New Unearthed Arcana info

here (as reported on the front page):
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/881560000

"This all-new sourcebook provides D&D players and Dungeon Masters with a wide choice of variant rules for alternate roleplaying in a D&D campaign. Designed to expand the options available for customizing gameplay, these variant rules are modular and can be imported into any campaign in any amount desired. Examples of variant rules include playing core classes as prestige classes and alternate damage systems. Brand-new rules include a new system of metamagic feats and a new spell system."

So it sounds kinda cool i think. Discuss!

Eh. I like AU...not sure about UA...

I love the mock up cover.

It's a very good tribute to the original and updated.

I'm hoping that it proves very useful.

As far as AU vs UA, please, let the book come out first because that nonsense gets started eh?

Joe,

No problem by me...I just happen to like the fact Diamond throne used Scarred Lands stuff. I doubt the same can be said for this book. But that only makes me slightly biased...doesn't it?

Wow, UA looks very cool, especially the alternate damage and spell systems. Maybe a more realistic wound system will be included. AU on the other hand, did absolutely nothing for me. The races and classes were too weird, and the whole thing seemed WAY overpowered. Since I prefer a low-fantasy style, maybe it was a forgone conclusion I wouldn't like AU, but I was pretty disappointed with it.

Goth,

Honestly I wasn't 100% sold on the setting until I saw the PDFs. Then I thought "Gee this is neat!" I don't consider AU more powerful than an FR campaign. The difference is much of it balanced far more than some other factors in regular D&D. (Truenames, more rituals, a high level of Dm responibility). But I will agree at least it's not a low magic world...but neither are half the worlds out there. But hey if you want UA, that's fine. I'll probably wait a while before picking it up... but that's been the trend for me for most of the WotC books. (Darrin, I will get BoED. )

UA sounds pretty cool. I think its the one book that should have been released instead of the 3.5e core books if all it is is varaint rules. As for AU vs. UA, please don't start this. This would be the most pointless argument in roleplaying history.

Make with the speculations!

Olive said:

Examples of variant rules include playing core classes as prestige classes

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Intriguing. So would you start as a commoner, or some kind of 0th-level Adventurer class?

and alternate damage systems.

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V/WP or something we haven't seen yet? Honestly, I'll be a little disappointed if it's just V/WP. I wouldn't mind seeing something with a little more grit to it, a la the Grim n Gritty Combat Rules. Myself, I've always liked the idea of a second, more cinematic combat system that could be run side-by-side with the more abstract HP system. 7th Sea had something like this. I.E., I could use the simpler HP system for fighting mooks, making for quick fights that the PCs were probably going to win anyway, and pull out the souped-up tons-o'-options system for fighting the BBEG.

Brand-new rules include a new system of metamagic feats and a new spell system."

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Now this could be the killer app 3.5 has been looking for. Metamagic feats are crying out to be tinkered with. Perhaps this could be along the lines of the alt metamagic system outlined in Dragon a few months ago? I had heard through the grapevine that it was briefly considered for 3.5, but dropped because it would be too different from 3.0.

As far as a new spell system, once again, something that I think would be cool if they approach it from a "total revamp" perspective rather than a "slight tweak". Spell points, AU-style readying and slots, or something else?

What other alt systems should they throw in? A new magic item creation system? How to play without alignments? Called shot rules? Crit tables?

Olive said:

Examples of variant rules include playing core classes as prestige classes...

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I would guess that this involves rules for using Paladins and maybe Druids as PrCs...

Jason

Just caught something over at Andy Collins' board...UA info. Almost detailed too. I'll C&P the bulk of the stuff...

1) Regarding playing core classes as PrC:
a) Will this be for the Paladin, Ranger, Barbarian? If so, will we see a more general outdoors class that can represent a hunter, wilderness scout, survivalist or tribesman that does not cast spells or rage thereby replacing the ranger and barbarian as a base class and leaving the spellcasting ranger and raging barbarian to be PrCs?
b) What other core classes will you have as being playable as Prc?

UA includes prestige versions of the bard, paladin, and ranger classes.

2) Will there be new or variant classes and more in depth guidelines for tailoring the classes so that the classes become more customizeable?

UA presents at least one (and sometimes several) variants of each of the base classes from the PH, as well as some variant versions of specific class features. In some cases, these variants are subtle, while in others they are pretty dramatic. I'm not going into much detail here--the book's still way too far off to get y'all too riled up--but I think those of you looking for ways to tweak the familiar elements of the PH will be pretty happy.

3) Will the optional magic system be either a spell point or a dynamic spellcasting system (the latter being like Ars Magica)?

Spell points are in there. The book also includes a lot of more modular ways to tweak your spellcasters, including spontaneous metamagic, power components, individualized summoning lists, recharge magic, and more.

4) What can you tell us about the alternate damage system?
Will there be class based AC bonuses?
Will it use the Wound/Vitality system?
Will Armor absorb damage?
Will there be a critical hit system similar to the 2e Player's options: Combat and Tactics?

UA includes VP/WP, but also includes other systems (at least one of which was featured in an award-winning d20 game).
Yes
Yes
Yes (at least two versions)
No (though if you're looking for a non-abstract critical hit system, check out Bastion Press's "Torn Asunder")

Put simply, UA is a treasure trove of new (and familiar) variant rules and rule subsystems for DMs to integrate into their games. Frankly, I think there's more in this book than any DM could expect to use in a lifetime.


Andy Collins
Senior Designer
Wizards of the Coast Roleplaying R&D

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and then there's this...

We didn't put in the six d20 Modern base classes; however, we did write up a "generic class" system that's somewhat similar both to those and to the classes in d20 CoC.

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And here's the link to the whole thread... http://pub36.ezboard.com/fgameschat19968frm9.showMessage?topicID=34.topic

Sounds like a great book.