Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Spirits Bard and Undeath Warlock

We have a new UA release with two subclasses. The College of Spirits Bard is a fortune teller or spirit medium type character with a big random effect table. Meanwhile the Undeath Pact Warlock is a a do-over of the Undying Pact Warlock.

 

[Aldarc]

But why? Has WotC forgotten that we already have the Undying Warlock.

 

[Gladius Legis]

But why? Has WotC forgotten that we already have the Undying Warlock.

Most of 5e's player base sure has.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Planar focused character options book confirmed?

I mean, casting with tarrot cards and crystal balls for bards and undead patron are pretty on themes for the speculated, yet to be announced, positively-presented Vistani centric november book!

 

[Gladius Legis]

The Undead Warlock is basically a non-crap version of the Undying. It's ... OK.

College of Spirits is interesting, but I don't like that Tales from Beyond takes both your bonus action and your action. Terrible for action economy. I feel like the Bardic Inspiration spending part of it should require no sort of action type at all and the tale activation take a bonus action.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Spirits bard looks okay - nothing crazy cpmpared to normal bard shenanigans, and the flavor isn't bad on it's own (although I can see it being handled very poorly.)

Undead warlock doesn't impress me. I don't like the temporary form change, especially as a first level feature. That's a barbarian idea, and really tracks poorly with undeath. I'd rather see a smaller permanent change (necro resitance and advantage against fear?) and just have the shift increase as new subclass features are applied.

On top of that, Grave Touched highly favors greataxes, but mostly favors eldritch blast, because that obviously needed a boost. It should probably be once per turn.

Edit: after thinking some more, I'm not so sure about needing to nerf the damage boost. It's not better than sorlock nonsense, and should be balanced by the fact the you only get a few uses of Form of Dread anyways - unless you have short adventuring days, that is.

Plus I really want to make a half-undead barbarian/warlock dragonborn now...

 

[Weiley31]

Part of me really wants to change the title of College of Spirits to Dirge Singer.

Ala the 3.5 non Eberron version. I did it with Battle Master->Warblade, so it would be something I'd do.

Ironically I was just checking the whole UA subpage here on Enworld yesterday too!

 

[jasper]

no no no letting the bard get into the spirits. Have you seen the trouble a bard can get into sober. Now you giving them booze!

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I hate random effect tables, so I'm going in with that bias already. HOpefully it's a pleasant surprise!

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I hate random effect tables, so I'm going in with that bias already. HOpefully it's a pleasant surprise!

Yep, I hate it.

Edit: I misread it. NEvermind.

Okay, it's good. It's like portent, in that you roll early on (beginning of the day, after a short rest, whatever, and then decide based on the effect who to target with it. This is an example of the only good kind of randomly determined class ability effect.