D&D (2024) New Unearthed Arcana Playtest Includes Barbarian, Druid, and Monk

The latest Unearthed Arcana playtest packet is now live with new barbarian, druid, and monk versions, as well as new spells and weapons, and a revised Ability Score Improvement feat.

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WHATS INSIDE

Here are the new and revised elements in this article:

Classes. Three classes are here: Barbarian, Druid, and Monk. Each one includes one subclass: Path of the World Tree (Barbarian), Circle of the Moon (Druid), and Warrior of the Hand (Monk).

Spells. New and revised spells are included.

The following sections were introduced in a previous article and are provided here for reference:

Weapons. Weapon revisions are included.

Feats. This includes a revised version of Ability Score Improvement.

Rules Glossary. The rules glossary includes the few rules that have revised definitions in the playtest. In this document, any underlined term in the body text appears in the glossary.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Ugh I hate the new conjure spells. I would rather it be limited to summoning a single creature with a template.

Yeah, they are absolutely awful, just kills the fun of these spells.

 

[Stalker0]

While that’s good, I’m perplexed why they would make these spells at all. They don’t actually conjure a creature as their names imply (and all of their older version have done). I feel like this is 5e but with disassociated mechanics. It’s like chill touch but worse.

this is my initial thought as well.

The new spells are GOOD, i like them, they have great effects. But they don't feel like conjuring a creature at all. Conjure Celestial is the biggest one to me, its just a beam of light. The spell could just be "Holy Light" and do the same effect...there's nothing "celestial" about it.

Now if they want to swap out old mechanics for new spells I'm on board, but yeah sometimes the naming is important. If these weren't conjure spells but were something else....sure I'm on board. But they aren't really conjure X spells to me.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

and they are actually fun and interesting designs. If you don't bring with you the bagage of what "conjure" means in D&D the spell descriptions and effects represent well you calling spiritual forms of the creatures to help you in battle.

Yeah, I don't find them fun, I find them boring and lacking in flavour.

 

[DaedalusX51]

Because the Tasha's Summoning Spells are being put in the PHB, and do conjuration better, but they also want to keep all the Spells in the PHB by name at least, I guess. So they are rewriting these to not be just worse versions of the Summon Spells.

I guess I just see this as the wrong way to fix the problem. Does the Druid really need more aoe concentration damage spells? I was really happy with the last few UAs and they just keep taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back for me. I don't need to summon a bunch of low CR monsters but at least have whatever it conjures have a stat block and be targetable.

 

[Bolares]

Yeah, they are absolutely awful, just kills the fun of these spells.

What was fun about this spells before? They just slowed combat down and one of them had the most broken unintended rules interactions in the game. The summon spells in Tasha's made the cojure spells outdated, if they were going to keep existing they needed a complete redesign.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

-Barbarian, I like Brutal Strike, anything that gives more options in melee combat is something I like. I think the damage bonus also fixes concerns about Barbarian damage falling behind other classes.
-All of the slight issues I had with the World Tree Barbarian have mostly been addressed, I certainly felt at 14th level they should just be able to teleport more often.
-Druid, still disappointed in that it's using statblocks from the Monster Manual.
-Still disappointed in that something like "Evergreen Wildshape" only recharges wildshape uses when there's none left.
-Circle of the Moon is better than versions in the previous UAs
-Monk free uses of Patient Defense and Step of the Wind were definitely needed.
-Dex setting the save DCs on Grapple and Shove does help in reducing the MAD from the Monk, at least they don't need to put too much in Strength anymore.
-I like that Monks can attack on a bonus action without having to make an Attack action, they can attack when taking a Dash or Dodge action (ie not spending discipline points to not do those).
-Warrior of the Hand is improved in that they shutting down opportunity attacks feature doesn't require a save anymore.
-Conjure Animals, Conjure Celestial, Conjure Elemental, Conjure Minor Elementals and Conjure Woodland Beings are now a zone of control spells, I guess it's certainly easier than looking up a statblock and keeping track of the whatever's HP.
-Some of the Conjure spells are effectively auras.
-Conjure Minor Elementals I'm not sure if it's intended to add that bonus damage to close range cantrip attacks.
-I felt that some of the healing spells had low amounts, so it's good to see them heal more damage.
-Starry Wisp is like a mini-Faerie Fire spell, and possibly the only attack roll cantrip for a Bard (other than the new True Strike).
-I don't think they've changed the changed anything about Weapons (they still have dex 13+ for heavy ranged) or the Glossary section.

 

[Kurotowa]

I think there is an error in the moon druid design note. It mentions "lunar swipes" but the term is nowhere else in the document. Am I missing something?

It wouldn't be the only error. The change log for Path of the World Tree says that the range on Vitality of the Tree increase from 10ft to 20ft at 10th level, but no where in the subclass text does it include that.

 

[Bolares]

-Druid, still disappointed in that it's using statblocks from the Monster Manual.

Technically it's using blocks from the PHB, statblocks from anywhere else are DM dependant.

 

[Weiley31]

I really like the new Conjure spells and the Monk seems really nice now. Well, guess this is the version of Monk I use from now on for my DND games.

 

[DaedalusX51]

What was fun about this spells before? They just slowed combat down and one of them had the most broken unintended rules interactions in the game. The summon spells in Tasha's made the cojure spells outdated, if they were going to keep existing they needed a complete redesign.

I understand that the old spells could slow down the game if you are summoning a bunch of creatures and that it needed to be changed, but I disagree that this is the way to fix it. It should still conjure a creature not some aoe dissociated effect.