4E Bladesinger

[Paedur]

In case any of the 4E crowd on Paizo boards is interested, Bladesinger class preview from Gencon.

Download PDF here.

I actually like it, kind of fixes implement as weapon. I do like they are not adding classes just variants off the chassis of main classes.

High AC and basically reminds me of a BECMI elf, with modern mechanics. Does not look very wizard-ey though as does extra damage on each hit.

Be interesting to see the book for steely retort and arcane strike.

Never had a swordmage in the group so no argghh this is stepping on that classes toes. Just have to finish off Runelords or have a fatality so someone can "character build" one up :)

[Dane Pitchford]

Oh, this I like. I'm actually rather surprised it's not a variant of the Swordmage, but regardless...I've been wanting a Bladesinger class in 4e for ages now. Finally, I can convert my old 3e character over :)

[Jeremy Mac Donald]

Paedur wrote:

Never had a swordmage in the group so no argghh this is stepping on that classes toes. Just have to finish off Runelords or have a fatality so someone can "character build" one up :)

You could probably build it to act sort of like a Swordmage and there is certianly some toe stepping but it looks reasonably different. Its drawing on wizard encounter powers and using them as dailies, the sword mage is designed as a defender/controller while this looks more like a striker/controller. However the base mechanics, how we get from A to B are reasonably different with the Swordmage getting more powers but being forced to use them all as dailies. An interesting class but one, like all 4E classes made by 3PPs, that suffers from not being in the DDI and therefore not likely to see all that much play.

[Bluenose]

It's not 3PP; this will appear in the Neverwinter book when that comes out, and DDI later.

I'm not quite sure what to make of the class. I want to see one in play, but I think it's going to be hard to make one that works well.

[Paedur]

Jeremy Mac Donald wrote:

An interesting class but one, like all 4E classes made by 3PPs, that suffers from not being in the DDI and therefore not likely to see all that much play.

I think from reading the WOTC forums, entry on Gencon download page and Neverwinter campaign guide "blurb" that this is an official WOTC class, to be included in the Neverwinter campaign setting. So should go in the character builder. That is my understanding anywho.

I like it a lot, although looks like a striker with control secondary, rather than a straight controller. With the Dex add on to at wills, which can be used on a primary or secondary target. Is a preview so could change a bit, although Neverwinter must be sitting in a warehouse so not much if at all.

It might make me buy Neverwinter, which I was not going to, either that or wait for it to hit DDI. I do like full write ups though.

[Jeremy Mac Donald]

Bluenose wrote:

It's not 3PP; this will appear in the Neverwinter book when that comes out, and DDI later.

I'm not quite sure what to make of the class. I want to see one in play, but I think it's going to be hard to make one that works well.

Oops - guess it was the website which was carrying the download did not look like official WotC so I assumed that it was 3PP.

[Diffan]

My initial reaction was WTF?! NOT A SWORDMAGE SUBCLASS!!!! ARGH!! But as I read the PDF, I realized that I'm glad it's not a Swordmage, that way I can now pilfer useful powers from that class willy-nilly and no one will be the wiser ;).

Here are some of the reasons why I think I'll enjoy this class:

It's chassis is off the Wizard, thus allowing for Wizard feats, Implements, and Encounter spells (which now all have "Miss:" effects).

It's a honest-to-Gods melee-controller that has a very very good AC (19 AC with a Intelligence 20) and it's all based off of Melee-Basic Attacks. There is now tons of suppot for more MBAs.

The controller part comes from the triggering At-Wills, based off MBAs, as it targets anything within Range 10. So attack adjacent enemy with MBA and then damage and knock prone a target 10 squares away in a nice shiney zone or maybe push it off a cliff?

So far Dex only plays a minor roll in excessive At-Will damage (something Controllers don't necessarily need lots of) so it's not so important a Secondary Ability and could be as low as 12-14 before Racial Ability modifiers.

3 At-will from the get go plus Magic Missile for frosting. Choices like Dancing Fire and Dazzling Sunray make feats such as Astal Fire impressive choices for straight extra damage.

And also gain spellbooks/Cantrips. I just love this flavorful class feature. While not necessarily bringing a host of offensive might, they definitly help the RP side of things and they're good to have in a pinch.

I think my only concern is it's Encounter powers as Dailies. Daily wizard spells often hold the true might of the class and the Bladesinger is really being left out, so I hope this doesn't really alter the playability of the class at late Paragon an Epic levels where Dailies can easily swing a battle in the party's favor.