Of all the classes in Player’s Handbook 3, the battlemind walked the longest road from concept to final execution. We knew we wanted a psionic defender, but I’ve never been happy with building a class solely on the intersection of a power source and a role. While those two things are useful descriptors, they aren’t the exciting part of D&D. Nobody dreams of being the “martial defender” who defeats the rampaging dragon. Players want to be fighters, wizards, clerics, and rogues. They want to be part of a living, breathing fantasy world.
With that in mind, I had to come up with a concept for the battlemind that would make the class distinct. Even though little of that flavor would shine through in the class’s presentation, it was important to come up with a context for each mechanical aspect of the class.
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About the Author
Mike Mearls is the Lead Designer for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. His recent credits include Player’s Handbook 3, Hammerfast, and Primal Power.