D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Travelers of the Multiverse

New free content from WotC - the latest 4-page Unearthed Arcana introduces six new races: astral elf, autognome, giff, hadozee, plasmoid, and thri-kreen.

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dnd.wizards.com

Looks like Spelljammer and/or Planescape is back on the menu!

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Just to be clear, the new format doesn't exclude any of what you're suggesting.

It doesn't exclude it, but it doesn't tell the player it directly either.

They will have to go back and search through wiki's and prior edition books to find it. And over the years and decades, that information will get more and more buried and harder to find.

What would previously be an instant and easy thing to for the DM to see at a tiny glance when first seeing a new playable species, becomes going down internet rabbitholes and prior edition online PDF's to find out more about the species.

For example, a new player picking up thri kreen now, who has never heard of them before, has absolutely no clue that they're almost 400lbs and live only ~25 years.

 

[dave2008]

Well, if the options are fantasy superheroes or "sticklers for the wording," I'll err on the side of stickler. The PCs already have way too many toys. Restrictions are written into things for a reason. I see to reason to toss those out to give the players even more toys.

Fun? I mean isn't that why we play? I always err on the side of fun rather than stickler for wording.

 

[Charlaquin]

I don't know if the wording is clear enough to state that with certainty. Because if it's still a part of you, nothing says you cant cast spell through it. you could drop your wand, go trough the door, grab the wand with the pod and fire your spells with it.

I mean, the ability itself says you can’t. Sort of. It lists some things you can do with the pseudopod and some things you can’t. Casting a spell isn’t on either list, so it’s not 100% clear, but it seems to me that since it can manipulate objects, it should be able to perform the somatic components of a spell and manipulate the material components or arcane focus. But your space should probably still be the origin point of the spell.

 

[Bolares]

I mean, the ability itself says you can’t. Sort of. It lists some things you can do with the pseudopod and some things you can’t. Casting a spell isn’t on either list, so it’s not 100% clear, but it seems to me that since it can manipulate objects but, it should be able to perform the somatic components of a spell and manipulate the material components or arcane focus. But your space should probably still be the origin point of the spell.

I agree with you, was just trying to point out how the wording left a lot of room for interpretation

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Because (a) some, like the giff, are unequivocally Spelljammer races, and (b), those that aren't unequivocally Spelljammer races are races that still appeared in Spelljammer. The only even slightly odd one is the Astral Elves, and they are presumably are just the Imperial Elves from Spelljammer. Beyond that, these are the races you'd expect to see in a Spelljammer product. Basically, the fit is just to neat and tidy for it not to be Spelljammer...

I looked into the Elves of the Imperial Navy, they recruit from all Elven subraces except Drow and Sea Elves (which used to require water) and don't have one of their own subrace, certainly not one ties to the Astral Plane, so if it's for Spelljammer, that's a sign they majorly changed Spelljammer.

 

[overgeeked]

Fun? I mean isn't that why we play? I always err on the side of fun rather than stickler for wording.

That implies that they're mutually exclusive. They're not. I've always found it more fun to find weird and interesting ways to work within the limitations imposed on my characters rather than ignore the limitations and just do whatever. That kind of creative problem solving, figuring out ways around limitations rather than simply ignoring them, is one of the main reasons I play. To me, and most of my players, that is the fun part.

 

[Charlaquin]

Excited about the potential spelljammer.

Gutted about the new playable species format. The things which make them unique and interesting are just being thrown out.

I disagree. The things that made no meaningful difference are being thrown out and the actually interesting abilities are being emphasized.

 

[Bolares]

If this UA don’t sell you on the new racial format, I think nothing will…

 

[dave2008]

It doesn't exclude it, but it doesn't tell the player it directly either.

They will have to go back and search through wiki's and prior edition books to find it. And over the years and decades, that information will get more and more buried and harder to find.

What would previously be an instant and easy thing to for the DM to see at a tiny glance when first seeing a new playable species, becomes going down internet rabbitholes and prior edition online PDF's to find out more about the species.

As a reminder, these are not full racial write ups. This is a 4 page PDF of six (6) races. The elf entry in the PHB is 4 pages. There is a lot more that will / could / should be added in the final draft. Use the upcoming survey about these to let them know what you want included.

 

[Bolares]

As a reminder, these are not full racial write ups. This is a 4 page PDF of six (6) races. The elf entry in the PHB is 4 pages. There is a lot more that will / could / should be added in the final draft. Use the upcoming survey about these to let them know what you want included.

And even then, the elf entry tells you their age, and most of the other entries say something about height and wheight (in general terms, not actual measurements)