Well well well well: This is most certainly an interesting one indeed. Simply for the fact that WoTC is actually taking a chance/dipping their feet into the water in regards to Player Character creature types. We have a Construct(Autognome), Monstrosity(Thri-keen), and the Slime Gir-I uh mean-an Ooze(Plasmoid).
In regards to the Construct and it's "potential issue" in regards to healing, they pretty much gave you a back door/"legal" loophole to make sure you are able to be healed. Ironically for future Construct pc races, this technically makes the Mending Cantrip 5E's "there's no way they would ever do a Healing Cantrip" first ever Healing Cantrip. (Which also opens up the door for a future Healing Cantrip, perhaps, for non-Constructs.) True it has a step you have to do to trigger it, but its there and honestly makes sense. I mean heck, if you really wanted to, you could even remove the simple healing spell part of it if you wanted to play up the Construct aspect to the extreme. (Meaning Healing Kits could now be refluffed as "Tool Kits" and Potions as "Oil Cans".
Now with the Ooze: Everything on there seems pretty much inline with what would be expected with a playable Ooze. I don't know if an Ooze has to worry about "breathing" so the holding breath part seems a bit weird to me, unless there are some Oozes in DND that actually breath. Natural Resilience, with what it can resist, seems similar to other such Resilience's we've seen some races have. (Although I think the Acid is new, unless I'm forgetting bout Green Dragonborn.) I'm pretty much at this rate seeing this/accepting this as the new "Dark Vision/Powerful Build/Etc, etc, etc."
With the Thri-Keen and its method of implementing the Extra Limbs for 5E, is it exactly possible for them to use their secondary arms to support the main arm, thereby allowing a Thri-Keen to wield a Great Sword in one hand? I get the secondary arms can only use a Light weapon (which would pretty much allow Quad Weapon fighting in a way, just minus the attribute modifier added to damage? Hmmm, getting sidetracked here) but can they help support other limbs in holding?
Speaking of Powerful Build: Hippo Build is pretty much an upgraded version of Powerful Build. Most of the complaints about Powerful Build is how it's pretty much at this point a "fluff/ribbon" ability. Especially when it comes to players/dm's, like me, who don't even bother with Encumbrance at all. Hippo Build allows you to have Advantage on Strength Checks and Strength Saving Throws. Which makes it better than regular Powerful Build and actually makes it more useful than its initial Ribbon Ability status. Which brings me to Giff Barbarians: Barbarians, when they Rage, get Advantage on Strength Checks and Strength Saving Throws. A Hippo Barbarian has that with and WITHOUT going into a Rage as well thanks to Hippo Build. PLUS, if they somehow get Greater Weapon Fighting Style, they can reroll a 1 TWICE thanks to the fighting style and Damage Dealer. Honestly, a Giff Barbarian is sounding pretty hardcore right about now. (Heck, keep Hippo Build for all races that has Powerful Build from now on and just change/refluff the name to something else for everything else that isn't a Giff.)
The Astral Elves are okay I guess. I'm legit surprised they are still Humanoid and not Fey. But I'll be shocked if Elves, especially Eladrin, are NOT retyped to Fey at some point.
Overall, I'm REALLY excited for future race options thanks to this UA. And I honestly cannot wait until we finally get an Aberration race. Even if I can already see them getting the same exact Natural Resilience to poison and diseases and probably immune/resistant to Psychic damage.
dnd.wizards.com
