I am trying to collect rumours/factoids/facts about this because I am dying to see it. :P

Last I heard, the Sorcerer, Druid, and Barbarian were confirmed, the Bard was semi-confirmed, and there was some speculation going on in another (now defunct) thread about the rest of the races and classes in there.

so, from that thread:

Classes:
(BBDISSTW as the first letters)

Barbarian (Primal)
Bard (Arcane)
Druid (Primal)
I
S
Sorcerer (Arcane)
T
W

Races:
(DGGHS as first letters, OEH as second letters, R as a final letter)

D
Gnome
Goliath
Half-Orc
S

I've heard a pretty good argument for a shaman class showing up. Also, the Shifter has been confirmed from what I have heard. Has anyone else heard or read something else? What about races?

The deva (aasimar) is the "D" race based on information from the FRPG.

Shifter could be the S for race.

Perhaps Illusionist is the I for class?

Shifter could be the S for race.

Perhaps Illusionist is the I for class?

Well, 2 varieties of Shifter have already been included in the back of the Monster Manual, and any more varieties would probably be in the Ebberon Campaign Setting.

I'm almost positive that shifter was cited as being in PH2, and since devas are mentioned in the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide its a pretty safe bet that they are the "de" race.

Shifter or shade (mentioned in the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide thingie). That'd be my guesses for race. As for class, all I know is that monks and psionics stuff are going to be in PHB III (or later).

And i'm hoping for some of the muticlass-only classes sometime soon, too. Those sound fun.

EDIT: On second thought, with "R" as a last letter, the "S" is probably the shifter. Shades will probably be in MM II.

I'm still guessing Wildshaper & Shaman, to round out the Primal classes, plus I* & T* as two divine classes. (I like "Templar", and I think somebody in the old thread suggested "Inquisitor".)

Where did you see Goliath listed as a PHB2 race?

Goliath (along with about half the stuff in my original post) was gleaned from here... the source is cited as being the WotC Spring 2009 catalog.

Aasimar, eh? that would make sense, to complement the tiefling... I would hope they're as flavourful and evocative as the latter, tho. I could never get myself to play an Aasimar in 3e, eventhough I liked the concept.

I've heard a lot about the Illusionist... I wonder if it is really as popular and noteworthy in their (WotC's) eyes, or if this is one of those places where WotC intends to throw a "new, never-before-seen" one at us. what other classes start with an "I"?

Hm... I know I'd love to see a shaman class (done right for a change)... so, if you're right, mandisaw, we would have 4 primal-source classes, 2 arcane, and 2 divine.

Any other ideas on possible candidates to fill the slots?

What about martial? won't there be any new martial classes in the PHBII?

M

Including illusionists would be a nice retro nod to ye olden days of D&D.

No new Martial classes. Shaman is all but confirmed as the Primal Leader.

Illusionist is likely to be Shadow Powered. Note that we have a list of all classes in Arcane Power; Illusionist didn't show up on it.

No new Martial classes. Shaman is all but confirmed as the Primal Leader.

Illusionist is likely to be Shadow Powered. Note that we have a list of all classes in Arcane Power; Illusionist didn't show up on it.

Thanks for that, David. so, no illusionist in PHBII. Other ideas?. Do you have a source for the shaman's "almost confirmation"?

Thanks for that, David. so, no illusionist in PHBII. Other ideas?. Do you have a source for the shaman's "almost confirmation"?

The only classes we don't really have a handle on are the I, T, and W. One of those will be Primal, the other two Divine, if the ratio is 4 Primal, 2 Arcane, 2 Divine. The best guesses I've seen are Witch or Wildshaper for the W, Inquisitor for the I, and Theurge for the T. Templar could be another good fit.

Note that we did have confirmation at one point of the role lineup for everything in PHB II ... I saw it on ENWorld but don't remember the ratio.

The Shaman's "almost confirmation" comes from the Warlord preview back before 4E was actually released. The Warlord preview article talked about the design of other Leader roled classes besides the Cleric, and name dropped the Shaman as another Leader roled class in design. So we knew that a leader roled class would be showing up as Shaman ... PHB II is focused on Primal powered classes, and has an opening for a class starting with S. Seems like a pretty good fit.

The only classes we don't really have a handle on are the I, T, and W. One of those will be Primal, the other two Divine, if the ratio is 4 Primal, 2 Arcane, 2 Divine. The best guesses I've seen are Witch or Wildshaper for the W, Inquisitor for the I, and Theurge for the T. Templar could be another good fit.

Note that we did have confirmation at one point of the role lineup for everything in PHB II ... I saw it on ENWorld but don't remember the ratio.

The Shaman's "almost confirmation" comes from the Warlord preview back before 4E was actually released. The Warlord preview article talked about the design of other Leader roled classes besides the Cleric, and name dropped the Shaman as another Leader roled class in design. So we knew that a leader roled class would be showing up as Shaman ... PHB II is focused on Primal powered classes, and has an opening for a class starting with S. Seems like a pretty good fit.

where were the Inquisitor and Templar first seen?

Wow. OK, that all sounds quite resonable for the shaman. Here's hoping... the concept of a shaman is one of my favorites for translation into a fantasy milieu, but with one exception I've never seen it done quite right.

[looks at calendar...]

M

where were the Inquisitor and Templar first seen?
I remember the lineup from a post in ENWorld, too... I'll see if I can find it.

Wow. OK, that all sounds quite resonable for the shaman. Here's hoping... the concept of a shaman is one of my favorites for translation into a fantasy milieu, but with one exception I've never seen it done quite right.

[looks at calendar...]

M

Nothing is actually known about the W, I, or T classes. Even the names I gave are simply some of the most plausible sounding ones found on the net.

The assumption is that the two new Divine classes would be a Striker and Controller, so that the Divine power will have every role. This may be spurious thinking, but that is the general idea.

EDIT: On second thought, with "R" as a last letter, the "S" is probably the shifter. Shades will probably be in MM II.

The shade template is in the FRCG.

The shade template is in the FRCG.

Ah, cool. I'll have to look at that. Interesting.

I'm hoping for something cool for the devas as well. Tying it in with Mulhorand would help make the flavor less "faceless god-servant" and more "gods given mortal form", which I support. I know they were holding off on it until a cool flavor idea came up, since they mentioned it in the Races & Classes preview book (yes, I bought them- I'm a sucker). Hopefully it meets expectations; if not, well, I've got a stack of Planescape flavor to pile on if needed. Mmm... Planescape 4e Deva sandwich...

Also, I think Wildshaper's out, since that's the 4e druid's schtick, apparently. I'd suggest Wu Jen, but I think they're staying clear of the "asian"-themed classes(too many cultural expectations for the 4e feel).

Warchief, maybe (Primal leader)? Or is that too many "war" classes?

Also, I think Wildshaper's out, since that's the 4e druid's schtick, apparently. I'd suggest Wu Jen, but I think they're staying clear of the "asian"-themed classes(too many cultural expectations for the 4e feel).

Warchief, maybe (Primal leader)? Or is that too many "war" classes?

I think Shaman is widely touted as the likely candidate for the Primal leader...

As to the Asian classes... my "spurious" thinking is that there might be some method to the publishing plans of the Spooky Wizard by the Coast; namely, I think we will see products loosely tied in with each other thematically, something like this ---

2009: Eberron and the primal power source in PHBII
2010: Dark Sun and the psionic power source in PHBIII
and so on... if this line of thought holds, then we could see a 4e version of the Oriental Adventures setting tied in with the "ki" power source in a future PHB expansion, and the "shadow" power source tied in with Ravenloft... blah blah blah, Mau is talking out of his ass now and speculatiing wildy :P

I need it to be March now...

M