2/12 Unearthed Arcana?

[nickl_2000]

We are due for a UA today, aren't we?

[Ventruenox]

Supposed to be. My F5 key has already been getting a workout.

edit: Daphne first posted it on page 3, but anyone coming to this thread deserves a link on page 1.

February UA - Into The Wild (https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/UA_IntoTheWild.pdf)

[DracoKnight]

We are due for a UA today, aren't it?

I believe so, but it's not up yet. Damn it, WotC, you've got my on the edge of my seat. I need that polished up Kraken Warlock on the double!

[jaappleton]

I believe so, but it's not up yet. Damn it, WotC, you've got my on the edge of my seat. I need that polished up Kraken Warlock on the double!

I doubt it’ll be the Kraken. Nowhere near enough time for playtesting internally prior to a public release.

[Vaz]

I doubt it’ll be the Kraken. Nowhere near enough time for playtesting internally prior to a public release.

'Ell-oh-ell'

[DracoKnight]

I doubt it’ll be the Kraken. Nowhere near enough time for playtesting internally prior to a public release.

A guy can dream, right?

Although, I guess I'll just sit over here, happy with my official Hexblade until the Krakenlock is ready.

[Anonymouswizard]

I doubt it’ll be the Kraken. Nowhere near enough time for playtesting internally prior to a public release.

They playtest the Unearthed Arcana stuff!? :smallwink:


But yeah, a cool Warlock or Cleric option wouldn't go amiss, but an interesting Barbarian, Sorcerer, or Fighter option would be what I want the most.

[DracoKnight]

They playtest the Unearthed Arcana stuff!? :smallwink:


But yeah, a cool Warlock or Cleric option wouldn't go amiss, but an interesting Barbarian, Sorcerer, or Fighter option would be what I want the most.

I'd love a Cleric or Warlock based around dragon worship. That would be pretty neat, IMO. I mean, I've homebrewed both of those, but it would still be cool to see the official WotC take on them.

If it were a Fighter, I'd love to see a Templar (in my head it would be the Divine answer to the Eldritch Knight). For Barbarian, a really cool thing could be one that could enlarge themselves when they rage. And how the flying F*CK with all the tiefling support - all the variants, etc. - do we NOT have an INFERNAL SORCERER?! Yeah, you can refluff a fire draconic sorcerer easy enough, but still! I would love to see an actual Fiendish Bloodline for the sorcerer.

[Anonymouswizard]

I'd love a Cleric or Warlock based around dragon worship. That would be pretty neat, IMO. I mean, I've homebrewed both of those, but it would still be cool to see the official WotC take on them.

If it were a Fighter, I'd love to see a Templar (in my head it would be the Divine answer to the Eldritch Knight). For Barbarian, a really cool thing could be one that could enlarge themselves when they rage. And how the flying F*CK with all the tiefling support - all the variants, etc. - do we NOT have an INFERNAL SORCERER?! Yeah, you can refluff a fire draconic sorcerer easy enough, but still! I would love to see an actual Fiendish Bloodline for the sorcerer.

Yeah, a Dragon Domain or Patron would be cool.

I'd adore a Templar, I really do want the option to play a slightly divine powered character. A Divine Barbarian subclass would also be cool, or how about a Barbarian who literally channels an element for their power?

Actually, I was sort of planning a more primordial, element-focused, more bronze age setting for 5e, I might write up a quartet of elemental-inspired Barbarian Paths for it. Most clerics would use the Nature, Life, or Death domains, and making more elemental wizard subclasses would be fun. The Sorcerer has enough elemental lineages that it's fine for my setting, so it just becomes about how 'normal' I want the Fighter and Rogue to remain (Warlocks are out, for the moment, because I don't want to define the sort of characters that would be patrons).

So yeah, I think any elemental subclass would be for me this month.

[Dudewithknives]

Still waiting on my Duelist Subclass for fighter, never going to get it.

How about new weapons or combat related feats?

I miss weapon focus and feats that have requirements of other feats.

Weapon Focus > Weapon Specialization > Weapon Mastery or the like.

Spell focus, Spell Specialization, Spell mastery also would be nice.

[Mikal]

Still waiting on my Duelist Subclass for fighter, never going to get it.

Battlemaster came out with the PHB?

[Daphne]

A Divine Barbarian subclass would also be cool, or how about a Barbarian who literally channels an element for their power?

We got both in Xanathar's Guide to Everything: Path of the Zealot and Path of the Storm Herald.

[Dudewithknives]

Battlemaster came out with the PHB?

I am talking like the dedicated duelist prestige classes from 3.0, 3.5, or the swashbuckler class from pathfinder.

Battlemaster is close, I was wanting something more dex/finesse specialized, and preferably something that gave a form of unarmored defense like Dex + Int ac or Dex + Cha.

I am playing a Swashbuckler Rogue currently, close as I can get in 5e.

[Anonymouswizard]

We got both in Xanathar's Guide to Everything: Path of the Zealot and Path of the Storm Herald.

Oh yeah, I forget because I'm not the group member who owns Xanathar's, I'd ask the GM for her copy but I don't live in the same town anymore.

[DracoKnight]

A Divine Barbarian subclass would also be cool, or how about a Barbarian who literally channels an element for their power?

Both of these came late 2016 in Unearthed Arcana, their final versions appeared in Xanathar's Guide to Everything as the Path of the Zealot and the Path of the Storm Herald.


Actually, I was sort of planning a more primordial, element-focused, more bronze age setting for 5e, I might write up a quartet of elemental-inspired Barbarian Paths for it. Most clerics would use the Nature, Life, or Death domains, and making more elemental wizard subclasses would be fun. The Sorcerer has enough elemental lineages that it's fine for my setting, so it just becomes about how 'normal' I want the Fighter and Rogue to remain (Warlocks are out, for the moment, because I don't want to define the sort of characters that would be patrons).

So yeah, I think any elemental subclass would be for me this month.

You could flavor the warlock not necessarily as having patrons, but instead being taboo or stolen power, instead of being granted by a patron. You can even kind of tie the existing subclasses into the elements. You're stealing power from the Elemental Planes. Fiend = fire, GOO = water, Archfey = air, Hexblade = earth, and Celestial is either out or is elemental light.

[Mikal]

I am talking like the dedicated duelist prestige classes from 3.0, 3.5, or the swashbuckler class from pathfinder.

Battlemaster is close, I was wanting something more dex/finesse specialized.

I am playing a Swashbuckler Rogue currently, close as I can get in 5e.

Eh, I think you can pull that with Battlemaster. I mean the dex/finesse portion of it can be done just as easily as the strength based, and the battlemaster dice help offset the damage lost from not going sharpshooter/GWM

[Daithi]

I'd like to see something Shadowfell related. Not looking for something specific -- surprise me.

[RickAsWritten]

Mearls stated on the 2/2 Fireside chat that the Feb. UA would be his alternate exploration rules, or something from Crawford depending on how long it took him to finish the final polishing of Tome of Foes.

[Dudewithknives]

Mearls stated on the 2/2 Fireside chat that the Feb. UA would be his alternate exploration rules, or something from Crawford depending on how long it took him to finish the final polishing of Tome of Foes.

Well, all interest is gone now. Nevermind.

[Davrix]

still hoping for a Dragonborn revision one of these days... though I know im a small voice in that need. :(

[nickl_2000]

I'd like to see something Shadowfell related. Not looking for something specific -- surprise me.

JC has said that Shadar-kai player race will be in the Tome of Foes :smallsmile:

[DracoKnight]

still hoping for a Dragonborn revision one of these days... though I know im a small voice in that need. :(

That would be awesome, but I've talked with Mearles on Twitter about that and he basically said that it's never going to happen.

[Daithi]

Is WotC East Coast timezone or West Coast timezone?

[Dudewithknives]

Is WotC East Coast timezone or West Coast timezone?

West Coast.

[Waterdeep Merch]

Mearls stated on the 2/2 Fireside chat that the Feb. UA would be his alternate exploration rules, or something from Crawford depending on how long it took him to finish the final polishing of Tome of Foes.

I really hope that's what this is, actually. While player options are the UA's that get all the hype, I think different rulesets are more useful in general.

So long as they work, I mean. I don't need them polished, just fundamentally stable.

[Dudewithknives]

I really hope that's what this is, actually. While player options are the UA's that get all the hype, I think different rulesets are more useful in general.

So long as they work, I mean. I don't need them polished, just fundamentally stable.

New rules for things that are not around yet, sure.

Alternate rules for things nobody wanted fixed in the first place like his useless alternate initiative that did not even work, that he was told multiple times people did not want, and after being shut down on Reddit and Youtube, then wasting a UA on it, no.

[Kane0]

Well with Mords Tome announced I can't imagine it will be a big one. Something like a quick and dirty skill point system to replace proficiency, or alternative stat/save options would be neat. Or a bundle of new weapons, armor and other mundane gear.

[Waterdeep Merch]

New rules for things that are not around yet, sure.

Alternate rules for things nobody wanted fixed in the first place like his useless alternate initiative that did not even work, that he was told multiple times people did not want, and after being shut down on Reddit and Youtube, then wasting a UA on it, no.

Still paled next to the instability of the Mass Combat Rules, which didn't even work as-written. The real shame is, a decent system for resolving mass combats aside from DM cinematics could have been useful for certain kinds of campaigns.

That's sort of the angle I'm looking at for exploration rules. As they stand, they could use some expansion. I've been working off of a supply loss system to inject a bit more survival gameplay myself. I'm curious how Mearls would handle it.

[Anonymouswizard]

New rules for things that are not around yet, sure.

Alternate rules for things nobody wanted fixed in the first place like his useless alternate initiative that did not even work, that he was told multiple times people did not want, and after being shut down on Reddit and Youtube, then wasting a UA on it, no.

Yeah.

I wouldn't have minded the derphawk initiative UA if he'd actually worked out some of the kinks and made something a bit more intuitive, but he didn't and it was exactly what everybody was complaining about. Unfortunately there was never a survey where I could suggest they retcon that UA as having committed Seppeku before it was released.


Well with Mords Tome announced I can't imagine it will be a big one. Something like a quick and dirty skill point system to replace proficiency, or alternative stat/save options would be neat. Or a bundle of new weapons, armor and other mundane gear.

Both of the latter sound cool actually. A skill point system would be interesting, especially if they can get it to interact with attacks, saves, and armour proficiencies. Plus new mundane gear would be awesome, even if it includes stuff like buff coats being lighter leather armour.

[Davrix]

That would be awesome, but I've talked with Mearles on Twitter about that and he basically said that it's never going to happen.

Killing my dreams yo :(

[DracoKnight]

Killing my dreams yo :(

It’s really disappointing for me too. :smallfrown:

[jaappleton]

Meanwhile, despite being mentioned in the PHB, not a single write up for Draconians.

[Theodoxus]

What changes would you want?

Here's what I did, and my player's are quite enamored, and I'm not finding it OP...

Breath Weapon: You can use your bonus action to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic ancestry determines the size, shape and damage type of the exhalation. When you use your breath weapon, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a saving throw, the type of which is determined by your draconic ancestry. The DC for this saving throw is Constitution based. A creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your breath weapon, you can't use it again until the next time you roll initiative.


Darkvision: Thanks to your Draconic blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60' of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.

[Inchoroi]

Yes, I'm curious what's wrong with dragonborn...

I'm expecting something lackluster for the UA.

[Kane0]

Scale breath weapon better, make it a bonus action, add darkvision and hoardsense (accurately determine the value of an item given a minute to look over it)

[Inchoroi]

Scale breath weapon better, make it a bonus action, add darkvision and hoardsense (accurately determine the value of an item given a minute to look over it)

I'd probably say either scale the breath weapon, or make it a bonus action, but not both; darkvision and hoardsense I'd be fine with. Not sure why dragonborn don't have darkvision to begin with. Seems like it would make sense to (but I hate darkvision as a whole anyway, so that's neither here nor there; I'd change darkvision, but my players would lynch me).

[DanyBallon]

Scale breath weapon better, make it a bonus action, add darkvision and hoardsense (accurately determine the value of an item given a minute to look over it)

Out of curiosity, why giving them Darkvision? I find that there's too much races already that have Darkvision, some diversity is welcomed. Also, it add some challenge to the adventuring day :smallwink:

[Waterdeep Merch]

Out of curiosity, why giving them Darkvision? I find that there's too much races already that have Darkvision, some diversity is welcomed. Also, it add some challenge to the adventuring day :smallwink:

All dragons and other dragon-related races like kobolds have darkvision. They all used to have some interesting write-ups on exactly how their darkvision functioned back in the day, too. I could be wrong, but I think only genasi have gotten that treatment in 5e thus far.

It's too bad, I love inconsequential details like that. Makes it feel more fantasy, y'know?

[jaappleton]

There’s also other kinda of Dragonborn they could play with. Gem Dragonborn. Shadow. Faerie. There’s tons of Dragons to play off of.

[DracoKnight]

There’s also other kinda of Dragonborn they could play with. Gem Dragonborn. Shadow. Faerie. There’s tons of Dragons to play off of.

First we need Gem Dragons. I’m kinda annoyed that they weren’t in Volo’s. Here’s hoping they’re in the Tome of Foes, since it’s geared towards higher level monsters.

[Scots Dragon]

Meanwhile, despite being mentioned in the PHB, not a single write up for Draconians.

Hell, some Dragonlance stuff at all would be nice. It's been nearly two decades since there was official support that wasn't just farmed out to another company.

[Theodoxus]

Scale breath weapon better, make it a bonus action, add darkvision and hoardsense (accurately determine the value of an item given a minute to look over it)

So, what I did, sans hoardsense. But I guess that depends on how closely you want your dragonborn to be to dragons...


(but I hate darkvision as a whole anyway, so that's neither here nor there; I'd change darkvision, but my players would lynch me).

I'm not hateful towards darkvision, but I don't know why Low-light and Darkvision were melded together. I'd happily split them back out. Humans and Halflings have normal vision, half-elves, surface elves, surface gnomes get low-light vision (Dim = bright, but darkness remains dark). Hill Dwarves and Half-Orcs get inferior darkvision (darkvision to 30') while mountain dwarves, drow, deep gnomes, dragonborn and tieflings get standard darvision.

Volo's critters would get a similar treatment.

I could be convinced to grant both aasimar and tieflings devil's (angelic?) sight - though either just as superior darkvision (120') or a 60' version of the warlock incantation...

[Jama7301]

Every month, this forum feels like "Oh man,
I can't wait for another UA to dunk on for not being exactly what I wanted and/or perfectly balanced".

It's fun to see this cycle renew.

[Waterdeep Merch]

I'm not hateful towards darkvision, but I don't know why Low-light and Darkvision were melded together. I'd happily split them back out. Humans and Halflings have normal vision, half-elves, surface elves, surface gnomes get low-light vision (Dim = bright, but darkness remains dark). Hill Dwarves and Half-Orcs get inferior darkvision (darkvision to 30') while mountain dwarves, drow, deep gnomes, dragonborn and tieflings get standard darvision.

Volo's critters would get a similar treatment.

I could be convinced to grant both aasimar and tieflings devil's (angelic?) sight - though either just as superior darkvision (120') or a 60' version of the warlock incantation...
I'd love a chance to redefine darkvision on a race-by-race basis. Things like, elves can faintly see magical auras, including those innate to living creatures, but this is naturally useless for navigating terrain or manipulating anything mundane, like most traps. Or dwarves essentially have a form of tremorsense that is specific to stone, metal, and gems, and can't function if the dwarf isn't firmly planted on the ground.

Dragons and their kin see in thermals, undead can sense positive and negative energy, gnomes get out of my house, orcs can sense blood (would explain their decorating as pragmatic), angels and devils literally see your sins, demon eyesight is inverted so that light does to them exactly what darkness does to everyone else, etc. etc.

Well, that wasn't hard. Maybe I'll finish the whole PHB/MM and play a campaign that way.

[Foxhound438]

Every month, this forum feels like "Oh man,
I can't wait for another UA to dunk on for not being exactly what I wanted and/or perfectly balanced".

It's fun to see this cycle renew.

are you implying that it's not reasonable for me to expect WotC to have perfectly balanced, play ready content for free every month WHILE ALSO mind reading exactly me out of everyone on the internet and putting forth exactly what I personally want?

[Daithi]

Every month, this forum feels like "Oh man,
I can't wait for another UA to dunk on for not being exactly what I wanted and/or perfectly balanced".

It's fun to see this cycle renew.

I don't know how it is for everyone else, but I really look forward to these monthly installments. It's all worth it when there something I want to play (race, subclass, feat, etc.). Usually I'm disappointed, but its great when there is something "good".

[Theodoxus]

I'd love a chance to redefine darkvision on a race-by-race basis. Things like, elves can faintly see magical auras, including those innate to living creatures, but this is naturally useless for navigating terrain or manipulating anything mundane, like most traps. Or dwarves essentially have a form of tremorsense that is specific to stone, metal, and gems, and can't function if the dwarf isn't firmly planted on the ground.

Dragons and their kin see in thermals, undead can sense positive and negative energy, gnomes get out of my house, orcs can sense blood (would explain their decorating as pragmatic), angels and devils literally see your sins, demon eyesight is inverted so that light does to them exactly what darkness does to everyone else, etc. etc.

Well, that wasn't hard. Maybe I'll finish the whole PHB/MM and play a campaign that way.

please post your finished product - I'd love to steal it for my own use =D

[Jama7301]

I'd love a chance to redefine darkvision on a race-by-race basis. Things like, elves can faintly see magical auras, including those innate to living creatures, but this is naturally useless for navigating terrain or manipulating anything mundane, like most traps. Or dwarves essentially have a form of tremorsense that is specific to stone, metal, and gems, and can't function if the dwarf isn't firmly planted on the ground.

Dragons and their kin see in thermals, undead can sense positive and negative energy, gnomes get out of my house, orcs can sense blood (would explain their decorating as pragmatic), angels and devils literally see your sins, demon eyesight is inverted so that light does to them exactly what darkness does to everyone else, etc. etc.

Well, that wasn't hard. Maybe I'll finish the whole PHB/MM and play a campaign that way.

Would you call it something like "Darkvision (Magic)" and "Darkvision (Thermal)", or would you give every iteration of vision it's own name, like "Thermal Optics" and "Stonesight"?

[danpit2991]

I'd love a Cleric or Warlock based around dragon worship. That would be pretty neat, IMO. I mean, I've homebrewed both of those, but it would still be cool to see the official WotC take on them.

If it were a Fighter, I'd love to see a Templar (in my head it would be the Divine answer to the Eldritch Knight). For Barbarian, a really cool thing could be one that could enlarge themselves when they rage. And how the flying F*CK with all the tiefling support - all the variants, etc. - do we NOT have an INFERNAL SORCERER?! Yeah, you can refluff a fire draconic sorcerer easy enough, but still! I would love to see an actual Fiendish Bloodline for the sorcerer.

all you gotta do for a templar is swap the EK spell list for cleric

[danpit2991]

what i want to see in no particular order is

DARK SUN

DRAGONLANCE

EBERRON


and something to make warlock worth more than a dip or MC

[Waterdeep Merch]

Would you call it something like "Darkvision (Magic)" and "Darkvision (Thermal)", or would you give every iteration of vision it's own name, like "Thermal Optics" and "Stonesight"?
I was thinking of naming each something different like that, yeah. Darkvision doesn't exactly apply when few creatures will actually be seeing in the dark. I kind of like how it changes the nature of things like the darkness spell, and how the devil's sight incantation is both more powerful for being unique and less powerful for not being 100% necessary to get around darkness.


please post your finished product - I'd love to steal it for my own use =D

I'll put it up in the homebrew section once I've gotten a list of everything in core. It'll probably need some iterations to prevent unforeseen abuses/weird interactions with existing abilities.

[Mortis_Elrod]

So any word twitter wise or other means on......When we can expect any unearthed arcana since apparently its not today based on how late it is.


i know we got a new book coming out soon, in know its free, i know it seemingly both ungrateful and demanding, but still its really disappointing to look forward to UA every month and have it be delayed so often.

I mostly don't care about how good the content is, i just really appreciate the free content and a way to impact the products they officially release. If half of the games i play did this I'd cry from sheer customer satisfaction.

BUT PLEASE TELL US IT WILL BE DELAYED.

[DracoKnight]

all you gotta do for a templar is swap the EK spell list for cleric

I said as much here (http://mfov.magehandpress.com/2017/04/optimization-vs-character-customization.html). But I still feel like it would be cool to see an official take on the thematics of such a subclass.

[DanyBallon]

I'd love a Cleric or Warlock based around dragon worship. That would be pretty neat, IMO. I mean, I've homebrewed both of those, but it would still be cool to see the official WotC take on them.

If it were a Fighter, I'd love to see a Templar (in my head it would be the Divine answer to the Eldritch Knight). For Barbarian, a really cool thing could be one that could enlarge themselves when they rage. And how the flying F*CK with all the tiefling support - all the variants, etc. - do we NOT have an INFERNAL SORCERER?! Yeah, you can refluff a fire draconic sorcerer easy enough, but still! I would love to see an actual Fiendish Bloodline for the sorcerer.

I came up with a divine variant of EK I call Templar, it may suit your needs:


Templars are martial characters that have been gifted with their deity’s blessing. They blend divine magic with martial prowess. They often act as guard within a church organisation, or roam the world in order to defend their deity interest.
Spellcasting
Spell progression as the Eldritch Knight. Spellcasting ability score is Wisdom. You may select spells from the Abjuration and Evocation school and any cantrip on the Cleric spell list. The spell you learn at 8th, 14th and 20th level can be from any school of magic on the cleric spell list.
Divine Domain
At 3rd level, choose a domain associated to your deity, you can add the domain spell list to the list of spell available for you to choose from.
Weapon Bound
At 3rd level you get Weapon Bound as the Eldritch Knight ability (PHB p.75)
Magic Weapon
Starting at 7th level your devotion let you infuse your weapon with divine magic. Once per rest, as a bonus action, you may enchant your bonded weapon, it gets +1 to Attack rolls and Damage rolls, this effect last for 10 minutes. At 16th level the bonus increase to +2.
Baneful Strike
At 10th level, your indefectible conviction in your deity affects the morale of your opponents when you hit them. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature must make a Charisma saving throw, if it fails, the creature must roll 1d4 and subtract the result from its next attack or saving throws.
Divine Resurgence
At 15th level, when you use Second Wind, you add your Wisdom modifier to the total hit points you recover and you may expend 1 spell slot and choose a number of creatures equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) within 60ft that you can see. Those creatures are also healed for the same amount.
Chosen Warrior
Your deity graces you with uncanny prowess in combat. Beginning at 18th level, you add your charisma modifier to your attack roll and saving throws

[DracoKnight]

I came up with a divine variant of EK I call Templar, it may suit your needs:


Templars are martial characters that have been gifted with their deity’s blessing. They blend divine magic with martial prowess. They often act as guard within a church organisation, or roam the world in order to defend their deity interest.
Spellcasting
Spell progression as the Eldritch Knight. Spellcasting ability score is Wisdom. You may select spells from the Abjuration and Evocation school and any cantrip on the Cleric spell list. The spell you learn at 8th, 14th and 20th level can be from any school of magic on the cleric spell list.
Divine Domain
At 3rd level, choose a domain associated to your deity, you can add the domain spell list to the list of spell available for you to choose from.
Weapon Bound
At 3rd level you get Weapon Bound as the Eldritch Knight ability (PHB p.75)
Magic Weapon
Starting at 7th level your devotion let you infuse your weapon with divine magic. Once per rest, as a bonus action, you may enchant your bonded weapon, it gets +1 to Attack rolls and Damage rolls, this effect last for 10 minutes. At 16th level the bonus increase to +2.
Baneful Strike
At 10th level, your indefectible conviction in your deity affects the morale of your opponents when you hit them. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature must make a Charisma saving throw, if it fails, the creature must roll 1d4 and subtract the result from its next attack or saving throws.
Divine Resurgence
At 15th level, when you use Second Wind, you add your Wisdom modifier to the total hit points you recover and you may expend 1 spell slot and choose a number of creatures equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) within 60ft that you can see. Those creatures are also healed for the same amount.
Chosen Warrior
Your deity graces you with uncanny prowess in combat. Beginning at 18th level, you add your charisma modifier to your attack roll and saving throws

That's definitely a solid way to fill the thematic niche :smallbiggrin:

[Unoriginal]

BUT PLEASE TELL US IT WILL BE DELAYED.

D&D Beyond tweeted about how they're hard at work (they swear) about 1 hour ago.

[strangebloke]

Exploration rules sound really good actually. The current scheme of 'roll to see if you get lost, roll for random encounter' is pretty boring.

[DanyBallon]

That's definitely a solid way to fill the thematic niche :smallbiggrin:

Believe it or not, it took me some times to came up with a version that was similar to EK, but different enough not to be just an EK with divine spell.
I went through many version before finding features that fitted thematically while not being too powerful, which, I think, is often the problem of most homebrew.
Also, this version don’t step on either the cleric or paladin toes.
It’s definitaly a fighter doing fighter stuff with a boost from divine magic :)
My only concern is that I haven’t find a feature that would focus on the social or exploration pillar. The Templar is too focused on the combat aspect of the game.

[Dudewithknives]

Exploration rules sound really good actually. The current scheme of 'roll to see if you get lost, roll for random encounter' is pretty boring.

I would so play Kingmaker 5e edition.

That campaign was solid gold.

We ran it in t Scarred Lands setting with Warrens of Ratfolk to deal with and the blood forests.

[DracoKnight]

My only concern is that I haven’t find a feature that would focus on the social or exploration pillar. The Templar is too focused on the combat aspect of the game.

That's the fighter in a nutshell, though. I don't think that any of them other than the Samurai from Xanathar's Guide to Everything get a social or exploration feature.

[Sariel Vailo]

I came up with a divine variant of EK I call Templar, it may suit your needs:


Templars are martial characters that have been gifted with their deity’s blessing. They blend divine magic with martial prowess. They often act as guard within a church organisation, or roam the world in order to defend their deity interest.
Spellcasting
Spell progression as the Eldritch Knight. Spellcasting ability score is Wisdom. You may select spells from the Abjuration and Evocation school and any cantrip on the Cleric spell list. The spell you learn at 8th, 14th and 20th level can be from any school of magic on the cleric spell list.
Divine Domain
At 3rd level, choose a domain associated to your deity, you can add the domain spell list to the list of spell available for you to choose from.
Weapon Bound
At 3rd level you get Weapon Bound as the Eldritch Knight ability (PHB p.75)
Magic Weapon
Starting at 7th level your devotion let you infuse your weapon with divine magic. Once per rest, as a bonus action, you may enchant your bonded weapon, it gets +1 to Attack rolls and Damage rolls, this effect last for 10 minutes. At 16th level the bonus increase to +2.
Baneful Strike
At 10th level, your indefectible conviction in your deity affects the morale of your opponents when you hit them. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature must make a Charisma saving throw, if it fails, the creature must roll 1d4 and subtract the result from its next attack or saving throws.
Divine Resurgence
At 15th level, when you use Second Wind, you add your Wisdom modifier to the total hit points you recover and you may expend 1 spell slot and choose a number of creatures equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) within 60ft that you can see. Those creatures are also healed for the same amount.
Chosen Warrior
Your deity graces you with uncanny prowess in combat. Beginning at 18th level, you add your charisma modifier to your attack roll and saving throws
Im really into this templar you made.

[mephnick]

Hopefully it's not more stupid player optiins like sub-races. The game is already becoming bloated with that ****.

[Jama7301]

Believe it or not, it took me some times to came up with a version that was similar to EK, but different enough not to be just an EK with divine spell.
I went through many version before finding features that fitted thematically while not being too powerful, which, I think, is often the problem of most homebrew.
Also, this version don’t step on either the cleric or paladin toes.
It’s definitaly a fighter doing fighter stuff with a boost from divine magic :)
My only concern is that I haven’t find a feature that would focus on the social or exploration pillar. The Templar is too focused on the combat aspect of the game.

Give them Advantage on some sort of social check when within the domain of their Deity, like a church or a town that worships them almost-exclusively? I wonder if you could codify 'being owed low level favors by the church' as a class feature, without needing to give it to Clerics or Paladins. Hm.

Is there any way to tailor the spell list to help with exploration or social things, instead of just buffs/healing?

[DanyBallon]

Im really into this templar you made.

Feel free to use it, and improve it if you need to.

If you come up with improvements let me know, I might use them as well :smallbiggrin:

[Zilong]

That's the fighter in a nutshell, though. I don't think that any of them other than the Samurai from Xanathar's Guide to Everything get a social or exploration feature.
Sword Coast Purple Dragon Knights get a decent bump in the social pillar at level 7.

[Beechgnome]

That's the fighter in a nutshell, though. I don't think that any of them other than the Samurai from Xanathar's Guide to Everything get a social or exploration feature.

I'm not sure that's true. Champion's athlete ability fills the exploration platform, while Battlemaster's ability to asses foes is good for role-playing. Banneret, though now mostly ignored, also offered social skills at 7th.

As for your Templar, you could grant an ability similar to the paladin divine sense, but maybe that's stepping on their toes a bit.

[Unoriginal]

Doesn't Cavalier add a social option, as well?

[DracoKnight]

Sword Coast Purple Dragon Knights get a decent bump in the social pillar at level 7.

I am glad to know that I successfully purged this subclass from my brain.


I'm not sure that's true. Champion's athlete ability fills the exploration platform, while Battlemaster's ability to asses foes is good for role-playing. Banneret, though now mostly ignored, also offered social skills at 7th.

As for your Templar, you could grant an ability similar to the paladin divine sense, but maybe that's stepping on their toes a bit.


Doesn't Cavalier add a social option, as well?

Ah, yes. So I was wrong, it appears.

However 1 feature out of 20 being dedicated to a pillar other than combat still makes the fighter very dull to play, IMO.

[Mortis_Elrod]

However 1 feature out of 20 being dedicated to a pillar other than combat still makes the fighter very dull to play, IMO.

I agree, though to a certain extent its up to the player to fill the gaps.

[Daphne]

New UA is out (https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/UA_IntoTheWild.pdf)

[Tetrasodium]

So, what I did, sans hoardsense. But I guess that depends on how closely you want your dragonborn to be to dragons...



I'm not hateful towards darkvision, but I don't know why Low-light and Darkvision were melded together. I'd happily split them back out. Humans and Halflings have normal vision, half-elves, surface elves, surface gnomes get low-light vision (Dim = bright, but darkness remains dark). Hill Dwarves and Half-Orcs get inferior darkvision (darkvision to 30') while mountain dwarves, drow, deep gnomes, dragonborn and tieflings get standard darvision.

Volo's critters would get a similar treatment.

I could be convinced to grant both aasimar and tieflings devil's (angelic?) sight - though either just as superior darkvision (120') or a 60' version of the warlock incantation...


New UA is out (https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/UA_IntoTheWild.pdf)



It's about overland/wilderness travel & pretty well done :D gives some useful dc's for survival. pretty useful for most any game even if just for something to compare to

[Unoriginal]

New UA is out (https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/UA_IntoTheWild.pdf)

I, for one, am happy that after all those years we finally have that tell us we can't just walk into Mordor.

[Waterdeep Merch]

It ain't flashy. Mostly just guidance on utilizing rules that were already present. The rest were things I was already doing.

I like it a lot, actually. This is especially good for newer DM's.

EDIT: Also, Nentir Vale got a shoutout? No way!

[Beechgnome]

I feel like I saw Mearls tweet some of this a few weeks earlier (December?) using a number of locations as examples. Good to see it codified in some way.

[rbstr]

I haven't finished reading it and I'm not super familiar with the DMG's wilderness stuff but the concept of "The party wants to go to this specific place" and it's DCX hard to find as a basis for it is a good direction.

[Unoriginal]

EDIT: Also, Nentir Vale got a shoutout? No way!

Mearls like Nentir Vale, pretty sure.

[Beechgnome]

Here is a tweet he put out on this, for another region:

https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/946642903291412480

[Ivor_The_Mad]

Im doing a travel heavy dungeon so I love this I think its very well done.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Solid UA. though i was doing half of this already.


Worth the wait especially for those not familiar enough as a DM to have ruled traveling in this way.


I think ill print a copy to show to new DMs. Good Job WoTC. I have high hopes for Tome of Foes.

[Kane0]

Couple this with the sample random encounters of other books and you have a solid combo. Noice.

[guachi]

This is nice. With D&D booming in popularity, the game really needs some good DMing aids.

It's like a five-page Wilderness Survival Guide from 1e.

Thumbs up!

[Kane0]

Also i’ve been harping on about more exploration and interaction pillar stuff in UA for ages now, so credit is where it’s due.

[Tanarii]

Sweet. I'm currently using psuedo-hex-crawl, so this isn't for me right this moment. But I'm glad to see they took an approach more in tune with the way travel is most of the time in gaming: you're going some place specific, not just exploring like its a wilderness dungeon.

That said, I might be able to incorporate aspects of this into frontier territories, which are generally better explored than wilderness, and more prone to players knowing where they are going already without having to figure out the route as they go.

Regardless, in glad to see some DM tools coming out of UA. The more of that the better, because it indicates to me we might get more DM gold like XtGe's downtime and tools rules in the next expansion.

[Telwar]

Huh, this is surprisingly useful, and it is nice to see some stuff meant to help DMs, rather than, say, 754 flavors of elf/tiefling.

[Tanarii]

What I really like is they provided a handly little example to give an idea of how to layout helpful information in DM notes. This would lend itself well to a single page per small region in a binder, with a map in front of the multiple regions pages it shows. That's considerably different from how I do it now, which is more location key focused.

[Malifice]

Hopefully it's not more stupid player optiins like sub-races. The game is already becoming bloated with that ****.

I hate the term 'race' to be begin with (Its species, not race) but can grudgingly accept it for other reasons (partly Tolkenian).

Sub-race is even more cringe-worthy.

Wish they would do away with those terms completely.

It took them years to move away from assigning racial traits to human ethnic groups.

You know; how they used to have the 'black skinned' human sub-race getting bonuses to Strength and penalties to Intelligence kind of thing.

Cringeworthy at best. Racism 101 at worst.

[mephnick]

What I really like is they provided a handly little example to give an idea of how to layout helpful information in DM notes. This would lend itself well to a single page per small region in a binder, with a map in front of the multiple regions pages it shows. That's considerably different from how I do it now, which is more location key focused.

I did like the tactical terrain model. I usually just wing it for my random encounters, but being able to roll "low canyon with large boulder fields on either side" while rolling the actual monsters is a fun idea.

[mephnick]

Cringeworthy at best. Racism 101 at worst.

The thing I hate about having so many sub-races is that it makes race choice more and more meaningless every time they release something. Hmm which of the 8 Dex/Int races should I pick? Literally who cares? If they want to switch to being able to take any modifier you want with any race they should just ****ing do it. Don't litter the game with 300 races of every flavour of stat bonuses.

[Malifice]

The thing I hate about having so many sub-races is that it makes race choice more and more meaningless every time they release something. Hmm which of the 8 Dex/Int races should I pick? Literally who cares? If they want to switch to being able to take any modifier you want with any race they should just ****ing do it. Don't litter the game with 300 races of every flavour of stat bonuses.

I never pick for stats.

Always flavor. If I want to be a Dwarven rogue, I'll just be one.

Buts thats just me.

[georgie_leech]

I did like the tactical terrain model. I usually just wing it for my random encounters, but being able to roll "low canyon with large boulder fields on either side" while rolling the actual monsters is a fun idea.

Mm, I've been working on a seafaring campaign recently, and this is a decent template to spice up my ship to ship encounters a bit.

[Regitnui]

New UA is out (https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/UA_IntoTheWild.pdf)

And I know everyone's tired of me saying this, but it's perfect for areas like Eberron's Xen'drik, where your ability to get to any place is essentially random. A lost continent type of campaign would do well to include these sorts of rules.

[Marcloure]

I like to see they're thinking in other mechanics to give inspiration beyond DM fiat, like the vivid and colorful Feywild dreams one can have by sleeping on the Moon Hills (and the very mention of Nentir Vale excites me).

[Consensus]

And I know everyone's tired of me saying this, but it's perfect for areas like Eberron's Xen'drik, where your ability to get to any place is essentially random. A lost continent type of campaign would do well to include these sorts of rules.

queue warlord in 3, 2, 1

[2D8HP]

...Nentir Vale got a shoutout? No way!


Mearls like Nentir Vale, pretty sure.


....the very mention of Nentir Vale excites me).


I never played 4e, but I'd very much welcome a SCAG-like Nentir Vale book .

[Whit]

First off they should explain darkvision better to make better sense what phb race gets it.
Personally I love it but to play devils advocate I don’t see why elves minus drow get it.
IMHO undermiuntain folk should get it like drow dwarves mountain gnomes Half orc Dragonborn based on relation to dragons not from living in darkness

Most Elves humans halfling woodland gnomes etc should not. Since they live above ground in forest

[Dudewithknives]

First off they should explain darkvision better to make better sense what phb race gets it.
Personally I love it but to play devils advocate I don’t see why elves minus drow get it.
IMHO undermiuntain folk should get it like drow dwarves mountain gnomes Half orc Dragonborn based on relation to dragons not from living in darkness

Most Elves humans halfling woodland gnomes etc should not. Since they live above ground in forest

That is exactly what I was thinking.

Why would a high elf have darkvision but a Dragonborn doesn't?

One of the huge flaws of 5e is they way they handled vision types and darkness levels.

Why not just keep it simple.

Normal vision is normal.

Low light is for dim light and torchlight like lightly obscure and treats it as normal light, but darkness is still darkness.

Darkvision sees even darkness as normal light but black and white out to their darkvision distance.

[Tetrasodium]

And I know everyone's tired of me saying this, but it's perfect for areas like Eberron's Xen'drik, where your ability to get to any place is essentially random. A lost continent type of campaign would do well to include these sorts of rules.


It's good for droaam too where you might have unmaintained dhakaani roads that go "somewhere", game trails, and not much else. The fact that the Sister's patrols and/or the natives may or may not be the most friendly to a band of wandering lost adventures even more so :D Having a ccouple trolls.... in plate.. with massive greatswords forcibly seperate the human/demihuman partymembers from the more monstrous ones & start questioning the monstrous cleric/druid alone as a wellness check (have these easterners forced you into service, harmed you, threatened you, broken the laws,etc) while threatening extreme violence at the shaking group of level 2-3 warlock/barbarian/sorcerer whenever they tried to speak was epic fun & made them consider avoiding roads & paths in general for a while :D



That is exactly what I was thinking.

Why would a high elf have darkvision but a Dragonborn doesn't?

One of the huge flaws of 5e is they way they handled vision types and darkness levels.

Why not just keep it simple.

Normal vision is normal.

Low light is for dim light and torchlight like lightly obscure and treats it as normal light, but darkness is still darkness.

Darkvision sees even darkness as normal light but black and white out to their darkvision distance.


Yea, it's not perfect & silly to the extent that I just put in light gems woven/fused to a thong for 10gp(glowing stone that functions as as permanent torch you can tie to your armor or something) & "goodllights" (dim light for 10ft but only gosts a few copper if that)

[mephnick]

I never played 4e, but I'd very much welcome a SCAG-like Nentir Vale book .

I doubt that would ever happen. The whole point of the Nentir Vale was to escape the overexposed FR and as such is very generic, open and free from setting detail. The timelines are hazy and I'm not sure any of the locations outside the Vale were ever even discussed much unless they did that later in its run. It was less about the Nentir Vale and more about Points of Light as a design concept.

[Sariel Vailo]

This new one is very helpful

[GlenSmash!]

It's about overland/wilderness travel & pretty well done :D gives some useful dc's for survival. pretty useful for most any game even if just for something to compare to

These DM aids and examples are my favorite type of UAs. I'm happy to see this one.

[MeeposFire]

I doubt that would ever happen. The whole point of the Nentir Vale was to escape the overexposed FR and as such is very generic, open and free from setting detail. The timelines are hazy and I'm not sure any of the locations outside the Vale were ever even discussed much unless they did that later in its run. It was less about the Nentir Vale and more about Points of Light as a design concept.

Pretty much this I think. 4e never fleshed this "setting" out leaving it very much over and in many cases I think they use it to make examples that did not require you to know or use any particular setting. I have setting in quotations because in many ways it is not fully realized setting but rather a bunch of ideas presented so you can make it a real setting.

[MxKit]

The thing I hate about having so many sub-races is that it makes race choice more and more meaningless every time they release something. Hmm which of the 8 Dex/Int races should I pick? Literally who cares? If they want to switch to being able to take any modifier you want with any race they should just ****ing do it. Don't litter the game with 300 races of every flavour of stat bonuses.


I never pick for stats.

Always flavor. If I want to be a Dwarven rogue, I'll just be one.

Buts thats just me.

I agree with Malifice here; honestly, the stat bonuses are the least interesting parts of new races and sub-races. Which also makes it feel, to me, like race and sub-race choice gets more and more interesting the more they add in, because there's way more to them than just the stat bonuses. Drow and Shadar-kai have the same stat bonuses but their other traits are very different, to say nothing of the lore surrounding them, and a Kobold might make a much worse Bard than a Halfling would, but I sure know which one I'd find more interesting to play!

[vicente408]

Mearls like Nentir Vale, pretty sure.

I believe he still currently runs a campaign set there. I wouldn’t be surprised if the example material here is lifted largely from his own campaign notes.

[Scots Dragon]

I agree with Malifice here; honestly, the stat bonuses are the least interesting parts of new races and sub-races. Which also makes it feel, to me, like race and sub-race choice gets more and more interesting the more they add in, because there's way more to them than just the stat bonuses. Drow and Shadar-kai have the same stat bonuses but their other traits are very different, to say nothing of the lore surrounding them, and a Kobold might make a much worse Bard than a Halfling would, but I sure know which one I'd find more interesting to play!

I have it on good authority and experience that the best bard you could possibly imagine is in fact a kobold.

God I loved Neverwinter Nights.

[Pex]

Oh, look, a small table with DCs and examples of what those DCs mean to apply to a skill roll. There's even space for situations where no roll is needed. See? It's not impossible or incompatible with 5E. 5E is listening to me!

[Kane0]

I have it on good authority and experience that the best bard you could possibly imagine is in fact a kobold.

They also make excellent authors.

[Regitnui]

Oh, look, a small table with DCs and examples of what those DCs mean to apply to a skill roll. There's even space for situations where no roll is needed. See? It's not impossible or incompatible with 5E. 5E is listening to me!

You mean WotC. Also, that's an example, which a DM is expected to replicate in their own preparation. So it's not so much listening to you as helping DMs to make their own tables that will remain unseen by players and therefore "arbitrary".

[Tanarii]

You mean WotC. Also, that's an example, which a DM is expected to replicate in their own preparation. So it's not so much listening to you as helping DMs to make their own tables that will remain unseen by players and therefore "arbitrary".
No he's right, there is a generic Navigation DCs table at the beginning of the article.

It's also worth noting that 5e already had a navigation DCs table in the DMG, to avoid getting lost. And example dungeon and wilderness hazards with DCs, a foraging DCs table, a trap save DCs table (and example traps with DCs), a tracking DCs table, and a social interactions DCs table. Although new trap rules are also in XtGe. It also refers you to the general DCs table in chapter 8 for opening stuck or locked doors, and finding secret or hidden doors, and lifting/ bending portcullis bars. Tables of DCs are not a new thing in 5e, they're just not endemic.

[Finlam]

No he's right, there is a generic Navigation DCs table at the beginning of the article.

It's also worth noting that 5e already had a navigation DCs table in the DMG, to avoid getting lost. And example dungeon and wilderness hazards with DCs, a foraging DCs table, a trap save DCs table (and example traps with DCs), a tracking DCs table, and a social interactions DCs table. Although new trap rules are also in XtGe. It also refers you to the general DCs table in chapter 8 for opening stuck or locked doors, and finding secret or hidden doors, and lifting/ bending portcullis bars. Tables of DCs are not a new thing in 5e, they're just not endemic.
You are right on the money. I got inspired to stay up for a few hours reading through the books and there were way more DC tables than I previously thought.

This is a pretty cool edition of D&D.

[Kane0]

Yeah there's plenty there, the problem is that they are scattered and somewhat annoying to find. I presume there is a handy resource someone has put together that collates them all in one place, I just don't know of it.

[Tanarii]

Yeah there's plenty there, the problem is that they are scattered and somewhat annoying to find. I presume there is a handy resource someone has put together that collates them all in one place, I just don't know of it.
DM guild has a bunch
http://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?filters=0_0_45442_0_0_0_45546_0

[Daithi]

I'm not complaining, and I'm glad so many people have enjoyed this new UA, but I'm just glad that February only has 28 days in it.