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Illusionists get a bad deal from the beginning, and I don't think the problem starts with the system, or even the setting. I think it's more about the accepted way everyone seems to approach the game, whatever edition we're talking about. The problem seems to be endemic in the whole dnd hobby and that's the idea of there being a one and only right way. It's like the whole alignment argument. So many people talk about alignments in terms of actions or intentions that are categorically correct when they should be seen as emotional processes that provoke roleplay, a sort meaning of a character rather than a typecast list of actions.

In the same vein, illusionism is sort of typecast. Conceptually, it’s shoved into an idea of reality – a reality that is ultimately true and the denial

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I feel the classes in the 4E Players Handbook are not perfectly balanced, and they should've been done differently. The Players Handbook classes/role/power source are as follows:

Fighter (Defender) (Martial)
Cleric (Leader) (Divine)
Rogue (Striker) (Martial)
Wizard (Controller) (Arcane)

Paladin (Defender) (Divine)
Warlord (Leader) (Martial)
Ranger (Striker) (Martial)
Warlock (Striker) (Arcane)

Roles:

Defender x 2
Leader x 2
Striker x 3
Controller x 1

Power Sources:

Martial x 4
Divine x 2
Arcane x 2



Now for a game that's all about balance, this sure doesn't look very balanced.


First off, I don't think the Warlord should've been in the PHB at all. It's a neat buff class, but it just isn't essential at all, and I guarantee you it was the least popular class in the PHB. It's weird and semi-complicated, and

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I'm back. For at least one more blog, the last of my Feywild Character Concept blogs. This one is the Satyr Witch. It was by far the most difficult for me to put together. So difficult in fact, that I had to build 2 characters to see how they would work side by side. Since I built two, I might as well give them both to you.

The two builds are based on the separate covens. Full Moon Coven was the easier one to build since the Satyr has neither Int nor Wisdom as its boosted stats, but I truly enjoyed the Dark Moon Coven more. The build ideas came from the skill bonuses that each coven grants. Full Moon grants Heal and later also gives you a bonus to Diplomacy. Heal is a Wis skill (your secondary stat anyway) and Satyrs get a bonus to Cha which helps the Diplomacy. Dark Moon gives you Intimidate...

Rather than choosing Class as the First Option, perhaps players could choose a mechanics system for their characters based on the standard classes.

Once that is determined, abilities that are standard to various classes (spells, maneuvers, tricks, etc.) can be added based on a power level of those abilities.  In combat some abilities could stack if desired.  For spells, power levels could stack to cast higher level spells or enhance spells to higher levels.

For this system we will assume that 4 encounters per day will last 4 turns each for a total of 16 turns per day.  This will be used to balance the mechanics for at will, encounter, and daily powers so the class mechanics are roughly equivalent.

We will also assume that powers grow linearly.  A 4th level power is equal...

To provide a different feeling for each class I propose using different mechanics for each.

Fighter - Martial Damage Dice (replenished each round)
Wizard - Vancian spell system (replenished each day after long rest)
Cleric - Something like the Divine Favor System (named by Wrecan)
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
Described by me at:
community.wizards.com/kezzek/blog/2013/0...
Rogue - Skill tricks, skills, bonuses, and abilities all applied at will without limits
Sorcerer, Warlock - powers as in 4th edition (at will, per encounter, per day)
Psion, Monk - Power points or Ki pool....

About this Diary

I write this diary in the midst of a rebellion, where my comrades and myself have been labelled traitors to the prince of the country. As such I have left out or changed names of locations and people, so that if these diaries should fall into the wrong hands they will not aid to to the downfall of my party and the rebellion. Should we succeed and these diaries become rewritten in other languages, excuse the poor grammar in my hastily written recalling.

For all intents and purposes I will refer to myself as Leo the Transmuter. I was born eldest son and heir to a prestigious noble family in a keep on the northern planes. The family lines are divided between the wizards and the religious zealots.
My father is a tyrannical man, leading the family with an iron grip. My inclination...

This idea will most likely not come to fruition due to the fact it is not like "classic" D&D, however the mechanics and balance of this idea, could be well established.

< maybe ill be like pathfinder, or Monte Cooke and make my own system, who knows :P>

Wizard Leveling Progression

• level 1: Spell Access (Lv 1); spellpool (2); and other wizardly stuff
• level 3: Spell Access (Lv 2); Spellpool (4)
• level 5: Spell Access (Lv 3); Spellpool (8)
• level 7: Spell Access (Lv 4); Spellpool (12)
• level 9: Spell Access (Lv 5); Spellpool (16)
• Level 10: Spellpool (18); Casting Resilience 
• and so forth...

The spellpool functions as the total spell levels a wizard can tap into the 'weave' before exhausting himself. The wizard can prepare spells up to the Max Spell Access he is allowed....

Upon the release of the article (Balencing Wizards in D&D) and the D&DNext QA (Monk Fighting Styles, Spell Challenges & Multiclassing) it had me thinking about ways to better balence the wizard.
This short blog will be regarding the design of the wizard application for the Concentration skill, in the current D&DNext Playtest setting.

Buffs: in other systems (3.5) the wizard always buffed up for the day and before encounters. This proved to be an issue as these combinations of buffs would make the  wizard significantly more resilient in combat. I am against the idea of putting a cap of X  buffs on a player. This can ultimately diminish the risk and "skill" a wizard could do.

A wizard should be concentrating on the spells persistent effects(especially if they need to be maintained). ...