[4e] Classes for Dragonmarked Houses

[Drakefall]

So I'm going to be playing in a 4th edition game these soon-to-arrive holidays and I've got it in my mind to play a member of a dragonmarked house.

Thus I kindly ask my fellow playgrounders for the following: Classes that mechanically and flavour-wise fit the particular dragonmarked houses. I would like to keep to the appropriate race for each house, though for a cool flavour/build I will bend this rule, and would like to be able to take the appropriate paragon path if we get that far, but this is not a necessity more of an "if it can be worked in" kinda thing.

As an obvious example: House Cannith - human artificer

Many thanks in advance.

[kieza]

Most of the people in a house would be NPCs, probably with some feature that lets them cast rituals of moderate level but have no combat ability. If you're looking for the unusually powerful ones, however...

Deneith: Human Fighter, Ranger or Warlord
Ghallanda: Halfling Bard. Maybe Warden.
Jorasco: Halfling Cleric. Maybe Shaman.
Kundarak: Dwarf Fighter, Wizard, Artificer
Lyrandar: Half-elf Druid, Wizard
Medani: Half-elf Fighter, Ranger, Rogue. Maybe Wizard
Orien: Human Ranger, Wizard
Phiarlan: High Elf Bard, Rogue
Sivis: Gnome Wizard, Artificer, Bard. Maybe Rogue.
Tharashk: Half-Orc Ranger, Fighter, Druid, Warden.
Thuranni: Elf Bard, Rogue
Vadalis: Human Ranger, Druid, Wizard

[RdMarquis]

Well, an Assassin or Rogue with the Mark of Shadow (Houses Phiarlan, Thuranni) would be good. The feat keeps you invisible if you miss an attack. That's great for the assassin, who can actually turn invisible. The Rogue class practically revolves around being nimble and good with a blade, so that's a good match.

[Marius Arohtar]

So, going off the Paragon Paths in the Eberron Player's Guide. I've looked at the powers and tried to pick which classes fit best with the path... there's a very good chance that I've missed some obvious options off though, so just use this as a guide. I'm sure someone else will go into more detail (I wouldn't be surprised if I'd been ninja'd either).

Cannith - Human Artificer

Deneith - Human Fighter, Warlord or Swordmage

Ghallanda - Halfling Fighter or Swordmage

Jorasco - Halfling Cleric

Kundarak - Dwarf Rogue

Lyrandar - Half-Elf Sorceror or Bard

Medani - Half-Elf something, not sure what fits with a trueseer, the abilities it uses are Cha or Wis, so pick what you like.

Orien - Human Fighter or Swordmage

Phiarlan - Elf Bard or Rogue

Sivis - Gnome Wizard, Sorceror or Bard

Tharashk - Human or Half-Orc Ranger (Ranger is a prerequisite, but that's not surprising)

Thuranni - Elf Rogue

Vadalis - Human Ranger (again, Ranger is prerequisite and you also need the Beast Mastery)

[Grynning]

...

Ghallanda - Halfling Fighter or Swordmage

Sivis - Gnome Wizard, Sorceror or Bard
...


The Ghallanda PP is much better for a Warlord than a Fighter, with Str based attacks and Cha based rider features. Swordmages would not benefit from it much at all.

Sivis one could also be decent for Divine character who heavily emphasizes Cha, given that their Action Point rider recharges Channel Divinity. The other Arcane classes kinda get gypped, since they get no benefit from spending an action point (unless they've used some multiclassing to get CD; I don't think you can get implement mastery without Paragon Multiclassing, which means you couldn't take this PP).

Edit: Oh, and Warlock would work quite well with the Lyrander PP as well.

[Drakefall]

Thanks a bunch guys:smallbiggrin:. I'm in the middle of writing my end of year exams at the moment, but when I can find some free time I'll get to stating a few of these guys up.

Please feel free to post anything that hasn't been mentioned.

[Marius Arohtar]

The Ghallanda PP is much better for a Warlord than a Fighter, with Str based attacks and Cha based rider features. Swordmages would not benefit from it much at all.

Sivis one could also be decent for Divine character who heavily emphasizes Cha, given that their Action Point rider recharges Channel Divinity.

Warlock would work quite well with the Lyrander PP as well.

I knew I would have missed something, I just gave them a quick glance, thank you for the addendum. Having had a proper look at the ones you've corrected I do feel a little bit silly for missing it.

To continue the discussion though, you shouldn't feel the need to limit yourself to these paragon paths and classes. The paragon paths seem to be focused on a particular aspect of each house but if you read through the fluff found in the EPG and ECG and if you have it the 3.5E Dragonmarked book you can give yourself more options with whichever house you pick.

[dragoonsgone]

For some different fun you can use the Abberant mark of Madness with a Psion. It is a great combo but then your hunted by the houses not one of them.

[Mando Knight]

The Ghallanda PP is much better for a Warlord than a Fighter, with Str based attacks and Cha based rider features. Swordmages would not benefit from it much at all.

They also don't benefit from being halflings: short guys wield smaller swords, and the racial bonuses are in all the wrong places.

[Grynning]

They also don't benefit from being halflings: short guys wield smaller swords, and the racial bonuses are in all the wrong places.

Halflings get a Cha bonus, which makes them OK Warlords and Paladins. Also Eberron added the Talenta Sharresh and Tangat, which give Halfling characters some slightly better melee weapon options with a single feat investment.

Halfling Bravura Warlord would be very thematically appropriate as well, given the fearless nature of halflings.

Back to the main topic - it's a given that not every Dragonmarked character will not necessarily fall into one of those PP's. The only real restriction on having the mark should be your race (even with 4th ed's BS "anyone can have one" rules). Any class could conceivably be part of any house, remember, these are big organizations who need every kind of skillset in one way or another.