for the Runepriest and Battlemind? IOW, which seem to be their attack stats?

Also, what's the Shardmind's racial power?


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## Ishi (Jan 24, 2010)

No Name said:


> All of the at-will and encounter powers listed have Destruction and Protection in the description.



I'm curious as to what sort of at-will and encounter powers the runepriest has and how they differ from the cleric's. Can you deduct the primary attack stat? Strength? Constitution? If the Con/Str modifiers are different you can calculate it.



Vael said:


> Also, what's the Shardmind's racial power?




From an earlier post


> I think the shardmind racial was Shard Swarm. It's burst 1 and all enemies in the burst grant you combat advantage until end of your next turn, and you then teleport 3 squares.


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## Valesin (Jan 24, 2010)

Awesome!  Thanks.


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## Squizzle (Jan 24, 2010)

Vael said:


> Which stats are primary for the Runepriest and Battlemind? IOW, which seem to be their attack stats?
> 
> Also, what's the Shardmind's racial power?




The battlemind in question is almost assuredly con-primary, wis-secondary. I'm very interested in both confirming that, and learning what the runepriest's primary and secondary stats were.


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## Kinneus (Jan 24, 2010)

Man... why can't they give us a +Con +Int race already? Why the hesitance?


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## Camelot (Jan 24, 2010)

For the Wilden, if it is Con/Wis, and those are its stats, and we're using point buy, a possibility is this:

*Ability Score - Points Spent - Level 1 - Level 6*
Strength - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - 13 - - - - 13
Constitution - - - - 7 - - - - - - - 17 - - - - 18
Dexterity - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - 11 - - - - 12
Intelligence - - - - - 0 - - - - - - 10 - - - - 10
Wisdom - - - - - - - 9 - - - - - - 18 - - - - 18
Charisma - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - 10 - - - - 10

Of course, this is only a possibility.  If Con is primary, then switch it with Wis.  An excuse for giving a +1 at level 4 to Dex is to boost Ref.

That really bugs me about the shardmind.  Forget flavor for just one second and appeal to our mechanical needs!!!!  And doesn't it make more sense for a crystalline creature to be tough than wise?  It works!  Just do it!  They are trying to annoy us on purpose. =)  Seriously, though, the shardmind should be Con/Int, not another Int/Wis.


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## Shroomy (Jan 24, 2010)

Does WotC usually ship out kits for WWDDGD this far in advance of the actual event?  Its what, almost two months from now?  I would have expected the Dark Sun stuff from DDXP to have leaked first.


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## Destil (Jan 25, 2010)

Camelot said:


> I'm glad to see more controllers, bringing the count to controllers: 5, defenders: 5, leaders: 7, strikers: 8.  Much more balanced, though not compeltely.  I guess more stikers makes sense, since people love to play strikers, but leaders is the last role most players want to take, so why are there so many of them?




Strikers and Leaders are both generally split into Ranged/Melee (either classes or builds). Defenders are melee only and controllers are pretty much ranged only. That's the most likely reason for the increased number of both roles (I still really wish the ardent has a ranged weapon build).

I wonder why the runepriest is divine and what their class flavor will be. It sounds generic enough in principle it could fit into anything but martial, will be interesting to see where the divine hook is...


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## Kinneus (Jan 25, 2010)

Destil said:


> I wonder why the runepriest is divine and what their class flavor will be. It sounds generic enough in principle it could fit into anything but martial, will be interesting to see where the divine hook is...



Personally, 'runepriest' sounds pretty arcane to me. They're going to have to work hard sell the fluff to me, personally. Not to mention differentiate it from the cleric who is, let's face, the Big Daddy of leaders, let alone Divine Leaders.


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## Camelot (Jan 25, 2010)

Sounds to me like runepriest is much more of a melee leader than the cleric, though like Destil pointed out, I'm sure ranged options are available.  If it was up to me, Wisdom and Constitution would play big parts in the runepriest's ability scores, making dwarves perfect for them, since dwarves and runes go together like dragons and gold.


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## No Name (Jan 25, 2010)

I can't tell what the primary stat is on the Battlemind. Both con and wis are 18, and all attack powers are +12 to hit. I'd guess it's +4 (ability mod) +2 (enhancement) +2 (axe proficiency) +3 (half level) +1 (feat??). Not everything is listed on the card.



> I'm curious as to what sort of at-will and encounter powers the runepriest has and how they differ from the cleric's. Can you deduct the primary attack stat? Strength? Constitution? If the Con/Str modifiers are different you can calculate it.




Minotaur Runepriest stats are: Str 20, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8. It's attacks are +13 (except for Goring Charge, which is +12). It uses a +2 warhammer.

The at-wills are Word of Diminishment and Word of Shielding. Diminishment is melee damage and either gives the target vulnerable 2 until end of next turn (or vulnerable 5 vs. attacks of opportunity), or target has -4 to attacks until end of next turn.

Shielding does melee damage and either makes the target take damage the first time it attacks you or an adjacent ally (unless it attacks someone who marked it), or the first time it attacks you or an adjacent ally, that character gets temp hp.

Flames of Purity is a close blast 3 encounter power that does fire damage to enemies only. If there are allies in the blast, they either get +3 damage until end of next turn or regain 3 hp.

When I say either/or in the powers, it just means you have to choose destruction or protection rune state.


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## Jhaelen (Jan 25, 2010)

Kinneus said:


> Personally, 'runepriest' sounds pretty arcane to me. They're going to have to work hard sell the fluff to me, personally. Not to mention differentiate it from the cleric who is, let's face, the Big Daddy of leaders, let alone Divine Leaders.



Well, when I hear 'rune' I immediately think 'Odin', and what's a priest if not a divine class?

I'm a bit surprised about the crystalline race, though I probably shouldn't be since I remember having seen the artwork before.


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## Zaran (Jan 25, 2010)

Does anyone else think they are really reaching with these new races and classes?  It's like they are running out of ideas and just making drek up to fill the pages. 

 I'm buying into their merchandising strategy though since I'm coughing up the money to buy the book just for the Monk (and I suppose the minotaur).


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## GMforPowergamers (Jan 25, 2010)

Zaran said:


> Does anyone else think they are really reaching with these new races and classes?  It's like they are running out of ideas and just making drek up to fill the pages.




yes and no. I think they are casting a wide net looking for what works... Mt and the guys I play with call it warlock fishing. Back in 3e over a dozen new classes where introduced in the complete books. Out of them how many really saw serise play? I bet less then half... and out of them how many really took off? Well the Warlock is the best example... It was so popular it made it into 4e's PHBI...

So far in 4e the 'new warlocks' seam to me to be the Avenger and the Warlord. I can't imagin 5e not useing both classes. How ever if warden got dumped, or completly re imagined I doubt many would mind.

right now they are throwing strange new things at us to see what catches on. I think the rune guy has potental, the seeker seams kinda cool, and I am willing to give most things a chance.


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## Squizzle (Jan 25, 2010)

Does the runepriest have any build-dependent class features, or is that mechanical slot being filled by the per-round selectable rune-states?


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## bagger245 (Jan 25, 2010)

Zaran said:


> Does anyone else think they are really reaching with these new races and classes?  It's like they are running out of ideas and just making drek up to fill the pages.
> 
> I'm buying into their merchandising strategy though since I'm coughing up the money to buy the book just for the Monk (and I suppose the minotaur).




Yeah, I think so too. Bust its mainly for the new mechanics rather than archetypes. I only need the 4 main (fighter, rogue, cleric, wizard) and the rest are just variations of the archetypes with own mechanics. Sure I can reflavour all my cleric or paladin powers to be rune-based, but the Runepriest gives me the mechanics to back it up. Same goes to the future classes. Makes me wonder what classes can they come up with which isn't a variation of a wizard/sorceror for Elemental power source.


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## Hellzon (Jan 25, 2010)

GMforPowergamers said:


> So far in 4e the 'new warlocks' seam to me to be the Avenger and the Warlord. I can't imagin 5e not useing both classes. How ever if warden got dumped, or completly re imagined I doubt many would mind.




[pedant]Isn't the Warlord close to 3.x:s Marshal?[/pedant]


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## 1of3 (Jan 25, 2010)

No Name, could you tell us: Do Runepriests get Channel Divinities?

Thanks very much.


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## GMforPowergamers (Jan 25, 2010)

Hellzon said:


> [pedant]Isn't the Warlord close to 3.x:s Marshal?[/pedant]




Yes and no. Yes it is based on the same idea (and may even have gotten some powers from it) but realisticly it is more white ravon school from Bo9S, and even then was reimagined and refocused. 

When I look at the 3.5 warlock and the 4e warlock I see the same class, with some new paint... when I look at the Marshal 3.5, and the Warlord 4e...I see they have a simalar frame (aka basic concept) but with a complet overhaul...

Again my bet (based on the interwebs, and personal experance...so no real data) is that 5e will see the same 'classic' classes we all know and love, but will also see Avenger, Warlock and Warlord pretty much as is with some new paint... we may see a warden, an invoker, a Shawman... BUT it will be with an overhaul ala marshal to warlord...


Now as for phb3 classes, well MOnk already has traction... we will see a monk in 5e. Psionics in general have traction... but every edtion overhauls them, so time will tell weather battlemind, and ardents are seen again. I hope rune priest and seekers are break out hits... but so far I don't know.


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## Somebloke (Jan 25, 2010)

No Name said:


> Yes, the Battlemind had an insane at-will power called Mind Spike. When an enemy adjacent to the Battlemind (and marked by the Battlemind) deals damage on an attack that doesn't include the BM, as an immediate reaction the BM deals force and psychic damage to that enemy equal to the damage it did to your ally.



 Hang on...do you mean that the battlemind gets to roll an attack that does equal damage, or that the battlemind automatically does damage? Because if it's the second, I'm calling broken right here and now.


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## Herschel (Jan 25, 2010)

lukelightning said:


> At least limbs have a practical purpose, and since a rock-being needs to move and manipulate items, they are reasonable. Breasts, on the other hand, are udderly strange.




You've obviously never been with a female of the species, have you.  No practical purpose? Oy vay!


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## GMforPowergamers (Jan 25, 2010)

lukelightning said:


> At least limbs have a practical purpose, and since a rock-being needs to move and manipulate items, they are reasonable. Breasts, on the other hand, are udderly strange.




I guess that depends... since dragonborn nurse there young, maybe so do these rocks... or maybe it is just part of the same "all humonids look the same" way of thinking to stop people from having to think to much...

eaither way, a psionic cyrstal should float, communicate telapathicly and have no recongnizable humonid parts... also not need to eat, or breath... In fact I think a small beholder mini with the eye stacks cut off and repaineted as rock crystal would work best...


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## GnomeNinja5 (Jan 25, 2010)

My questions are as follows:


Do Minotaurs still seem to be very melee-focused? If not, what are their Racial Traits?
Do Runepriests seem to have different builds in any way?
How EXACTLY does the Battlemind marking and hurty-thing work?
What does the Wis Psion seem to be good at?
What does the Con Ardet seem to be good at?


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## Squizzle (Jan 25, 2010)

GnomeNinja5 said:


> My questions are as follows:
> 
> 
> Do Minotaurs still seem to be very melee-focused? If not, what are their Racial Traits?
> ...




If the minotaur has not, as he said above, changed detectably from previous publication, then they will remain highly melee-focused. Also, we know that the wis-based psion is a telekinetic specialist, and we've gotten some hint about the con-ardent, which I unfortunately can't recall offhand.


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## GnomeNinja5 (Jan 25, 2010)

Squizzle said:


> If the minotaur has not, as he said above, changed detectably from previous publication, then they will remain highly melee-focused. Also, we know that the wis-based psion is a telekinetic specialist, and we've gotten some hint about the con-ardent, which I unfortunately can't recall offhand.



 I know Minotaurs were melee focused; I was wondering if it changed. I know the focus of the other psion and ardent builds; I was wondering their mechanical shtick.


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## Squizzle (Jan 25, 2010)

GnomeNinja5 said:


> I know Minotaurs were melee focused; I was wondering if it changed.




First page:



Squizzle said:


> And did they do anything interesting with the minotaur, compared to its prior published versions?






No Name said:


> I didn't see any changes on the minotaur.


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## Destil (Jan 26, 2010)

Somebloke said:


> > Yes, the Battlemind had an insane at-will power called Mind Spike. When an enemy adjacent to the Battlemind (and marked by the Battlemind) deals damage on an attack that doesn't include the BM, as an immediate reaction the BM deals force and psychic damage to that enemy equal to the damage it did to your ally.
> 
> 
> 
> Hang on...do you mean that the battlemind gets to roll an attack that does equal damage, or that the battlemind automatically does damage? Because if it's the second, I'm calling broken right here and now.



I've been thinking about this one some today, and I think it may be pretty balanced, but I'd really like to know how it works.

My thought is that if it requires a hit and does nothing else it should be fine.

A) The power requires the battle mind to hit AND the opponent to hit, and the opponent's going to be fighting the mark in that case. Thus it's not automatic in any way.
B) The battle mind's normal punishment mechanic is an immediate, right? So this makes this power just a kicker, and the damage of their normal mark punishment can be subtracted from the damage this deals before considering how effective it is.
C) It's only once per round, and very few significant bad guys get once per round 'huge piles of damage' attacks. Brutes most commonly, which makes hitting even more of a factor. Most 4E monsters that dish out piles of damage either do it conditionally (lurkers, every few rounds) or across the entire party (solos generally get a lot of individual attacks). If you're using this when something has the sudden chance to deal a lot more damage that's just good tactics, and it should be rewarded. Especially if it's something where the other option is to attack the battle mind and do crap damage (i.e. monsters with bonuses against bloodied targets). Nothing wrong with an at-will that makes a defender more sticky.
D) If the mark's up and the DM knows the damage number is going to be stupid the monster can always just point it at the battlemind. It may not be optimal (AoO, higher defenses, temp HP, more and better surges et cetera), but something that encourages this sort of thing isn't exactily out of a defender's niche.


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## DracoSuave (Jan 26, 2010)

Kinneus said:


> Personally, 'runepriest' sounds pretty arcane to me. They're going to have to work hard sell the fluff to me, personally. Not to mention differentiate it from the cleric who is, let's face, the Big Daddy of leaders, let alone Divine Leaders.




Really?  When I hear runepriest, I picture a priest.  Of runes.  That's divine, baby.


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## No Name (Jan 26, 2010)

Squizzle said:


> Does the runepriest have any build-dependent class features, or is that mechanical slot being filled by the per-round selectable rune-states?



 It's hard to tell. Nothing is categorized, they just list at-wills, encounters, dailys, and then item powers. So the Minotaur Runepriest has 3 at-wills listed, the two for the class and a melee basic attack. Of the 5 encounters listed, one is racial (goring charge),  and one is the heal (rune of mending). So of the three left, I'd guess one is a utility and the other two are from levels 1 and 3. The utility is probably Rune of the Final Effort. It's a minor action melee 1 range that gives one bloodied ally +5 to all defenses until the end of your next turn.

There are also 3 dailys listed. So two of those are probably from levels 1 and 5, and the other is likely a utility. Here, the utility is probably Rune of Meritorius Alacrity. When you roll initiative, you and each ally in sight get a +10 bonus.

There are no Channel Divinity powers listed, but it does say that the Minotaur is a Runepriest of Kord.



> How EXACTLY does the Battlemind marking and hurty-thing work?




The Battlemind marks 1 creature in burst 3 as a minor action. By spending a power point, the Battlemind can mark up to 2 creatures in that burst.

The damage they do with Mind Spike is automatic. The marked enemy has to be adjacent, and has to do damage with an attack that doesn't include the Battlemind.

So if a marked kobold adjacent to the Battlemind stabs the cleric, then the BM can use an immediate reaction to do damage to the kobold equal to what it did to the cleric.

And if you're thinking all the kobold has to do is shift away from the Battlemind before it attacks, the Battlemind has Blurred Step. When an adjacent marked enemy shifts, the Battlemind can shift 1 square as an opportunity action.


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## mdosantos (Jan 26, 2010)

No Name said:


> The Battlemind marks 1 creature in burst 3 as a minor action. By spending a power point, the Battlemind can mark up to 2 creatures in that burst.
> 
> The damage they do with Mind Spike is automatic. The marked enemy has to be adjacent, and has to do damage with an attack that doesn't include the Battlemind.
> 
> ...




I want to play one NOW!!!


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## Somebloke (Jan 26, 2010)

No Name said:


> It's hard to tell. Nothing is categorized, they just list at-wills, encounters, dailys, and then item powers. So the Minotaur Runepriest has 3 at-wills listed, the two for the class and a melee basic attack. Of the 5 encounters listed, one is racial (goring charge), and one is the heal (rune of mending). So of the three left, I'd guess one is a utility and the other two are from levels 1 and 3. The utility is probably Rune of the Final Effort. It's a minor action melee 1 range that gives one bloodied ally +5 to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
> 
> There are also 3 dailys listed. So two of those are probably from levels 1 and 5, and the other is likely a utility. Here, the utility is probably Rune of Meritorius Alacrity. When you roll initiative, you and each ally in sight get a +10 bonus.
> 
> ...



I think I can hear the fighter throwing down his baseball glove and screaming 'Good Grief!' I mean, as Destil pointed out there are limitations, but still...compared to the combat challenge ability...


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## kerbarian (Jan 26, 2010)

Somebloke said:


> I think I can hear the fighter throwing down his baseball glove and screaming 'Good Grief!' I mean, as Destil pointed out there are limitations, but still...compared to the combat challenge ability...



Compared to combat challenge... it actually sounds pretty similar.

Battlemind:  If you ignore my mark while adjacent, you suffer the consequences of your own attack.
Fighter:  If you ignore my mark while adjacent, you suffer the consequences of my attack.

Battlemind:  If you try to shift away to avoid my mark, it doesn't work -- I'll shift with you.
Fighter:  If you try to shift away to avoid my mark, it doesn't work -- you'll suffer the full consequences of the mark right away.

The main difference is in the effectiveness of the target's attack vs. the fighter's melee basic.  That will vary, but I'd guess that a well-built fighter would, on average, hit harder and more accurately than a monster.  Against higher-level monsters or elites/solos, though, the battlemind could be very effective.


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## Squizzle (Jan 26, 2010)

kerbarian said:


> Compared to combat challenge... it actually sounds pretty similar.
> 
> Battlemind:  If you ignore my mark while adjacent, you suffer the consequences of your own attack.
> Fighter:  If you ignore my mark while adjacent, you suffer the consequences of my attack.
> ...




A large part of a fighter's or assault swordmage's threat as a defender--that is, the ability to _do the class's job_--is the threat of decent melee basic damage. This constrains the ways to effectively build a member of these classes without hurting ability to contribute to the party. The fighter, at least, addresses this with options like weapon-specialist multiclass, so that (for instance) the low-damage whip provides additional penalties. By divorcing defender-damage from the character's normal combat-damage, the battlemind is able to explore a lot of character concepts that don't necessitate excellent weapon damage, without being a millstone around the party's neck (i.e. adding a character's worth of XP to the DM's encounter budget without doing a character's worth of work to earn the party's XP).


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## UngeheuerLich (Jan 26, 2010)

The fighter´s punishment is a immediate interrupt...

so you could have killed the enemy before it even did any damage. So it is pretty balanced. 
Also the said kobold just says: ok after the shift i happily move around the battlemind because the opportunity action is lost. Even non kobolds can just shift and charge. Against a fighter this tactic will fail.


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## bagger245 (Jan 26, 2010)

Hey if the minotaur in the front cover is a runepriest (judging from the mace he is wielding), and the minotaur is a melee based race, can we imply the runepriest is a melee based class? Or at least having a melee based build.


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## Squizzle (Jan 26, 2010)

bagger245 said:


> Hey if the minotaur in the front cover is a runepriest (judging from the mace he is wielding), and the minotaur is a melee based race, can we imply the runepriest is a melee based class? Or at least having a melee based build.






No Name said:


> *The Runepriest uses a warhammer* (with an enchantment from AV2) with a light shield, and wears magical drakescale armor.






No Name said:


> The [runepriest's] at-wills are Word of Diminishment and Word of Shielding. *Diminishment is melee damage* and either gives the target vulnerable 2 until end of next turn (or vulnerable 5 vs. attacks of opportunity), or target has -4 to attacks until end of next turn.
> 
> *Shielding does melee damage* and either makes the target take damage the first time it attacks you or an adjacent ally (unless it attacks someone who marked it), or the first time it attacks you or an adjacent ally, that character gets temp hp.
> 
> ...




Emphasis mine. the existence of a close blast attack makes me think that it's a weapon + implement class. Whether that's like a swordmage and monk (weapon *is* implement) or like a cleric, paladin, artificer, et al. (weapon and implement are *separate items*) remains to be seen.


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## No Name (Jan 26, 2010)

Squizzle said:


> Emphasis mine. the existence of a close blast attack makes me think that it's a weapon + implement class. Whether that's like a swordmage and monk (weapon *is* implement) or like a cleric, paladin, artificer, et al. (weapon and implement are *separate items*) remains to be seen.



 The close blast attack is probably a weapon attack. It targets AC and is +13 to hit. All of the other powers are +13 to hit except Goring Charge. All powers but one target AC. One of the dailys, Rune of the Final Act, targets fortitude. And for those interested, it's melee weapon necrotic or radiant damage and places a deathly rune on the target (save ends). The deathly rune gives you and your allies +2 power bonus to damage rolls. Every time the target is hit, the bonus increases by 1.

I imagine some of this stuff may be changed in the PHB3. They simplified these characters more than a bit. I also noticed there were some doubters on the wizards board. I'm not going to put pdfs or full pics of these characters public. I don't want to get myself or my friend in any kind of trouble. All of this spoiling is probably close to stepping over the line as it is. But I am a huge fan of D&D, I've been playing off and on for about 25 years. If the new stuff excites you all as much as it does me, then you can understand why I have to share it. 

I have been tempted to send some of the info to a mod, just to help alleviate some doubt that I'm making all of this up.


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## Squizzle (Jan 26, 2010)

No Name said:


> The close blast attack is probably a weapon attack. It targets AC and is +13 to hit. All of the other powers are +13 to hit except Goring Charge. All powers but one target AC. One of the dailys, Rune of the Final Act, targets fortitude. And for those interested, it's melee weapon necrotic or radiant damage and places a deathly rune on the target (save ends). The deathly rune gives you and your allies +2 power bonus to damage rolls. Every time the target is hit, the bonus increases by 1.




Thaaaaat is really neat. Does it end when the target hits 0 HP? I'm struck that it's apparently a (presumably melee) weapon power, occupying a design space usually reserved for implement powers. I also like the solution for the prevalence of necrotic-resistant undead being "whatever, I guess it'll radiant if you want".


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## Camelot (Jan 26, 2010)

I'm kind of worried about power creep after hearing about this.  They've been doing a great job of keeping it balanced so far, but it looks like its getting worse.  I don't see how it could be so hard to maintain balance, so maybe things aren't as bad as they seem.

It's just that the daily power for one sounds a lot more powerful than anything I've heard of.  It's got a lot of things going for it:
* Weapon attack vs. NAD defense = accuracy
* Close blast = multiple targets
* Necrotic or radiant = versatility
* Effect until save = damage
Although the effect only lasts until a save, which usually isn't that long, that's still a good 8 to 10 extra damage, and on multiple targets.  If it doesn't have a miss effect, that would be good, but I really hope it balances with other classes, particularly the cleric.  I don't want the cleric to lose its melee divine leader niche just because a better class came along.


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## swiftshade (Jan 26, 2010)

UngeheuerLich said:


> The fighter´s punishment is a immediate interrupt...
> 
> so you could have killed the enemy before it even did any damage. So it is pretty balanced.
> Also the said kobold just says: ok after the shift i happily move around the battlemind because the opportunity action is lost. Even non kobolds can just shift and charge. Against a fighter this tactic will fail.




   Warden seems to be suffering from the same problem. Hopefully, Battlemind will get something else to increase its stickiness.
*No Name*, thanks for all the info.


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## GMforPowergamers (Jan 26, 2010)

No Name said:


> I also noticed there were some doubters on the wizards board. I'm not going to put pdfs or full pics of these characters public. I don't want to get myself or my friend in any kind of trouble. All of this spoiling is probably close to stepping over the line as it is. But I am a huge fan of D&D, I've been playing off and on for about 25 years. If the new stuff excites you all as much as it does me, then you can understand why I have to share it.
> 
> I have been tempted to send some of the info to a mod, just to help alleviate some doubt that I'm making all of this up.




no nme, first thank you for shareing. I am getting more excitement off of your info then I have for ardent, monk, or seeker to be honnest. I like the idea of the rune priest, and I think I just fell in love with the battlemind...

and as much as I would love to see the PDFs, no worries...we don't want to get youin any trouble...


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## UngeheuerLich (Jan 26, 2010)

swiftshade said:


> Warden seems to be suffering from the same problem. Hopefully, Battlemind will get something else to increase its stickiness.
> *No Name*, thanks for all the info.



No, a warden is stickier, because he doesn´t use his opportunity action to punish the enemy for shifting... so the battlemind, even if it shifts after the enemy is no threat at all because he has already used his ONLY OPPORTUNITY action.

Not that i think this is a big problem, because you can shift so that the straight line to your friend is blocked or that the nearest square is still next to you, and maybe you can daze a lot...

... i just wanted to say that the fighter has no reason to be envious of the battlemind's abilities of defending...

the fighter to be honest is one of the greatest class to play in 4e... at least comparing how boring it was in previous editions...


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## swiftshade (Jan 26, 2010)

UngeheuerLich said:


> No, a warden is stickier, because he doesn´t use his opportunity action to punish the enemy for shifting... so the battlemind, even if it shifts after the enemy is no threat at all because he has already used his ONLY OPPORTUNITY action.
> 
> Not that i think this is a big problem, because you can shift so that the straight line to your friend is blocked or that the nearest square is still next to you, and maybe you can daze a lot...
> 
> ...




Unless I'm missing something, Warden is as vulnerable to shifting then charging tactic. Opportunity action availability is really irrelevant here. Or am I really missing something?

Have to agree with your fighter comment, though.


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## cignus_pfaccari (Jan 27, 2010)

Camelot said:


> I don't want the cleric to lose its melee divine leader niche just because a better class came along.




It sounds like, from admittedly this very brief look, that the runepriest is going to be more of a buffer leader than a healer leader.

I am looking forward to it, but we'll see if I'll switch my minotaur battle cleric to a runepriest.

Brad


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## No Name (Jan 27, 2010)

Camelot said:


> I'm kind of worried about power creep after hearing about this. They've been doing a great job of keeping it balanced so far, but it looks like its getting worse. I don't see how it could be so hard to maintain balance, so maybe things aren't as bad as they seem.
> 
> It's just that the daily power for one sounds a lot more powerful than anything I've heard of. It's got a lot of things going for it:
> * Weapon attack vs. NAD defense = accuracy
> ...



 The daily power isn't close blast, it's single target. Flames of Purity is close blast. I should have put those two in separate paragraphs. I started talking about one, then switched to the other. Sorry.

I think they are all weapon powers. All of the powers (except Goring Charge) do _x_d10 damage, and the Minotaur uses a warhammer.



> It sounds like, from admittedly this very brief look, that the runepriest is going to be more of a buffer leader than a healer leader.



Probably so. The other daily is Rune of the Undeniable Dawn. It's close burst 3 radiant damage (half damage on miss), and it creates a zone. You and your allies in the zone get +2 power bonus to defenses, and it's a minor to sustain.

To everyone, your welcome for all the thanks.


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## Danceofmasks (Jan 27, 2010)

UngeheuerLich said:


> so the battlemind, even if it shifts after the enemy is no threat at all because he has already used his ONLY OPPORTUNITY action.



Umm, don't they punish with their immediate action?
Immediate and opportunity aren't the same.


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## UngeheuerLich (Jan 27, 2010)

I don´t know, but in the post above i read that it was an opportunity action to shift and you need to be adjacent to punish...

so you use up both actions when the enemy shifts and attacks.

@warden: IIRC the warden uses an immediate action to punish. So after a shift back and then a charge which passes the warden in an adjacent square, the warden gets his regular opportunity action for someone leaving an adjacent square. (so the path is more or less blocked.

The battlemind has to make following decisions: the enemy shifts: if he is then in a position to attack an ally, you shift with him using up your opportunity action. Then the monster decides to charge "around" you to get to the wizard. You can´t use your opportunity action to punish the passing monster.

But in play it won´t be that bad, because if the monste shifts besides an ally to provoke your opportunity shift, this ally gets an opportunity attack. It only becomes a problem against a monster with reach or when the ally is someone incapable of making a worthwhile oportunity attack... but in this case there is usually noone left behind you to charge. Still a theoretcally different thing.


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## Danceofmasks (Jan 27, 2010)

Heh ... I wouldn't be overly fussed if monsters tried so hard to get at the wizard.
That means you're already manipulating their behaviour, and they're still suffering the mark's penalties.

Unless it's a failbuild, most characters would have equivalent AC with the average defender after the -2.

What's more, being able to "save" the defender's immediate in order to deliberately provoke OAs can be a fair bit more efficient.
My fighter (my build, but I'm not the one playing it right now) for instance, has shield push + gauntlets of the ram.
It's fair, I swear.
Provoke OA, Fighter interrupts, push 2 into zone, finish turn, oh how about that ... it's the fighter's turn now.

(1-H + shield talent fighter is my favourite defender, obviously)

If I had to make a call based on the nigh-nonexistent battlemind info .. I'd say ... if you're counting on
1) using an at-will vs a nasty mob
2) marking then expecting them to attack someone else
3) making your win contingent on a party member getting whacked first
I'd say mind spike is mediocre.

If that there is a ball of 40 damage coming our way, I'd rather choose to boost defenses or invalidate it entirely ... 40 in/40 out < 0 in/14 out.


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## Feralascendant (Jan 27, 2010)

No Name said:


> The close blast attack is probably a weapon attack. It targets AC and is +13 to hit. All of the other powers are +13 to hit except Goring Charge.




Was Goring Charge's attack bonus higher or lower than the others?


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## swiftshade (Jan 27, 2010)

*No Name*, could you please post Battlemind's attack powers and Psion's?

Thanks in advance


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## WalterKovacs (Jan 27, 2010)

Comparing defenders:

Fighter - Attack to mark, OA stops target movement, interupt attacks or shifting with MBA

Warden - Be adjacent to mark, interupt attacks with comparable to MBA vs. Fort that also gives C/A, can also react to attack at a distance (no damage)

Paladin - Minor to mark (a single target) at a distance with maintenance required to keep it up plus Divine Sanction, auto damage when mark is broken at any range

Swordmage - Minor to mark (a single target, more with feats) at a distance without maintenance, immediate action at a distance (10 squares) which requires the target hit, then either reduces damage, teleports the target and gives C/A or teleports the swordmage and allows an MBA.

Battlemind - Minor to mark (a single target, enhanceable with a power point) at a distance (maintenance?), opportunity action to follow shifter, reaction to a hit which deals auto damage.

The fighter is able to mark multiple targets if he can attack multiple targets, a warden can mark multiple targets by being adjacent to a number. The paladin needs to use divine sanctions to get extra marks up. The swordmage has the paragon and epic tier feats to get more marks at once (in addition to some powers). The Battlemind similarly is able to mark about as well as the close burst markers, getting only one in the "normal" mark burst. Unlike the swordmage or the paladin they have to be adjacent to get to do anything (that we know of, there may be another build option).

So, they mark like a swordmage, they have to be adjacent to the target like a fighter, they deal auto damage like a paladin (but it needs to hit like a swordmage), etc. The auto damage is great because (a) it only occurs on a hit and (b) it's after the ally is hit. So, obviously it should be better than the paladin's auto damage. The fighter (and warden) get to attack either way, so they still require a hit, but it's their hit that matters (which probably won't suffer from a mark penalty) and they determine the damage as well ... there is also the benefit of potentially killing the foe before it finishes the attack. Alternatively, the swordmage's most easily comparable power (aegis of assault) requires a second hit in order to deal damage. To balance this, a swordmage can be as far as 10 squares away when this happens, and be brought to the scene immediately.


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## Rechan (Jan 27, 2010)

First off, this is great, Thanks No Name.

Shardmind: I really hope these guys are Con/Int, damnit. They're all ready putting out the Wilden - a Con/Wis race. 

Battlemind: Boy this class sounds fun. I'm glad to see a Con-based class, FINALLY. I also hope they've something to be sticky. 

Their marking power is interesting. It has its flaws, definitely. Among other things, these guys are not tanks you want to use to battle minions. 

Runepriest: COOL. I felt this is one class that was missing. It also sounds like a buffer class. So to me, it sounds like a Divine version of the Artificer. I hope this class can create "traps" - runes/glyphs on the ground that enemies can walk into to trigger ( but then, I'd like to see that for the Wizard. My own pet desire). 

These classes/races: It doesn't seem to me to be reaching. A priest who deals with runes and wards is certainly a classic archetype. Typical Dwarf stuff, honestly. And the Battlemind is just the Psychic warrior. As far as the Shardmind, I'm happy WotC is moving away from Tolkein and toward the bizarre; that's how I like my fantasy.


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## Mr. Teapot (Jan 27, 2010)

Does the Battlemind's mark only give the standard -2 to hit?  Does the mark just stick around until you mark someone else, or does it go away after some time (end of your next turn, perhaps).


Does the Battlemind follow the psion and Ardent method, where it gets a few at-wills and some Power Points but no encounter powers?  Because if they built the defenderiness into a few at-will powers instead of onto the marking mechanic, then that would be pretty interesting.  Could a Battlemind mark two guys, then use his at-will attack on a third guy and so be defending weakly against three guys instead of strongly against one guy?


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## Peraion Graufalke (Jan 27, 2010)

@ No Name: Thanks for sharing all that information! 

The runepriest looks great. I'd really like to play one.


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## Rechan (Jan 27, 2010)

Mr. Teapot said:


> Does the Battlemind's mark only give the standard -2 to hit?  Does the mark just stick around until you mark someone else, or does it go away after some time (end of your next turn, perhaps).






			
				No Name said:
			
		

> It marks with Battlemind's Demand. Target 1 creature in close burst 3 as a minor at-will, *and the creature stays marked until you use the power again or until the end of the encounter*. If you augment it with a power point, you can target up to 2 creatures.



Emphasis mine.



> Does the Battlemind follow the psion and Ardent method, where it gets a few at-wills and some Power Points but no encounter powers?



Pointing to my quoted section above, the Battlemind's mark can be Augmented, so that right there should be a tipoff. But:



			
				No Name said:
			
		

> There was an augmentable at-will that worked like Eyebite, but made an ally invisible instead of yourself.


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## Danceofmasks (Jan 28, 2010)

Hmm ... personally, I'd like to do the whole "wait and see the entire class before deciding if I like it," but the battlemind does show some promise.

I'm going to anticipate the awesome coming from left field, though.

Such as con-based class + MC primal + hide armor expertise = say hi to 20/16 defender.
(I'm still hoping for a con/int race, though ... 20 int/16 con swordmage or wizard would be neat)


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## Regicide (Jan 28, 2010)

Danceofmasks said:


> Such as con-based class + MC primal + hide armor expertise = say hi to 20/16 defender.
> (I'm still hoping for a con/int race, though ... 20 int/16 con swordmage or wizard would be neat)




  Too bad method 1 doesn't let you have 20s.


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## Camelot (Jan 28, 2010)

Every method allows 20s in an ability after applying racial modifiers.  When rolling scores, you get an 18 if you roll three sixes, then you add 2 to get 20.  You can point buy up to 18 and then add the racial bonus to get 20.  Plus you can start at 18 or 19 and add as you go up in level so conceivably by level 6 you could easily have a 20, even 20/16.


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## Nai_Calus (Jan 28, 2010)

I find myself underwhelmed. 

Where's my damned bow-using divine class, WotC?


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## Wepwawet (Jan 28, 2010)

Nai_Calus said:


> Where's my damned bow-using divine class, WotC?



PHB4 

Looks like there are some archetypes left for another PHB


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## UngeheuerLich (Jan 28, 2010)

Still don´t believe a 20/16 works too well, because you need an attribute if 13 in a different stat than con to get the primal MC feat... also i believe it is only really viable if you have wisdom or charisma secondary so that your will doesn´t suck (reflex is usually not that bad)

There is nothing worse than an optmized defender hacking on its own allies because of beeing dominated ot just standing around stunned...

with con/wis a dwarven battlemind should be a great defender...


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## Regicide (Jan 28, 2010)

Camelot said:


> Every method allows 20s in an ability after applying racial modifiers.




  Method 1 only allows 16 as the high stat.  So which races give +4 to a stat?


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## Rechan (Jan 29, 2010)

Davethegame at D&DXp says that the Battlemind is a combination of the Psychometabolism and Psychic Warrior.

Which is exactly what I was hoping it would be. _Sweet_.


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## Camelot (Jan 29, 2010)

Method 1 is rolling 3d6 and adding them together, right?  6+6+6 = 18.  Then you add the 2.  If you're talking about a different method, I'm sorry, but you can definitely get an 18 and thus 20 with 3d6 for each score.


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## kerbarian (Jan 29, 2010)

A little more info on the Battlemind, from the DDXP Dark Sun premade character.  The two at-wills that the premade character had were:

Bull's Strength
Melee, Con vs. AC, 1[W] + Con damage, and you push the target 1 square.
Augment 1:  +1 reach for this attack.
Augment 2:  Instead of melee, it's a close blast 3 targeting enemies.

Iron Fist
Melee, Con vs. AC, 1[W] + Con damage.  Effect:  You gain resist 3 (Wis modifier?) to all damage until the end of your next turn.
Augment 1:  Gain resist fire 8 (5 + Wis?) until the end of your next turn.
Augment 2:  2[W] + Con damage.

Con as the attack and damage stat wasn't explicit (just numbers), but it seems pretty clear.  Interestingly, the Battlemind also used Con for its melee basic (according to the numbers) -- maybe that's a class feature.

The premade character was a Resilient Battlemind, and it had a class feature called Battle Resilience.  It's an encounter free action, the first time an attack hits or misses you during an encounter.  Until the end of your next turn, gain resist 6 to all damage.  Not sure where the 6 comes from; the character has +4 Con, +1 Dex, +3 Wis.


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## WanderingMystic (Jan 29, 2010)

Camelot said:


> Method 1 is rolling 3d6 and adding them together, right?  6+6+6 = 18.  Then you add the 2.  If you're talking about a different method, I'm sorry, but you can definitely get an 18 and thus 20 with 3d6 for each score.



just so you know method 1 from phb 4th ed is 16,14,13,12,11,10 rolling is method 3 and is is highly advised against due to the unbalancing nature of the game.
Just so you know roiling is not valid for sanctioned games.


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## Rechan (Jan 29, 2010)

kerbarian said:


> A little more info on the Battlemind, from the DDXP Dark Sun premade character.  The two at-wills



Huh, I thought that psionic characters got a 3rd at will at level 3. Or is this a level 1 char?



> Bull's Strength
> Melee, Con vs. AC, 1[W] + Con damage, and you push the target 1 square.
> Augment 1:  +1 reach for this attack.
> Augment 2:  Instead of melee, it's a close blast 3 targeting enemies.



Sexy.

I notice it's [w]. There was implication the Battlemind might not be wielding a weapon, or at least, dependent on a weapon. Is the character wielding a weapon?



> Iron Fist
> Melee, Con vs. AC, 1[W] + Con damage.  Effect:  You gain resist 3 (Wis modifier?) to all damage until the end of your next turn.
> Augment 1:  Gain resist fire 8 (5 + Wis?) until the end of your next turn.



Odd - the non-augmented power is normal Resist, but the Augment 1 is Resist FIRE only? 



> Con as the attack and damage stat wasn't explicit (just numbers), but it seems pretty clear.  Interestingly, the Battlemind also used Con for its melee basic (according to the numbers) -- maybe that's a class feature.



The formula for every class has been that your Primary Ability Score's bonus is added to Both attack AND damage. So if it's using Con to attack, then it gets Con to damage.


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## WalterKovacs (Jan 29, 2010)

Rechan said:


> Odd - the non-augmented power is normal Resist, but the Augment 1 is Resist FIRE only?




That seems to fit with the standard method for augmentation, with the augment 1 being very useful (perhaps even more so than augment 2) but only in specific situations.


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## Walking Dad (Jan 29, 2010)

Nai_Calus said:


> I find myself underwhelmed.
> 
> Where's my damned bow-using divine class, WotC?



Judging from the new warlord build in MP2 -> DP2

(MP2= Martial Power 2)


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## Xris Robin (Jan 29, 2010)

Normally, I don't like leaders or divine characters that much... but the Runepriest sounds sexy.  I have to wonder though, what the other build looks like when the one we have is already like two-in-one.

Argh, why are there always so many things I want to play?  Stop coming out with cool stuff, WotC!  (Don't really stop).


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## Destil (Jan 29, 2010)

WalterKovacs said:


> That seems to fit with the standard method for augmentation, with the augment 1 being very useful (perhaps even more so than augment 2) but only in specific situations.




Yeah, the psion, IMHO, really dropped the ball on the cheep augments since a lot of them are pretty linear. Ardent and (now that we've seen some of it) Battlemind sound like more interesting design.

Resist 6 could be 2/4/6+Con or 3/6/9+Wis, I would think the second since it sounds like the build choice and those usually use your sub-stat.


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## kerbarian (Jan 29, 2010)

Rechan said:


> Huh, I thought that psionic characters got a 3rd at will at level 3. Or is this a level 1 char?



Yes, all the premades were level 1.



> I notice it's [w]. There was implication the Battlemind might not be wielding a weapon, or at least, dependent on a weapon. Is the character wielding a weapon?



Definitely weapon dependent.  The character was wielding a carrikal (battleaxe made out of a jawbone) and had a heavy shield.


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## Rechan (Jan 29, 2010)

Personally I want a divine striker with ranged implement powers. 

Although it'd be nice to see an Avenger who can operate completely without weapons - that'd do the trick.


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