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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[Parmandur]

The only issue we had was that the subclass didn’t give automatic extra spells. We considered having it do so, but we wanted our feedback to be purely based on the text, not text+houserules.
Okay, so name whichever ones don’t work with the playtest version, and why.

In the eventuality that the new Warlock would go to press, I think adding that extra Spellcasting slot is likely.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

did you see the thread about warlock cantrips that don't count as warlock cantrips? how bout my thread about spell lists going forward? But yes how would subclasses work each one needs at least some modification

They really don’t, though. The cantrip issue literally just needs finished text with an editing pass. The spell list situation is still evolving, I’m not going to worry about it until they’ve started editing with an eye on compatibility specifically. Like provide feedback, sure, but it would be absurd to assume that they just won’t clarify the language of spell lists.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

In the eventuality that the new Warlock would go to press, I think adding that extra Spellcasting slot is likely.

Me too. Easy enough to say, “if you’re using the 2024 Warlock and a previous subclass, your extra spells become spells you always have prepared, and you can cast one of them once a day without a spell slot”.

 

[Velderan]

Spell recharge and spell level both changed from pact tactics. The second subclass get rewritten as powerful warlock cantrips that both are and are not warlock cantrips at the same time
Armor prof changed
You get 1 new invocation but have to spend several to get back your arcana

did you see the thread about warlock cantrips that don't count as warlock cantrips? how bout my thread about spell lists going forward? But yes how would subclasses work each one needs at least some modification

Honestly? I haven't been following many of these threads because of the arguments. I've skimmed the packets, but haven't gone to the lengths of trying to make a mock character or anything like that so there's surely some blind spots where something is just flat out broken and won't work that I might not know of. There's definitely things that will be more or less powerful, but I'm not sure how by any definition of compatibility a 2014 warlock can't play at a table with a 2024 warlock using the spell selection process from the book they were created using. Where's the issue?

I mentioned subclasses, because maybe there's a subclass in Tasha's that refers to a mechanic that changes so significantly in 2024 that it would no longer apply. That's definitely feedback that should go into the survey and is valid criticism. There's enough eyeballs looking at the packets that it's pretty much a sure thing WotC will have missed something that a fan playtesting will notice.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Spell recharge and spell level both changed from pact tactics. The second subclass get rewritten as powerful warlock cantrips that both are and are not warlock cantrips at the same time
Armor prof changed
You get 1 new invocation but have to spend several to get back your arcana

None of that has any impact on how an archfey patron works.

 

[HammerMan]

.
Okay, so name whichever ones don’t work with the playtest version, and why.

The one we ran into was elegance (I think) that lets you choose to spend the die and if you fail you can keep the die to use it again. However the new system is not that you have the ability to spend it.
So the confusion was who “keeps” it the bard or the target.

I think there is one (it might be 3rd party have to look) that when you use your bardic inspiration choose a second target but that target won’t be useing something right then and there.

 

[HammerMan]

They really don’t, though. The cantrip issue literally just needs finished text with an editing pass.

Hey look that was one of the things we suggested and got told we were “moaning and complaining” about.

The spell list situation is still evolving, I’m not going to worry about it until they’ve started editing with an eye on compatibility specifically.

Okay you don’t have to look at it now or later that is up to you, but those of us looking at it now are sharing our experiences

Like provide feedback, sure, but it would be absurd to assume that they just won’t clarify the language of spell lists.

There isn’t much point in discussing things at all if we just assume they will fix everything anyway.

 

[HammerMan]

None of that has any impact on how an archfey patron works.

Okay so what?

 

[Velderan]

The one we ran into was elegance (I think) that lets you choose to spend the die and if you fail you can keep the die to use it again. However the new system is not that you have the ability to spend it.
So the confusion was who “keeps” it the bard or the target.

I think there is one (it might be 3rd party have to look) that when you use your bardic inspiration choose a second target but that target won’t be useing something right then and there.

I'm assuming you're referring to College of Eloquence from Tasha's, which at level 6 gives the bard Unfailing Inspiration.

Unfailing Inspiration​

6th-level College of Eloquence feature

Your inspiring words are so persuasive that others feel driven to succeed. When a creature adds one of your Bardic Inspiration dice to its ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and the roll fails, the creature can keep the Bardic Inspiration die.

It's pretty clear who keeps it, the target which in the text I quoted is referred to as the creature.

How does that apply to the playtest 2024 bard? Let's look at the text for inspiration dice from the UA for Bard:

Boost a d20 Test. When another creature within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear fails a d20 Test, you can use your Reaction to give the creature a Bardic Inspiration die. The creature rolls that die and adds the number rolled to the d20, potentially turning the failure into a success.

So a target has to fail a roll for the bard to be able to use their reaction to give them an inspiration die. They roll the die, add the result to their existing failed roll, and if the result still fails and the bard has Unfailing Inspiration, the target keeps the die for their next failed roll is how I would read that. It could use a little cleaning up to clarify that, maybe putting a limit on how long the target can keep the inspiration die. It doesn't seem like a broken mechanic to me.

 

[Micah Sweet]

nah, it’s the zealots of one side annoying everyone else with their constant posting of grievances in any thread they find, to the point that they are getting some pushback in a futile attempt to make them stop

I really do not care what they call One D&D, but this neverending barrage of futile postings is annoying, and as far as I can tell it is not convincing anyone. It seems to accomplish quite the opposite when I go by my reaction to it

A very partisan response it seems to me. Good guys and bad guys.