D&D (2024) New Unearthed Arcana Playtest Includes Barbarian, Druid, and Monk

The latest Unearthed Arcana playtest packet is now live with new barbarian, druid, and monk versions, as well as new spells and weapons, and a revised Ability Score Improvement feat.

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WHATS INSIDE

Here are the new and revised elements in this article:

Classes. Three classes are here: Barbarian, Druid, and Monk. Each one includes one subclass: Path of the World Tree (Barbarian), Circle of the Moon (Druid), and Warrior of the Hand (Monk).

Spells. New and revised spells are included.

The following sections were introduced in a previous article and are provided here for reference:

Weapons. Weapon revisions are included.

Feats. This includes a revised version of Ability Score Improvement.

Rules Glossary. The rules glossary includes the few rules that have revised definitions in the playtest. In this document, any underlined term in the body text appears in the glossary.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Only breastplate is feasible if you dump str down to 8. (20lb)
scale mail and hafl-plate both weigh 40 (or even 45) lb. That is quite some chunk out of your carrying capacity.

For the record I prefer ability to use stealth to a single point of AC for a Dex 14 character. This is no hardship - but wasn't a like with like comparison.

If you use variant encumbrance, you are already slowed.

Never seen it used and it's a variant not the default (or even de facto default like feats). And without it even half plate gives you 80lbs spare.

So yes a faffy rarely used variant can change things.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

For the record I prefer ability to use stealth to a single point of AC for a Dex 14 character. This is no hardship - but wasn't a like with like comparison.

Never seen it used and it's a variant not the default (or even de facto default like feats). And without it even half plate gives you 80lbs spare.

So yes a faffy rarely used variant can change things.

80lbs are faster used up than you might think, if you really keep track. If you value stealth on a cleric, ok. But it really depends on the challenges set. And the kind of campaigns. If you like your clerics weak, I can´t help you. I guess you don´t want help anyway.

As I said. Both have advantages and disadvantages. I prefer heavy armor most of the time.
Another rule variant we use: if you are unconscious, no dex bonus to AC.

 

[Chaosmancer]

That depended on your level and, to a lesser extent, your class.

For "build complete" characters there were four top tier ASI options for the Str/melee and the Dex/ranged path, and characters at the top had all four of two primary stat buffs (one of which might only be a +1), and either GWM+PAM or SS+XBE. It's worth noting at this point that if you take baseline assumptions for the game with no real synergies the feats are balanced, but -5 to hit and +10 damage gets really good with accuracy buffs (such as easy access to Advantage) while an extra attack at the cost of reduced main damage isn't that good without static bonuses on your attacks. But few people play build complete; the average game ends by level 10, at which point most PCs only have two feats/ASIs.

Also the order could vary and be class and subclass dependent. And, importantly, which order you took things in is class and subclass dependent. Notably:

• Barbarians have trivial access to an accuracy booster with their reckless attack, meaning Great Weapon Master's Power Attack for -5/+10 is far more useful than the baseline. By contrast they use their first bonus action to Rage and normally end up in someone's face, so the PAM extra attacks are less likely to trigger. GWM first, PAM last (i.e. possibly only at level 16) and without PAM greatswords and mauls are the best pick.
• Paladins do extra proc damage on their attacks and have no class-based use (including almost no spells or subclass abilities) for their bonus actions or reactions, and might stand close to their allies to give them the aura and to lay on hands. They also have a good bonus to one handed attacks thanks to Duelist style. Spear, shield, and PAM with duelist style is therefore almost certainly their strongest overall choice.

And it's notable that OneD&D has changed both these; the -5/+10s have gone, and there's no more spear-and-shield PAM.

Sure, but if we are talking "for the health of the game" level design, then it is complete builds. And even with everything you said, an optimizer is going to go Human Barbarian, get GWM at level 1, then get PAM at level 4, well before the level 10 deadline. They aren't going to be playing a halfling.

This is the point I'm trying to get across. If there is someone willing to sacrifice all story and all flavor on the altar of optimization... they aren't playing halfling barbarians with greatswords, even if One DnD alters things to make them capable of wielding them without disadvantage. It just isn't an optimized combo to begin with.

 

[Chaosmancer]

If you are not a wizard, wis is better than int...

I'd add clerics on the list where str can be better than dex, if they wear heavy armor.

Eh, they don't need heavy armor. Medium Armor gives you Half-Plate, +2 Dex with a shield gives you 19 AC. Fighting at range, that is more than enough. Additionally, high dex gives quite a few boosts, and strength... doesn't. Sure, maybe that 1 point of AC is critical, but I don't think so.

I think with half the classes having at least parity in str vs dex is not that bad.

D&D has never been famous for stas being exactly equal. Charisma has been a dump stat for quite a while, followed by int (usually now it is reversed).

It isn't at least half. 13 classes.

Artificer --> No real need for Strength
Bard --> No real need for Strength
Barbarian --> Relies on Strength
Cleric --> No real need for strength
Druid --> No real need for Strength
Fighter --> Can use strength.... or Dex. Both are equally viable.
Monk --> No need for strength
Paladin --> Can use Strength... or Dex. Both are equally viable.
Ranger --> Can use Dex, Strength is semi-viable.
Rogue --> Relies on Dex
Sorcerer --> No real need for strength
Warlock --> No real need for strength
Wizard --> No real need for strength

Barbarian is the only class that relies on strength. Fighters and Paladins can be built either way. And depending on the build you were planning on (sword and board?) Dex is just as good as Strength for them.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Only breastplate is feasible if you dump str down to 8. (20lb)
scale mail and hafl-plate both weigh 40 (or even 45) lb. That is quite some chunk out of your carrying capacity. If you use variant encumbrance, you are already slowed. So I´d say, you are probably two points ahead with chain armor and with 13 Str for the first few levels you are probably 2 points ahead over a 13 dex cleric until the dex cleric can afford a breastblade (probably the most important levels for AC to matter). You can better use throwing weapons, because when using a shield, ranged weapons are not so great. So the only price you pay is probably -2 initiative if you decide to dump dex to 8. Which is not bad.
There are other advantages and disadvantages. But I´d say it is probably about even, probably better for some cleric builds that want to be in melee.

I have been in a single game that attempted to care about Encumbrance. It didn't last, no one in the party cared. Tried to join a group once, realized it was impossible to make an Artificer that wasn't slowed by his own equipment, utterly killing the character idea.

I know you play with it, and the dozens of others like you, But for the vast, vast VAST number of people, encumbrance is taken out of the game. Because it is nothing but a penalty that you have to figure out a way to ignore to play the game.

 

[Mistwell]

At least Charisma does something for certain classes, instead of being a largely ignored prerequisite for Paladins.*

*I know people have argued that 17 Charisma was amazing in their games, but my experience is that most groups pretty much ignored the NPC reaction rules.

You don't use persuasion, intimidation and deception? Man we use those probably half our sessions.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Eh, they don't need heavy armor. Medium Armor gives you Half-Plate, +2 Dex with a shield gives you 19 AC. Fighting at range, that is more than enough. Additionally, high dex gives quite a few boosts, and strength... doesn't. Sure, maybe that 1 point of AC is critical, but I don't think so.



It isn't at least half. 13 classes.

Artificer --> No real need for Strength
Bard --> No real need for Strength
Barbarian --> Relies on Strength
Cleric --> No real need for strength
Druid --> No real need for Strength
Fighter --> Can use strength.... or Dex. Both are equally viable.
Monk --> No need for strength
Paladin --> Can use Strength... or Dex. Both are equally viable.
Ranger --> Can use Dex, Strength is semi-viable.
Rogue --> Relies on Dex
Sorcerer --> No real need for strength
Warlock --> No real need for strength
Wizard --> No real need for strength

Barbarian is the only class that relies on strength. Fighters and Paladins can be built either way. And depending on the build you were planning on (sword and board?) Dex is just as good as Strength for them.

Sorry. I mistyped. Half the cleric subclasses can use str effectively enough. My bad.

But I did not say, you need heavy armor as a cleric. But I think it is a good option if you like it, in no way strictly worse than dex.

 

[James Gasik]

You don't use persuasion, intimidation and deception? Man we use those probably half our sessions.

No, I mean, in AD&D. You needed a 17 Charisma to be a Paladin, but what Charisma did for you was largely minor in the games I played- my DM's didn't roll for NPC reactions, but instead decided how NPC's reacted themselves, often based on roleplay (which basically did an end run around Charisma), and having a bunch of henchman was largely discouraged, outside of drawing the Knight card from the Deck of Many Things.

Nobody wanted "roll play" (relying on mechanics) to outweigh "roleplay" in my groups, I guess is the best way to put it. So Charisma was largely a dead ability score. Even when 2e added proficiencies, there was initially no "persuasion" ability, so Charisma was used for Etiquette, Singing, Disguise, Gaming, Local History, that sort of thing.

Later publications would add things like Persuasion, Diplomacy, Rulership, Fast-Talk, and so on, but given that you had to go looking for these abilities, I rarely saw them taken.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I have been in a single game that attempted to care about Encumbrance. It didn't last, no one in the party cared. Tried to join a group once, realized it was impossible to make an Artificer that wasn't slowed by his own equipment, utterly killing the character idea.

I know you play with it, and the dozens of others like you, But for the vast, vast VAST number of people, encumbrance is taken out of the game. Because it is nothing but a penalty that you have to figure out a way to ignore to play the game.

So accept that sr is devalued then. I think many groups ignore lore checks. So int can be dumped too. And influencing people is straight player ability. So dump cha.

Yes. Take rules out of the game and use only 3/6 stats.

 

[Clint_L]

Eh, they don't need heavy armor. Medium Armor gives you Half-Plate, +2 Dex with a shield gives you 19 AC. Fighting at range, that is more than enough. Additionally, high dex gives quite a few boosts, and strength... doesn't. Sure, maybe that 1 point of AC is critical, but I don't think so.



It isn't at least half. 13 classes.

Artificer --> No real need for Strength
Bard --> No real need for Strength
Barbarian --> Relies on Strength
Cleric --> No real need for strength
Druid --> No real need for Strength
Fighter --> Can use strength.... or Dex. Both are equally viable.
Monk --> No need for strength
Paladin --> Can use Strength... or Dex. Both are equally viable.
Ranger --> Can use Dex, Strength is semi-viable.
Rogue --> Relies on Dex
Sorcerer --> No real need for strength
Warlock --> No real need for strength
Wizard --> No real need for strength

Barbarian is the only class that relies on strength. Fighters and Paladins can be built either way. And depending on the build you were planning on (sword and board?) Dex is just as good as Strength for them.

If you’re doing sword and board I would presume you are tanking and will eventually want plate.