I haven't been keeping up with things as much as I use to, and I'm a bit confused about this Essentials line wizards is putting out in September. At first I thought it was just an updated paperback variation of the orginal rules... all errata and changes included. But then I noticed there were previews for Clerics, Fighters, Wizards, and Rogues... I figured they were including new builds of these classes in order to make the books interesting. Then I looked at the classes, and they seem more drastic than a new builds.
The Fighter seems to get At-will stances instead of attacks, and his encounter power seems to be a +1[w] after a hit instead of a fancy attack. The character seems to use Basic Attacks.
The Rogue preview also seems to get an At-will Utility instead of at-will attacks? It's "back stab" encounter power seems to only work on Basic Attacks.
The Wizard preview sacrificially calls out that the wizard does get at-will attacks.
It sounds like they are making a lot of changes to the game, or at least the internal structures of characters. It reminds me of the 3.0/3.5 change. They are making a lot of small detail changes, but claiming it's not a new edition and that all your old books will work just fine, but the new ones are the rules going forward... oh and we should all go out and re-purchase core books again because the core classes are drastically different now.
Anyone have a good handle on what is actually going on here?
These are the essential Previews I could find:
Powers, Implements, Feats ...
Feats no longer in tiers, implements like weapon proficiencies, changes to lots of powers.
Fighter Preview II
Fighter as a Martial Slayer?
Rogue Preview
Thief build with Back Stab
Fighter Preview
Fighter as a Defender with at-will stances
Wizard Preview
Not an implement focused set of builds?
Cleric Preview
An attempt to explain Essentials also included.
