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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[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This many years out from 4E, it's funny to see them drop in an explicitly videogame style of play into the game -- letting archers "kite" their foes by slowing them down with their arrows and slowly walking backwards -- and no one says boo about it.

 

[MarkB]

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.

The overview is that there are 50 pages, five classes and a new glossary. The rest of the video was focused on weapon mastery, with a mention that it is something fighters and barbarians can do. Aside from discussing weapon mastery they dedicated no more time to fighters and barbarians than to any other class.

 

[Neonchameleon]

One of my players is extremely mathy and piles up every tiny little advantage, even when everyone else scoffs or shrugs their shoulders. The cumulative effect, though, is quite impressive.

It doesn't have to be a bonus that appeals to everyone.

A key thing about Flex is that it is always a good choice (as is graze). Others like push, slow, and cleave won't be. And the trip weapons are going to get better at after level 5.

I'm expecting flex to be the default.

 

[Bolares]

Why, pray tell?
I fully expect the future wizard to have a blasty, controllery, fighty subtype and one generalist.

because I presume they'd want to touch on a lot of the concepts that are in the PHB first. If they don't do a big "adapting all the popular old subclasses" book, I'd expect that the first few new books to cover the 2014 PHB options first.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

The difference in that case is because there is no drawback whatsoever to taking the rapier or longsword over the shortsword. You literally lose nothing while gaining that +1 damage.

Whereas taking a Flex weapon means you're not taking a Push, Slow, Cleave, Puncture, etc. weapon.

Fair.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I can see College of Blades or Valor Bards getting weapon mastery as a subclass feature. I think a few subclasses of non-warrior classes will possibly get weapon mastery.

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

So let me recap. The fighter gets a choice of masteries they can use when they make an attack.

Good to see 4e At Will attacks coming back for the fighter. Although not at low level. And giving fighters At Wills is the most fun Crawford has ever had as a fighter?

Tide of Iron was my favorite

 

[Neonchameleon]

Tide of Iron was my favorite

Mine too - but I found it best with something else as an alternative.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It has a long an honourable tradition in the game.

I've never seen a problem with it. Fighters are supposed to be masters of ALL weapons and armor.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

because I presume they'd want to touch on a lot of the concepts that are in the PHB first. If they don't do a big "adapting all the popular old subclasses" book, I'd expect that the first few new books to cover the 2014 PHB options first.

To be fair, they've implied that each class in the '24 PHB will get four subclasses in the book, and that means they can't fit all of the core Wizard subclasses built around specific schools of magic (Enchantment, Transmutation, etc.) as is.

But if they were to develop some sort of generic "School Specialist" to pick up all eight (no idea how that would work mechanically, just floating the idea), then they would have room to touch on other Wizard subclasses like Bladesinger as well.