Unearthed Arcana New Year Unearthed Arcana Brings Back Those Old 2E Kits

The scout fighter looks like yet another take at a ranger, but one I'm personally more likely to use. For the Cavalier I might want some more feature related to social interaction, not just the horse part and a proficiency. Something along the lines of what the Banneret/Purple Dragon Knight got in SCAG or a new use of superiority dice.

The bard colleges seem nice, but "Tumble" might have a bit too many benefits compared to Rogue Cunning Action.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I'll give you that. But I do think that using "Battlemaster As Fighter" and creating fluffier sub-classes by narrowing some maneuver selections but gaining additional features off of them (plus throwing in extra stuff like the differing recharge mechanics talked about above) is on a possible right track.

I could totally follow that road. If some of the later subclass abilities doubled-down on the more limited manuever set in some way, that would secure them a bit more tightly.

Or of course... Mike and Co. could just make Cavalier and Scout "prestige classes" instead! I wonder how well those would've gone over!

I'm pretty cool with PrCs in general, so they might do OK from my perspective (as long as they were PRESTIGIOUS! )

Not saying you couldn't balance it... but it certainly would take a bit of doing and a lot of care.

I think the easiest way would just be to put a short-rest-based cap on what they could earn. There's other ways, but a cap like that (you can earn X dice in this way, and they go away during a short rest) keeps it pretty strictly in line with established X/rest mechanics.

 

[gyor]

the Jester's tumble is offset by how dangerous its ultimate ability is to use, basically when you use Bardic Inspiration to buff your own abilities, the DM gets to use Bardic Inspiration against you. This can get you killed if not uses wisely.

Also many Cavalier's are going to want to multiclass Paladin for find steed.

Its good to see Blade return, I mean who doesn't love a good sword swallower *snickers immaturely*.

 

[Jester David]

What's the general thought of the balance of these options? Anything broken or underpowered?

 

[I'm A Banana]

OH! AND ALSO! "College of Blades" sounds so much cooler than "College of Swords."

"Good morning class."
"Good morning Dr. Swordopolis"
"Welcome to Swords 101. Your first lesson: the pointy end goes in the other person. Now you."
"the pointy end goes in the other person"
"Very good! You've all earned your PHD in Swording!"

 

[JPL]

Riddlemaster, though I don't know how you'd do it. Just being the Guy Who Figures Stuff Out is a cool schtick.

 

[Saeviomagy]

College of swords has too many things competing for your bonus action. As in every single thing the class gives you except extra attack requires your bonus action. I like unnerving flourish, but I feel it would have been better as a spell (which would make it more widely available).

I dislike the fighter paths. Cavalier is yet another strictly combat fighter, but this time revolves around something that is often unavailable, which has always been the problem with focusing on mounted combat.

Scout suggests to me that "wildernessy guy" should be supported by something that is not class-aligned. Natural explorer/favoured enemy as a feat perhaps? As a benefit of a background?

I agree with calls that the ability to boost an ability check should be added as a maneuver. One to protect a creature nearby is probably also called for (ie - add the die result to ac and half resultant damage as a reaction). The ability to add the die result to your own AC and halve the resultant damage seems too good. Proning with a lance is covered by existing battlemaster manuevers.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I think that the College of Satire might be better named as the College of Slapstick.

 

[TrippyHippy]

There are plenty of Prestige Classes in 3e that would make nice Sorcerer subclasses in 5e.

I can think of several ideas myself - Fey-Blooded, Giant-Blooded, Demon-Blooded, Angel-Blooded...

How much of these would overlap with the Races I don't know, however.

 

[Serpine]

Riddlemaster, though I don't know how you'd do it. Just being the Guy Who Figures Stuff Out is a cool schtick.

Personally when I tried to convert Riddlemaster I found the "when you fail it was just a dream and you try again" perspective of the original kit to be off-putting, but if you re-interpret it in terms of front-end investigation it becomes less problematic:

* 3rd - Bonus Proficiencies: One game set, one language, Blowgun, Whip.
* 3rd - Probable Path: Inspiration may be spent and rolled on own Investigation / Insight checks when it helps to decide between multiple options (paths, doors, targets).
* 6th - Riddles / Puzzles: Spend inspiration to ask DM a yes / no question about an encountered riddle or puzzle (i.e. "Is eggs the correct answer?", "should I lift the blue stone first?").
* 14th - Bardic Luck (Common Sense): Spend inspiration as Luck Points as per the Lucky feat (these can't however be used on your own attack rolls).

 

[Magil]

College of swords has too many things competing for your bonus action. As in every single thing the class gives you except extra attack requires your bonus action. I like unnerving flourish, but I feel it would have been better as a spell (which would make it more widely available).

I was wondering if anyone was going to point this out. I don't really mind that all the "flourishes" use your bonus action, but it gives the Two-Weapon Fighting style... and then presents a set of options wholly incompatible with actually attacking using your off-hand weapon.

WotC should really re-think how two-weapon fighting is handled, and at least give some sort of option that makes it more usable.