In defense of the spirit companion, that shouldn't be seen as a "pet" so much as a node of "I can make melee attacks from here" that can be disrupted by attacks.
Really? Because mechanically, they're the only pet class done right.
Hey, when I think "pet" I come to "additional sack of HP that can bite back," which the spirit companion doesn't really cover. The PC shouldn't have to do all the work if he's got one, which the shaman does, here.
@Nightray: It's called Avalon, and I'm currently working on it, though slowly because of work. It's not gonna be a 4e 'Trailblazer' though - while playing Paizo to WotC might be lucrative, I've got a bit more pride than they do and would rather make a really good game that improves 4e instead of retreading it. So ninja would still be unpickable as a hybrid executioner...as hybrid executioners wouldn't exist in the first place.
Mountain Cleave Rule: You can have any sort of fun, including broken, silly fun, so long as I get to have that fun too (e. g., if you can warp reality with your spells, I can cleave mountains with my blade).
So, when you think "pet" you think "basically an extra character in the party"? That's absurd. The only way pet classes work is by having the PC's effectiveness inherently tied to the pet and enabling the pet to reliably be around on demand. The reason why the Beast Master and Sentinel don't work is that they are based around the same principal that you envision, which results in 'improving what you do' and 'improving what the pet does' being entirely different things, which doesn't work very well QED.
Besides, the Spirit does have an OA, and it does have effective HP being outright immune to Minions and Close/Area attacks, ongoing damage, and effects in general, and being slightly resistant to targeted attacks (becoming significantly resistant to ranged attacks in Paragon); and any attack that does get through ends up dealing a minimum of 5 less damage to you. So, yeah, it's about as well designed a Leader Pet as you can possibly make, if it weren't for a few other issues with the class - AC, Totem support, more non-build specific powers - it would be my favorite leader class (opinion wise, not strength wise, though it would certainly help)
"Invokers are probably better round after round but Wizard dailies are devastating. Actually, devastating is too light a word. Wizard daily powers are soul crushing, encounter ending, havoc causing pieces of awesome." -AirPower25 Sear the Flesh, Purify the Soul; Harden the Heart, and Improve the Mind; Born of Blood, but Forged by Fire; The MECH warrior reaches perfection.
Mm, this is what I envisioned for the Binder - it would be a pet class which would come in two flavours - one which buffed the humanoid half of the bair at the expense of the pet, and acted much like a traditional 'lock with more control riders and fewer damage riders, and one which buffed the pet at the expense of the humanoid. Some form of keyword would allow the binder attacks to be bursts and blasts when cast through the pet, and single-target when not. I never fully worked it through, but it was essentially based around the idea that the 9th level Summon Warlock's Ally, which let you bind a creature of your patron to your will (or, possibly, vice versa...) really should have been the core conceit of the class - someone who has bound a dangerous beast to their will and uses it (or is used by it) in combat.
If we're putting out homebrew, then Elemental Pact Warlocks need some severe assistance. Right now, they have no encounter powers with riders in a class where rider-based encounter powers are the norm. Some class specific items certainly wouldn't hurt.
There are definately classes like the seeker, the sorcerer or the artificer that simply have a lot less options and are sucky almost by default becuase of that.
I have made both a seeker and an artificer becuase I like the basics of both of the classes but if I compare the buildproces to the myriad of choices I had when building a wizard it's almost ridiculous.
The fault there lies with the Wizard's excessive support, not the other two classes. Well, somewhat with the general low quality of the seeker's in class options, but the Artificer does not lack for decent options. It could do with more, but the current selection more than holds its own.
1) Covering more ground / Attacking from a different location. (shaman do this well) 2) Meat shield. (needs an OA, or mark) 3) Increasing AOE effects (both positive and negitive).
Beastmasters can be fixed by simply letting the beast have the "weapon" keyword.
F-111 Interdictor Long (200+ squares) distance ally teleporter. With some warlord stuff. Broken in a plot way, not a power way. Thought Switch Higher level build that grants upto 14 attacks on turn 1. If your allies play along, it's broken. Elven Critters Crit op with crit generation. 5 of these will end anything. Broken. King Fisher Does an excellent job at keeping an enemy disabled in a few ways. Strong. Boominator Fun catch-22 booming blade build with either strong or completely broken damage depending on your reading. Very Distracting Warlock Lot's of dazing and major penalties to hit. Overpowered. Pocket Protector Pixie Stealth Knight. Maximizing the defender's aura by being in an ally's/enemy's square. Yakuza NinjIntimiAdin: Perma-stealth Striker that offers a little protection for ally's, and can intimidate bloodied enemies. Very Strong. Chargeburgler with cheese Ranged attacks at the end of a charge along with perma-stealth. Solid, could be overpowered if tweaked. Void Defender Defends giving a penalty to hit anyone but him, then removing himself from play. Can get somewhat broken in epic. Scry and Die Attacking from around corners, while staying hidden. Moderate to broken, depending on the situation. Skimisher Fly in, attack, and fly away. Also prevents enemies from coming close. Moderate to Broken depending on the enemy, but shouldn't make the game un-fun, as the rest of your team is at risk, and you have enough weaknesses. Indestructible Simply won't die, even if you sleep though combat. Sir Robin (Bravely Charge Away) He automatically slows and pushes an enemy (5 squares), while charging away. Hard to rate it's power level, since it's terrain dependent. Death's Gatekeeper A fun twist on a healic, making your party "unkillable". Overpowered to Broken, but shouldn't actually make the game un-fun, just TPK proof. Death's Gatekeeper mk2, (Stealth Edition) Make your party "unkillable", and you hidden, while doing solid damage. Stronger then the above, but also easier for a DM to shut down. Broken, until your DM get's enough of it. Domination and Death Dominate everything then kill them quickly. Only works @ 30, but is broken multiple ways. Battlemind Mc Prone-Daze Protecting your allies by keeping enemies away. Quite powerful. The Retaliator Getting hit deals more damage to the enemy then you receive yourself, and you can take plenty of hits. Heavy item dependency, Broken. Dead Kobold Transit Teleports 98 squares a turn, and can bring someone along for the ride. Not fully built, so i can't judge the power Psilent Guardian Protect your allies, while being invisible. Overpowered, possibly broken Unnamed Avenger|Runepriest/Hammer of Vengance Do lot's of damage while boosting your teams. Strong to slightly overpowered. Charedent BarrageA charging ardent. Fine in a normal team, overpowered if there are 2 together, and easily broken in teams of 5. Super Knight A tough, sticky, high damage knight. Strong. Super Duper Knight Basically the same as super knight, only far more broken. Mora, the unkillable avenger Solid damage, while being neigh indestuctable. Overpowered, but not broken. Swordburst Maximus At-Will Close Burst 3 that slide and prones. Protects allies with off actions. Strong, possibly over powered with the right party.
Even though there might not be a ton left, a Lair Assault handbook would be pretty cool. Emphasize characters who are effective in heroic, collect and rate powers that last until end of the encounter, and create item packages that honor the gold/item allotment, etc.
That notes unique feats, Like shocking flame, Secrets of Belial, Reaper's Touch.... As well as PP's, like stoneblessed and gnome knightcloak.... And ED's, like raven consort and soul of the world....
F-111 Interdictor Long (200+ squares) distance ally teleporter. With some warlord stuff. Broken in a plot way, not a power way. Thought Switch Higher level build that grants upto 14 attacks on turn 1. If your allies play along, it's broken. Elven Critters Crit op with crit generation. 5 of these will end anything. Broken. King Fisher Does an excellent job at keeping an enemy disabled in a few ways. Strong. Boominator Fun catch-22 booming blade build with either strong or completely broken damage depending on your reading. Very Distracting Warlock Lot's of dazing and major penalties to hit. Overpowered. Pocket Protector Pixie Stealth Knight. Maximizing the defender's aura by being in an ally's/enemy's square. Yakuza NinjIntimiAdin: Perma-stealth Striker that offers a little protection for ally's, and can intimidate bloodied enemies. Very Strong. Chargeburgler with cheese Ranged attacks at the end of a charge along with perma-stealth. Solid, could be overpowered if tweaked. Void Defender Defends giving a penalty to hit anyone but him, then removing himself from play. Can get somewhat broken in epic. Scry and Die Attacking from around corners, while staying hidden. Moderate to broken, depending on the situation. Skimisher Fly in, attack, and fly away. Also prevents enemies from coming close. Moderate to Broken depending on the enemy, but shouldn't make the game un-fun, as the rest of your team is at risk, and you have enough weaknesses. Indestructible Simply won't die, even if you sleep though combat. Sir Robin (Bravely Charge Away) He automatically slows and pushes an enemy (5 squares), while charging away. Hard to rate it's power level, since it's terrain dependent. Death's Gatekeeper A fun twist on a healic, making your party "unkillable". Overpowered to Broken, but shouldn't actually make the game un-fun, just TPK proof. Death's Gatekeeper mk2, (Stealth Edition) Make your party "unkillable", and you hidden, while doing solid damage. Stronger then the above, but also easier for a DM to shut down. Broken, until your DM get's enough of it. Domination and Death Dominate everything then kill them quickly. Only works @ 30, but is broken multiple ways. Battlemind Mc Prone-Daze Protecting your allies by keeping enemies away. Quite powerful. The Retaliator Getting hit deals more damage to the enemy then you receive yourself, and you can take plenty of hits. Heavy item dependency, Broken. Dead Kobold Transit Teleports 98 squares a turn, and can bring someone along for the ride. Not fully built, so i can't judge the power Psilent Guardian Protect your allies, while being invisible. Overpowered, possibly broken Unnamed Avenger|Runepriest/Hammer of Vengance Do lot's of damage while boosting your teams. Strong to slightly overpowered. Charedent BarrageA charging ardent. Fine in a normal team, overpowered if there are 2 together, and easily broken in teams of 5. Super Knight A tough, sticky, high damage knight. Strong. Super Duper Knight Basically the same as super knight, only far more broken. Mora, the unkillable avenger Solid damage, while being neigh indestuctable. Overpowered, but not broken. Swordburst Maximus At-Will Close Burst 3 that slide and prones. Protects allies with off actions. Strong, possibly over powered with the right party.
