D&D (2024) Bonus Unearthed Arcana Reveals The Bastion System

A 'bonus' Unearthed Arcana playtest document has appeared, and it shows off D&D's upcoming Bastion System.

This October, we’re bringing you a special treat. While we’re continuing to develop and revise public playtesting material for the 2024 Player’s Handbook, we’d thought you’d enjoy an early look at what we’re cooking up for the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide.

The coming Dungeon Master’s Guide will be the biggest of its kind in decades and contain an assortment of new tools for DMs and their tables. In Bastions and Cantrips, we’re showcasing one of these tools, the Bastions subsystem. Dungeon Masters and their parties can use this subsystem to build a home, base of operations, or other significant structure for their characters.

And if you’re raring to test out more character options, we’re also including revisions for 10 cantrips in this playtest packet.

Claim Unearthed Arcana now! - D&D Beyond

www.dndbeyond.com

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[TwoSix]

I'm not even sure if the horde necromancer is viable for PC necromancers. Even video games try to keep the number of PC summons down due to how that adversely affects frame rates, and likewise in TTRPGs, summons tend to slow down the game. So having a necromancer who manages a massive horde of undead may sound great on paper but be a nightmare in practice, especially if turns the player from a master of undeath into more of a book-keeping accountant of summons.

There are probably better ways to translate the contemporary archetype - e.g., more temporary spell effect summons - but I'm not sure how willing WotC is to explore those options on account of maintaining "tradition" and "iconic" spells.

Totally true. The 3pp necromancer is use in my games is focused on raising a few strong minions rather than a horde of weak ones, and it's definitely much more playable.

BG3 showed how clunky the 5e approach to necromancy is, in my mind.

 

[Parmandur]

It doesn't bother me, specifically, I'm just kinda surprised not to see a bit more "Oh, hell no" responses. I mean, we've had decades of "I don't like the worldbuilding implications of raise dead" threads, doesn't the magical resurrecting house at least require a small layer of narrative gloss?

Nah, I don't expect thwt much pushback. The mechanics are not explained, ao ot doean5habe to be magic per se: more like a scene cut "your butler went out and found you at death's door and nursed yoy.back to health."

And the cost means it ain't happening often.

 

[Zaukrie]

I'd prefer that I can get a bastion at any level.....but that what it could do was more level dependent.....but I can already see in my mind that the rules become more and more fiddly? Maybe? Not sure, would have to give this more thought....but I think the powers should be level dependent, but not the "realistic" parts (like owning a pub).

 

[Reynard]

It doesn't bother me, specifically, I'm just kinda surprised not to see a bit more "Oh, hell no" responses. I mean, we've had decades of "I don't like the worldbuilding implications of raise dead" threads, doesn't the magical resurrecting house at least require a small layer of narrative gloss?

I mean, the playtest is probably focused on the mechanics.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I'm not even sure if the horde necromancer is viable for PC necromancers. Even video games try to keep the number of PC summons down due to how that adversely affects frame rates, and likewise in TTRPGs, summons tend to slow down the game. So having a necromancer who manages a massive horde of undead may sound great on paper but be a nightmare in practice, especially if turns the player from a master of undeath into more of a book-keeping accountant of summons.

There are probably better ways to translate the contemporary archetype - e.g., more temporary spell effect summons - but I'm not sure how willing WotC is to explore those options on account of maintaining "tradition" and "iconic" spells.

I think the way to do it would be to have "swarm" of skeletons/zombies which was a single entity gameplay-wise, but 5E seems less keen on swarms than 4E was (though IIRC there is a zombie swarm in some official 5E book - Ravenloft maybe?).

I do agree the problem is likely to come from WotC wanting to "maintain tradition" even though like literally 1% of D&D players have ever had PCs who ever cast any undead-raising spell.

 

[Zaukrie]

I think the way to do it would be to have "swarm" of skeletons/zombies which was a single entity gameplay-wise, but 5E seems less keen on swarms than 4E was (though IIRC there is a zombie swarm in some official 5E book - Ravenloft maybe?).

I do agree the problem is likely to come from WotC wanting to "maintain tradition" even though like literally 1% of D&D players have ever had PCs who ever cast any undead-raising spell.

I agree that swarms are under used in official 5e stuff.....also, just bring back minions (borrowing the ideas from the new MCDM book) already.

 

[Parmandur]

I'd prefer that I can get a bastion at any level.....but that what it could do was more level dependent.....but I can already see in my mind that the rules become more and more fiddly? Maybe? Not sure, would have to give this more thought....but I think the powers should be level dependent, but not the "realistic" parts (like owning a pub).

But we can already do that. This is a framework for providing a more robust and systemic metacurrency for the player to make changes in the world and narrative. While leaving it optional and modular from table to table.

 

[Zaukrie]

But we can already do that. This is a framework for providing a more robust and systemic metacurrency for the player to make changes in the world and narrative. While leaving it optional and modular from table to table.

sure, but why level limit buying a pub as a bastion? Level limit what it can do.....

 

[Yaarel]

I like the Bastion concept. Finally have Lair. I love that the options can magify it.

Levels 1 thru 4 are the apprentice tier. Level 5 starts the professional tier. Getting a home makes sense. Pragmatically, the first four levels fly by quickly, and many players are still deciding what they want to do with their character, and if they are trying out a new class, still focusing on getting a feel for it. Level 5 seems ok.

In a living campaign, where earlier characters are still around. Level 1 character might still be living at their parents Bastion.

I prefer a character has ones own Bastion, that elaborates on the character concept − like a Thieves Guild versus a Wizards Tower. I agree an option to share a Bastion is nice.

It makes sense to coordinate the Bastion with the class. That seems old school too. At the same time, in a 5e context, I would love to see the Bastion coordinate with the background and with the tools and skills. These backgrounds often imply what a character wants to do with their property. For example, a Brewer would want to set up a brewery − and a pub at level 5 − and if skills and background are also in play, stuff like this is easy.

 

[Imaro]

But we can already do that. This is a framework for providing a more robust and systemic metacurrency for the player to make changes in the world and narrative.

Yeah I feel like this is really being missed by many in this thread. This is an article around Bastions... anything that doesn't give you the effect of a bastion can still be purchased but it's not covered by the rules of a bastion. In fact doesn't 5e already have rules for running a business... i.e. a pub?