Mearls' Happy Fun Time Warlord (and others) written up

[lr-hr-rh]

There was a thread on adapting the Warlord class for 5e a couple weeks ago with some mention made of Mearls doing something similar on his twitch show or whatever. People seemed interested in evaluating or using the result for their own stuff but there wasn't a lot of interest in watching the stream to get the details. Since someone on r/UnearthedArcana went ahead and recently did just that I figured it'd be a good community service to share the link here for y'all...

...but I don't actually have enough posts to share links or whatever :smallfrown:

So if someone else wants to use the prompt to go and grab the link and share it here in a comment below that'd be great. Poster is /u/Malinhion if that helps tracking it down (not that it's hard to find).

[Contrast]

Link to class summaries (https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/8arby9/i_compiled_and_transposed_mike_mearls_happy_fun/)

[lr-hr-rh]

Awesome, thankin you kindly :)

[jaappleton]

Thank you.

I don’t think you understand how true and how sincere this ‘thank you’ is.

Really, I mean it. Thank you.

[Vogie]

I read the thread title wrong, and was really excited about a "time warlord" class... :annoyed:

[Aett_Thorn]

I read the thread title wrong, and was really excited about a "time warlord" class... :annoyed:

Perfect for when you need to bring a ray gun to a swordfight.

[jaappleton]

Perfect for when you need to bring a ray gun to a swordfight.

Their mount is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.

[Unoriginal]

I read the thread title wrong, and was really excited about a "time warlord" class... :annoyed:

Time Warlord?

https://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/War-Doctor-Audio.jpg

[JakOfAllTirades]

This is a wonderful resource. Many thanks.

[ATHATH]

The Order domain seems really friggin' stronk, especially as a dip. Its 1st level ability is basically the EK's War Magic ability, but with non-cantrip spells that target yourself instead of cantrips.

The Acrobat, on the other hand, seems incredibly underpowered, at least in the earlier levels. Yay, my 3rd level ability lets me fly in a janky, semi-crippled way! Wait... can't Aaracokra fly without needing to land every couple of feet?

Wowzers, my 9th level ability is to mimic a worse version of a 1st level utility spell (Feather Fall) that's only useful once every few sessions! Wait... can't Arcane Tricksters already do that? And if the ability is limited to only working on me, doesn't that mean that I can't bring the rest of my party along with me? At least I get it as an at-will ability (not that that matters, since again, it's only useful once every few sessions (barring some weird usage that I haven't thought of/seen yet))...

Wowee, at 13th level, I get to have a 4th level spell (Freedom of Movement) that lasts an hour and requires no concentration as a permanent passive ability! Wait, can't I just get the party's Cleric to cast that on me?

But oh boy, at 17th level, the same level that the spellcasters in the party are getting 9th level spell slots, I get to move at double speed while using my janky, semi-crippled flight ability! What a capstone! Wait, doesn't a 3rd level spell (Haste) ALSO let me move at double speed (with any movement mode, no less) AND give me other nifty benefits, like an extra attack per round? At least my version doesn't need concentration (admittedly a somewhat relevant benefit) and stacks with Haste?

My point is, the Acrobat is a !@#$ty version of the Arcane Trickster subclass. I'll give it props for the abilities being incredibly flavorful, though.

[Unoriginal]

The Acrobat, on the other hand, seems incredibly underpowered, at least in the earlier levels. Yay, my 3rd level ability lets me fly in a janky, semi-crippled way! Wait... can't Aaracokra fly without needing to land every couple of feet?

Yes, but as you said, it requires to be an Aaracokra.

Also, it's not "every couple of feet, it's 15ft. Or 30ft if you use your Rogue bonus action to Dash.



Wowzers, my 9th level ability is to mimic a worse version of a 1st level utility spell (Feather Fall) that's only useful once every few sessions! Wait... can't Arcane Tricksters already do that? And if the ability is limited to only working on me, doesn't that mean that I can't bring the rest of my party along with me? At least I get it as an at-will ability (not that that matters, since again, it's only useful once every few sessions (barring some weird usage that I haven't thought of/seen yet))...

... First, the Arcane Trickster can do that, but it takes spell slots, while the Acrobat got that permanently.

Second, maybe you have missed that, but the whole point of the class is to go up in the air. Falling is something that happens constantly for them, not "once every few sessions".

To put it more bluntly: The Acrobat can jump up to 30ft in the air and then land without a scratch.



Wowee, at 13th level, I get to have a 4th level spell (Freedom of Movement) that lasts an hour and requires no concentration as a permanent passive ability! Wait, can't I just get the party's Cleric to cast that on me?

Your party's Cleric would need 16 spell slots of 4th level or higher to achieve the same.

Why wouldn't you to have such power as permanent passive ability?



But oh boy, at 17th level, the same level that the spellcasters in the party are getting 9th level spell slots, I get to move at double speed while using my janky, semi-crippled flight ability! What a capstone! Wait, doesn't a 3rd level spell (Haste) ALSO let me move at double speed (with any movement mode, no less) AND give me other nifty benefits, like an extra attack per round? At least my version doesn't need concentration (admittedly a somewhat relevant benefit) and stacks with Haste?

It saves your party the use of spell slots, and now you can do 60ft jumps and land without any issue. Plus as you pointed out, it stacks with Haste.

Being able to reach dragons in flight or spellcasters behind minions is rather valuable.



My point is, the Acrobat is a !@#$ty version of the Arcane Trickster subclass. I'll give it props for the abilities being incredibly flavorful, though.

No, not at all.

I think you're trying to put a square peg in a round hole and calling it ****ty when it doesn't work.

The Acrobat is not a ****ty version of the Arcane Trickster, it's more a Movement-and-positioning-based expert, same way the Thief or the Assassins are experts in their own area.


It's true that it's a pretty situational subclass, but so far it works for that it's supposed to do. They should modify things a bit to make it less situational, though.

[JakOfAllTirades]

The Acrobat's Aerial Artistry ability actually has amazing potential; note that the Acrobat can fly between creatures, and no size limit is specified. Imagine using this in a fight with giants! Or in a fight against a horde of orcs that you need to get over in a hurry. This is basically the cinematic stunt of walking on your enemies' heads to get across the battlefield, and it's awesome.

Attacks of opportunity are still a thing, though.

[JakOfAllTirades]

Bit of a thread necro here, (It's been almost two weeks, is that a bad thing?) but I have a question which I'm kind of surprised hasn't come up sooner.

The Warlock's Pact of the Kraken is mostly complete, but there's still one thing missing.

What would you pick for its Expanded Spell List?

[ATHATH]

Bit of a thread necro here, (It's been almost two weeks, is that a bad thing?) but I have a question which I'm kind of surprised hasn't come up sooner.

The Warlock's Pact of the Kraken is mostly complete, but there's still one thing missing.

What would you pick for its Expanded Spell List?
1: Create or Destroy Water, Entangle
2: Maximilian's Earthen Grasp, Alter Self (so that you can grow tentacles or receive the underwater adaptation benefit)
3: Wall of Water, Water Breathing
4: Evard's Black Tentacles, Control Water
5: Telekinesis, Maelstrom

[JakOfAllTirades]

1: Create or Destroy Water, Entangle
2: Maximilian's Earthen Grasp, Alter Self (so that you can grow tentacles or receive the underwater adaptation benefit)
3: Wall of Water, Water Breathing
4: Evard's Black Tentacles, Control Water
5: Telekinesis, Maelstrom

Good suggestions. Thanks.

[xroads]

Bit of a thread necro here, (It's been almost two weeks, is that a bad thing?) but I have a question which I'm kind of surprised hasn't come up sooner.

The Warlock's Pact of the Kraken is mostly complete, but there's still one thing missing.

What would you pick for its Expanded Spell List?

The PotK looks pretty sweet. I'd think I'd play it even without an extended spell list! :smallbiggrin:

[ATHATH]

Good suggestions. Thanks.
Do note that there is a LOT of redundancy in that list; about half of the spells basically boil down to "restrains an enemy or group of enemies; uses concentration". That shouldn't be much of a problem, considering that they're just added to the spell list and not the list of spells known of the PotK Warlock, but it should be something to be aware of.

[Sariel Vailo]

What is spell rage.

[JakOfAllTirades]

What is spell rage.

No idea; has it been mentioned in this thread?

[JakOfAllTirades]

Do note that there is a LOT of redundancy in that list; about half of the spells basically boil down to "restrains an enemy or group of enemies; uses concentration". That shouldn't be much of a problem, considering that they're just added to the spell list and not the list of spells known of the PotK Warlock, but it should be something to be aware of.

It's worth noting that Warlocks tend to swap out some lower level spells for higher ones as they level up, so some redundancy between levels is fine. If there's a bigger, better spell that does roughly the same thing as a lower level one, having both on the list is a good thing; a warlock will be happy to take the lower level one as early as possible, and then trade up later.

My effort to come up with a list of "thematically appropriate" spells for Kraken-Warlock also has some redundancy. I'm also wondering if it's OP.

1st level: Create or Destroy Water, Fog Cloud

2nd level: Alter Self, Warding Wind

3rd level: Tidal Wave, Wall of Water

4th level: Control Water, Evard's Black Tentacles

5th level: Cloudkill, Maelstrom

[Sariel Vailo]

Its for the giant sorc on the mearls happy fun dime.

[strangebloke]

Kraken looks very fun. Very hammy villain-movie style evil.

The warlord seems kind of super overpowered? 8d10 healing on a sr ability, + tactical bonuses, +gambit abilities? Seems quite strong, overall, although it obviously comes at the cost of weakening the fighter's DPR potential (no room for bonus action attacks, for instance.)

Acrobat... is normal when compared with the thief, mastermind, inquisitive rogue, and assassin, but seems a good deal behind the swashbuckler and trickster. Very cool, but I have to feel that it's going to die to OAs a lot. Like, do I jump to the back line and stab people? Do I jump to a tree and shoot people? It's kind of quirky and hard to figure out.

Order cleric seems good.

Marauder is likely going to be very strong if the text indications are any ability. I foresee a lot of those hand-to-hand barbarians I see people asking about getting built with this, depending on how the text plays out. (the 'ol "melee weapon attack" vs. "unarmed strike" nonsense.)

Giant soul isn't complete, but it seems like it should have "sorcadin" stapled to its head. I love giants so I'm all for this class, obviously, but holy heck does this one need rebalanced.

Shield + plate + shield + defense style + giant spell level 3 effect = 29 AC.
2 extra HP per level puts sorcadin on par with full paladin.
large size buff without concentration is a great capstone.

Can't wait to see what he comes up with for storm giant.