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.

​

 

[Parmandur]

I am not saying they don’t, my point was that saying something must be popular because WotC did it and they have all this data is flawed, when we have no way of confirming what the data says or whether it even is relevant to the case in question.

This is an unverified assumption at best, I would like more than that

They have no motive not to appeal to the broadest audience possible, so that is the default assumption barringfurther evidence.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Heck, the OGL and CC mean that anyone can even innovate D&D.

Yeah I didn’t write that post as well as I could have.

That was basically my secondary point. We don’t need wotc to innovate. Cubicle7 will probably innovate 5e more than wotc in the next decade, and IMO that’s good.

 

[mamba]

They have no motive not to appeal to the broadest audience possible, so that is the default assumption barringfurther evidence.

having no motive to and having the data to back a decision up are two things. As I already wrote, this is an unverified assumption.

That might be fine for you, I would like for them to provide the reasoning for a decision. They frequently do mention their poll results, so to me that is not unreasonable.

I do not see them on solid ground at all times, for example the decision to not keep subclass progression in sync is not based on any feedback as far as I can tell. They certainly did not explicitly ask this in one of their polls, and DDB data cannot really help you there either

 

[Parmandur]

having no motive to and having the data to back a decision up are two things. As I already wrote, this is an unverified assumption.

That might be fine for you, I would like for them to provide the reasoning for a decision. They frequently do mention their poll results, so to me that is not unreasonable.

I do not see them on solid ground at all times, for example the decision to not keep subclass progression in sync is not based on any feedback as far as I can tell. They certainly did not explicitly ask this in one of their polls, and DDB data cannot really help you there either

They will provide some explanation of their final decisions, no doubt. But their data is also a trade secret, so they will also leave some mystery to it.

 

[Hussar]

/snip

Or at least... suck for everyone else other than ourselves. So why we keep fighting the bad fight trying to convince people otherwise just so we can get it published in the official WotC version is beyond me.

For me, the reason is, even after decades of 3pp, I can’t get players interested in it. If it’s not in their shiny new WotC book, it might as well not exist as far as my players are concerned.

So in a way you’re right. My players are perfectly happy with the status quo. So it really makes no sense for WotC to listen to me.

 

[tetrasodium]

There is a pretty wide ocean between appealing to a broad audience and halfheartedly trying to almost appeal to multiple conflicting design goals without actually doing a good job at any of them in the name of going for big tent support. Those conflicts add up and frustrate both sides of the conflict while the almost but not quite supported nature goes on to do the same for people with no strong preference who might be ok with either direction.


Sometimes "mostly ok" for everyone is worse than a plurality saying "well designed but not my preference" would be even for the plurality saying it.

 

[Parmandur]

For me, the reason is, even after decades of 3pp, I can’t get players interested in it. If it’s not in their shiny new WotC book, it might as well not exist as far as my players are concerned.

So in a way you’re right. My players are perfectly happy with the status quo. So it really makes no sense for WotC to listen to me.

A healthy status quo provides a space where incremental progress is possible, at any rate.

 

[Hussar]

If you were playing 3.5 which had both and the players had zero interest, would you see it? If your players have no interest, I'm not seeing how the existence of those things makes a difference.

Yes I did. Because in 3.5 as you point out, WotC was willing to produce books which explored niches. Book of Nine Swords or Tome of Magic for example.

But considering the very loud rejection of Bo9S at the time and the subsequent reaction to 4e, that’s never going to happen again.

 

[Pedantic]

Yes I did. Because in 3.5 as you point out, WotC was willing to produce books which explored niches. Book of Nine Swords or Tome of Magic for example.

But considering the very loud rejection of Bo9S at the time and the subsequent reaction to 4e, that’s never going to happen again.

I do sincerely miss late 3.5. best time to be playing.

 

[Parmandur]

Yes I did. Because in 3.5 as you point out, WotC was willing to produce books which explored niches. Book of Nine Swords or Tome of Magic for example.

But considering the very loud rejection of Bo9S at the time and the subsequent reaction to 4e, that’s never going to happen again.

That's also why they still mix and match material in books so hard: only releasing books that have wide appeal avoids situations like Magic of Incarnum.