Awesome Control

For my first four/five posts, I want to look at what makes DnD classes awesome. We'll go through them by role, starting with the Controllers and ending with the Strikers. Being the opinionated person that I am, these discussions will take the form of lists. I'll start with the "least" awesome and move to the "most" awesome. This is not a Tier List, however. Tiers are for dirty optimizers (clean ones, too). The list is based solely on my own opinions and you are allowed (encouraged, even) to disagree in the comments. Just be civil and I'll be happy to debate the issue.

First up, Controllers! What makes controllers awesome? Well, its all in the- Whoops, you're halfway across the map! Oh, now you're stunned and slowed! You're standing in a group? Delicious! Oh my, it seems you're thirty-five feet in the air over a chandelier and another enemy two sizes smaller than you. Clumsy me!

Number Five: The Invoker
"Targets? I pick... everyone in the room. Also, one of the guys in the next room takes four damage."
Coming in both buffing and debuffing flavors, the Invoker is the Divine controller. Its also what happens after a drunken night of passion between the Wizard and the Cleric. The Invoker is a direct manifestation of their deity's wrath. They don't need to pray for their powers, they just point and smite. Eliminates the middleman and makes the whole process of obliterating the nonbelievers much more streamlined. Efficiency is the Invoker's first priority, after all. Furthermore, they don't even use holy symbols to channel their divine might. They use rods and staffs. Rods and staffs! Those are things you use to beat people over the head!

But it gets better: How many times have you entered combat only to face the horrible dilemma of who in the room to actually target? The Invoker can walk into the same encounter and just say "I attack everything." They are the undisputed champion of multi-target attacks. Bursts, blasts, one-two-or-three target spells; if it hits everyone in the room, the Invoker's got it covered. Goblin hoard charging through the door? Now they're on fire. Pair of brutes laying the smack down on your defender? One way ticket to the other side of the room. Pair of artillery in opposite corners of the room? Taste my lightning.

Awesome Powers: Mantle of the Infidel, Visions of Blood, Knives of the Soul, Invoke the Absolute Dark, Apocalypse from the Sky

Number Four: The Seeker
"Miss? What is this 'miss' you speak of?"
When the Seeker came into controller class, he was still a little buzzed from his adventures the night before (probably with the Wizard, that hussy). He passed out halfway through the class and woke up in Striker 101. As a result, he's a little fuzzy on how to be a controller. Status effect? Check. Area of effect spells? Yeah, more or less. Holycrapdamage? Wait, what? The Seeker seems to believe that healthy dps is part of being a balanced controller. To be fair, I suppose "death" is about the most effective debuff you can put on an enemy.

But it gets better: Not only does the Seeker deal massive damage, it also has a neat little mechanic where, on a miss, you can make a basic attack against another target (once per encounter, recharges when you spend an action point). This is pretty cool, especially when you consider that many of the Seeker's At-Will attack powers can be used as basic ranged attacks. As you level, the shenanigans get crazy: an encounter power that targets two enemies and can be used as a ranged basic attack. A feat that deals dex modifier damage on a missed ranged attack. A feat that lets you make two ranged attacks when you miss. The Seeker's motto is: "If I miss one enemy, I should get to attack everyone else."

Awesome Powers: Stampede Shot, Rabid Shot, Slavering Sentinels, Devouring Arrow, Uttercold

Number Three: Psion
"IM IN UR BRAIN CHANGIN UR THOUGHTS!!!1!!"
Psionic classes have always had an interesting place in Dungeons & Dragons. In good 'ole 3.5 edition, it was left to the DM to decide whether psionic and magic were essentially the same thing, or if they were two entirely different systems (of course, if the DM wanted to make them different systems, there was no template for how to do that). The Psion is the perfect example of WotC's approach to psionics in fourth edition: a mind-wizard with an especially complex At-Will and power point system. Unlike the Wizard, however every Psion spell ends with "And then their brain explodes."

But it gets better: The Psion is exceptionally good at putting enemies into places they don't want to be. A telekinetic Psion gets a free action encounter power that throws an enemy across the battlefield. A telepathic Psion's free action reduces enemy's minds to goo and gives your Rogue the combat advantage he craves. Shaper Psions can fake out the very environment! With pushes, slides, and teleports, the Psion make forced movement look easy.

Awesome Powers: Dimensional Scramble, Mind Thrust, Id Insinuation, Shred Reality, Ravenous Singularity

Number Two: The Druid
"Reinforcements? I'm a one-man Bear Calvary!"
This one might strike some people as a little odd; "What's The Druid doing so far up the awesome scale?" You see, the Druid does all the classic controller things like area of effect, status effects, and forced movement. It just happens to do them by animating the very ground beneath their foes or throwing raw elemental fire. At first level you can take "Thorn Whip," an attack which drags an enemy closer to you. I dare you to try and use that without yelling "Get over here!" The Druid is a one-character artillery of murder and horticulture who will drag your enemies into a clump, set them on fire,...

But it gets better: ...And then turn into a bear and eat them. In the old editions, the Druid's ability to become an animal was something you got weakly at level eight (I think) and that grew both in power and size as you leveled. In fourth, they've eliminated the wait. The best part of the Druid is now immediately available for your use and abuse. Even better, the beast form powers are decidedly more Striker than Controller, giving you the ability to swap between role as the situation (or, more likely, your whim) requires. Unlike the Seeker, however, Druid remembers her roots and can quickly and easily shift back to her true role in the party.

Awesome Powers: Savage Rend, Storm Spike, Call Lightning, Fungal Eruption, Whirling Firestorm

Number One: The Wizard
"Ooo, an encounter? You die, you die, and you can't do anything for the next three turns."
The Invoker is a divine Wizard, the Psion is a mind Wizard, the Druid is a primal Wizard, and the Seeker doesn't count. At their heart, every Controller is just an attempt to mimic the original. And who could blame them? Wizards are just freaking awesome! Fireballs, sheets of ice, and Magic Missiles (for when it absolutely, positively has to hit!) are but toys in the Wizard's arsenal. For every problem, the Wizard has a solution and that solution usually involves friendly fire. Seriously, I think the Wizard has the most spells that target "creatures" rather than enemies. The dude likes to party hard.

But it gets better: What really sets the Wizard apart is the sheer versatility the class brings to the table. You want to focus on dealing reliable damage to groups of enemies? Take the Wand of Accuracy implement expertise. If, on the other hand, you want to deflect attack while screaming "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" once per encounter, the Staff of Defense is more your style. And if you just want to be an ass to your DM, there's the Orb of Imposition. And they've added so many more! The Wizard also gets to pick multiple Dailies and Utilities, choosing one as the encounter demands. If that wasn't enough, there's a feat that lets you pick even more of them! The Wizard is the true embodiment of a Controller; an AoE machine that adapts to any situation and still finds space in his spell slots for nonsense like "Prestidigitation."


Awesome Powers: Cloud of Daggers, Nightmare Eruption, Force Ladder, Disintegrate, Summon Balor