D&D 4th Edition: Learning from MMOs
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In DnD 4th Edition, characters are divided into one of four roles: Controller, Leader, Striker and Defender. The idea is that a well-rounded adventuring party (or group) should be made up of at least one character from each of the roles.
Controller: The controller role is filled by the game's wizards. Controllers have the ability to cause moderate damage to a large number of opponents. They are also good for hampering their enemies in some way (holding, slowing, etc.).
Leaders: The leader role is filled by Clerics and Warlords. Leaders have the ability to heal their party members and to provide other bonuses that help other players in their group.
Defender: The Paladin and the Fighter make up the classes that fill the Defender role. Defenders are your standard tank characters. They can take a good deal of damage and are heavily armoured. Their abilities focus on this and on keeping enemies engaged, allowing other characters to strike more effectively.
Striker: Rogues, Rangers and Warlocks are considered Strikers. Strikers are experts at causing single targets heavy damage. They move and strike quickly using stealth, magic and other means to strategically choose their targets.
MMOs have been using terms like these to describe the roles of the classes for quite some time. Rounding out a solid MMO group is almost always reliant on having characters that can fill each of these roles. While the same has been true of Dungeons and Dragons in the past in a passive way, 4th Edition marks the first time that the game's design has incorporated it and spelled it out in terms that are so familiar to online RPG players.
