D&D (2024) Upcoming One D&D: Unearthed Arcana 'Expert' Classes (Bard, Ranger, Rogue)

WotC has posted a video describing the upcoming Unearthed Arcana playtest document which will feature three of the core character classes, each with a single subclass.

This document is the second in a series of Unearthed Arcana articles that present material designed for the next version of the Player's Handbook. The material here uses the rules in the

2014 Player's Handbook, except where noted. Providing feedback on this document is one way you can help shape the next generation of D&D!

Inside you'll find the following content:

Expert Classes. Three Classes appear in this document, each one a member of the Expert Group: the Bard, the Ranger, and the Rogue. Each Class appears with one Subclass. More Subclasses will appear in Unearthed Arcana in the months ahead.

Feats. Feats follow the Class descriptions, particularly feats available to the classes in this document.

Spell Lists. Three Spell lists-the Arcane, Divine, and Primal lists-are featured here. The Ranger uses the Primal list, and the Bard potentially uses all three, thanks to the Magical Secrets feature.

Rules Glossary. In this document, any term in the body text that is underlined appears in a glossary at the end. The glossary defines game terms that have been clarified or redefined for this playtest or that don't appear in the 2014 Player's Handbook.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Sounds like a very pessimistic thing to think. Depressing...

Or do you have special insight?

Why would they care about specific opinio s they would have to parse and analyze? Numbers are what bring in the bucks.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Now, Rangers with spell preparation implying a better access to spells, and rituals? That's actually interesting!

As long as it's not just Snare, a skill check turned into a 'spell'.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Everyone in the game can conduct themselves in combat, because it's a combat-centric game. That's not what martials do any better than others.

I disagree. Most of the time this discussion comes up, the side arguing that casters are just as good if not better than martials always seem to come down to an assumption that casters have access to every spell, all of the time (while ignoring things like higher AC, hit points, and swing forever functionality of a marital), when actual game play is nothing like it. I hope this conversation doesn't also go down that path, because I have no interest in pursuing it for the umpteenth time.

 

[teitan]

So much for compatible.

 

[Micah Sweet]

So much for compatible.

I'm sure the math will hold, and that's the only thing many people who support WotC's compatibility claims care about.

 

[bedir than]

Beastmaster Ranger

Post-Tasha's it's more than fine. They've figured out how to have useful companions.

So we’re back to paladins hoarding spell slots for Critical Smites? And uber sneak attacks on a Crit? That’s… unfortunate

No. They're testing another system. That's it.
Test A. Test B. Neither are an indication of a trend. They are both one-offs

 

[teitan]

I'm sure the math will hold, and that's the only thing many people who support WotC's compatibility claims care about.

That’s not compatible. I won’t be able to play my 8th level no feat having human Paladin.

 

[bedir than]

That’s not compatible. I won’t be able to play my 8th level no feat having human Paladin.

Why wouldn't you? All the rules are the same and they have suggested that the power levels will be the same. At this point the entire conversion doc can fit on a 3x5 card.

 

[Undrave]

Most classes have 2 or 3, save wizard and cleric who have them to represent the common divine domains and the eight schools of magic. I don't know which ones you cut.

Most of the Wizard subclasses could be collapsed into a single 'School Specialist' subclass. The Diviner, Illusionist and Necromancer might have enough leg to be developped as their own subclasses if they're not just copy paste of each other, but if I were to put it down to the standard three I'd go 'School Specialist', some remake of the War Wizard with a bit more 'War' into it, and the Diviner because it has a nice support ability, but I could also see a subclass that has a pseudo-Multiclass feel to it.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I wouldn't mind the paladin being in warriors (warrior with a little divine) and making the monk being in priests (priest with a little martial), something like:

Warrior: fighter (pure warrior), barbarian (warrior with a little primal), paladin (warrior with a little divine)
Mage: wizard (arcane mage), sorcerer (primal mage), warlock (mage with a little martial or a little expert)
Priest: cleric (divine priest), druid (primal priest), monk (priest with a little martial or a little expert)

Warlock subclasses could be arcane focused, primal focused, and possibly divine focused, and monks could be divine focused or primal focused (and maybe eventually psychic focused).
At the end of the day, the paladin tends to be a bigger damage dealer than the monk, so I feel like "hits things harder" gives the warrior paladin the edge over priest paladin.