D&D (2024) Jeremy Crawford Gives an Overview of the New Unearthed Arcana

The upcoming Unearthed Arcana playtest packet for One D&D gets a preview from WotC's Jeremy Crawford. This is apparently the largest of these playtest packets so far, and the biggest Unearthed Arcana they have ever done, at 50 pages long.

It contains 5 classes, new spells, new feats, a revised rules glossary, and the new weapon mastery system.

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[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

I still think they should rename all the 2024 classes, and release the new PH as an expansive supplement instead of a replacement (if they insist on committed to this "not a new edition" idea. It will encourage current 5e players to buy the new books because they represent new content, not replacement content.

that would 100% make it still 5e

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

That's a difference that round of ... 6 points of damage. With Action Surge.

You're really not selling me the value of the Flex property here compared to free pushes, free slows, damage on miss, damage vs. second enemy, etc.

if (not having read it yet) fighter can trade out round by round... I want push or prone this turn and a slight damage boost next turn that would be cool

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

That's a difference that round of ... 6 points of damage. With Action Surge.

You're really not selling me the value of the Flex property here compared to free pushes, free slows, damage on miss, damage vs. second enemy, etc.

It is an increased span for an average, sure, and I'm not a mathematician, but crit-fishing for larger dice probably increases that average a bit more.

Anecdotally, I see Strength-based martial weapon users choosing rapiers and longswords over shortswords. Why? An average of 1 point of damage. Some people care about the damage.

But I understand that you don't value that bit of damage. You value more technical tricks over the little bit of damage, and that is ok! (Edited this part due to premature post.)

 

[Vaalingrade]

You get the idea

Yes. They really, really, REALLY don't want nerds screaming at them for fundamentally changing the game.

 

[mamba]

Yes. They really, really, REALLY don't want nerds screaming at them for fundamentally changing the game.

to me it looks like no matter what they do, there will always be some nerds screaming. So they might as well do whatever they think is right, the outrage level is basically constant

 

[Vaalingrade]

to me it looks like no matter what they do, there will always be some nerds screaming

That's how you know it's really D&D.

 

[Bolares]

I'm quite excited to have more reasons to pick more than one weapon for my character. Fighting multiple enemies? use the cleave weapon, trying to stop someone from escaping, the slow one, or the topple one... I love making fighters that look like walking weapon racks

 

[Remathilis]

The fact the overview is FIGHTERS AND BARBARIANS (and also the three arcane classes) tells me there are probably no major changes coming to arcane casters.

 

[Pedantic]

It is an increased span for an average, sure, and I'm not a mathematician, but crit-fishing for larger dice probably increases that average a bit more.

Anecdotally, I see Strength-based martial weapon users choosing rapiers and longswords over shortswords. Why? An average of 1 point of damage. Some people care about the damage.

But I understand that you don't value that bit of damage. You value more technical tricks over the little bit of damage, and that is ok! (Edited this part due to premature post.)

This is an apples to oranges comparison. You give up no mechanical advantage by optimizing your weapon choice for damage. There is no reason to use a greataxe over a greatsword. If your choices are "more damage" or "nothing" then of course you'd prefer more damage, and of course you'd like to see the other weapon brought into parity so you can justify choosing either of them.

6 damage vs. battlefield movement effects is an actual trade-off, and one that doesn't generally come out in favor of the damage. The only time the damage is superior is in the marginal cases where it makes the difference between another round of enemy actions. 6 damage is rarely going to make the difference there, so the other effects are significantly better.

 

[Bolares]

The fact the overview is FIGHTERS AND BARBARIANS (and also the three arcane classes) tells me there are probably no major changes coming to arcane casters.

They normally split this videos in themes. I presume we will soon see a video talking about the 3 arcane classes.