D&D (2024) One D&D Cleric & Revised Species Playtest Includes Goliath

"In this new Unearthed Arcana for the One D&D rules system, we explore material designed for the next version of the Player’s Handbook. This playtest document presents the rules on the Cleric class, it's Life Domain subclass, as well as revised Species rules for the Ardling, the Dragonborn, and the Goliath. You will also find a current glossary of new or revised meanings for game terms."

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WotC's Jeremey Crawford discusses the playtest document in the video below.

 

[Scribe]

The UA goliath get's stone endurance like the original, but gets to choose several other options if they want that the original doesn't. Then on top of that, they also have increased base movement and also get this:

View attachment 268428

The UA goliath is significantly better than it was before.

Yeah agreed.

I see power creep in 1DnD. That is, let's change the PCs to have even more power at level 1. Everyone gets level 1 feats! Let's boost all the species with moar power!

The other Goliath will still exist. I'd just say if this is an issue, restrict to the the MotM version.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Yeah agreed.



The other Goliath will still exist. I'd just say if this is an issue, restrict to the the MotM version.

Oh sure, but I guess the point I was trying to make was that it appears as if the go forward design approach with 1Dnd is to increase powers and abilities at level 1 compared to previous. Even factoring the cleric having subclasses moved out because channel divinity is moved forward and is pretty powerful on it's own--more powerful than many starting domain features.

 

[Remathilis]

So is a Tabaxi a cat Ardling? Is a Kenku a raven Ardling? The whole Ardling thing just seems so generic and kind of (I hate to say it) lazy. Barely a race, and more just an excuse so that no one has to feel like they can't play their human/animal hybrid of choice.

As you can tell, I have yet to be sold on the concept.

My guess is those other races will still exist independent of ardling, but this acts as a catch-all for people who either want a different take on furry species or something that doesn't exist yet. (Where's my dog-head people WotC?!)

 

[Scribe]

Oh sure, but I guess the point I was trying to make was that it appears as if the go forward design approach with 1Dnd is to increase powers and abilities at level 1 compared to previous. Even factoring the cleric having subclasses moved out because channel divinity is moved forward and is pretty powerful on it's own--more powerful than many starting domain features.

For sure we are seeing things brought up in power. Its 'exciting' to see strong evocative features. The new Goliath makes me think 'thats awesome!' but I can totally see how its strong at a baseline.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Picking your subclass for a cleric is picking who you worship. Seems odd you would wait till third to do that.

No it isn’t. Those are independent choices. A Cleric or Pelor could have several domains. Serving Pelor is a roleplaying choice, usually made when you make the character. Domain is a choice of how you serve Pelor.

 

[Sacrosanct]

For sure we are seeing things brought up in power. Its 'exciting' to see strong evocative features. The new Goliath makes me think 'thats awesome!' but I can totally see how its strong at a baseline.

Funny enough, as I mentioned, I recently played a goliath rune knight. Reading the new species, it feels like they combined the two into one

(going large, and getting giant powers)

 

[Neonchameleon]

The UA goliath get's stone endurance like the original, but gets to choose several other options if they want that the original doesn't. Then on top of that, they also have increased base movement and also get this (which is much more applicable and useful than cold resistance):

View attachment 268428

The UA goliath is significantly better than it was before.

I did mention that in what I was replying to. And the key four words in that are "starting at 5th level" meaning that for the first four levels the new goliath is strictly worse by an athletics skill as well as cold resistance. If you really want large then enlarge/reduce is a second level spell, and the more you level up the less meaningful abilties like this are.

Hmm... now I'm wondering how it interacts with polymorph; if you're polymorphed into a frog do you get to become a large sized frog?

 

[This Effin’ GM]

New Goliath answers the question “What if Rune Knight Fighter, but a species?”

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Oh sure, but I guess the point I was trying to make was that it appears as if the go forward design approach with 1Dnd is to increase powers and abilities at level 1 compared to previous. Even factoring the cleric having subclasses moved out because channel divinity is moved forward and is pretty powerful on it's own--more powerful than many starting domain features.

I think what is really happening is equalizing level 1 a lot more, and leaving the variable power more to later levels.

Most of what we have seen is solidly between the most and least powerful stuff you can choose at level one in the 2014 phb and existing supplements.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

I think an interesting thing is that while classes and feats get less powerful, species and backgrounds get more powerful. I’m wondering if this is a conscious design decision