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

​

 

[Zaukrie]

How do you come by that perspective? Genuinely asking.

Do we really need to litigate this in this thread?

 

[Evaniel]

Well, they actually default to "7 days or whatever the DM wants to do." They even offer up one per month AND 6-8 per level as alternatives.

Yup!

I replied elsewhere in the thread that I posted before I had a chance to get to that part (I am a creature of impulse). While I'd like the default to sync with their other assumptions, I also appreciate the hand-waviness of the latter part.

I also would like to see more events and rooms. In future playtest packets, I hope they explore more of the idea of jointly held Bastions as I see that being a common thing; more rooms would allow for more meaningful choices in a bigger Bastion like that. I'd also like to see stuff for conquering others' Bastions, if only because it could emulate some of the old War Engine stuff from the old Companion.

In my current campaign, the PCs have just given the Redbrands the boot from Tressendar Manor, so we'll actually be playtesting these rules once they're high enough level to bring them online. I'm excited to see how it plays out!

 

[AnotherGuy]

Do we really need to litigate this in this thread?

No we don't, but then we will have just leave it that we disagree.

 

[dave2008]

How do you come by that perspective? Genuinely asking.

Back around 2014/15 they said the default core setting is the "multiverse" IIRC.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Back around 2014/15 they said the default core setting is the "multiverse" IIRC.

True they were playing it fairly neutral back then, but then they released a whole bunch of APs.

EDIT: Although to be fair there are a few MtG settings, Eberron and the Critters universe. So I can see your point. Fair enough.
Ravenloft is a one off and Spelljammer/Planescape are part of the Cosmological Planes so I'm not counting these 3.

 

[Zaukrie]

Sigh.

 

[Maxperson]

Yup!

I replied elsewhere in the thread that I posted before I had a chance to get to that part (I am a creature of impulse). While I'd like the default to sync with their other assumptions, I also appreciate the hand-waviness of the latter part.

I also would like to see more events and rooms. In future playtest packets, I hope they explore more of the idea of jointly held Bastions as I see that being a common thing; more rooms would allow for more meaningful choices in a bigger Bastion like that. I'd also like to see stuff for conquering others' Bastions, if only because it could emulate some of the old War Engine stuff from the old Companion.

In my current campaign, the PCs have just given the Redbrands the boot from Tressendar Manor, so we'll actually be playtesting these rules once they're high enough level to bring them online. I'm excited to see how it plays out!

Yeah. If the multiple PC bastions had special rooms that combined two or more classes and counted as 1 special for both PCs, but did something awesome, that would be fantastic. A Gish room for the fighter and the wizard to share.

Edit: My group appears more and more likely to head back to 3.5e for reasons(not that we don't all like 5e). If we do, I'll be importing this to 3.5e to use.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Sigh.

I was editing while you sighed. We cross posted.

 

[CleverNickName]

The more I read from this UA, the more I like it. I was already developing something similar for my home campaign, using the Downtime mechanic and gold, but I got stuck. This has given me a whole new direction to take things.

 

[Parmandur]

How do you come by that perspective? Genuinely asking.

By reading the 5E books. The Forgotten Realms is not the default or core, it is a frequent example used in Adventures. Quirks of FR like the Tenday (Greyhawk, at least. Has a seven day week) are consistently ignored, and other Settings have always been held up as possibilities for the Adventures.