Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Barbarian and Monk

Unearthed Arcana makes an unexpected return (the last one was back in May) with a three-page PDF containing two subclasses -- Path of the Wild Soul for the barbarian, and Way of the Astral Self for the monk.

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Parmandur

Book-Friend
-So The Way of the Astral Self can attack 6 times in a round with Complete Astral Self (Astral Barrage) and Arms of the Astral Self?
-I like that there's the ability to regain Ki points in combat for the Astral Self, the option to regain Ki points is probably what the Way of the Element Monk needs.
-I like the idea of a Barbarian with Wild Surges, since it's connected to Rage instead of when the DM decides, it actually feels better than the Wild Mage Sorcerer itself.
-I picture the Wild Soul Barbarian becoming sort of Fey like when raging.
-I envision the Astral Self Monk sort of becoming like the Goddess Kali with those extra arms. My vision may also be influenced by that Borderlands 3 character Amara.

Pretty much, yeah, though that is going full nova on Ki.
 

Ugh.

The Astral Monk ... whatever. fine.

But the Wild Soul Barbarian? A magic-infused Barbarian? Have we just given up on classes altogether? Did I miss that memo?

How about the Angry Wizard? You know, the Wizard subclass that specializes in melee and raging?

No?

How about the Smard? It's a Smug Bard, that takes an Oath to, um, Smite evildoers with his lute?

No?

How about the Healing Warlock, which ... oh, wait ....

This...this right here! I feel the exact same way!!
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
Ugh.

The Astral Monk ... whatever. fine.

But the Wild Soul Barbarian? A magic-infused Barbarian? Have we just given up on classes altogether? Did I miss that memo?

How about the Angry Wizard? You know, the Wizard subclass that specializes in melee and raging?

No?

How about the Smard? It's a Smug Bard, that takes an Oath to, um, Smite evildoers with his lute?

No?

How about the Healing Warlock, which ... oh, wait ....

If I am right, and these are Eberron based, magic infused Orcish barbarians fighting the Demonic Hordes alongside Orcish Druids is about right.
 

lkj

Hero
Eberron is a gonzo high magic setting, and it has strong planar elements: the flavor on these feels right. The timing is the main thing, though: they are perfectly situated for the Eberron book based on their publishing pattern.

I'll defer to your expertise on Eberron, though I had thought it was more 'plentiful magic' than 'high magic' setting. You have a great point about the timing. But I keep wondering about some of these various planar hints we've gotten over the years and wonder if there's another possibility. I recall that last year they announced both Wayfinders (Eberron pdf) and Ravnica (harcover book) together. So maybe there's an alternative? Just fun speculation though. I'm not that attached to the idea.

By the way, is it odd we haven't had an official Eberron announcement yet if the book is coming in November?

AD
 

Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
Ok...the Wild Soul Barbarian...

WTAF??? What is this? This makes absolutely no sense to me. Granting allies an expended spell slot? Uh...no, don't like. It seems like they don't really have any clue as to what to do with this particular path.

It makes sense to me so I will try to describe how I imagine it works.

First, the flavor text for the class: "The realm of the Feywild abounds with beauty, unpredictable emotion, and rampant magic. A barbarian exposed to this realm feels emotions powerfully and magic saturates their body. "

So imagine wild fey magic is like comic-book type cosmic rays. Like the Fantastic Four, you went someplace otherworldly and absorbed cosmic rays (or in this case "magic") which infused your body and granted you special abilities sourced to those cosmic rays ("magic"). You have a connection to other creatures and objects who manipulate cosmic rays ("magic") too. But unlike them, you don't have much control over it. It's kinda random for you, and wild.

So you have this excess wild power coursing through your veins, and your pal who also uses this sort of power (in a different much more controlled way, but it's the same stuff ultimately) loses some of their power (by expending a spell slot). It's like they have access to a pool of this similar power, but they just poured a glass of that power out of the pool.

But you, you have excess power. It's literally running through your body. It even makes you glow with that power sometimes (when you are near magic items, which are infused with that power and you sense them).

So you pour some of your power back into your pal who just emptied some of their power.

But it hurts you to do this - because that power was literally part of your body, and you just moved some of it to your pal. So you take some damage as you do this. But they now have their pool of power re-filled and can use it like they normally would use it now.
 
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Parmandur

Book-Friend
I'll defer to your expertise on Eberron, though I had thought it was more 'plentiful magic' than 'high magic' setting. You have a great point about the timing. But I keep wondering about some of these various planar hints we've gotten over the years and wonder if there's another possibility. I recall that last year they announced both Wayfinders (Eberron pdf) and Ravnica (harcover book) together. So maybe there's an alternative? Just fun speculation though. I'm not that attached to the idea.

By the way, is it odd we haven't had an official Eberron announcement yet if the book is coming in November?

AD

It is extremely odd, as every November book for 5E has been fully announced by the end of July at the latest. This is a new strategy, and the announcement may come any day now, really.

I do suspect that we will see something like the Wayfinder's Guide soon, for another setting. The prime suspects would be Dragonlance, Dark Sun and Planescape (the remaining settings from the first tier of popularity we have nothing solid for yet). I don't know if these fit for any of those more than they fit for Eberron, but we will probably know very soon.
 

lkj

Hero
Yeah. The Barbarian is odd flavor-wise. I feel like they are trying to capture a particular concept and decided that the Barbarian chassis was the best fit. The 'rages' aren't really rages but they actually work pretty well as mechanics for a 'burst of power'.

I think this would all be a little clearer if I had a better idea of the archetype they are shooting for.

That said, the idea of a character who is so infused with magic that it 'bursts out' sometimes isn't a bad one if you let go of the name 'Barbarian'. It does remind me of some of the anime my son watches.

In fact, both of these subclasses do. Hm . . .

AD
 

DEFCON 1

Legend
Supporter
Ugh.

The Astral Monk ... whatever. fine.

But the Wild Soul Barbarian? A magic-infused Barbarian? Have we just given up on classes altogether? Did I miss that memo?

How about the Angry Wizard? You know, the Wizard subclass that specializes in melee and raging?

No?

How about the Smard? It's a Smug Bard, that takes an Oath to, um, Smite evildoers with his lute?

No?

How about the Healing Warlock, which ... oh, wait ....

It's exactly like all the other "multiclass" subclasses. It's the Barbarian / Warlock multiclass in a single class form. Just like the Zealot is the Barbarian / Cleric multiclass in single class form. The Celestial Patron is the Warlock / Cleric, the Way of the 4 Elements is the Monk / Wizard, the College of Swords is the Bard / Fighter etc. etc. etc.

And the Angry Wizard is a concept we've already gotten, way back in 3E as the Rage Mage.

I'm kind of surprised that people are still shocked by these concepts. Making "multiclassed" subclasses for those players and DMs who don't actually like the Multiclassing rules is something they've done from the very beginning with the EK and AT. Why these new ones are an issue is kind of odd.
 

Parmandur

Book-Friend
Yeah. The Barbarian is odd flavor-wise. I feel like they are trying to capture a particular concept and decided that the Barbarian chassis was the best fit. The 'rages' aren't really rages but they actually work pretty well as mechanics for a 'burst of power'.

I think this would all be a little clearer if I had a better idea of the archetype they are shooting for.

That said, the idea of a character who is so infused with magic that it 'bursts out' sometimes isn't a bad one if you let go of the name 'Barbarian'. It does remind me of some of the anime my son watches.

In fact, both of these subclasses do. Hm . . .

AD

Not to belittle the setting by any means, but Eberron has always given me an Anime vibe (in a good way). Very Full Metal Alchemist.e
 

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