Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Fighter: Samurai, Sharpshooter, Arcane Archer & Knight

I'm getting, like, unhealthy amounts of mad, clicking on that broken link.

 

[Azzy]

I really like the arcane archer, though I agree that it should be able to use more arcane arrows between short rests as it levels up in addition to ever-ready arrow (which could also be reworded). Still, it's my favorite of the subclasses.

The knight's also a keeper, though I wish it included some more cavalry focused abilities--knights being heavy cavalry and all.

The samurai is meh. Between fighting spirit seeming too good, and stepping on the toes of the barbarian, and nothing about it really screaming "samurai", it just falls a bit flat for me.

Also, I think that things like "knight" and "samurai" are more the purview of backgrounds (oh, look at that, the Noble background has a variant...) and tend to be too broad for a class or subclass to really do justice to the concept whether you're looking at them from a historical, legendary, or literary viewpoint (or a mixture thereof). Instead, I think these subclasses should have names a little more descriptive. The knight comes off more as a "defender", "sentinel", or some such. If "champion" wasn't already taken, it'd be a good choice, too. The samurai, seems to have a looser concept, but could be better described as an "unyielding blade" or something to the effect. Also, it would strip the two of unnecessary cultural baggage ("knights don't fit in with an antiquity-based setting", or "samurai don't belong in this non-Japanese setting", etc.).

The sharpshooter... Meh.

 

[Chaosmancer]

It's two turns, if you take the bonus action at the start of the first one. Hence my earlier concern that it might be a tad overpowered (though, again, I'm not positive).

Right, keep forgetting it is "end of next turn"

Still think Barbarian is plenty safe from the Samurai taking his spot

This class is coming into a game that has none of those punishments unless the players are built to perform such punishments. It's not enabling, it's just restricting the tactics monsters can employ and forcing them to play a game that they haven't been designed to compete in.

I'm not 100% sure I agree with that. There are plenty of melee brute type of enemies who are more than happy to stay in melee with a single target, and aren't too picky as to who that is. We've got damage auras and nasty saves that only happen if the person is within 30 ft.

Sure, marking wasn't officially in the game, but the Protection style was, and the idea that a creature is going to be in melee with the fighter. They aren't optimized for countering it, but they aren't necessarily helpless.

Born to the saddle seems very 'horsemanly'. Noble cavalry is basically completely flavorless, and like most of the skill granting abilities is a little bit odd: you've been a knight born in the saddle since 3rd level (?) and now you know how to handle animals. Or be diplomatic.

Well, the 3.5e knight

It isn't now "they know how" it is now "they are an expert/master". Gaining proficiency at level 7 is... +3? Let us assume you've only got a +2 because you wanted a high off save or you were building someone who was already planning on being good with that skill. You now have a +5, equal to having max physical possibility.

Yes, it is like saying a zebra is a black horse with white stripes instead of a white horse with black stripes, but Born to the Saddle is just knowing how to fall off an animal and mount up quickly. Handle Animal is what turns you into a friend of wild animals.

But, that is aside from the point. I have no idea what the 3.5 Knight could do, never saw one, so I don't know what your expectations are. This fits mine.

Well, the samurai is getting somewhere around 18 rounds of this rage per long rest, with the benefit that he can take it in 2 round chunks and gets more if you can squeeze in more short rests, plus it synergizes very well with adrenaline surge. The barbarian is getting up to 30 rounds of damage resistance per long rest taken in 10 minute chunks with substantial restrictions on how long it lasts. He's getting the advantage all day long... but granting advantage to his foes whenever he does..

Well, not quite.

Let's say 18 rounds of advantage is accurate, that still probably only counts as 9 rounds of resistance. You don't usually take S/P/B damage on your turn, unless you are taking Attacks of Opportunity.

And even then, if we just look at lv 3 abilities, the Barbarian still gets bonus damage and advantage on Strength Checks and Saves, and whatever sub-class powers they get.

And fewer short rests or misuse of resources drops faster for the Samurai than the Barbarian.

They do overlap, but I don't think the Samurai overshadows the Barbarian.

 

[Lanliss]

I really like the arcane archer, though I agree that it should be able to use more arcane arrows between short rests as it levels up in addition to ever-ready arrow (which could also be reworded). Still, it's my favorite of the subclasses.

I also like the Arcane archer, as did my player that wanted a lower magic ranger. So, I swapped the Superiority dice of the spell-less ranger for Arcane Shot, and am going to tweak it a bit. He will start with two choices of Arcane shots, and will get to choose a few more as he levels, while also getting more uses, since he will not have the ability that lets him get the 1/encounter arcane shot. Think by the end he will have 6 of the Arcane shots, and 6 uses per short rest. I also plan to add a few custom shots that he can choose from, since the system seems built for that anyway.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Fair points. I think it's a bad Idea to talk what I feel are the Two iconic parts of the 5e Barbarian, Reckless attack and rage, even in a limited form and give them to another class. It would be like giving Extra attack and Action Surge to a Barbarian subclass.

I tend to agree, since they seem to have walked back from the barbarian as the wild man in the woods, there is no reason this couldn't have been a barbarian subclass (except for armor, and they have an armored barbarian already). I noticed that the druid UA's had "pools of power", which seems very sorcerer to me, so maybe reaching deeper into other classes' goodies bags is the plan for these UA's. I didn't mind the gish subclasses, but this is a little deeper than I prefer.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

I very much like all of these. I really liked the idea of 5e feats when I first saw them, but it pretty much confirms my suspicion that they really shouldn't have had combat feats in this edition and have handled everything with subclasses instead.

Anyway, once they get all the kinks worked out of these four subclasses, they would be all welcomed heartily at my table and I think that players would be enthusiastic to play them. I have not really had that reaction to the Bard, Barbarian and Druid subclasses which I would allow, but don't really fill niches that I think a lot of my players were looking to be filled. The Cleric options were nice, but that is the easiest class to homebrew for ("Here are themed 10 spells, a Channel Divinity option, a damage enhancer, and a couple of themed short rest/long rest abilities.) I am looking forward to seeing these fighter options in play.

 

[flametitan]

A funny case of how everyone knows what RAI most likely should be, but a strict RAW reading might imply something different.

If you read Rapid shot/strike, it only talks about advantage being lost by the attack used to trigger the bonus action attack. It says nothing about whether or not the extra attack you gain gets or doesn't get advantage from whatever is giving you advantage. Most likely this bonus attack shouldn't, but as written it can get advantage from your source of advantage (assuming it is a source that affects all of your attacks like the Samurai's ability).

 

[SkidAce]

First thing I thought as I read through the Arcane Archer: this would make a really great assassin! Magic arrows that do not leave any evidence. Magically-created normal arrows that vanish after 10 minutes? The Arcane Shot ability Piercing Arrow? Just let those nobles all line up for you nice and neat. 30-foot kill line is on average 8-10 humanoids, depending on how they are lined up. The only question is whether to single class for the higher level abilities or multi-class for other deadly options.

The way my world runs to mostly low level NPCs, a wizard with magic missile is a very effective assassin.

 

[SailorNash]

Unearthed Arcana Fighter

Overall I really like the designs... except that everything is still keyed to short rests.

I've made the point elsewhere, but short rests do not work in our group. We have 6-8 players. It's extremely rare for more than 2 of the PCs to want to short rest. Either there's enough healing in which case the long rest party members shout "continue," or multiple PCs need to long rest. On more than one occasion, some of the party will short rest while the rest of the party refuses and continues the adventure. In 20 years of gaming together, this kind of disagreement has never happened before. It is by far our least favorite mechanic in 5e. I would love it if there were a viable alternate mechanic.

I see this as a feature, not a bug. Right now, only Monks and Warlocks really care about short rests...even Fighters still keep their 4 attacks and the bulk of their offense.

But if more and more classes are short rest based, then perhaps the majority of the group will want to take these shorted breaks, and more frequently.

Maybe then the 5MWD casters would be at the disadvantage for burning out too quickly, rather than setting the pace for the entire rest of the group.

 

[Chaosmancer]

15th gives Rapid Strike where you trade advantage on an attack for an extra attack. Mind you there is no limit on how many times you can do it. And you can grant yourself advantage. So you extra attack (2) at 11th can move from three attacks with advantage to SIX regular attacks.

Rapid Strike lets you make another attack as a bonus action, so it is limited to only one per turn

A funny case of how everyone knows what RAI most likely should be, but a strict RAW reading might imply something different.

If you read Rapid shot/strike, it only talks about advantage being lost by the attack used to trigger the bonus action attack. It says nothing about whether or not the extra attack you gain gets or doesn't get advantage from whatever is giving you advantage. Most likely this bonus attack shouldn't, but as written it can get advantage from your source of advantage (assuming it is a source that affects all of your attacks like the Samurai's ability).

LOL, you're right. Holy crap... ROFLOL

That needs to be fixed obviously

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Man, the knight player is gonna be a dice rolling fool lol. Attacks to the left of me, attacks to the right, here I am... Being able to use multiple reactions in a round (not turn) can be pretty big.

It seems as if the samurai's most important ability is front loaded. I can see level dips into Samurai and then main class as barbarian (although I wouldn't allow this for RP reasons under most circumstances) or paladin or assassin rogues (which I also probably wouldn't allow for RP reasons)

My favorite is the arcane archer. I really like the various arrows.

Color me mind-boggled.

Why on earth not?


Anyway, why is the AA a fighter? What does fighter add to the experience of being an arcane archer?

This is why I dislike the fighter class. It takes good concepts and turns them into something that is halfway geared toward a concept, and halfway geared toward an entirely different concept. Looking at a 7th level AA, it looks like it's going to play like a multiclassed character, thematically. The ED works that way because it basically is a concept in combination, but the AA, IMO, works better as part of the rogue, wizard, warlock, or reflavored monk.

I like the other ones though. Sharpshooter is definately cool to have. Super simple ranged fighter. Thumbs up.