Unearthed Arcana New UA: 43 D&D Class Feature Variants

The latest Unearthed Arcana is a big 13-page document! “Every character class in D&D has features, and every class gets one or more class feature variants in today’s Unearthed Arcana! These variants replace or enhance a class’s normal features, giving you new ways to enjoy your character’s class.”

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[Yaarel]

Actually actually no it's not. You cannot RAW in the PHB replace a "level-0" spell because look at the header for the section that swapping spells on level up is under.

And no, you don't have "level-0 slots", RAW. If you play that way, great, but it's not RAW.

Despite the header in the Sorcerer spellcasting section, ‘SPELLS KNOWN OF 1ST LEVEL AND HIGHER’, the text itself says ‘Additionally’, meaning it is adding new, additional, information. So, spells at level 0 are also possible.

On the other hand, at the moment, I cant find a specific reference to ‘cantrip slots’, or ‘level-0 spell slots’, so you might be right that it might disqualify the possibility of a cantrip swap. At the very least, official clarification is helpful.

In any case, it would be easy to errata with a word or two in the Players Handbook itself, the intent to include a cantrip swap, by referring to a ‘cantrip slot’, or by allowing the spell swap to be any level including zero.

 

[Garthanos]

Thrown weapon specialization is fringe? Lol since when?

Well when did Xena come out. ;p oh wait isn't that one of Thors forte's

 

[Salthorae]

Despite the header in the Sorcerer spellcasting section, ‘SPELLS KNOWN OF 1ST LEVEL AND HIGHER’, the text itself says ‘Additionally’, meaning it is adding new, additional, information. So, spells at level 0 are also possible.

On the other hand, at the moment, I cant find a specific reference to ‘cantrip slots’, or ‘level-0 spell slots’, so you might be right that it might disqualify the possibility of a cantrip swap. At the very least, official clarification is helpful.

In any case, it would be easy to errata with a word or two in the Players Handbook itself, the intent to include a cantrip swap, by referring to a ‘cantrip slot’, or by allowing the spell swap to be any level including zero.

'Additionally', meaning it is adding new, additional, information... to the "SPELLS KNOWN OF 1ST LEVEL AND HIGHER" section.

If the dev's intended it to apply to cantrips it would specify them since Cantrips are always handled in their own sections and essentially have their own rules for acquisition and frequency of use which is different from all Spells of 1st level or Higher. Which is the section where we find the rules for swapping spells out.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

As I said, it is a valid concept. But it makes sense that it wasn't necessarily something they though of in the PHB. These alternate features actually a good illustration of what Crawford said at the start of this round of UA tests, about working on more quirky concepts that weren't covered by the core concepts in the PHB or XGtE.

I mean, a lot of us were disappointed by (and have been hounding them about) the lack of thrown weapon support since day one, but okay.

 

[Parmandur]

I mean, a lot of us were disappointed by (and have been hounding them about) the lack of thrown weapon support since day one, but okay.

Sure, same with the unarmed fighting style. Doesn't make them less corner cases compared to Sword-and-Board or Great Weapon styles.

 

[Kurotowa]

That literally is how it works already. Each of these classes can swap spells on a level up. I’ve seen a number of posters here say this. Why do so many people keep saying they want them to change Spell Versatility to only work on a level up when it already does that?

Not to be entirely uncharitable... but it makes me strongly suspect none of these people have played a Sorcerer or Warlock. I have. I played a Warlock in a 2+ year campaign and tried a Sorcerer for a few months in another one. And this change is one that has me wishing had always been available.

If you try actually playing a Sorcerer or Warlock, you'll quickly find out just how restrictive having a smaller number of locked in spells in. You can't take anything situational, you can't react to changes in location or theme, all you've got is a single spell swap the next time you level up in two or three months. It really forces you to take only the most broadly useful or universally powerful spells because you don't have room for anything else. Being able to swap out a spell every long rest would be a game changer. Situational spells for a specific adventure? Gamble on an oddball spell to see if you can make it work? Tailor your choices depending on things like party changes or magic item acquisition? Suddenly those are all options.

You want to chip away at Wizard and Cleric dominance? This is how you do it. "Theme" and "Flavor" are nonsense objections. The game changes constantly and just because something was badly designed in the past is no reason it has to remain badly designed.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Sure, same with the unarmed fighting style. Doesn't make them less corner cases compared to Sword-and-Board or Great Weapon styles.

Nah. The knife thrower is a classic well represented trope that dnd has supported outta the box for a couple decades before 5e.

 

[Tony Vargas]

As the main weapon type for a Fighter? Thrown weapons in my experience are more for Rogues looking to get some sneak attack.

So, you mean, you didn't see fighters throwing weapons a lot in the last 5 years, when it was a poorly-supported option. Well, now y'might.
And, yes, it'll be his main thing, since Combat Style channelizes each fighter into one approach (just no longer into one specific weapon, like weapon specialization used to).

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

"Theme" and "Flavor" are nonsense objections.

To be fair, theme and flavor are not really "nonsense objections" to those who find those things important.

 

[Parmandur]

Nah. The knife thrower is a classic well represented trope that dnd has supported outta the box for a couple decades before 5e.

Covered by the Rogue, as the Monk has covered Unarmed fighting. They are letting their hair down a little, seeing what people will accept (this is all subject to popular veto, recall).