Yaarel
He Mage
This is me trying to keep track of the 5e format updates that appear in recent UA playtests. Such as which technical terms get capitalized, and which dont. Maybe it will be useful for some others.
I generally approve of the format updates but some I find tricky to remember.
The Original Post describes what is the case in the most recent playtest, rather than what ought to be. Feel free to make your own preferences known. (At the moment, the most recent playtest is UA 2023 - PH Playtest 5.)
I generally approve of the format updates but some I find tricky to remember.
The Original Post describes what is the case in the most recent playtest, rather than what ought to be. Feel free to make your own preferences known. (At the moment, the most recent playtest is UA 2023 - PH Playtest 5.)
ability names
mental abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
physical abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Advantage, Disadvantage
AC, Armor Class
action types: Action, Bonus Action, Move, Reaction
(but "action" seems inconsistent)
adventuring gear items: Backpack, Blanket, Holy Water, Net
class groups: Expert, Mage, Priest, Warrior
class names: Artificer, Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Psion, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
condition names: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Incapacitated, Poisoned, etcetera
d20 Test
damage types
elemental damage types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Radiant, Thunder
other damage types: Force, Necrotic, Poison, Psychic
weapon damage types: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
DC, Difficulty Class
Expertise
feat names, such as the Ability Score Improvement feat
feature names, such as Fighter 7 Weapon Expert feature
Hit Points
sizes: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Gargantuan
skill names: Arcana, Athletics, Stealth, etcetera
source names
magical sources: Arcane, Divine, Primal
nonmagical source: Martial
Speed
spell component types: Verbal, Somatic, Material
Spell Points
spell tags: Concentration, Ritual
Spellcasting Focus
Unarmed Strike (like a weapon type?)
weapon types: Light Crossbow, Longsword
weapon properties: Mastery, Push, Nick, Light, Versatile, etcetera
mental abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
physical abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Advantage, Disadvantage
AC, Armor Class
action types: Action, Bonus Action, Move, Reaction
(but "action" seems inconsistent)
adventuring gear items: Backpack, Blanket, Holy Water, Net
class groups: Expert, Mage, Priest, Warrior
class names: Artificer, Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Psion, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
condition names: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Incapacitated, Poisoned, etcetera
d20 Test
damage types
elemental damage types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Radiant, Thunder
other damage types: Force, Necrotic, Poison, Psychic
weapon damage types: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
DC, Difficulty Class
Expertise
feat names, such as the Ability Score Improvement feat
feature names, such as Fighter 7 Weapon Expert feature
Hit Points
sizes: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Gargantuan
skill names: Arcana, Athletics, Stealth, etcetera
source names
magical sources: Arcane, Divine, Primal
nonmagical source: Martial
Speed
spell component types: Verbal, Somatic, Material
Spell Points
spell tags: Concentration, Ritual
Spellcasting Focus
Unarmed Strike (like a weapon type?)
weapon types: Light Crossbow, Longsword
weapon properties: Mastery, Push, Nick, Light, Versatile, etcetera
ability
ability check
ability modifier
attack (but Attack action capitalizes)
attack roll
action (but Action sometimes capitalizes if the action type)
cantrip
class
condition
creature
damage
damage rolls
feat
feature
innate
item
magic
modifier
multiverse
plane
proficiency (but Proficiency Bonus capitalizes)
property
range
ranged
ranged attack
ranged spell attack
roll
save
saving throw
skill
spell
subclass
target
tool
trait
type
weapon
ability check
ability modifier
attack (but Attack action capitalizes)
attack roll
action (but Action sometimes capitalizes if the action type)
cantrip
class
condition
creature
damage
damage rolls
feat
feature
innate
item
magic
modifier
multiverse
plane
proficiency (but Proficiency Bonus capitalizes)
property
range
ranged
ranged attack
ranged spell attack
roll
save
saving throw
skill
spell
subclass
target
tool
trait
type
weapon
Action or action?
action (that one takes during a turn) doesnt capitalize
but Action (as action type or spell casting time) does!
Bonus Action capitalizes Action
Attack action doesnt
Attack or attack?
Attack action capitalizes
but ranged attack doesnt
and extra attack doesnt
but Extra Attack (as Fighter feature) does
Bonus capitalizes
but modifier doesnt?
Proficiency Bonus capitalizes
but ability modifier doesnt,
even tho they name comparable technical components of equations;
DC (Difficulty Class) capitalizes
but attack roll doesnt,
even tho they name comparable math equations
class doesnt capitalize
but Species does?
Background capitalizes
but abilities doesnt?
all four are the sections of "character origins" (or "adventurer origins"?)
Expertise capitalizes
but proficiency doesnt
Proficiency Bonus capitalizes Proficiency
but skill proficiency doesnt
Ritual (as a spell tag) capitalizes
but spell doesnt
Sorcery Points capitalizes
but sorcery doesnt
Spellcasting Focus capitalizes
but spellcasting ability doesnt
target and creature dont capitalize
but Self (as a range) does
weapon type, like Longsword, capitalizes
but weapon itself doesnt
action (that one takes during a turn) doesnt capitalize
but Action (as action type or spell casting time) does!
Bonus Action capitalizes Action
Attack action doesnt
Attack or attack?
Attack action capitalizes
but ranged attack doesnt
and extra attack doesnt
but Extra Attack (as Fighter feature) does
Bonus capitalizes
but modifier doesnt?
Proficiency Bonus capitalizes
but ability modifier doesnt,
even tho they name comparable technical components of equations;
DC (Difficulty Class) capitalizes
but attack roll doesnt,
even tho they name comparable math equations
class doesnt capitalize
but Species does?
Background capitalizes
but abilities doesnt?
all four are the sections of "character origins" (or "adventurer origins"?)
Expertise capitalizes
but proficiency doesnt
Proficiency Bonus capitalizes Proficiency
but skill proficiency doesnt
Ritual (as a spell tag) capitalizes
but spell doesnt
Sorcery Points capitalizes
but sorcery doesnt
Spellcasting Focus capitalizes
but spellcasting ability doesnt
target and creature dont capitalize
but Self (as a range) does
weapon type, like Longsword, capitalizes
but weapon itself doesnt
book names, such as Player's Handbook
UAs (like books), such as UA 2023 - PH - Playtest 5
spell names (like song names), such as Fly
UAs (like books), such as UA 2023 - PH - Playtest 5
spell names (like song names), such as Fly
Smallcaps. "SMALLCAPS" means the initial letter is CAP and the lowercase are SMALLCAPS.
Serif. All texts are serif font. Except, tables, lists, and shaded-area sidebars are sans-serif font.
TITLE
(XXL Bold SMALLCAPS)
HEADING 1
(XL SMALLCAPS)
HEADING 2
(Large Bold Underlined SMALLCAPS)
HEADING 3
(Large SMALLCAPS)
(a Large SMALLCAP is about same size as a Normal CAP)
[indented] Bold Italic (Period). Normal paragraph.
(required item of feature is then described in sentences)
(Inline Subhead, also known as Heading 4)
Normal paragraph.
(first paragraph un-indented)
Italic
(descriptor of current feature as separate line)
Bold (Colon): Normal
(required item type of feature, with brief phrase)
[indented] (indent any lines after first line)
Bold (Period). Normal paragraph.
(one of several items of feature, described in sentences)
[indented] (indent any lines beyond first line)
(not to be confused with Inline Subhead)
• (Bullet) Normal phrase or sentence.
(one in list of items)
• (Bullet) Bold then rest is Normal sentence.
(Bold initial phrase as type of item in a list)
Serif. All texts are serif font. Except, tables, lists, and shaded-area sidebars are sans-serif font.
TITLE
(XXL Bold SMALLCAPS)
HEADING 1
(XL SMALLCAPS)
HEADING 2
(Large Bold Underlined SMALLCAPS)
HEADING 3
(Large SMALLCAPS)
(a Large SMALLCAP is about same size as a Normal CAP)
[indented] Bold Italic (Period). Normal paragraph.
(required item of feature is then described in sentences)
(Inline Subhead, also known as Heading 4)
Normal paragraph.
(first paragraph un-indented)
Italic
(descriptor of current feature as separate line)
Bold (Colon): Normal
(required item type of feature, with brief phrase)
[indented] (indent any lines after first line)
Bold (Period). Normal paragraph.
(one of several items of feature, described in sentences)
[indented] (indent any lines beyond first line)
(not to be confused with Inline Subhead)
• (Bullet) Normal phrase or sentence.
(one in list of items)
• (Bullet) Bold then rest is Normal sentence.
(Bold initial phrase as type of item in a list)
Table, List, or Sidebar. For any table, list, or shaded-area sidebar, there is only one kind of HEADING and all font is sans-serif.
Table or List. The format for a table or list is simple. Besides the HEADING, all text is Normal, but Bold any table column headings or standardized item types in a list.
Sidebar. The format for a sidebar is the same as the standard format, except all font is sans-serif and there is only one kind of HEADING.
TABLE/SIDEBAR HEADING
(Large Bold SMALLCAPS)
(initial letter is CAP and lowercase is SMALLCAPS)
(a Large SMALLCAP is about same size as a Normal CAP)
[indented] Bold Italic (Period). Normal paragraph.
(required item of feature is then described in sentences)
TABLE ...
Bold
(table column heading)
Normal
(items in column of table)
LIST ...
(typically, insert list into Normal paragraph without HEADING)
Normal
(item in list of same item type, such as creature types)
Normal [tab] Normal
(item in list with brief descriptions, such as list of skills)
Bold (Colon): Normal
(required item type of feature, with brief phrase)
[indented] (indent any lines after first line)
Bold (Period). Normal paragraph.
(one of several items of feature, described in sentences)
[indented] (indent any lines beyond first line)
(not to be confused with Inline Subhead)
SHADED-AREA SIDEBAR ...
[indented] Normal paragraph.
(but first paragraph un-indented)
Italic
(descriptor of current feature as separate line)
Bold (Colon): Normal
(required item type of feature, with brief phrase)
[indented] (indent any lines after first line)
Bold (Period). Normal paragraph.
(one of several items of feature, described in sentences)
[indented] (indent any lines beyond first line)
(not to be confused with Inline Subhead)
• (Bullet) Normal phrase or sentence.
(One in list of items)
• (Bullet) Bold then rest is Normal sentence.
(Bold initial phrase as type of item in a list)
Table or List. The format for a table or list is simple. Besides the HEADING, all text is Normal, but Bold any table column headings or standardized item types in a list.
Sidebar. The format for a sidebar is the same as the standard format, except all font is sans-serif and there is only one kind of HEADING.
TABLE/SIDEBAR HEADING
(Large Bold SMALLCAPS)
(initial letter is CAP and lowercase is SMALLCAPS)
(a Large SMALLCAP is about same size as a Normal CAP)
[indented] Bold Italic (Period). Normal paragraph.
(required item of feature is then described in sentences)
TABLE ...
Bold
(table column heading)
Normal
(items in column of table)
LIST ...
(typically, insert list into Normal paragraph without HEADING)
Normal
(item in list of same item type, such as creature types)
Normal [tab] Normal
(item in list with brief descriptions, such as list of skills)
Bold (Colon): Normal
(required item type of feature, with brief phrase)
[indented] (indent any lines after first line)
Bold (Period). Normal paragraph.
(one of several items of feature, described in sentences)
[indented] (indent any lines beyond first line)
(not to be confused with Inline Subhead)
SHADED-AREA SIDEBAR ...
[indented] Normal paragraph.
(but first paragraph un-indented)
Italic
(descriptor of current feature as separate line)
Bold (Colon): Normal
(required item type of feature, with brief phrase)
[indented] (indent any lines after first line)
Bold (Period). Normal paragraph.
(one of several items of feature, described in sentences)
[indented] (indent any lines beyond first line)
(not to be confused with Inline Subhead)
• (Bullet) Normal phrase or sentence.
(One in list of items)
• (Bullet) Bold then rest is Normal sentence.
(Bold initial phrase as type of item in a list)
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