D&D (2024) New One D&D Playtest Document: 77 Pages, 7 Classes, & More!

There's a brand new playtest document for the new (version/edition/update) of Dungeons of Dragons available for download! This one is an enormous 77 pages and includes classes, spells, feats, and weapons.

Unearthed Arcana Playtest

Unearthed Arcana Playtest Materials Get Unearthed Arcana playtest content, try it out in your game, and provide feedback! Check back regularly for ...

www.dndbeyond.com

In this new Unearthed Arcana document for the 2024 Core Rulebooks, we explore material designed for the next version of the Player’s Handbook. This playtest document presents updated rules on seven classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, and Rogue. This document also presents multiple subclasses for each of those classes, new Spells, revisions to existing Spells and Spell Lists, and several revised Feats. You will also find an updated rules glossary that supercedes the glossary of any previous playtest document.

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[Bill Zebub]

And unreasonable standards of simulationism for martials is the enemy.

Fixed.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Reddit is less than thrilled...

I am really doubting their judgement abilities...

I think that playtest has a lot of good things to offer.

Even the monk, for a first round, seems decent. Not quite there, but decent.

Yes, nerf to stunning strike, yes, not enough buffs. I'd like them to get wis or prof bonus to discipline points at level 2. Or a progression that is not db = level.

I'd also like them to either have d10 hp or the tasha's guide healing ability. Yes that is weak, but you can use all unspent points before a short rest.

I've found it drearily commonplace that when something new is announced, myself and many other members of this site are excited, interested, or at least guardedly positive about it, and then I go to Reddit and it's all doom and gloom and that D&D is RUINED FOREVER!!!!

 

[EzekielRaiden]

So a magic item can grant you a refresh or use an expenditure of a channel divinity feature without naming which channel divinity?

That seems a pretty narrow benefit for such complexity, doubly so when 5e's whole thing is "ditch complexity whenever possible, even if it would be useful."

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Fixed.

Mod Note:

Let’s not indulge in gatekeeping, please.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Realistic enough for a game where holding martials to a higher standard of realism is already a problem. I mean, if I pick up a video game I haven't played in a few months, it takes me a little while to get back in the groove. I don't even want to think how long it would take me to brush off my fencing skills again. Skill rust is very much a thing. And unreasonable standards of simulationism for martials is the enemy.

I hold everything that has a basis in reality to the same standards of simulationism, no matter what class it comes from.

 

[Kurotowa]

I hold everything that has a basis in reality to the same standards of simulationism, no matter what class it comes from.

Yes, that's exactly the problem, where "It's magic!" explains anything and everything, while martials have to adhere to the limits of the real world. How does the old quote go? "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread." If you say you judge Fighters and Wizards alike in adhering to the simulationist limits of the real world, that hits one of them a lot harder than the other.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes, that's exactly the problem, where "It's magic!" explains anything and everything, while martials have to adhere to the limits of the real world. How does the old quote go? "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread." If you say you judge Fighters and Wizards alike in adhering to the simulationist limits of the real world, that hits one of them a lot harder than the other.

Very true. Which is why if you want martials that aren't held to those limits, provide a narrative explanation in the class description that allows for that and go to town. I wrote one in another thread for a mythic martial/superhero class we were working on, until the thread closed. Probably that's what I'll use if I decide to write the class myself. It would be quite the challenge.

 

[Kurotowa]

Very true. Which is why if you want martials that aren't held to those limits, provide a narrative explanation in the class description that allows for that and go to town. I wrote one in another thread for a mythic martial/superhero class we were working on, until the thread closed. Probably that's what I'll use if I decide to write the class myself. It would be quite the challenge.

Seems like a lot of unnecessary jumping through hoops to meet an arbitrary standard that you created for yourself. But you do you.

 

[cbwjm]

I've found it drearily commonplace that when something new is announced, myself and many other members of this site are excited, interested, or at least guardedly positive about it, and then I go to Reddit and it's all doom and gloom and that D&D is RUINED FOREVER!!!!

Which subreddit? There's one which is super negative, I stopped following it during the OGL kerfuffle and my reddit experience has definitely improved.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I guess what I mean is the divine smite exploit is gone. No more "Oh, I rolled a crit! I'm going blow my biggest divine smite!" It says it's a bonus action, which reads me not part of the actual attack action that triggered it. So no bonus damage from the crit.

Nah it adds to the attacks damage.

Paladin's Smite is an awful, awful name, but I like the implementation. Finally a use for the Smite spells! ...just kidding, it's still just Divine Smite.

Healing with a bonus action doubles their hitpoint pool, which would be silly on its own, but now imagine just how many times they can pop up an unconscious party member.

Eh it’s always been more a cleric thing that is misplaced on the Paladin, but making it a BA just makes it usuable in a fight. It’s fine.

I love how they kept it on the Divine list and didn't bother to make it part of the Paladin's Smite kit.

Hey, Cleric, wanna Smite? Cool, you get Searing Smite, which is still light years inferior to even the Paladin's nerfed Divine Smite.

What’s frustrating is that the 2014 version of the smite spells are mostly better than the divine smite class feature, because you’re frightening or whatever at the cost of like 2 average damage and a bonus action.

Bards getting to pick from any spell list just seems a tad... much.

Like, have a Ranger concept? Wouldn't you like more Expertise, better initiative, cantrips, early access to spells, more spell slots, use your weapon as spell focus? Just pick Valor Bard + Primal.

And you’d still not be a Ranger lol

I mean, the Bard isn’t an even successful at being a Bard, but even with the fact that JoAT fits Rangers more than Bards, what you describe still doesn’t make a Ranger.

My impressions:
pls, return Mearls and hire again Monte Cook.

God no. Few things would make me ditch D&D quicker.

They seem to but my table’s thinking is still who asked for this? Who is this for? I think the answer is HASBRO pockets as none of this seems needed. I feel bad for the team as they could be making more new things for 5E and not tethered to this expanded edition or 5.5. 5th edition will remain I think and this will become the 4E Essentials line that most ignore Or pilfer for some homebrew.

It’s just a new part of 5e.

There’s dozens of us!