Unearthed Arcana New Unearthed Arcana: Rune Knight, Swarmkeeper, The Revived

Another new Unearthed Arcana! "In today’s Unearthed Arcana, three classes each receive a playtest option. The fighter gets a Martial Archetype option: the Rune Knight. The ranger gains a Ranger Archetype option: the Swarmkeeper. And the rogue acquires a Roguish Archetype option: the Revived."

 

[MarkB]

Actually, to me the Rune Knight feels like a refugee from the Artificer Class, indeed sort of a "multiclass" Subclass to get an Artificer-like Fighter. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Rune Mage Artificer proper at some point.

I had the same impression. I'd be tempted to make an adapted version as an Artificer subclass, and allow it to share the love by runing other peoples' items.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I respectfully disagree. It feels different and unique in my opinion.

Fair enough.

UA Storm Herald was plenty magical.

Ah, you got me there, I had completely forgotten about that. I have only seen the Xanathar's version though.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Something I did think about though with the Rune Knight, you can only put one rune on a single item. So, your armor gets one rune, your shield gets one rune (or your offhand weapon) and your weapon gets one rune. What do you do with a fourth and eventually fifth rune?

I mean, they specifically use the language "wearing or carrying" an item inscribed with a rune. Does that mean carrying it in my hand, or simply carrying it on my person? If I have 4 runes, - armor, shield, weapon and weapon, do I need to put away one weapon to use the other weapon's rune?

It's not entirely clear. And it could lead to some pretty weird situations at high level where I'm pulling out weapons, invoking the rune, tossing the weapon and pulling out another weapon just to use another rune the next round. Which is going to run into issues when the fighter doesn't want to chuck his flaming longsword to pull out his non-magical axe just to invoke a different rune.

I've noticed language that was a bit woolly on several of these new subclasses. In this case the intent appears to be that you can only have three runes active at any one time (or two if you use a 2H weapon) and you are expected to swap your gear about. That's one of the things I meant when I described the ability as "too complicated".

 

[Li Shenron]

The way the Rune Knight works pretty much confirms how the original idea of a prestige class (or a feat) was much better than a Fighter archetype. The runes aren't particularly more useful to a Fighter than other classes, or require to be a Fighter to take advantage from it. I can totally see anyone from any class having this archetype and putting it to good use.

The Revived also could have been the same... why does it have to be Rogue-specific?

Also, once again these UA articles seem to have the purpose to add two of the things I hate most when DMing: pets and factotum abilities. This week is the latter's turn: the ability to gain ANY skill or tool proficiency on a given day. For some DM, this is just a dumb bonus anyway. For me, proficiencies are also the way I control who gets to roll what during an adventure.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The Revived also could have been the same... why does it have to be Rogue-specific?

My suspicion as this started as an idea for turning sneak attack into a ray, the past lives fluff came after.

 

[Li Shenron]

My suspicion as this started as an idea for turning sneak attack into a ray, the past lives fluff came after.

Haven't thought of that... I was rather under the impression that they forced a couple abilities to link with cunning action only to nail the subclass with Rogue. I mean, why should "Bolt from the Grave" be activated by cunning action for no other reason than because it's a Rogue subclass ability?

Also... isn't sneak attack already usable at range?

 

[Li Shenron]

The Revived makes perfect sense to me as a rogue subclass. Who better to literally cheat Death than a rogue?

Mmm.. a Wizard? A Warlock? A Sorcerer? A Cleric of a dark deity?

Also it's not necessarily about cheating death here, as the narrative implies you're sent back. So it could also be a Paladin (just so say someone that is in many ways opposite to a Rogue) being sent back to finish her quests and fulfill her oath.

 

[DEFCON 1]

At the end of the day for the runes, there seems to be a simple compromise: Just make up completely new Giant rune names and don't use actual Norse words. Doesn't that pretty much solve the problem? 99.9% of the gaming population wouldn't know if one of those names was an actual Norse word anyway, so no one should care if the words are fictional and just written in the style of the Norse language.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Haven't thought of that... I was rather under the impression that they forced a couple abilities to link with cunning action only to nail the subclass with Rogue. I mean, why should "Bolt from the Grave" be activated by cunning action for no other reason than because it's a Rogue subclass ability?

Yes, I said it was weird, and looked like they where treating Cunning Action as if it where a limited resource.

Also... isn't sneak attack already usable at range?

Yes, but not as a bonus action (unless you have crossbow master).

Things you could do with this ability:

* Shoot a light crossbow at a target ineligible for sneak attack, Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Total damage 1d8 + 2 x dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Move into melee range and attack with a longsword held two handed. Total damage 1d10 + strength bonus + dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up martial weapon proficiency from feat, race or multiclassing. Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Move into melee range and attack with a 2H sword. Total damage 2d6 + strength bonus + dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up martial weapon proficiency from feat, race or multiclassing. Attack with a reach weapon. Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Total damage 1d10 + strength bonus + dex bonus + sneak attack. or 1d4 + 2xdex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up Fire Bolt via feat, race or multiclass. Cast Fire Bolt. Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Total damage 1d10 (increasing with level) + dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up shield prof via feat or multiclass. Get +2 AC without loosing your second chance of a sneak attack.

* Multiclass to warlock. Watch multiverse implode.

 

[RSIxidor]

Yes, I said it was weird, and looked like they where treating Cunning Action as if it where a limited resource.


Yes, but not as a bonus action (unless you have crossbow master).

Things you could do with this ability:

* Shoot a light crossbow at a target ineligible for sneak attack, Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Total damage 1d8 + 2 x dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Move into melee range and attack with a longsword held two handed. Total damage 1d10 + strength bonus + dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up martial weapon proficiency from feat, race or multiclassing. Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Move into melee range and attack with a 2H sword. Total damage 2d6 + strength bonus + dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up martial weapon proficiency from feat, race or multiclassing. Attack with a reach weapon. Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Total damage 1d10 + strength bonus + dex bonus + sneak attack. or 1d4 + 2xdex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up Fire Bolt via feat, race or multiclass. Cast Fire Bolt. Dodge and fire a grave bolt. Total damage 1d10 (increasing with level) + dex bonus + sneak attack.

* Pick up shield prof via feat or multiclass. Get +2 AC without loosing your second chance of a sneak attack.

* Multiclass to warlock. Watch multiverse implode.

You can't dodge with cunning action. You could hide but then you'd immediately lose it. You could disengage, which helps with the being ranged in melee issue with something like a crossbow. Dash is useful for ranged as well, especially since you need to be somewhat close to use the special attack, and you'd rather be farther away when firing your weapon.