New SCAG Info: Someone Got The Book

Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide hits preferred stores tomorrow (and everywhere else in a couple of weeks). However, some stores have jumped the gun - which only benefits us, as folks on social media are telling us all about it! Below is a compilation of that information. I'm sure come tomorrow, the amount of information on the book will increase dramatically.

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[h=4]Original Post[/h]
Thread is here, Gnunn and others are answering questions about it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/3pot39/call_your_local_stores_scag/

The info:

I'am trying to compile the answers here by those who have new information. The answers do not represent me in anyway I'am just passing on the information.

Q: Name all the subclasses (submitted by me)

A:

Not really interested in spoiling all of the specifics, but here's what I noticed to be new at first glance:
Races:
Gray Dwaves (Duergar)
Ghostwise Halflings
Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin) -- also provides a new feat "Svirfneblin Magic" (same as EE)
Half-Elf Variants
Tiefling Variants


Classes (only new class options, not new classes):
Barbarian - Path of the Battlerager, new Totem Spirits
Bard - New musical instruments
Cleric - Arcana Domain
Fighter - Purple Dragon Knight
Monk - Way of the Long Death, Way of the Sun Soul
Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Ranger - Several paragraphs that amount to nothing
Rogue - Mastermind Swashbuckler
Sorcerer - Storm Sorcery
Warlock - The Undying
Wizard - Bladesinging


New cantrips for sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards
Booming blade, green-flame blade, lightning lure, sword burst.

Backgrounds:
City Watch
Clan Crafter
Cloistered Scholar
Courtier
Faction Agent
Far Traveler
Inheritor
Knight of the Order
Mercenary Veteran
Urban Bounty Hunter
Uthgardt Tribe Member
Waterdhavian Noble
This only covers about 50 pages of the almost 160 page book. There's a TON of info on the Sword Coast itself. I'm sure DMs who already have the book are salivating at the moment.



Q: No Bard, Ranger or Druid subclasses?

A: There are new bard colleges. I only listed non-flavor changes (in my opinion at least each one is paired with an existing class option so nothing new in terms of mechanics.

-Q2: Wait WHAT? So the Bard Colleges AND Druid Circles don't list fully new subclasses that offer new mechanics to that class? And no "spell-less" Ranger variant or anything?

-A2: Correct on all accounts.



Q: Monk Subclasses specifics

A: Sun Soul gives the monk methods of dealing radiant damage. Burning hands makes an appearance as well.It seems almost too obvious, but all of the Long Death abilities are triggered by death in some way - either yours or an enemy.



Q: Warlock the Undying

A: Hard to explain. It's Lich-like, but not undead it seems.



Q: Paladin Oath of the Crown

A: The new paladin oath is a straight up tank. They seem to have added a ton more detail for the paladin codes. Too much to go into here.



Q: Fighter Purple Dragon Knight

A:Party buffs/heals. Would be a good party leader out of combat as well.




Q: How do the Half elf and tiefling variants work?

A: Tiefling variants are pretty different. I'm not next to my book currently, but I believe there were three options. Half elf replaced the half elf skill dealy with a selection from the elf half. Like Drow magic replacing the skill selection for example.


Q: What does it say about Aasimar?

A: It basically just says, "See the DMG.

(I guess that makes Eldarin valid as well)

Edit 1: Did some cleaning, added cantrips and explanation that is not me giving the answers.

 

[Prism]

disclaimer: I don't have the book yet

I thought that someone said blaidsingers add extra attack ontop of spells... once you have 4th or 5th level spells those class features are no where near as good... and to be honest 1 6th level spell per day IS the powerful wizard trick in my book

No, you only get to use your two melee attacks like any other character when you take the attack action. So its an alternative to casting a spell or cantrip in any given round. A nice alternative, but as you level up less and less useful. There is a small damage bump at higher levels to each of those two attacks but only enough to keep it in line with a cantrip really. The class basically lets you mix it up in combat when you don't want to cast a spell that round. It gives you a high enough AC that will allow you to survive a while in melee. However it doesn't make you any better as a spellcaster at all, whereas the other schools all do.

 

[JohnLynch]

AC is not as important as HP, and a High Elf using the standard array will be lacking there.

DEX 14, CON 14, INT 16. How could that be better?

 

[Prism]

All of which a Bladesinger will likely also have.

I'm currently looking at a character in my group with a Trance AC of 21 (26 with Shield...higher than Tiamat!) and everything you just mentioned above...at 3rd level and zero magic items.

So this 3rd level character has a Dex of 18 and Int of 18 (or maybe Dex 16 and Int 20)? And they cast mage armour when needed too which might be 1-2 slots per day. Good stat rolling does make for a powerful character I agree. A typical bladesinger at 3rd level is far more likely to be AC 19 though - still nice to have.

My Tiamat campaign paladin had a 26 AC with Dwarven Plate +2, and Shield of Spell Deflection (or whatever it's called) +1, Haste, and Shield of Faith.

Level 3 Wizard...Level 17 Paladin with epic-level magic items... *tetters outstretched hands and tilts towards the Wizard*

The paladin is in a much better place when it comes to AC. How many times a day does the bladesinger really want to cast shield. Nice as a get out of jail but hardly reliable.

Anyway the point is that Bladesingers do get a nice AC which helps out in a limited amount of combat. They are also able to use shield pretty well since they are likely to get attacked more than other wizards. However non of that actually helps them offensively. Bladesinger is a defensive focused option so if that's what you want it looks fun. I would disagree that going defensive as a wizard is the best way to go all the time. I like the other schools better in general though I wouldn't be against trying a bladesinger too.

Btw this discussions comes from you claiming that bladesinger is broken. If you think a decent AC (to a class that rarely needs it), a slightly better movement and concentration checks, and an extra melee attack breaks a wizard then I disagree. These are all instead of the standard wizard school abilities which are also pretty cool.

 

[psychophipps]

AC is not as important as HP, and a High Elf using the standard array will be lacking there.

I would rather not be hit at all than be able to take a hit. Just sayin'...

 

[Prism]

DEX 14, CON 14, INT 16. How could that be better?

The point is that having a decent AC in combat isn't that important if your hit points are poor. You need both. And with that array the bladesingers AC will be 18 at best and the hit points will be average to low for a melee character. Enough for a melee support character which is how we should be looking at this school.

 

[psychophipps]

disclaimer: I don't have the book yet

I thought that someone said blaidsingers add extra attack ontop of spells... once you have 4th or 5th level spells those class features are no where near as good... and to be honest 1 6th level spell per day IS the powerful wizard trick in my book

I agree completely.

Some (many of you, in this case) players will focus in the "neat tricks" of certain Wizard styles but when it comes to raw survivability and utility, the Bladesinger goes way too far. At least the other <other stuff>/wizard classes have limitations on them like limited spell schools. Bladesinger is basically a Wizard without the bad stuff (poor in melee, not as fast as other classes outside of dumping spell slots/feats) that attacks like a brawling class.

A few potential fixes I have thought about are:

1. Making the extra attack a bonus action.

2. Removing the +10ft of movement

3. Removing the bonus to Concentration checks

or making it so the class gets a single feature of Trance at certain levels until the Bladesinger gets them all by level 16-17 but certainly not giving them all of them at 3rd level.

 

[psychophipps]

The point is that having a decent AC in combat isn't that important if your hit points are poor. You need both. And with that array the bladesingers AC will be 18 at best and the hit points will be average to low for a melee character. Enough for a melee support character which is how we should be looking at this school.

And I disagree completely. Once I hit a natural AC 20 and then started stacking defensive spells from there I could basically wade into dang near anything. Most "Big and Bad" enemies cap out at +10 to hit or so and you won't be running into those for a while outside of fighting the critter on the book cover.

You can't build the encounters around the one guy that can basically move anywhere on board with an AC of 20+ when everyone else galumphs around at AC 17 and 30ft of movement.

 

[MYV]

the bladesinger is for wizards simply what the EK is for fighters...
the EK is a fighter with crappy wizard options and a bladesinger is a wizard with crappy fighter options.

If you wanna play a wizard as a caster, the bladesinger sucks.
If you wanna play a GISH with mainly a spell caster focus you are better multiclassing but the bladesinger can be an option.

If you wanna go all the way with bladesinger wizard you'll realize you are just a wizard with mostly useless features out of the bladesinger. At high levels you are not gonna be competitive with frontline fighters and you are never gonna go melee when you have access to high lvl spells.

 

[Salamandyr]

Talking about bladesingers, has anyone looked at how it stacks multiclassed with Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster?

 

[MYV]

Talking about bladesingers, has anyone looked at how it stacks multiclassed with Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster?

I would guess it goes well with AT but not so well with EK
The EK is a bit redundant, and losing the shield and heavy armor is not worth it IMO, the EK is better off with an Abjurer

most likely a BS is probably better off multiclassing with a straight rogue or straight fighter (battlemaster?) for some more GISH styled character