Facts / Rumors


If you are new to 4th edition, check out the Players Pre-4th Edition Handbook.
To get the best prices on ordering D&D 4th edition products, check out our Product Release Dates page.

Products
Classes
Races

Products

D&D Insider
D&D Insider will reveal new classes and races in playtest mode before they are in any future Player’s Handbooks.
Half-Orcs are rumored to be included on D&D Insider soon.

Player’s Handbook II
The Player’s Handbook II will cover Arcane, Divine, and Primal Heroes and power sources.
Barbarians, Bards, Druids, and Sorcerers are all confirmed for the PHB2.
Gnomes are in the PHB2.

Player’s Handbook III
Psionic is high on the list for PHB2 but they are not sure there is room for it. It will more then likely go in the PHB3 along with Psions.

ClassesArtificer
Will be featured in the Eberron Player’s Guide.
Role: Leader. You channel arcane power into items that empower your allies and hinder your enemies.
Power Source: Arcane. The cryptic formulas of arcane magic and the complex recipes of alchemy appeal to you. You are especially knowledgeable about magic items.
Key Abilities: Intelligence, Constitution
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
Implements: Orbs, rods, staffs, wands
Bonus to Defenses: +1 Fort, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
Healing Surges per Day: 7 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Arcana. From the class skills list below, choose four more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Arcana (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Dungeoneering (Wis), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Perception (Wis), Thievery (Dex)
Build Option: Battlesmith
Class Features: Arcane Replenishment, Healing Infusion
Playtesting powers of the artificer can be found here: Artificer.pdfBard
Will be featured in the PHB2.
Role: Leader.
Power Source: Arcane.
Key Abilities: (Intelligence, Charisma?)
Barbarian
Will be featured in the PHB2.
Rage will be the centerpiece of this class.
Gets something called “Lightning Panther Strike” that allow increased movement and multiple attacks.
Will have a bite attack.

Druid
Will be featured in the PHB2.
Will use weather-related magic as opposed to fire/water/earth type magic.
Will not have a lot of animal summoning but will instead have plenty of wild shape.

Elementalist
Elementalists are likely another planned class.

Illusionist
Illusionists may use the shadow power source. They are also mentioned to have better invisibility options than a Wizard.

Monk
The monk class has not yet seriously started being designed. Monks will NOT be a martial striker.

Necromancer
Necromancers will use the shadow power source.

Shaman
Shamans will be leaders. Will include neat mechanisms for dealing with nature spirits.

Sorcerer
Will be featured in the PHB2.
Sorcerers will be arcane controllers. May be arcane casters.
Sorcerers will get the power fly sooner then wizards to.
After they cast their spells, magic will be left behind. After they cast a fireball they will be cloaked in fire and sear nearby enemies.
Rich Baker mentioned “If it works out right the trick to playing the sorcerer will be going where the wild magic takes you–changing your plans from round to round to account for the unpredictable surges you’re getting”

Swordmage
Will be featured in the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide.
Role: Defender.
Power Source: Arcane.
Key Abilities: Intelligence, Strength, Constitution
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military light blades, military heavy blades, simple ranged
Implements: Any light blade or heavy blade. Your blade adds its enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls and any extra damage granted by a property (if applicable) when used as an implement. You do not gain your weapon provisiency bonus to the attack rolls when using your blade as an implement.
Bonus to Defenses: +2 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 15 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 6
Healing Surges per Day: 8 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Arcana. From the class skills list below, choose four more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con) History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha)
Build Option: Assault swordmage, shielding swordmage
Class Features: Swordbond, Swordmage Aegis, Swordmage Warding

At-Will Powers:

Aegis of Shielding
Swordmage Feature
You create an arcane link between you and a foe, allowing you to instantly respond to its attacks with a counterassault.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Teleportation
Minor Action Close burst 2
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: You mark the target. The target remains marked until you use this power against another target. If you mark other creatures using other powers, the target is still marked. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. If your marked target makes an attack that doesn’t include you as a target, it takes a —2 penalty to attack rolls. If that attack hits and the attacker is within 10 squares of you, you can use an immediate interrupt to reduce the damage dealt by that attack to any one creature by 9 points.

Booming Blade
Swordmage Attack 1

A field of sound punishes your enemy, and it becomes louder if your enemy tries to escape.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Thunder, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: +9 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and if the target is adjacent to you at the start of its turn and moves away, it takes 1d6 + 4 thunder damage.

Sword Burst
Swordmage Attack 1

A sweep of your sword blasts those around you with force.
At-Will ✦ Arcane, Force, Implement
Standard Action Close burst 1
Target: Each enemy in burst
Attack: +6 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + 4 force damage.

Encounter Powers:

Chilling Blow
Swordmage Attack 1

Your blade rips into your foe and cold pulses from the wound, enveloping
your enemy’s body in a crust of frost.

Encounter ✦ Arcane, Cold, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target:
One creature
Attack: +9 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 5 cold damage, and the target takes 4 cold damage each time it attacks until the start of your next turn.

Corrosive Ruin
Swordmage Attack 3

You spin your blade in a tight circle in front of you, assailing foes with a spray of flesh-melting acid.
Encounter ✦ Acid, Arcane, Weapon
Standard Action Close blast
3
Target: Each creature in blast
Attack: +9 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d8 + 5 acid damage.

Dimensional Warp
Swordmage Utility 2

You reach out with arcane power, and two of your nearby allies suddenly wink out and reappear in each other’s places.
Encounter ✦ Arcane, Teleportation
Minor Action Close burst 3
Targets: You and one ally in burst or two allies in burst
Effect: Each target teleports into the other’s space. Both targets must occupy the same size space, or the power fails.

Daily Powers:

Frost Backlash
Swordmage Attack 1

As your enemy swings for the kill, your warding suddenly turns to ice and
lashes out at your foe with the fury of winter.

Daily ✦ Arcane, Cold, Weapon
Immediate Interrupt Melee weapon

Trigger: An adjacent creature hits you
Target: The creature that hit you
Attack: +9 vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d8 + 5 cold damage.
Miss: Half damage.

Lingering Lightning
Swordmage Attack 5

Tendrils of bluish white lightning course from your blade to electrocute your enemies.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Lightning, Weapon
Standard Action Ranged 5

Target: One, two, or three creatures
Attack: +9 vs. Reflex, one attack per target
Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 lightning damage (save ends).
Miss: Half damage, and no ongoing damage

Races

Drow
Will be featured in the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide.
Average Height: 5′4″-6′0″
Average Weight: 130-170 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Darkvision

Languages: Common, Elven
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Stealth
Fey Origin: Your ancestors were native to the feywild, so you are considered a fey creatre for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Trance. Rather then sleep, drow enter a meditative state known as trance. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
Lolththouched: Once per encounter, you can use either cloud of darkness power or the darkfire power.

Cloud of Darkness Drow Racial Power
A shroud of blackness descends around you, hiding you from sight.
Encounter
Minor Action Close
Burst 1
Effect: The burst creates a cloud of darkness that remains in place until the end of your next turn. The cloud blocks line of sight, squares within it are totally obscured, and creatures entirely within are blinded until they exit. You are immune to these effects.

Darkfire Drow Racial Power

A flickering halo of purple light surrounds the target, making it easier to hit.
Encounter
Minor Action Ranged
10
Target: One Creature
Attack: Intelligence +4 vs. Reflex, Wisdom + 4 vs. Reflex, or Charisma +4 vs. Reflex
Increase to +2 bonuse at 11th level and +8 bonus at 21st level.
Hit: Until the end of your next turn, all attacks against the target have combat advantage, and the target cannot benefit from invisibility or concealment.
Special: When you create your character, choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the ability score you use when making attack rolls with this power. This choice remains throughout your character’s life and does not change the power’s other effects.

Genasi
Average Height: 5′7″-6′2″
Average Weight: 130-225 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Darkvision

Languages: Common, Primorial
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Nature
Elemental Origin: Your anscestors were native to the elemental Chaos, so you are considered an elemental creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Elemental Manifestation: Choose one elemental manifestation: earthsoul, firesoul, stormsoul, watersoul, or windsoul. That manifestation is part of your nature. Each elemental manifestation offers particular benefits and provides an associated encounter power. Your appearence changes based on the element you are manifesting.

Goliath
Goliaths will probably be in 4e Forgotten Realms.

Half-Giant
Similar to Goliaths.

Half-Orc

Rich Baker spoke about 10 other upcoming races:

Medium Chance of being entered soon:
Aarakocrabird man
Bugbear bugbear

Low chance of being entered soon:
Aventi Atlanteans
Bariaur good ram-centaurs

Very Low chance of being entered soon:

Asherati sand swimmer
Azurin incarnum human
Bhuka desert goblinoid
Buomman silent monk humans
Catfolk cat people

This list is constantly expanding. If you have a fact or rumor e-mail me.