# This guy has Heroes of the Feywild.



## ForeverSlayer (Nov 2, 2011)

This guy over at the Wizard's website has the book.

Here is the link.


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## Rechan (Nov 2, 2011)

I think I'll go ahead and just comb that thread for the good bits and repost them here. I'll edit this post as I go.



*Barbarian Stuff*

 Barbarian - Berserker - Martial and Primal Defender and Striker. Str primary Dex secondary. Defender Aura, defensive bonuses, a retribution power of "Vengeful Guardian" that puts more oomph on your MBA, and a 'Berserker Fury' that can be entered that will activate riders on some new attack powers.

Poised Defender - Untyped +2 to AC when Defensive Aura is active and not in heavy armor.

Berzerker defender mechanic: The Vengeful Guardian works like the Knight, but does a 1d8 damage on the MBA. After level 21 the Berzerker does half-damage on a miss. 

Berzerker striker mechanic.

Berserker Fury
When you use a barbarian primal attack power, you enter your Berserker Fury until the end of the encounter. Alternatively, you can use a minor action while you are bloodied to enter the fury. The fury has the following effects.
 * Your defender aura ends, if it was active, and you cannot use defender aura or vengeful guardian until the fury ends.
 * Some of your powers, such as your barbarian martial at-will attack powers, gain additional benefits, as noted in those powers.
 * Your  melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level. 

Berserkers have a "Heartland" class feature, in which they get 1st and  4th level benefits based on an area that they've learned to fight in  (they get these benefits no matter where they are.
  Arid Desert - AC and Ref bonuses in cloth, no armor, and without a shield. Tier-scaling fire resistance later.
  Frozen Land - Fort and Will bonuses. Tier-scaling cold resistance later.
  Temperate Land - Go one-handed weapon and shield to get +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. +1 speed to charging later.

Stalk and Strike | Barbarian Attack 1
At-Will * Martial, Weapon
Standard Action     Melee weapon
Effect: You shift 2 squares before the attack.
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.
 Level 21: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage.
 Berserker Fury: This attack gains the primal keyword and deals 1d8 extra damage.
  Level 11: 2d8 extra damage.
  Level 21: 3d8 extra damage.

Level 1 Dailies:

Life-Ending Strike (Primal): Melee weapon; one creature; Str vs AC; Hits for 4[W] + Str mod; half damage on a miss; can be used in place of a MBA on a charge.

Sweeping Cut (Martial): Close burst 1; each enemy you can see in the burst; Str vs AC; 2[W] + Str mod damage and knocks the target prone; half damage on a miss.

The level 9 ones are a little more distinct: both are single target and do half damage on a miss; the primal one does 1[W] higher damage, and pushes and prones the target as an effect; the martial one has the effect of increasing the defender aura radius and allowing the barbarian to shift one before making a Vengeful Guardian attack. 

39 freely poachable class powers evenly split between Martial and Primal. 

*Bard Stuff*

Bard - Skald - Arcane and Martial Leader, Cha-MBA's with one-handed  weapons, a 'spellbook' mechanic for daily attack powers, Song of  Rest, Skill Versatility, Words of Friendship.
 4 at-will attack powers that affect Skald's Aura, seem to be poachable

Cha primary, Int secondary (but few powers have int riders)

Skald's Aura | Bard Utility
Encouter * Aura, Healing, Martial
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You activate an aura 5 that lasts until the end of the encounter. If the aura ends prematurely for any reason, you can reactivate it during the encounter as a minor action.
Twice per encounter but only once per turn, you or any ally in the aura can use a minor action to spend a healing suge and regain 1d6 additional hit points. Alternatively, you or any ally can use a minor action to allow an adjacent ally to spend a healing surge and regain the additional hit points.
(It's innovative design stuff like this that makes me LOVE THIS BOOK.)
Level 6: 2d6 additional hit points.
Level 11: 3d6 additional hit points.
Level 16: 4d6 additional hit points, and the healing can be used 3 times per encounter.
Level 21: 5d6 additional hit points, and the healing can be used 3 times per encounter.
Level 26: 6d6 additional hit points, and the healing can be used 3 times per encounter.

Book of Stories
You gain two 1st-level bard daily attack powers of you choice, but each day you can use only one bard daily attack power.
When you gain a bard daily attack power at 5th level, you can use two bard daily attack powers per day, but no more than one of a particular level. Similarly, after you gain a bard daily attack power at 9th level, you can use three bard daily attack powers per day, but still no more than one of a particular level.
At level 15, 19, 25, and 29, you gain a bard daily attack power of your level or lower without having to replace a power, but the number that you can use per day remains at three.

Powers 

Bolstering Speech | Bard Attack 1
You offer up a story that inspires and reinforces the morale of your allies, urging them to fight past their pain.
At-Will * Martial
Minor Action     Personal
Effect: Until the end of the encounter or until you use another bard  at-will attack power, your skald's aura gains the following effect: EAch  time you hit an enemy with a basic attack, one of your allies in the  aura gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier.

Song of Savagery | Bard Attack 1
 At-Will * Martial
 Minor Action     Personal
 Effect: Until the end of the encounter or until you use another bard  at-will attack power, your skald's aura gains the following effect: Each  time you hit an enemy with a basic attack, one of your allies in the  aura gains a +4 power bonus to his or her next damage roll before the  end of your next turn.

Alter Fate | Bard Attack 7
Encounter * Arcane
Immediate Reaction     Ranged 10
Trigger: An enemy within 10 squares of you is hit by your ally's attack.
Target: The triggering enemy
Effect: The target takes 1d12 extra damage from the attack.

True Urge to Victory | Bard Attack 23
Encounter * Arcane
Immediate Reaction     Ranged 10
Trigger: An ally within 10 squares of you ends his or her turn without having attacked.
Target: The triggering ally
Effect:  The target can either make a basic attack or charge an enemy as a free  action, even if the target is dominated or stunned. If the attack hits,  it deals 3d10 extra damage. 

45 freely pickable powers for other bards. There are no Skald-specific encounter powers encorporating the aura. A significant number of powers are non-attacking interrupts or reactions, however. The most common triggers are an ally hitting an enemy or being hit by one. Some very very nice options for ability-independent multiclassing, or Lazylords in particular. 


*Druid stuff*

Druid - Protector - Primal Controller, uses of Summon Natural Ally instead of Daily attack powers, no wild shape or Ritual Casting, choose a 'school' to gain either the defensive bonuses or speed bonuses like Primal Guardian/Predator, three nature-themed cantrips

Nature's Growth an encounter power useable as a minor action that creates a zone of  difficult terrain for all creatures but you, zone size scales with tier.   The zone lasts until the end of the encounter to boot!  Guardians buff  healing to allies in or adjacent to the zone, and Predators make the  zone ally-friendly (difficult terrain only affects enemies).  


Summon Nature's Ally power: It takes the place of daily powers, with increased uses at level 5 and  9. Primal Predators choose from one list of summons, with more options  available as they level up, and Primal Guardians choose from another. SNA takes a standard action to summon and unlike normal Druid summons, you do _not_ immediately make the standard action attack.  However, as far as I can tell the summons _do_ get to use their instinctive actions on the turn you summon them so it's basically a wash.  

Pretty  much all of the instinctive actions are standardized to "attack  adjacent enemy if you can, otherwise move adjacent."  This is  unfortunate, as there is nothing like Summon Giant Toad that can  reliably attack from a distance.  This is going to make summons with  movement-denying control effects much more valuable (the Primal Predator  SNA options have an advantage here, since there's one that prones at  every level).  

 Predators:
  Level 1: Grizzly Bear or Pack Wolf
  Level 15: Dire Bear or Hunting Tiger
  Level 29: Dire Lion or Raptor Behemoth

 Guardians:
  Level 1: Giant Cobra or Desert Hawk
  Level 15: Bulette or Venomous Scorpion
  Level 29: Blue Dragon Wyrmling or Desert Roc


Summon Natural Ally (Primal Predator) Level 1:  Grizzly Bear

Standard "uses your defenses", HP=bloodied, etc.
Speed 6

Standard Action (at-will)
Attack:  Melee 1 (one creature) your level +5 vs Reflex
Hit:   2D8+your Wis mod damage, and the target is grabbed if the bear has no  creatures grabbed.  The grab lasts until the end of your next turn.
Sustain minor:  The grab persists until the end of your next turn.

Minor:  Walk, shift, run, stand up, squeeze, or crawl.

Instinctive:   Sustains grab if it's grabbing, attacks adjacent enemy if it's not  grabbing, moves its speed adjacent to enemy if it can't do the above.  


Powers
41 freely selectable class powers for druids.

Cantrip
Vine Rope | Druid Utility
 At-Will * Primal
 Minor Action     Personal
 Effect: You draw a vine from the ground that is up to 50 feet in  length. The vine functions as a silk rope and lasts until the end of the  encounter or until you use this power again. You can cause the vine to  vanish as a minor action.

Wind Wall | Druid Attack 3
Encounter (Implement, Primal, Zone)
Standard Action
Area Wall 8 within 10 squares
Target:  Each enemy in the wall
Attack:  Wisdom vs Fortitude
Hit:  2D6+Wis mod damage, and you can slide the target 1 square.
Effect:   The wall creates a zone that lasts UEoYNT.  The zone grants superior  cover against ranged attacks made through it that target AC or Reflex.

Swarm of Scarabs | Druid Attack 7
Encounter * Implement, Primal, Zone
Standard Action     Close blast 5
Target: Each creature in the blast
Attack: Wisdom vs Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + Wisdom modifier damage
Effect: The burst creatures a zone that lasts until the end of your next turn. Creatures grant combat advantage while in the zone. Any creature that ends is turn int he zone takes damage equal to your Constitution or Dexterity modifier.

Charm Beast  | Druid Attack 7
Encounter (Charm, Implement, Primal)
Standard Action 
Ranged 5
Target:  1 creature
Attack:  Wisdom vs Will.  You gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll when using this power against a beast.
Hit:  The target is dominated UEoYNT.
Miss:  The target is dazed UEoYNT.

Grasp of Winter | Druid Attack 7
Encounter (Cold, Implement, Primal)
Standard Action
Ranged 10
Target:  1 creature
Attack:  Wisdom vs Reflex
Hit:  2D8+Wis mod cold damage
Effect:  The target is restrained until the end of your next turn.

Based on my first scan-through, Druids got a nice boost.  They have a LOT of encounter powers that damage on a hit but control with an effect.  They also get some neat encounter walls in Heroic tier, and an at-will that is similar to the Invoker's Hand of Radiance but with some actual control tacked on.  

*Witch Stuff*

Wizard - Witch - Arcane Controller, Witch's Familiar, daily utility power that allows you to get limited information about what is going to occur in the future, Cantrips, choice of Coven that determines 1st level encounter attack power and grants skill bonuses

At-Will

Witch Bolt | Wizard Attack 1
You hurl a bolt of crackling energy, forming a line of lightning between you and your foe.
At-Will * Arcane, Evocation, Implement, Lightning
Standard Action     Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence vs Reflex
Hit: 1d10 + Intelligence modifier lightning damage.
 Level 21: 2d10 + Intelligence modifier lightning damage.
Sustain Standard: Reroll the damage and deal it to the target again. Once the target is out of range, you can't sustain this power.

Breath of Night | Wizard Attack 1
 At-Will * Arcane, Cold, Evocation, Implement
 Standard Action     Close burst 1
 Target: Each creature in the burst
 Attack: Intelligence vs Fortitude
 Hit: 1d6 + Intelligence modifier cold damage, and you push the target up to a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier.
  Level 21: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier cold damage

Powers
1 new cantrip
42 freely selectable class powers.

The choice of Coven only locks a witch into their _first_ encounter power. All other encounter powers are chosable. 

Aside from the epic destiny, the Witch receives no additional built in support for having a familiar.


Witch Queen Epic Destiny

21 - Familiar carries your soul to safety the first time each day you would die.
24 - Second wind grants bonuses to saving throws and damage resistance
26 - Utility power that targets you or an ally, granting an encounter-long buff to initiative, skills, and defenses.
30 - At the end of a short rest, confer with your familiar to switch encounter attack powers.


*Themes*
Fey Beast Tamer
Tuathan

"Tuathan Animal Shape" is a Level 2 Utility option, NOT a hard-wired theme feature.

Tuathans get to make choices of their class features as they level.

Level 1 options
 Continue the Story - double-roll Endurance checks, bonus to death saving throws
 Shapechanger's physique - double-roll Athletics check

Level 5
 Heightened Senses - Ignore any cover or concealment when you second wind
 The Tables Are Turned - Gain combat advantage against those flanking you when you second wind

Level 10
 Flying Animal Shape (requires Tuathan Animal Shape) - fly speed 6 in Tiny animal form
 Heroic Recovery - Effect-ending and healing bonuses to results of 20 or higher on death saving throws

Unseelie Agent

Initial feature is an encounter power which lets them create a melee or  ranged weapon with which they are proficient out of shadow. The  effective enhancement bonus and crit damage scale every five levels.  Special language at Lvl4. Lvl10 feature allows you to roll twice on  Intimidate checks. Utility power augments the shadow blade.

Utilities for this theme: 

Utility 2:  Gain darkvision, your eyes can shed bright light as a free action.
Attack 3:  Trigger: you hit an enemy with your shadow weapon; effect:  enemy takes extra damage and is slowed UEoYNT.
Attack  5:  Trigger:  you hit an enemy with your shadow weapon; effect:  enemy  takes ongoing 10 cold and necrotic (falls prone after each failed save)
Utility 6:  Become invisible until end of encounter, or until you move or attack (it's an encounter power)
Utility  10:  Whisper a message and a creature on your plane hears it.  Message  lost if creature not on your plane (and you know if that's the case). 

Sidhe Lord

Introductory power grants you a daily power to summon a "Sidhe House Guard", a medium creature that follows most summoned creature rules, but lacks any instinctive actions. Level 5 gives social bonuses if you're in a city that recognizes your house's prestige. Level 10 allows you to tag along with the House Guard when it teleports.

Sidhe House Guard | Summoned Creature
Medium fey humanoid
HP -  your healing surge value; Healing Surges - none, but you can lose a  healing surge for the guard if an affect allows it to spend one
Defenses - your defenses, not including any temporary bonuses or penalties
Speed 6
Standard Action (melee, not melee basic) (weapon) * At-Will
 Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); your level + 7 vs AC
 Hit: 1d8 + highest ability modifier damage.
  Level 21: 2d8 + highest ability modifier damage.
Move Action (teleportation) * Encounter
 Effect: The guard teleports up to 6 squares.
Immediate Interrupt * At-Will
 Trigger: You are hit by a melee attack or a ranged attack while the guard is adjacent to you.
 Effect: The attack hits the guard instead of you. 


*Feats*

Barb Feat
Berserk Vitality - Barbarian, Berserker Fury class feature - When you  enter your Berserker Fury, you gain temporary hit points equal to your  healing surge value. 

Bard Feat 
Skald Training - Bard, majestic word power - You swap your majestic word for the skald's aura power. You and your allies can use minor actions to benefit from the aura only as many times during an encounter as you would be able to use majestic word. 

2 Druid feats
1 Feat allows PHB druids to get access to Summon Nature's Ally.
1 Feat allows Protectors access to Wild Shape and using a regular daily when they would have access to an SNA.

Multiclass Feats

Battle Berserker - Str 13, any class but barbarian - Barbarian: Skill training, berserker fury 1/day
 Harbinger of Nature's Wath - Wis 13, any class but druid - Druid:  Nature skill, nature's growth 1/day, staff and totem proficiency
 Master of Stories - Cha 13, any class but bard - Bard: Skill training, skald's aura 1/encounter, wand proficiency
 Witchcraft Initiate - Int 13, any class but wizard - Wizard: Arcana skill, augury, orb, staff, and wand proficiency

1 Elf Feat

Gnome feats

Fading Sneak - Fade away, trained in Stealth - Reroll a Stealth check
 Fading Target - Fade away - Use fade away when an enemy misses
 Ghost Feint - Ghost sound, trained in bluff - +5 to Bluff when you use ghost sound 

Pixie Feats

Flitting Harrier - Lvl 11 - No opportunity attacks for entering or leaving an enemy's space.
Streak of Light - Gain combat advantage against enemies you charge. 
Teeny Target - Gain partial cover when in small or larger ally's space. 

Satyr feats

Honeyed Words - Lure of enchantment - Reroll a Bluff check or a Diplomacy check
Powerful Lure - Level 11, lure of enchantment - Slide enemies farther with lure of enchantment
Walk among Men - Appear as an eladrin, elf, or human. 

3 Wilden feats

Fey Feats - Not a bloodline or subtype.

Fey Bond - Trained in Arcana - Gain Elven, +2 to Bluff and Diplomacy checks
Fey Cantrip - Fey origin or Fey Bond - Gain a cantrip
Fey Shift - Level 21, fey origin or Fey Bond - Teleport 2 squares as move action. (Teleport is a feature, not a power or a movement speed)

Eladrin feats

Fey Duelist - requires Fey step - Use (and expend) Fey Step to gain combat advantage against each enemy that is adjacent to you.
Fey Thievery - requires Fey step - Use fey step to perform Thievery checks at range.

Hamadryad feats

Guardian of the Towering Oak - Hamadryad aspects - Reroll a Diplomacy check or an Intimidate Check.
Guardian of the Weeping Willow - Level 11, hamadryad aspects - Ignore forced movement as an immediate interrupt.

Familiar Feats
Arcane Porter - Your familiar can carry a 5-pound object.
Familiar's Vitality - Your familiar improves your second wind.

Totem Expertise - ignore partial cover and partial concealment

Two Handed Weapon expertise - UNTYPED scaling dmg bonus to charge attacks


*Race Stuff* 

3 new races with 5 racial utility power options each

Hamadryad  
Wis and Int or Cha
FEMALE ONLY race.

Bonuses to Diplomacy and Nature.

Hamadryad Aspects | Hamadryad Racial Utility
Drawing on fey magic, you call on your primal beauty and strength to thwart your foes.
Encounter
Minor Action     Personal
Effect: Choose one of the following aspects each time you use this power. You gain that aspect's benefits.
 * Spellbinding Beauty: Every enemy that can see you grants combat advantage to you until the end of your next turn.
 * Wooden Form: You gain resist 5 to all damage until the end of your next turn.
          Level 11: Resist 10.
          Level 21: Resist 15.

Racial utility powers available:

Fey Mind Mirror | Hamadryad Utility 22
Daily
Immediate Interrupt     Special
Trigger: You are subject to an enemy's dazing, dominating, or stunning effect that a save can end.
Effect:  You make a saving throw against the effect. If your saving throw is  successful, the triggering enemy must make a saving throw against the  same effect. If that enemy's saving throw fails, the enemy is subjected  to the effect (save ends). If your saving throw fails, you do not expend  this power.

Channel the Unseelie | Satyr Utility 22
Daily * Polymorph
Minor Action     Personal
Effect:  you transform into the form of a satyr of the night, and you remain int  hat form until the end of the encounter. While in this form, you have  partial concealment, and when you would normally have partial  concealment because of dim light, you are instead invisible.  Additionally, you take only half damage from necrotic attacks. 

Gift of Flight | Pixie Utility 10
Encounter
Minor Action    Close burst 10
Target: Each ally in the burst
Effect:  Each target gains a fly speed of 6 until the end of his or her  next  turn. If the target doesn't land at the end of this movement, he  or she  descends to the ground without taking falling damage.


Pixies

A sidebar:
"Because you are Tiny, you can enter the space of a Small or larger  creature and end your turn there (forced movement must still end in an  unoccupied space, unless noted otherwise). TWO CREATURES ARE CONSIDERED ADJACENT IF THEY ARE IN THE SAME SQUARE.


*Paragon Paths*
Deadly Berserker (berserker only)
  Master Skald (guess...)
  Legendary Witch
  Inner Circle Initiate (protector)

*Epic Destinies*
Shiradi Champion (any nonevil)
  Wild Hunter
  Witch Queen (detailed in Witch entry)


*Gear*

3 new Totems
7 new Wondrous Items
4 new Consumables
13 new Alternative Rewards


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## Rechan (Nov 3, 2011)

Bump, to let folks know I've updated stuff.


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## tuxgeo (Nov 3, 2011)

Rechan said:


> < . . . massive snippage . . . >
> *Witch Stuff*
> 
> Wizard - Witch - Arcane Controller, Witch's Familiar, daily utility power that allows you to get limited information about what is going to occur in the future, Cantrips, choice of Coven that determines 1st level encounter attack power and grants skill bonuses
> ...




Should be: "You hurl a bolt of *cackling* energy, . . ." 

(Just for tradition's sake, mind you. . . .)


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## Neverfate (Nov 3, 2011)

Been following on the original thread, but Rechan has definitely put together the highlights. I have to say, I am really impressed with what I am reading so far. I thought Heroes of Shadow (our last player-ony splat book) was awful. Honestly, I was expecting Shade Vampires all over again, but I look at these ideas implemented in HoFW and I'm reminded of what the R&D team can do within a system that's nearly 4 years old.

Also it looks like they listened to the feedback.

1 Class and Race feats are back. And other than the Eladrin ones which seem uninspired, the other ones are great. Also, Paragon and Epic prerequisites are back too (which I am all for).

2 Interchangeable class powers and features (even though at the cost of a feat for Bards) was something we eventually got for some of the other "Heroes Of..." options via Dragon, but now they're in the book.

3 Expertise Feats. Totem Expertise: After a year of asking, so that alone is worth it. Also another expertise option (which unfortunately increases charging optimization) at least gives Heavy Blade wielders another, less defensive Expertise option.


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## gyor (Nov 3, 2011)

Hamadryad's racial power rocks, either become wood or give everyone else wood, hehe. Seriously though I'm liking the Hamadryad so far, would make a great retrution avenger, perfect stats and 15 damage reduction racial encounter power.


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## Rechan (Nov 3, 2011)

gyor said:


> Hamadryad's racial power rocks, either become wood or give everyone else wood, hehe. Seriously though I'm liking the Hamadryad so far, would make a great retrution avenger, perfect stats and 15 damage reduction racial encounter power.



Hamadryads are girls only, bare in mind.


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## Vael (Nov 3, 2011)

Oh, I'm getting excited about this book. I like that the Protector is more strongly linked to the Druid, sharing build power riders.

Skalds, if I'm reading this right, can actually really nova their encounter heals on a target.

Pixie Barbarian, yo. Pick-wielding, raging Pixie, getting CA every charge. I may never need another race after the Pixie.


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## Nemesis Destiny (Nov 3, 2011)

Definitely looks like this one will make up for the fail that was HoS.


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## Neonchameleon (Nov 3, 2011)

... is anyone else seeing the exploit potential in a half-elf multiclassing bard and then getting an extra rider on all their melee basic attacks?

And berserker fury's interesting in that any "classic" barbarian attack powers will cause you to enter it.  (It also makes the executioner look slightly silly with that extra 1d8 as the executioner does d8 but only wields one handed weapons).


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## JPL (Nov 3, 2011)

I'm liking the skald.  Always wanted a low-magic sage or storyteller type character, and I'm a big fan of the lazy warlord build . . . so are we calling this "lazybard" now?  Is that a thing?


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## Flobby (Nov 3, 2011)

I'm really looking forward to this book. I wish Heroes of Shadow was more like this.


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## Mengu (Nov 3, 2011)

Barbarian MC done right. Battle Berserker's' scaling bonus due to full inheritance of the class feature is nice, particularly on a Slayer or other basic attacker. I wish they had done the same with Berserker's Fury so it was +2/+4/+6 or something.

Master of Stories seems a bit bonkers, though I might be misinterpreting the spoiler. Does it basically give you a once per encounter heal for the cost of one feat? Or is that supposed to be once per day you activate the aura, and once during that encounter the healing power can be used?

My half-orc barbarian with fullblade, dwarf avenger with execution axe, and even goliath runepriest with maul are all picking up Two Handed Weapon Expertise instead of their expertise feats that don't do much of anything.

And finally, over a year in the making... Totem expertise. Still waiting on Tome, I think it's the only one left now, other than the oddball spear implement, hammer implement, and the like.


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## fuzzlewump (Nov 3, 2011)

Rechan said:
			
		

> Hamadryads are girls only, bare in mind.




They are indeed bare in my mind.


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## Nemesis Destiny (Nov 4, 2011)

I have a question about the Skald - does the class get the same 'multiclass versatility' feature that the other bard gets?


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## Rechan (Nov 4, 2011)

Just to let folks know, I am updating my initial post as more info is detailed.


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## WalterKovacs (Nov 4, 2011)

Nemesis Destiny said:


> I have a question about the Skald - does the class get the same 'multiclass versatility' feature that the other bard gets?




He doesn't get that. They still get Song of Rest and the +1 to untrained skills, but they lose the multiclass versatility by going down the Skald path (so, the alternative would be going normal bard and swapping into skald aura via the feat).

The skald stuff is very interesting as there are a lot of interesting ways the skald bard can go. While he has the option of using his Charisma for melee basic attacks with one handed weapons, he can go Stregth for two handers, or Dex for ranged, since most of the powers refer to basic attacks and/or basic attacks with a weapon.

That's even more fun with multiclassers, since you can grab the Skald Aura and have it 'active' for an entire encounter and have it modified by power swapped dailies. If you are a half-elf, one of the at-will attacks that modify the skald aura lasts all encounter long anyway, so you don't even need to get versatile master to make use of it all encounter long. An, as far as multiclass options go, most of the powers don't have any stat requirements, with a few that give bonuses based on charisma, and some skill based stuff. So the Intelligence as a secondary stat is sort of like the Charisma as a secondary stat for the Executioner ... it's a suggestion, but there aren't any specific reasons to favour it over other stuff. For light armor users, Dex could be a better payoff, especially since most of the powers would work with rba's as much as mba's. 

In all, the book is an interesting mix of old school stuff with some of the essential ideas. The bard is very much like the knight in terms of having encounter powers that modify attacks instead of being attacks themselves and having at-wills that are sort of stances that modify mba's, but the power structure follows the original AEDU structure, and can be mix and matched with the old class, etc. Really a best of both worlds approach.

The druid has a bunch of cantrip type things, in addition to the vine rope they have a pseudo mage hand + light power, something similar to prestidigitation, a detect poison thing, and an encounter power which allows for clearing some difficult terrain away. The witch's new cantrip is a nice addition to go alongside Spook and Suggestion, as it let's you use Arcana in place of a Stealth check 1/encounter (I can see some nethermancer's poaching that one).

The bard gets some neat stuff that is comparable to the wilderness knack's, that I guess would be settlement knacks. They are optional, so it's up to a DM to allow the "Sings of Influence", but they make for some interesting RP benefits. They can get themselves and their allies some special services when they get to town, either free room and board, easy access to transport, a meeting with the people in power, a few people willing to do some menial tasks on your behalf or access to someone that will provide a cheap ritual freely.

The multiclass powers are a bit stronger than older ones, as the barbarian 1/day gives all MBA's +1d8 per tier, and the skald bard one gives a heal per encounter (compared to the two feats required to do that via the shaman path). 

The berserker fury mechanic is very interesting as a character's build can really determine how defendery or strikery the character is, since using a primal power instead of a martial power is one of the ways to hit the switch, so using any of the old powers (with the built in striker damage) ends your defendering, which is an ingenious solution to how to stop a barbarian from being a defender that poaches existing striker powers that doesn't go the traditional essentials route and denies access to older powers.


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## thewok (Nov 4, 2011)

WalterKovacs said:


> He doesn't get that. They still get Song of Rest and the +1 to untrained skills, but they lose the multiclass versatility by going down the Skald path (so, the alternative would be going normal bard and swapping into skald aura via the feat).



Just looking at the info available in these two threads, the Bard would also lose out on the Skald's spellbook feature (which, as an aside, is how I house rule all spellbooks in my games).

While the O-Bard (that seems to be the terminology that's in use) can certainly take these new at-wills, I have to wonder if it's really worth it.  The minor action "attack powers" introduced with the skald would have limited use in an O-bard framework due to the "or until you use another Bard at-will attack power" phrase on the effects.

I think this would be an interesting way to multiclass or hybridize, though, since your other class' powers wouldn't interrupt the aura's effect, but as a pure bard, you're probably going to want to use these new minor action attacks or the old standard action spells, but not both.


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## WalterKovacs (Nov 4, 2011)

thewok said:


> Just looking at the info available in these two threads, the Bard would also lose out on the Skald's spellbook feature (which, as an aside, is how I house rule all spellbooks in my games).
> 
> While the O-Bard (that seems to be the terminology that's in use) can certainly take these new at-wills, I have to wonder if it's really worth it. The minor action "attack powers" introduced with the skald would have limited use in an O-bard framework due to the "or until you use another Bard at-will attack power" phrase on the effects.
> 
> I think this would be an interesting way to multiclass or hybridize, though, since your other class' powers wouldn't interrupt the aura's effect, but as a pure bard, you're probably going to want to use these new minor action attacks or the old standard action spells, but not both.




With at-will selection, it's very much an all or nothing thing, but the dailies and encounters don't interfere so that's something at least. The big thing for an O-bard is dealing with the issue of getting a basic attack with a weapon ... which would probably mean something like going half-elf, going with an odd stat choice (Str or Dex instead of Con, Int or Wis which are the actual secondary stats), or maybe multiclassing into swordmage for a cunning bard. And of course there is always paragon multiclassing, but that's hardly a 'good' solution.

Hybrid is especially interesting, since you can add bard to just about any other half-class and pick powers that don't care about your stat options at all, although you'd want a basic attack that uses a weapon, but that is a pretty decent list, especially with some stuff like Power of Skill and other ways to make things work as basic attacks.


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## Rechan (Nov 4, 2011)

Any cool Fey Magical Gifts that aren't a little silly (see: sniffing out gold)? I'm thinking interesting attack powers or utilities.



> an encounter power which allows for clearing some difficult terrain away



REMOVING Diff terrain? Now _that_ is useful. 

Shame there's not a lot of powers for the implement using Bard. Well, powers that are attacks using an implement I should say. 

As to an earlier poster's "Witch - why isn't it a Warlock" - The warlock has already gotten a  Controller build: The Binder (which no one liked). So that is at least  one arcane controller that isn't a Wizard.


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## domino (Nov 4, 2011)

But how are you set for thumbs?


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## Neonchameleon (Nov 4, 2011)

From the Rpg.net equivalent thread

Looking at the Witch... Ooh, there's a new Wizard cantrip that lets you  use Arcana for Stealth per encounter.  No built-in paragon path I can  see.  Looks like a standard Wizard for the most part unless I'm missing  something.  They do have the Augury power, but that was previewed, yes? 				

Level 3 powers for Skald's aren't that inspiring but here goes...

Echoing Weapon... it's a Minor action targeting one weapon at Melee 1.   Until end of your next turn, the next weapon attack made with the weapon  deals 2d6 thunder damage regardless of hitting or missing.

Protector level 13...

Verdant Retaliation... Standard action Area Burst 1 within 10 squares  targeting each enemy.  Wis. vs. Reflex.  3d6 + Wis. poison.  Effect:  Those not hit take 10 poison damage.

Witch level 17...

Choking Shadow... Standard action targeting one creature ranged 20.  You  conjure your shadow in an unoccupied square adjacent to target which  then attacks using Int. vs. Reflex.  2d10 + Int. cold and necrotic  damage and the target is immobilized until end of turn.  You can Sustain  Standard to repeat the attack.  If you miss, the target is slowed and  you can't sustain.

The Berserker has a the Defender Aura like the Knight.  You get +2 AC  while aura is active and you don't wear heavy armor.  You have an  At-Will punisher for Opp. Attacks that deals scaling d8's of damage.   You can use a Barbarian Primal attack power to enter rage or a minor  action to enter rage while bloodied.  Seems the Primal attack thing is  no-option.  You go into rage.  Rage ends your Defender Aura and Opp.  Attack punisher.  your Barbarian Martial At-Wills gain benefits as noted  in the power when raging.  All your melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra  damage per tier while raging. 				

There are 13 alternative rewards.  Let's see... 

A neat one... Mount Growth lets you make a non-hostile Tiny natural beast into a Large willing mount. 				 			  			   		 			                          	 		         			 			

> Does the Protector get any class features to speak of? Or is it literally just PHB2 Druid minus Wildshape?
 			 		 	 It has the summons, an Encounter power that creates difficult  terrain until the end of the encounter (burst size scales per tier),  belongs to a Circle much like the Beastwalker Circle that uses Wildshape  plus a Circle of Renewal that boosts AC via Con and boosts healing in  your zone by your Con and a Circle of Shelter that gives you +1 speed  and lets your allies ignore your difficult terrain, and you get three  Primal cantrips.

I feel somewhat like this fixes the PHB2 Druid for me. 				

> Umm,  care to spoil some of the Unseelie theme's utility powers?


The Level 2 utility power gives you darkvision for the encounter and you  can make your eyes glow shedding bright light for 2 squares.

The Level 3 attack power gives an extra d10 of cold and necrotic damage  once per encounter to your shadow weapon and slows them to end of your  next turn.

The Level 5 attack power gives Ongoing 10 cold and necrotic to one of  your shadow weapon hits that is save ends, but if they fail they fall  prone each time they fail.

The Level 6 utility power makes you invisible as a Minor action until you move or attack.

The Level 10 utility power lets you deliver a message in secret language to a creature on the same plane which can respond. 				

Sure.  The [Druid Cantrip] feature is Primal Attunement and you choose three.

Air Spirit - summons an air spirit (duh) that can pick up small stuff  and carry it and additionally the spirit can shed bright light like a  torch.  You have to sustain it as a Minor action

Call the Spirits - lots of small individual actions like making a torch  brighter, open or close doors, create gusts of wind, create sparks to  light fires

Senses of the Wild - lets you either detect disease, the absence or  presence of a type of mundane plant or animal in Burst 5, +5 power bonus  to Perception and Insight to detect poisons, or sense corpses

Verdant Touch - You can use Burst 1 (encounter power) to turn difficult  terrain into normal terrain until the end of your next turn as long as  it consists of vines, grass, or other natural stuff and wasn't created  by a power and alternatively you can create plant growth in a barren  area

Vine Rope - Summon a vine that acts as 50 ft of silk rope.


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## TirionAnthion (Nov 4, 2011)

*Heroes of the Feywild*

Just as a heads up to anyone who is interested, the HotFW should be hitting Wizard premiere retailers by Friday. Anyone who is close to one of those stores should be able to pick the book up this week. Also the Dragon collector set and the new Feywild fortune cards are also out.

And after a quick browse through of the Feywild book, I like what I have seen so far. HoS seemed like alot of wasted potential, but this book seems to pick up where the other book fell short. I hope to have time this weekend to dive into the book in greater depth, but so far it seems promising. 

Also, for anyone who is interested, the new Feywild theme Encounter adventure arrived and it also looks to be an interesting module with some new twists for the program. I am looking forward to running this module once the Neverwinter season wraps up this coming Wednesday.


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## Incenjucar (Nov 4, 2011)

Very glad to hear that this book is looking good. Too bad about HoS, but maybe they'll revisit the Shadowfell in the future with more care once enough time has passed.


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## Vael (Nov 4, 2011)

I quite liked Heroes of Shadow. Really, only the Binder was underwhelming.

Just got Heroes of Feywild. Nothing much to add, except that I'm loving the book.


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## Dice4Hire (Nov 4, 2011)

Decisions, decisions. Buy the book or not???????


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## Flobby (Nov 4, 2011)

Incenjucar said:


> Very glad to hear that this book is looking good. Too bad about HoS, but maybe they'll revisit the Shadowfell in the future with more care once enough time has passed.





Yeah, there will probably be a HoS II.


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## Shroomy (Nov 5, 2011)

I got my copy of _Heroes of the Feywild_ this afternoon and as I was paging through it tonight I noticed that my coure attendant and fiddling grig familiars from my _Dragon_ 390 article made the book!  I didn't know that was happening. Awesome.


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## Zaphling (Nov 6, 2011)

Hi there. Are the new berserker class features interchangeable with the classic barbarian features?

Like exchanging the Rampage class feature into the Defender Aura and vengeance strike thing? Or like the berserker encounter attacks into the barbarian encounter attacks?


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## Nemesis Destiny (Nov 6, 2011)

I think someone already confirmed that these class builds cannot swap class features with their parent class - it comes as a package deal.


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## Larrin (Nov 7, 2011)

Powers are fully and freely swapable for all classes, abilities are not as they have no precise counterpart given that you could swap them for.  There are a couple of swap type feats that let you trade specific abilities for specific abilties for a few classes.


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## Neverfate (Nov 7, 2011)

Nemesis Destiny said:


> I think someone already confirmed that these class builds cannot swap class features with their parent class - it comes as a package deal.




There seem to be feats that allow you to swap features. It's a feat cost, yeah, but it's nice the option is there. We didn't get those with the other Essentials books and had to wait for a Dragon articles 7 or 8 months later to allow us to swap things (and even then some of the choices were odd).

Also it makes me really sad Heroes of Shadow wasn't this awesome. Can we get a mulligan on that? Cant' wait to get this book.


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## Istar (Nov 7, 2011)

So this two handed weapon feat.

Is it +1 damage per tier, or more ?

And stacks with Goliath Great Weapon prowess ??


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## WalterKovacs (Nov 7, 2011)

On the new class features:

The O-bard can take a feat to swap majestic word for Skald's aura, old druids can spend a feat to swap a daily power for a use of summon nature's ally, while a new druid can spend a feat to get wild shape and can trade a use of summon nature's ally for a daily power. The witch adds a new cantrip to the mage's list of options. For the barbarian it's picking either set of features, no swapping.

However, all the powers are reverse compatible (although some power may not be useful without some creative usage. A barbarian would need to get access to some other defender's aura to benefit from some of his powers, the O-bard would need some basic attack and/or the skald aura to make use of most of their powers.

Paragon Paths:

There are only 4 in the book, each exclusive to the 4 new builds in the book. They are presented seperately from the class, after all the classes, so less like an essential book.

Fey gifts:

Most are similar to the Scent of Gold, a kind of minor ritual that you can cast for free. The one that could have the most obvious actual use is the ability to turn a nonhostile tiny natural beast into a mount until your next extended rest. But none are particularly combat useful.

The two handed weapon feat is a traditional expertise bonus to hit and +1 untyped damage per tier when charging.


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## UngeheuerLich (Nov 7, 2011)

[MENTION=1601]Skald[/MENTION]:

if it is possible to make a strength primary bard, dexterity/charisma second, I am sold!


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## Zaran (Nov 7, 2011)

Is there a feat where a sentinel can get wild shape?


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## UngeheuerLich (Nov 15, 2011)

Wow, that arid land berserker gets a +3 untyped bonus to AC...
IMHO that is too much... together with unarmored agility and hafted defense and mabe a defensive weapon, you really get some high AC...

I really believed that it was common now to give out shield bonuses in such cases...


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## Doctor Proctor (Nov 15, 2011)

UngeheuerLich said:


> Wow, that arid land berserker gets a +3 untyped bonus to AC...
> IMHO that is too much... together with unarmored agility and hafted defense and mabe a defensive weapon, you really get some high AC...
> 
> I really believed that it was common now to give out shield bonuses in such cases...




Yeah, I noticed that too.  I think that they didn't make it a shield bonus so as not to prohibit the player from using a shield.  But even still...

I almost wonder if what they should have done instead was give them Unarmored Agility for free, along with a +1 bonus to AC.  This would at least keep them from combining it with Unarmored Agility, which is the big offender here.  

To get a Defensive Weapon or Hafted Defense is going to cost you a feat for a +1 bump, whereas Unarmored Agility gives you a +2 bump for the same feat cost, which means it's going to be the one that's taken most fequently.  Give them that for free, along with the extra +1 somehow, and you make it much more expensive to get that extra +2 (since now it requires two feats, instead of one).


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## Vael (Nov 15, 2011)

Doctor Proctor said:


> Yeah, I noticed that too.  I think that they didn't make it a shield bonus so as not to prohibit the player from using a shield.  But even still...
> 
> I almost wonder if what they should have done instead was give them Unarmored Agility for free, along with a +1 bonus to AC.  This would at least keep them from combining it with Unarmored Agility, which is the big offender here.




Actually, they could have made it a shield bonus, as arid builds cannot use a shield, or any armor heavier than cloth and retain the +3 AC bonus.

Your fix is reasonable, but the Arid build is giving up a fair amount of other bonuses to get that AC.


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## Larrin (Nov 16, 2011)

UngeheuerLich said:


> @Skald :
> 
> if it is possible to make a strength primary bard, dexterity/charisma second, I am sold!




The Skald depends almost completely on basic attacks....very little dependence on CHA or even secondaries, you could easily go strength as you primary stat.


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## cignus_pfaccari (Nov 16, 2011)

Istar said:


> So this two handed weapon feat.
> 
> Is it +1 damage per tier, or more ?
> 
> And stacks with Goliath Great Weapon prowess ??




+1/tier, same as the other new Expertise feats.

And it's untyped, so it stacks with Weapon Focus, Dwarven Weapon Expertise, and Goliath Greatweapon Prowess.

Interestingly, it also stacks with Spear Expertise, as both bonuses are untyped, and therefore stack.

Brad


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## Zuche (Nov 16, 2011)

UngeheuerLich said:


> Wow, that arid land berserker gets a +3 untyped bonus to AC...
> IMHO that is too much... together with unarmored agility and hafted defense and mabe a defensive weapon, you really get some high AC...




Aren't defenders supposed to have a high AC? Besides, of that list of defense boosts, the only one that can't be taken by armored defenders is the Unarmored Agility feat. Combine that feat with a starting Dexterity of 16 and you've got a defender with an AC of 18 at 1st level. Sure, it will get better as that Dexterity climbs, but even another 10 points of Dexterity and Hafted Defense by 30th level put you on par with someone other defender's masterwork plate armor and a heavy shield. Admittedly, you can pull ahead with a _chain shirt_, but that ties to problems that already exist between most defenders and such striker classes as the avenger.


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## Vael (Nov 16, 2011)

Actually, Berserkers also get +2 AC when their Defender's Aura is up. So, at first level with a 16 DEX, you can get an AC of 20 (10 base + 3 (dex) + 3 (arid bonus) + 2 (aura) + 2 (Unarmored Agility)). That's the equivalent of Plate and heavy shield.


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## Zuche (Nov 16, 2011)

Weird, I thought I'd counted the aura in my calculations. Good enough to start, then, and it's about time some defender could keep up with a defensively optimized avenger.


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## UngeheuerLich (Nov 16, 2011)

If you like, you can get hafted defense and 18 dex, and you are at AC 22... which is far beyond plate and heavy shield...


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## UngeheuerLich (Nov 16, 2011)

I´d rather have a scaling bonus to AC beginning at +2 or unarmored agility as a bonus feat and a +2 bonus... It is just not balanced right now... especially that avengers and whirling barbarians can get too high for virtually no cost...


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## Zuche (Nov 16, 2011)

UngeheuerLich said:


> If you like, you can get hafted defense and 18 dex, and you are at AC 22... which is far beyond plate and heavy shield...




When, and at what cost? If you want those things at 1st level, you'll have to play a human with no better than a 16 Strength, or you're going to have to add melee training to the mix as well. A mere 10% boost to AC isn't worth what you're giving up for that.

A half-orc could manage this by 2nd level, or could go the temperate route, opt for 20 Strength, and take one of the Expertise feats with one to spare, such as proficiency with a bastard sword. Said character would get hit about 15% more often than the character you find too powerful, but would in turn hit opponents 15% more often for an extra 3 points of damage each time (assuming you were using a pike or halberd). Which do you think enemies are more likely to ignore: the defender they can't hit or the one more likely to hit them--and hit them harder?

I'll admit that shields and heavy armor could do with more love in the rules (and perhaps feats), but you're overstating the power-to-cost benefit of that AC.


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## UngeheuerLich (Nov 16, 2011)

No, i don´t think i am overstating... i just believe, that this bonus should be a shield bonus, as all other classes who are not alowed to wield a shield for the bonus get from essentials forward... it is calculated in, that the shield is forbidden, there should be no way around it...
(and to be honest, a common design ..principle should be applied here... and actually the avenger´s and the monk´s bonus should be a shield bonus as well)

Not that it may be totally desirable to build te character that way. But missing 10% less with a base attack that still deals 1d10+1d8+3 damage does not mean, that you are no thread...
actually you can easily go into flanking position and gain yourself and your striker CA and make it a lose lose situation...
Contrary to common believe, a defender with high AC is a pita for the DM if he at least threatens with enough damage...


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## Zuche (Nov 16, 2011)

UngeheuerLich said:


> No, i don´t think i am overstating... i just believe, that this bonus should be a shield bonus, as all other classes who are not alowed to wield a shield for the bonus get from essentials forward... it is calculated in, that the shield is forbidden, there should be no way around it...




It makes sense to give those unable to use a shield options to gain a shield bonus. It makes sense to give those unable to wear armor options to gain an armor bonus.

It also makes sense to give those who use shields or armor options to improve those bonuses.

It doesn't make sense to give a character a shield bonus that applies only if the character doesn't wear armor, especially if the character happens to be proficient with shields.

(and to be honest, a common design ..principle should be applied here... and actually the avenger´s and the monk´s bonus should be a shield bonus as well)



UngeheuerLich said:


> Not that it may be totally desirable to build te character that way. But missing 10% less with a base attack that still deals 1d10+1d8+3 damage does not mean, that you are no thread...




The same holds true for a berserker with a 10 Strength score that could still hit for 1d10+1d8 damage. It's still not a good option.



UngeheuerLich said:


> actually you can easily go into flanking position and gain yourself and your striker CA and make it a lose lose situation...




It's still better for the more accurate defender. Examples that improve the situation equally don't help your case. Accuracy provides the greater threat.


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## UngeheuerLich (Nov 16, 2011)

I think we just disagree...


if you are attacked all the time because your armor is too low, your defender mechanism is worth nothing, and YOU are the healing sink...

and defender that dies because he is too sticky and does not have enough armor is no threat because he is dead soon enough... better have another striker then... because you at least did some damage before you died...


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## WalterKovacs (Nov 17, 2011)

UngeheuerLich said:


> @Skald :
> 
> if it is possible to make a strength primary bard, dexterity/charisma second, I am sold!




It is possible, just like with the bladesinger, to just go with strength for your MBA's instead (especially if you want a two handed weapon). With most of the powers, you could also go Dex + Cha and go with RBA's with a bow. You still probably want charisma anyway as nearly all the riders that are stat based reference it. Int isn't even that much of a secondary stat (other than some knowledge based utilities, it would mostly be useful for older stuff). 



Zaran said:


> Is there a feat where a sentinel can get wild shape?




Technically yes, if you take the two new feats.

Call to the Wild, causes you to lose a daily power for a use of summon natural ally. Unfortunately, this daily does nothing, as you do not have a Primal Aspect, instead having a season. With access to the Call of the Wild, you can take Beastwalker Circle, which gives you wild shape. The rest of the feat doesn't matter, as you won't be getting additional uses of Summon Natural Ally anyway.

Hopefully they do something to at least make Summon Natural Ally into a useful power for sentinels (all they have to do is map the seasons to a primal aspect ... the wolf seems to be the Primal Predator and the bear seems to be the Primal Guardian, so it's just a matter of doing some errata, or maybe having new beasts made up for sentinels that take Call of the Wild. It would be funny though to see the animal companion, a summoned natural ally and a beast formed druid all together at the same time.


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## WalterKovacs (Nov 17, 2011)

The arid barbarian starts a bit ahead of the curve in terms of AC, and if they go with added bonuses of hafted defense and/or defensive weapon (which is trading off from your biggest possible weapon shtick) you can get a bit farther ahead.

However, it should be pointed out that, in the case of the other barbarians, you would be picking up hide expertise, and the epic version of that feat as you level up, but there is no such feat support for cloth armor. So you get your bonus to AC right away in the form of unarmored agility instead of getting it at paragon and epic. You do have to weigh the defender and striker aspects of the character. Not to mention maximizing the AC and Reflex leaves the will very low on the arid berserker. Having your defender or your striker stunned or dominated is not a good thing generally speaking. You get a little buff thanks to masterwork quality of robes, but you are still starting a ways behind on that front.


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