Post by tavis on Sept 14, 2009 20:41:32 GMT -6
Fortunately, D&D Insider misspelled my name on the credits for this Dragon article, so I can try to salvage my old-school cred (and avoid the ire of those paper-Dragon loyalists who'd see writing for the disincarnated version as a betrayal) by pretending that was someone else.
However, I have it on good authority that Travis is very pleased with the art for this piece, and wants to thank y'all for that part of it he can take credit for. Having read here & at Grognardia about what made old-school illustrations awesome (capturing moments that might occur in the course of an adventure, realistic medieval arms & armor) was very useful in approaching the job of preparing an art order that describes the illustrations you'd like to see so that the result passes through art director to artist and winds up kind of awesome!
Not much else here is of interest to folks who don't play 4E, although I guess we could discuss whether this ought to be true in original D&D as well:
4E's warden is a defender of the natural world with mystic powers like transforming into a primal avatar form, but is not a spellcaster like a druid & doesn't have the fear-of-magic thing that the barbarian (at least the UA one) does. Is that an archetype that can't be covered by a fighting man, magic-user, or cleric and thus deserves its own class?
However, I have it on good authority that Travis is very pleased with the art for this piece, and wants to thank y'all for that part of it he can take credit for. Having read here & at Grognardia about what made old-school illustrations awesome (capturing moments that might occur in the course of an adventure, realistic medieval arms & armor) was very useful in approaching the job of preparing an art order that describes the illustrations you'd like to see so that the result passes through art director to artist and winds up kind of awesome!
Not much else here is of interest to folks who don't play 4E, although I guess we could discuss whether this ought to be true in original D&D as well:
One of the joys Dungeons & Dragons offers is the ability to play a hero of legend. Throughout human history, one of the times that people have most needed to create the legend of a hero is when a culture defined by their kinship to their natural environment must defend it against an expansionist outsider. These warriors drew upon their myths and their courage to confront the heavier armament of the invaders, from the Picts who painted themselves blue to terrify the iron-wielding Roman legionnaires to the Plains tribes who donned the feather cloaks of the Ghost Dance to ward against rifle bullets. This archetype also thrives in the worlds of fantasy. The forestals created by Thomas R. Donaldson are a classic example, as is the noble savage raised by apes who protects the jungle against those who would exploit it. The warden offers players the chance to become a hero who brings this legacy to life.
4E's warden is a defender of the natural world with mystic powers like transforming into a primal avatar form, but is not a spellcaster like a druid & doesn't have the fear-of-magic thing that the barbarian (at least the UA one) does. Is that an archetype that can't be covered by a fighting man, magic-user, or cleric and thus deserves its own class?
