Unearthed Arcana WotC Removes Latest Unearthed Arcana

WotC has removed this week's Unearthed Arcana from its website. Not only has the article's web page itself been removed, the actual PDF has been replaced with last month's "Subclasses, Part 1" PDF (although it's URL still reads... /UA2020-Subclasses02.pdf).

The article included three new subclasses, the bardic College of Creation, the cleric's Love Domain, and the sorcerer's Clockwork Soul.

[NOTE - NSFW language follows].

I don't know if it's linked, but WotC came under criticism on Twitter for its treatment of the Love Domain. The main argument isn't that mind-control magic has no place in the game, but rather that coercive powers should not be described as "love", and that the domain might be poorly named.

People like game designer Emmy Allen commented: "It seems WotC have tried to create a 'Love' domain for clerics in 5e. By some sheer coincidence they seem to have accidentally created a 'roofie' domain instead. Nothing says 'love' like overriding your target's free will to bring them under your power."


That domain was introduced as follows: "Love exists in many forms—compassion, infatuation, friendly affection, and passionate love as a few facets. Whatever form these feelings take, the gods of love deepen the bonds between individuals."

The powers were Eboldening Bond, Impulsive Infatuation ("Overwhelm a creature with a flash of short-lived by intense admiration for you, driving them to rash action in your defense”), Protective Bond, and Enduring Unity.

Whether the criticism was a factor in the article's withdrawal, I don't know. It might be that it just wasn't ready for prime-time yet. It seems the domain itself would be better named a "control" or "charm" domain than a "love" domain, which seems to be the main thrust of the criticism on Twitter.

WotC's Jeremy Crawford commented: "The official version of the Unearthed Arcana article “Subclasses, Part 2” is still ahead of us, later this week or sometime next week. Our team will hold off on answering questions until you’ve seen the real deal!"

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

Yeah, In a game that’s mostly about the glorification of mortal combat, war, zealotry, pillaging and tomb raiding. D&D is full of “bad” things. As is real life.
More specifically about the love domain: I read it, just like everyone else.
I’m not going to argue that someone could have gotten creepy vibes from it. I didn’t, and that’s about it.
Again, I don’t even dare thinking about what would happen if the BoVD was released today.

Because D&D totally takes those into a dark direction, doesn't it? Oh wait no it does, it glosses over the bad stuff and mainly focuses on the positive aspects of those things.
And just because real life is full of horrible things, doesn't mean that entertainment and escapism should be as well, hell that's whole damn point in escapism.

My problem with the Book of Vile Darkness was that it wasn't released concurrent with the Book of Exalted Deeds. My problem with the Book of Exalted Deeds is similar. One without the other seems unbalanced to me (aesthetically, not as a matter of gameplay).

Still sticking by my theory is of there going to be a 5E source book that combines the BoVD and BoED, because I think that would be neat to add.

 

[Aldarc]

Again, I don’t even dare thinking about what would happen if the BoVD was released today.

The Book of Vile Darkness was written by Monte Cook, whose company released within the past year a pamphlet about consent in gaming.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

The spell list could go with something like this:
1: Ceremony, Comprehend Language (the language of love!)
2: Warding Bond, Silence (speak now or forever hold your peace!)
3: Sending (love knows no frontiers), Life Transference
4: Aura of Life, Aura of Purity
5: Hallow, Dream

Channel Divinity: Follow the Heart
Allied creatures lose the charmed, frigthened, or any condition that would reduce their speed immediately and move up to their speed without provoking AoO. If they end their move next to an ally, their gain 5/8/10/15 thp.

Now that's a good spell list for a Love domain, I could definitely see that

 

[prabe]

Still sticking by my theory is of there going to be a 5E source book that combines the BoVD and BoED, because I think that would be neat to add.

If they're going to release the material, I hope they do it in one source book, for reasons that I presume are clear.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

To all the people hoping for Ceremony:

It's an XGtE spell.

All the subclass spells for every subclass released thus far are PHB only spells.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

It's about the powers not really portraying what people generally understand to be "love".

I would disagree here. From the perspective of emulating an acolyte of Aphrodite the powers are perfect. In the classic myths Aphrodite uses her powers to make people fall in love for her own personal gain or amusement. Making Helen fall in love with Paris being the most obvious example of this.

The question then becomes how much should one mind modern sensibilities when being inspired by stories nearly 3000 years old.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

To all the people hoping for Ceremony:

It's an XGtE spell.

All the subclass spells for every subclass released thus far are PHB only spells.

If they dont just reprint it with with the release of the Love domain, I'd go for Sanctuary or Bless

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

If they're going to release the material, I hope they do it in one source book, for reasons that I presume are clear.

Plus it would be fairly thematic. (Here's how to reach the lowest of lows and the highest of highs) The "story" of the book could be someone stapling the books together to see what happened.

To all the people hoping for Ceremony:

It's an XGtE spell.

All the subclass spells for every subclass released thus far are PHB only spells.

Wall of Water is a XGtE spell (well, technically an EEPG spell) and yet the Tritons got it. They could just reprint in the book.

 

[jayoungr]

Channel Divinity: Follow the Heart
Allied creatures lose the charmed, frigthened, or any condition that would reduce their speed immediately and move up to their speed without provoking AoO. If they end their move next to an ally, their gain 5/8/10/15 thp.

That seems REALLY powerful for a second-level ability. It's basically the Glamour Bard's third-level ability, only better--and some people already think Mantle of Inspiration is overpowered.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

I would disagree here. From the perspective of emulating an acolyte of Aphrodite the powers are perfect. In the classic myths Aphrodite uses her powers to make people fall in love for her own personal gain or amusement. Making Helen fall in love with Paris being the most obvious example of this.

The question then becomes how much should one mind modern sensibilities when being inspired by stories nearly 3000 years old.

Yeah, because D&D is 100% faithful to those old stories, just look at the Medusas.