D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook preview: "New Spells"

[Yaarel]

I wonder if the designers are rethinking the magic for gishes like Eldritch Knight, thus leaving the Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade cantrips behind. DMs can still import the 2014 spells, but 2024 Eldritch Knight might be doing something different.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, it's exciting that someone other than the D&D Beyond team is aware of Baldur's Gate 3. Looking forward to seeing a setting/splatbook for it some time in 2027 or so.

On the other hand, nothing says "we don't ever listen to Critical Role, despite all of the work-related reasons to do so" than not even mentioning Heroes Feast, which gets cast at the beginning of every single adventuring day once the PCs are of level to do so.

 

[Charlaquin]

Well, it's exciting that someone other than the D&D Beyond team is aware of Baldur's Gate 3. Looking forward to seeing a setting/splatbook for it some time in 2027 or so.

A setting book for Baldur’s Gate? So… Forgotten Realms…?

 

[Parmandur]

A setting book for Baldur’s Gate? So… Forgotten Realms…?

I mean, they already made the Baldur's Gate Gazateer from Decent into Avernus free on Beyond.

I would lay pretty good odds on a Forgotten Realms Settign product next year, though, like a 3 boom slipcase focused on the Heartlands or something.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

A Bastion is a homebase. According to the playtest, it is magical perks for having a homebase. Each character can have a Bastion, or pool their resources for a shared one. (Tho if I recall correctly, each character still accrues benefits separately.) The main critique of the playtest was, it was too much of a minigame, and it didnt integrate well with economic rules in the 2014 Players Handbook. Also, the minigame encouraged "saving up" the points for a better reward at higher levels, which effectively meant the minigame was less played. The designers confirm it will be in the 2024 DMs Guide, but we dont know if there was any revision of the playtest version.

For me the problem is it didn't intergrate well with existing adventure based homebases like Trollskull Tavern.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A setting book for Baldur’s Gate? So… Forgotten Realms…?

I was thinking more of a zoomed-in look at the region in the game, with the new spells, monsters and especially magic items, of which there are many. Something comparable to the Sword Coast Guide (STOP THROWING THINGS AT ME!) but with clear Baldur's Gate 3 branding on it and featuring the NPCs, themes, etc.

Something additional to help walk people over from one side of gaming to the other.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Me too. In my games, a homebase is super important with future characters growing up in and inhereting it from earlier high level characters. I would love formal rules for a Bastion, but it needs to be a normal part of the game.

One overhaul of the playtest I would like: let characters buy realestate in the Players Handbook, as normal, like buying a ship. But let the Bastion separately add magical perks to any properties the characters happen to have.

This allows it to intergrate better with settings and adventures too, you can use preexisting homebases like Trollskull Tavern, although working with Ships, walking castles, and Spelljammers is a good idea.

 

[Argyle King]

Is this a joke or an honest question?

Honest question.

I know what the word means in day-to-day use. I don't know what it means, how it is used, or how it functions in play for D&D 5th Edition.

Should I be asking dishonest questions?

 

[Kinematics]

I think it's a bit of a shame, almost criminal that there isn't a simple elemental-damage-add weapon cantrip spell. Add like a d4 or d6 fire/ice/thunder/acid/lightning to a weapon attack, like a scaled down flamestongue/frostblade weapon for eldritch knight/hexblade/ranger/paladin types.

While I agree it would be nice, extra elemental damage per attack is actually pretty strong in terms of DPR. Generally, a +1d4 and +1d6 damage die sits right on either side of getting a +2 magic weapon. The +1d4 is closer to the +2 weapon than the +1 weapon.

The Magic Weapon spell is level 2 (castable at level 3 by a full caster, or level 7 by an Eldritch Knight), and makes a weapon a +1 weapon. Upcasting to a 4th level spell (castable at level 7 by a full caster, or level 19 by an Eldritch Knight) makes a +2 weapon.

Aside: The Eldritch Knight might get access a level or two earlier, given the changes to the spell progression table in 2024 that have been talked about.

Brainstorming a little, I'd first consider making the cantrip provide an extra +1/2/3/4 damage at levels 1/5/11/17. Flavor it as an elemental effect of the appropriate damage type. Require concentration?

The problem is that that's still a weak 1d4 at level 5, a weak 1d6 at level 11, and a weak 1d8 at level 17. Will that skew the balance of things too much? Though since it's a static boost and not a die, it won't be affected by crits, which limits it a bit more.

I dunno. There's so little wiggle room between magic weapons and elemental dice and leveled spells, it's hard to say if a cantrip can work in there. Maybe just +1 damage at level 1, and +2 damage at level 11?

 

[Charlaquin]

I was thinking more of a zoomed-in look at the region in the game, with the new spells, monsters and especially magic items, of which there are many. Something comparable to the Sword Coast Guide (STOP THROWING THINGS AT ME!) but with clear Baldur's Gate 3 branding on it and featuring the NPCs, themes, etc.

Something additional to help walk people over from one side of gaming to the other.

Oh, ok that makes sense.