D&D (2024) New One D&D Playtest Includes 5 Classes & New Weapon Mastery System

The latest playtest packet for One D&D has just landed, and features five classes (Barbarian, Fighter, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard) and the new Weapon Mastery system.

In this new Unearthed Arcana document for the 2024 Core Rulebooks, we explore material designed for the next version of the Player’s Handbook. This playtest document presents the rules on the Weapon Mastery property, updates to weapons, new and revised spells, several new feats, and five classes: Barbarian, Fighter, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard. You will also find an updated rules glossary that supercedes the glossary of any previous playtest documents.

Claim Unearthed Arcana now! - D&D Beyond

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[cbwjm]

Something else I've only just had brought to my attention is the barbarian's feral instincts. I'm fine with the bonus skill, I'm not so keen on being able to make certain skill checks with strength. Intimidation is already a skill I allow as a strength check but it just seems stupid to me for strength to be used for things like perception. I think it would have been better to use the rage damage bonus as a bonus to these skills rather than making them a strength check, the damage bonus representing the "primal power coursing through you" I feel works better. You could even rename rage damage to primal power and have it affect various other barbarian features.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

None of that stuff is in the gamebooks or the Avatar trilogy (the only novels he appears in that I've read). Happy to live in ignorance.

I've only encountered him in a handful of short adventures that I ran, where he was supposed to be some kind of party patron. I LOATHED him. Some of the flavor text of his dialogue? I refused to read it.

Essentially, I was like, "Okay, you get it... this guy's a dick. He's helping you, but not helping-helping, if you get my meaning. I guess he thinks he's too good for it or something? I have no idea. What a jerk."

 

[Vincent55]

I saw exploding dice somewhere else i think they took this from some one else.

 

[Nadan]

I saw exploding dice somewhere else i think they took this from some one else.

Talk about exploding dice, how does it work with crit? When does doubling calculate? Before exploding or after ? Does extra dice get doubled? Does extra dices from crit can get exploded? Does extra dices exploded from crit's extra dices also double beacuse it is a crit?
So many question! If every thing are yes and someone is lucky enough, they can get...13d6+30? (because to have explode 5 dice you need five 6)

 

[Ghal Maraz]

In my view, it's the same issue, again.
They give fighters some other (somehow fiddly) way to do a bit more damage in a fight, while Wizards get actually even better all around.
I wonder if WotC designers have some grasp of design balance.

 

[dalisprime]

Talk about exploding dice, how does it work with crit? When does doubling calculate? Before exploding or after ? Does extra dice get doubled? Does extra dices from crit can get exploded? Does extra dices exploded from crit's extra dices also double beacuse it is a crit?
So many question! If every thing are yes and someone is lucky enough, they can get...13d6+30? (because to have explode 5 dice you need five 6)

Weren't they going to limit critical hits to weapon/unarmed attacks only? If they backpedalled on that, I'd suggest changing the spell to target Dexterity saves instead of Armor Class as that would eliminate the critical hit issue. FWIW the crit would double the base dice and then you'd be exploding whichever one of those rolls a 6 is how I would rule it, if spell crits were to remain a thing.

 

[Nadan]

Weren't they going to limit critical hits to weapon/unarmed attacks only? If they backpedalled on that, I'd suggest changing the spell to target Dexterity saves instead of Armor Class as that would eliminate the critical hit issue. FWIW the crit would double the base dice and then you'd be exploding whichever one of those rolls a 6 is how I would rule it, if spell crits were to remain a thing.

It seems like they drop it considering after first UA that rule didn't got reprint. And personally I am fine with it due to you need to be really really lucky to have successfully explode 5 dice after you crit. And 15d6+30 damage after Lv.17 ( have highest chance to got full explode) is more of an life's little surprise than balance destroying loophole.

 

[RobJN]

Wisdom for Warlock doesn't really fit for me.

They already have a spellcaster class that gets its power from an outside source and is Wisdom-based. It's called the cleric.

 

[Yaarel]

The abilities themselves have problems.

Nothing about Wisdom quantifies being "wise".

In the case of Cleric, the key ability seems to be more about willpower and Will saves.

In the case of Druid, it seems to be more about animalistic preternatural senses, like canine smell and bat hearing.

These things dont really have anything to do with each other.

 

[Asisreo]

That's really on WotC for setting themselves impossible design goals like 'please everyone' and 'don't rock the boat'.

This is a sentiment that doesn't really have any foundation. Its pretty obvious WoTC isn't trying to please D&D fans.

They have a clear vision and that's because they have to have a clear vision. If not for the good of design, its much more likely in order to hold their IP position more firmly. That's why they're not retreading in the direction of Pathfinder. If they want to grab certain concepts like "The Barbarian that gets a damage bonus and resistance on rage" then it has to be original or else in court people will say "You can't claim that, Pathfinder did it first."

That vision, though, may not be what the majority of fans want and its something they likely won't pull back from unless they step away from Hasbro, which isn't likely.

For example, a very clear vision for them is that spells and magic items are a foundation for the game. Almost like a hidden 4th pillar. If a DM wants to run a mundane game, they're going to have to make their own adjustments. Wizards will always have more options than fighters and that's not something they want to change.

In that sense, the disparity is by design and is seen as a good thing in their eyes as it gives each of those classes a marketable identity.