D&D 5E New Unearthed Arcana: Wonders of the Multiverse

WotC has posted a new Unearthed Arcana featuring the Glitchling race, the Fate domain, and a handful of backgrounds, feats and spells.

In today’s Unearthed Arcana, we explore D&D character options from across the multiverse. This playtest document presents the glitchling race; the Fate Domain cleric subclass; and the gate warden, giant foundling, planar philosopher, and rune carver backgrounds. Additionally, a collection of new feats provide links to giants and other primordial forces of the planes, while a selection of new spells highlight the power of fate and chance.

Wonders of the Multiverse | Unearthed Arcana | Dungeons & Dragons

Explore character options related to the Wonders of the Multiverse! This playtest document presents a new race and subclass and a collection of new backgrounds, feats and spells, all for use in Dungeons & Dragons.

dnd.wizards.com

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Weirdly, there are two consistent themes: Planar stuff, and Giants. I wonder if they making Giants Planar, or if they are testing for two things.

3 themes Giants, Deck of Many Things, and Planescape.

The Giants are most likely for a new First World setting next year and Planescape is clearly the setting revisit for 2023.

But the Deck of Many Things stuff suggests something very different, perhaps a splat book? Outside chance of it relating to a setting, but what setting would focus on the Deck of Many Things so much?

 

[Mind of tempest]

This one is more Planescape themed, though not completely as Giants never factored much into the setting (and still no Bariaur PC race). It's possible this UA is testing the waters to a few different products.

bariaur are so irrelevant it is not even funny.

 

[ART!]

Wizards just don't get it.
UA isn't even copacetic.
And we try to accept it.
But this material ... it's kind of pathetic.

Suggested formatting corrections.

 

[Jer]

Outside chance of it relating to a setting, but what setting would focus on the Deck of Many Things so much?

More likely an adventure than a setting.

 

[Blue]

I am beginning to really FREAKING hate the plethora of little PROF times per day features. They all need to be tracked separately instead of a common currency like Superiority Dice, and so many little bonuses that "use now or not" bogs things down and leads to choice paralysis.

This is a bad design direction in my opinion. Having, reasonably powerful feature PROF times per day works well. Having half a dozen minor ones is clutter.

 

[Yaarel]

Personally, I love the feats with level prereqs. If the assigned levels are accurate and reliable, it means more powerful feats come online at higher levels.



I notice the feat Cartomancer Hidden Ace prepares a spell to cast using a bonus action − a kind of quicken spell.

Also, it suggests the bonus action is here to stay as part of the action economy.

 

[Parmandur]

I don't like it. It is system aesthetically confused.

I mean, abilities are abilities. Feats, Classes, and Races in 5E have always been built on the same underlying point buy logic.

 

[Yaarel]

They do mention Sigil.

The feat Outlands Envoy mentions Sigil. Having spent time there or elsewhere in the Outlands is the flavor.

 

[Parmandur]

The feat Outlands Envoy mentions Sigil. Having spent time there are or elsewhere in the Outlands is the flavor.

Yeah, and the Planar Philosopher Background heavily implies Sigil Faction politics.

 

[Jer]

I don't like it. It is system aesthetically confused.

Some might argue that feats have been aesthetically confused since they were introduced in 3e.

Starting with the name, which made sense when they were originally supposed to be "feats of fighting prowess" for the fighter, but then kept the name "feat" when they moved to being a generic perk available to all classes.