D&D (2024) New UA one D&D play test document Dec 1st.

[Stalker0]

Divine Intervention is an odd choice when they called out that "Mother May I" is something that they're trying to remove from the game. That ability (while I love the story implications) is entirely up to the DM to decide what to do with. You know, if it ever happens, which will be almost never.

I'm afraid that I think it needs to be excised and replaced with something more boring, but more reliable.

It should just be automatic, the 18th level capstone, and basically equivalent to wish.

 

[Dausuul]

I do like that this fixes the problem of the party wizard having a better religion check than the cleric simply from having high Int.

I quite agree, but IMO that should be a thing all clerics get. And druids should have a similar feature for Nature.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It should just be automatic, the 18th level capstone, and basically equivalent to wish.

Th capstone is great... the level 11 ability is just a ribbon.

I think, t should be "roll under 3 times your level." This would go from 1/3 chance to 1/2 until it finally becomes automatic.
Or it should be roll under 30 and it increases by 10 at the 2 currently dead levels.
That would make it feel like taking a chance, not wasting a round.

 

[Stalker0]

Th capstone is great... the level 11 ability is just a ribbon.

No its way stronger than a ribbon if you play in games with downtime. Take a month off, have 4 chances to basically cast wish...that's not nothing. Its a stupidly random ability....but its not nothing.

 

[rules.mechanic]

Th capstone is great... the level 11 ability is just a ribbon.

I think, t should be "roll under 3 times your level." This would go from 1/3 chance to 1/2 until it finally becomes automatic.
Or it should be roll under 30 and it increases by 10 at the 2 currently dead levels.
That would make it feel like taking a chance, not wasting a round.

Or d20 Test under proficiency bonus. Odds are a little better than the d100 under level but main thing is it allows Inspiration, Guidance etc to interact with it

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Divine Intervention is an odd choice when they called out that "Mother May I" is something that they're trying to remove from the game. That ability (while I love the story implications) is entirely up to the DM to decide what to do with. You know, if it ever happens, which will be almost never.

I'm afraid that I think it needs to be excised and replaced with something more boring, but more reliable.

No leave it as is, unlike other mother may I things, this is totally in the lap of the DM. The other mother may I's put the onus on the player to ask permission to do something. This is on the DM to think of something cool

 

[tetrasodium]

No leave it as is, unlike other mother may I things, this is totally in the lap of the DM. The other mother may I's put the onus on the player to ask permission to do something. This is on the DM to think of something cool

No I kind of agree with @FitzTheRuke. Divine intervention is one of those things that sound great in theory & on occasion even generate cool stories. The important part often overlooked is the constant "I want to try divine intervention" every session or two just to make an attempt where everyone sits on pins & needles waiting to see if bob gets a thing he's almost certain to not get.

 

[Incenjucar]

The randomness of Divine Intervention feels like it would be better served by a random spell slot equivalent.

Oh no I only got a 3rd level boon or even oh wow I got a level 12 boon because it's a flipping deity.

 

[Tutara]

Divine Intervention is an odd choice when they called out that "Mother May I" is something that they're trying to remove from the game. That ability (while I love the story implications) is entirely up to the DM to decide what to do with. You know, if it ever happens, which will be almost never.

I'm afraid that I think it needs to be excised and replaced with something more boring, but more reliable.

This absolutely baffled me, too. I like fluffy, open-ended abilities, but even I am not a fan of the current Divine Intervention and it seems pretty much the same, despite the whole 'Let's not make abilities GM dependent' conversation. I had a Cleric player in a campaign who managed to roll low enough to trigger it at level 11, and when it happened we both sat there, non-plussed. What happens? Deus ex Machina? The effect of any cleric spell seems a bit much when all the fighter gets is another attack every round.

In some systems, this wouldn't be a problem. But D&D is so tightly coiled around the idea of 'pull this trigger, get this effect' that the sudden permissiveness seems really out of place.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

No its way stronger than a ribbon if you play in games with downtime. Take a month off, have 4 chances to basically cast wish...that's not nothing. Its a stupidly random ability....but its not nothing.

Ok. You are right. It is a ribbon in actual play and stupidly broken outside.

So it should have a real penalty attached. Probably: if the intervention granted is a spell with a costly material component, you need to make up for it.
Also, the downtime of the spell could be at least 2d6 days, but not before you go on a quest on behalf of your god...