D&D (2024) New One D&D Playtest Shows Us The New Druid & Paladin

WotC has released the fourth One D&D playtest document. This 29-page PDF includes the druid and the paladin with Circle of the Moon and Oath of Devotion subclasses.

Druid. The Druid class and Circle of the Moon subclass are ready for playtesting here.

Paladin. The Paladin class and Oath of Devotion subclass are ready for playtesting here.

Feats. Several revised feats appear here for your feedback, with more revised feats coming in future articles.

Spells. More spells are ready for playtesting, with a focus on smite spells, Find Familiar, and Find Steed.

Rules Glossary. The rules glossary has been updated again and supersedes the glossary in previous Unearthed Arcana articles. In this document, any underlined term in the body text appears in that glossary, which defines game terms that have been clarified or redefined for this playtest or that don’t appear in the 2014 Player’s Handbook.

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[OB1]

Sure, why not continue to let Paladins destroy bounded accuracy with Cha to Saves for all AND allowing Charisma to stack with Str/Dex for attack rolls.

That doesn't destroy bounded accuracy, it makes it work as intended. Bounded accuracy is about stopping the treadmill effect of DCs increasing at the same pace as bonuses. When you get better at something in 5e, you really are better.

 

[OB1]

I'm hoping that means the Land Druid goes away. Currently it's rather boring

In play it's a great subclass. I've DMd a few (Artic and Mountain) and both players loved it.

I still dislike the idea that you can only have Heroic Advantage/Inspiration one at a time. An extremely limited resource is typically saved rather than used.

The great thing they did in the playtest is let you give it to someone else if you earn it when you have it. Been playtesting this (with Nat20s giving it) and found that the party typically likes to get everyone with Inspiraton, and then they start going crazy with using it to turn the tide of a battle.

 

[Clint_L]

I don't like that it takes until level 11 for Druids to be able to wild shape into a tiny form. In practice, this means that most players will never get to use this aspect of wild shape, and I love it at low levels - it leads to excellent role play situations and gives players a lot of problem solving options if they are clever.

 

[Remathilis]

Interesting that they picked moon as the base subclass, rather than land.

Probably to highlight the changes to wild shape. Land druids work just fine under on this druid but moon druids are radically different.

 

[OB1]

I don't like that it takes until level 11 for Druids to be able to wild shape into a tiny form. In practice, this means that most players will never get to use this aspect of wild shape, and I love it at low levels - it leads to excellent role play situations and gives players a lot of problem solving options if they are clever.

Yeah,I think they're trying to have the new Find Familiar Channel Nature replace that, but it just doesn't feel the same. Maybe a rule that if you wildshape to a tiny creature it has only 1 hp and you revert back?

 

[bedir than]

In play it's a great subclass. I've DMd a few (Artic and Mountain) and both players loved it.

The great thing they did in the playtest is let you give it to someone else if you earn it when you have it. Been playtesting this (with Nat20s giving it) and found that the party typically likes to get everyone with Inspiraton, and then they start going crazy with using it to turn the tide of a battle.

Passing it around is very good. I have considered, but not used, having the Inspiration Pool be number of PCs +1. Anyone can add/subtract form the pool as their actions dictate.

 

[TwoSix]

[/QUOTE]

I don't like that it takes until level 11 for Druids to be able to wild shape into a tiny form. In practice, this means that most players will never get to use this aspect of wild shape, and I love it at low levels - it leads to excellent role play situations and gives players a lot of problem solving options if they are clever.

I agree with this. I'd rather just see it as part of the base template at level 1, with an attack that just does 1-2 points of damage. The part about only having duration of half as long is needless complexity.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

That doesn't destroy bounded accuracy, it makes it work as intended. Bounded accuracy is about stopping the treadmill effect of DCs increasing at the same pace as bonuses. When you get better at something in 5e, you really are better.

And an extra +4/5 to hit makes monsters already pathetic AC's even more of a joke.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Has this sidebar been in the other playtest and I just missed it? This seems to spell out how much/little they are changing:

FEATURES OF THE PLAYER’S HANDBOOK PLAYTEST
The Player’s Handbook playtest includes these
highlights:

• Revised versions of every class from the 2014 Player’s Handbook
• 48 subclasses
• Revised species
• New and revised backgrounds
• New and revised spells
• New and revised feats
• New weapon options for certain classes

As the playtest progresses, you will also see new
versions of things that you provided feedback on
earlier in the playtest.

After we conclude the public playtest for the
Player’s Handbook, Unearthed Arcana will explore
material for the Dungeon Master’s Guide and
Monster Manual.

How does all this not constitute a new edition, I ask you?

 

[W'rkncacnter]

uh, boss. a thought occurs. divine smite just says you "hit a target with an attack roll using a weapon or unarmed strike". you can smite with ranged weapons now.