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.

 

[Stalker0]

They do, but in this UA the heavy property puts a 13 Str minimum on melee weapons and a 13 Dex minimum on ranged weapons.

I intend to tell them in the survey that I would prefer the Str minimum on both.

it also means a lot of fighters will have to use shortbows now, as they won't be able to use a heavy crossbow or longbow without a 13 dex.

Dex is even MORE important now!


I feel like the elven contingency though would never allow longbows to require 13 str, unless elves themselves could ignore the heavy property as a part of their "cultural training"

 

[Charlaquin]

it also means a lot of fighters will have to use shortbows now, as they won't be able to use a heavy crossbow or longbow without a 13 dex.

Dex is even MORE important now!

Yeah, gross. Definitely going to be asking WotC to make it a Str requirement whether on melee or ranged.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I’m disappointed by this playtest packet because of the Warlock and Wizard changes. (Haven’t read the other sections yet.) I loved the way the previous Warlock and Wizard changes went, but this playtest seems like it’s going backwards.

Welcome to playtesting D&D! I can't tell you how many times I've seen an idea that's usually, "Great Idea! It just needs a few rules-tweaks, because the implementation is off - but the idea is great!" Nope, it's gone. Because their playtest process doesn't tell them WHY people don't like it. Which often, AFAICT, is from the implementation, not necessarily the idea.

I assume that it works for their goals - I can't believe that they're not aware of the limitations of the process.

 

[Stalker0]

Because their playtest process doesn't tell them WHY people don't like it. Which often, AFAICT, is from the implementation, not necessarily the idea.

Keep in mind they also go through all of the written comments as well, I would assume that gives them a good picture of the specific issues people have.

 

[doctorhook]

Welcome to playtesting D&D! I can't tell you how many times I've seen an idea that's usually, "Great Idea! It just needs a few rules-tweaks, because the implementation is off - but the idea is great!" Nope, it's gone. Because their playtest process doesn't tell them WHY people don't like it. Which often, AFAICT, is from the implementation, not necessarily the idea.

I assume that it works for their goals - I can't believe that they're not aware of the limitations of the process.

Yeah I suspect you’re right. I’ve done some of the playtest surveys and given detailed feedback, and I’ve been somewhat impressed with the thoroughness of their questions—but you’re right that maybe they still aren’t asking enough of the right questions.

I already think WotC’s version of 5E is too milquetoast and bland, and unfortunately the One D&D playtest is making me think they want to keep it that way. It feels designed by committee to appeal (or continue to appeal) to the broadest possible group of players, which will probably earn it a solid B- from most folks; it will be fine but frustratingly close to being a lot better.

Ah maybe I’m just salty. And maybe I’ll just keep using that playtest wizard and warlock as they were.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Keep in mind they also go through all of the written comments as well, I would assume that gives them a good picture of the specific issues people have.

The specific issues that people who actually fill out the comments have, yes.

Hopefully that gives them some idea, but I really doubt that all that many people are able to articulate (or bother to try) what it is that they don't like about a low-scoring feature.

At any rate, playtesting can be a disappointing process when your baby gets thrown out with the bathwater, for whatever reason (even when it's because your personal preferences really aren't shared by a majority).

 

[Scribe]

Yeah, gross. Definitely going to be asking WotC to make it a Str requirement whether on melee or ranged.

This survey is going to be painful.

 

[Yaarel]

And Wizards should be called Magic-Users once again! (Even though others also use magic. )

Edit: Whoops left out the hyphen.

Not the "Magicker" class?

 

[Yaarel]

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.

And it makes sense too.

People point out correctly, one needs to be reasonably strong to use a bow well.

 

[Yaarel]

I actually do use the term "magic" as a transitive verb, in the sense of "to magic something", meaning to make something magical, to enchant it.

But "to magic" as an intransitive verb in the sense of "to do magic", to cast a spell, that would be technical jargon that takes some getting used to.