D&D (2024) Unearthed Arcana Playtest Packet 7 Live on D&D Beyond

Wizards of the Coast posted the seventh playtest packet for the 2024 update to Dungeons & Dragons. The new playtest packet includes updated class material for the Barbarian, Fighter, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard classes.

Highlights for each class:

Barbarian

• New Path of the World Tree subclass and updated Berserker, Wild Heart (formerly Totem Warrior), and Zealot subclasses.
• Attack recklessly for a full round rather than just one turn.
• Path of the Wild Heart (formerly Path of the Totem Warrior) has updated options.
• Brutal Critical gets damage buffs.

Fighter

• New Brawler subclass excels at using improvised weapons and unarmed strikes.
• Tactical Mind and Tactical Shift expand the use of Second Wind.
• Studied Attacks grants advantage on an attack roll against an enemy after you've missed an attack against them.
• Battle Master and its maneuvers have been updated.

Sorcerer

• Innate Sorcery empowers your spellcasting for a limited time.
• Sorcery Incarnate and Arcane Apotheosis boost your Metamagic while Innate Sorcery is active.
• Sorcerous Restoration is available at 5th level and scales with your sorcerer level.
• Wild Magic Sorcery now more reliably allows you to roll on the Wild Magic Surge table.

Warlock

• Pact Magic is back.
• Eldritch Invocations are now available at 1st level and your options have been revised.
• Pact Boons are now invocations, and Mystic Arcanum is once again a class feature.
• Patron Spells are always prepared.
• Updated Archfey Patron, Celestial Patron, Fiend Patron, Great Old One Patron subclasses.

Wizard

• Spellcasting feature now allows you to swap out a cantrip each long rest.
• Memorize Spell is now a feature. Modify Spell and Create spell have been nixed.
• Updated Abjurer, Diviner, Evoker, and Illusionist subclasses.

Universal changes include a return to class spell lists, more features from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, and update to some of the spells including arcane eruption, sorcerous burst, counterspell, and jump.

The official Dungeons & Dragons YouTube account also posted an almost 90-minute-long video doing a deep dive on the playtest packet.

 

[OB1]

Oh, right… Damn, I really liked the idea of a Strength prereq for heavy ranged weapons

Agreed, STR 13 should be the requirement for all Heavy weapons.

Anyone else surprised that Cleave Graze made it past the 70% mark (I'm happy it did)? Think that really shows how the player base has changed over the last 10 years.

Edit: Thanks @fluffybunbunkittens

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Anyone else surprised that Cleave made it past the 70% mark (I'm happy it did)? Think that really shows how the player base has changed over the last 10 years.

You mean that Graze got in. I'll refer you to the flame wars of 10+ years ago on WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DO DMG ON A MISS

 

[Charlaquin]

Agreed, STR 13 should be the requirement for all Heavy weapons.

Anyone else surprised that Cleave Graze made it past the 70% mark (I'm happy it did)? Think that really shows how the player base has changed over the last 10 years.

Edit: Thanks @fluffybunbunkittens

I was pleased to see that too!

Disappointed they just scrapped Flex instead of trying to come up with a replacement.

 

[Stalker0]

I was pleased to see that too!

Disappointed they just scrapped Flex instead of trying to come up with a replacement.

I doubt they are done with flex, they will probably workshop a new mechanic for the next packet.

 

[Charlaquin]

I doubt they are done with flex, they will probably workshop a new mechanic for the next packet.

 

[Parmandur]

I was pleased to see that too!

Disappointed they just scrapped Flex instead of trying to come up with a replacement.

I mean, people thought it was bad and it scored low, so they dropped it.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I do wish they’d call it something else. But what single word that isn’t already taken be useful?

I think "Cast" works fine, even if it is a bit vague until you give it context. Like, are you fishing? But still, I think the context is quickly there because... D&D.

 

[Laurefindel]

That's one of the dumbest things I've ever read - not your fault but WotC's - the absolute purified brain-damage of the idea that a heavy crossbow requires exceptional dexterity to use is MADDENING.

Good god. I seriously lost braincells reading that and I've got few enough already. That's the worst of kind of idiot symmetry.

While your language is more... colorful than mine, I agree that this is bad symmetry.

I like the idea of having str requisites for heavy range weapons. It would legitimise both Strength (as an ability score) and the existence of the shortbow/light crossbow as viable (and potentially preferable) weapons.

 

[Laurefindel]

I think "Cast" works fine, even if it is a bit vague until you give it context. Like, are you fishing? But still, I think the context is quickly there because... D&D.

Are there any instances where one could use magic without casting a spell? Is there a different action for using a magic item, for example?

 

[OB1]

While your language is more... colorful than mine, I agree that this is bad symmetry.

I like the idea of having str requisites for heavy range weapons. It would legitimise both Strength (as an ability score) and the existence of the shortbow/light crossbow as viable (and potentially preferable) weapons.

Given the many advantages of ranged weapons and Dex in general, I think stopping Str dump for ranged warriors if you want access to the best ranged weapons would be a fantastic change.