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.

 

[TwoSix]

I mean, my parents taught me how to swim! They did it the old-fashioned way, too. Just tossed me in the river, knowing that I would figure it out.

It wasn't that hard, either, once I got out of the bag.

My dad was old-fashioned, too, one of those guys who didn't believe in book learning. The best way to learn was to learn by doing.

That's why when I was 6, he just tossed me in the swimming pool; so he could learn CPR.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Garthanos]

That said, the feywild is the Twilight Saga of D&D.

Them are fightin words.... not

 

[Remathilis]

Ignore him, lowkey13 has become so consumed by his hatred of Paladins and all things "new school" that he should have by now collapsed into a singularity of pure salt and skub dealing 10d8 psychic damage to everybody within 120 feet of him plus an additional 10d8 necrotic to Paladins, Tieflings, and Dragonborn.

ENWorld was better when it was without shtick.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[TwoSix]

ENWorld was better when it was without shtick.

You mean the site behind "Eric Noah is my half-fiend love child" circa 2000?

 

[Remathilis]

You mean the site behind "Eric Noah is my half-fiend love child" circa 2000?

That ain't shtick, that's Quality Entertainment

 

[shadowoflameth]

The 3rd level benefit on the monk seems like a lot. Wisdom to attack, radiant damage, reach and it's monk weapon so extra attacks and flurry of blows. Uses up all your ki at early levels but it's a lot. By the time you get to 11th and get more big buffs, you can be using it multiple times per fight with no problem.

 

[RSIxidor]

The 3rd level benefit on the monk seems like a lot. Wisdom to attack, radiant damage, reach and it's monk weapon so extra attacks and flurry of blows. Uses up all your ki at early levels but it's a lot. By the time you get to 11th and get more big buffs, you can be using it multiple times per fight with no problem.

The Wisdom to attack isn't that important, because you can still use Strength or Dexterity without having to focus on Wisdom. Though you probably have invested some in Wisdom as a Monk, you probably didn't invest in at as your primary stat. The Wisdom in place of Strength checks and saves is more interesting, I think. That allows for a Monk that focused on Dexterity to somewhat more reliably use more interesting tactics in combat, such as grappling and shoving, alongside making the spectral arm attacks, if they pumped Wisdom up a bit. Depending on how exactly the arms work, they might even be able to grapple or shove at 10' reach.

EDIT: Radiant is nice but Way of the Sun Soul also gets radiant with a 30' ranged weapon at 3 and doesn't seem to be that significant. This being melee, at least don't have to worry about provoking.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

An aweful lot of fantasy stories feature worlds with "fated heroes" and the like.... I mean the entire prophecy schtick and so on... witches telling you your fortune. Myth and legend certainly has a ton of room for different stories are you really saying the flavor text of a couple monster types out of that many... undermine that much.

Not at all. DnD assumes a teleological world with free will. When a witch tells your fortune, she is seeing the future, not determining it. Determinism isn't a necessary conclusion from the premise that the future can be seen, it's just one possible conclusion.
Further, that future can be changed.

Eberron is pseudo-1928 (10 years after the great war). By 1928 gas lighting was being replaced by electricity.

No, it's not. Eberron is a mix of post-100yrs War, post-Seven Years War, and industrial revolution, with some fairly light early 20th century elements.