AL rules for MTOF (or TOF as they call it) are out

[Warmaster Horus]

I'm good with these. There are tons of options out there for players and even more popping up all the time.

 

[Remathilis]

It's not just that. It's an accessibility issue. Imagine being new to D&D, making your standard Elven Wizard or Human Fighter with the Basic Rules, then finding yourself in a party with a Githzerai Horizon Walker, a Kenku Drunken Master, an Aasimar Divine Soul, and not knowing what any of those things are.

Tying the AL to the PHB keeps the game accessible and newbie-friendly.

It also has the unintentional-but-welcomed side-effect of keeping characters relatively normal; as it stands right now you can an oddball race OR subclass, but not both (unless its the very small subset of options that both fall under SCAG). Which forces a sort of compromise; do I want to be a shadar-kai and pick a normal subclass, or be a normal race and pick shadow sorcerer, because I cannot do both. It also limits the freakshow element where everyone plays aasimar, eladrin, and firbolgs without having to give up access to forge domain, glamour bard, or dream druid and spells.

It short, it forces a hard choice in options; do I want to be a cool race with just PHB options for classes and spells, or a cool subrace with new spells and be a bog-standard race?

 

[CapnZapp]

Let it also be said that, with very few exceptions, the PHB choices are still just as good if not better than most other stuff.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

BTW MTOFs is the biggest increase in new deities for FR deities since 2e.

?

Deities that aren't in SCAG?

 

[gyor]

It's not just that. It's an accessibility issue. Imagine being new to D&D, making your standard Elven Wizard or Human Fighter with the Basic Rules, then finding yourself in a party with a Githzerai Horizon Walker, a Kenku Drunken Master, an Aasimar Divine Soul, and not knowing what any of those things are.

Tying the AL to the PHB keeps the game accessible and newbie-friendly.

I'll point out that much of that can still happen, just not those combos. So you could have Aasimar Champion, a Dragonborn Divine Soul, a Tortle Samurai, and so on, so I don't buy that arguement at all.

And none of the races or subclasses are conceotually absrsct enough that they aren't easily and briefly explained to that player. Another reason I don't buy that arguement.

 

[gyor]

It also has the unintentional-but-welcomed side-effect of keeping characters relatively normal; as it stands right now you can an oddball race OR subclass, but not both (unless its the very small subset of options that both fall under SCAG). Which forces a sort of compromise; do I want to be a shadar-kai and pick a normal subclass, or be a normal race and pick shadow sorcerer, because I cannot do both. It also limits the freakshow element where everyone plays aasimar, eladrin, and firbolgs without having to give up access to forge domain, glamour bard, or dream druid and spells.

It short, it forces a hard choice in options; do I want to be a cool race with just PHB options for classes and spells, or a cool subrace with new spells and be a bog-standard race?

Welcomed by you at other peoples expense and at the ecpense of rules that actually make sense.

 

[gyor]

It also has the unintentional-but-welcomed side-effect of keeping characters relatively normal; as it stands right now you can an oddball race OR subclass, but not both (unless its the very small subset of options that both fall under SCAG). Which forces a sort of compromise; do I want to be a shadar-kai and pick a normal subclass, or be a normal race and pick shadow sorcerer, because I cannot do both. It also limits the freakshow element where everyone plays aasimar, eladrin, and firbolgs without having to give up access to forge domain, glamour bard, or dream druid and spells.

It short, it forces a hard choice in options; do I want to be a cool race with just PHB options for classes and spells, or a cool subrace with new spells and be a bog-standard race?

Alot of combos aren't freak shows at all. Shadar Kai Shadow Magic Sorcerer absolutely makes sense, Aasimar Celestial Warlock, again makes alot more sense thematically then Aasinar Fiend Warlocks or Tiefling Celestial Pact Warlocks, Shadar Kai Light Domain Clerics, each a biazaire freakish combo, but all completely legal. Heck I could play a Kobold Cleric of Gnarl Glittergold legally and it doesn't get weurder then that. A Githyanki Druid of the Land. A Chaotic Neutral Githzerai Bezereker Barbarian. A Tortle Wild Sorcerer/Tempest Cleric/Arcane Archer Fughter/Investiator Rogue multiclass that worships Gruumesh the head of the Orc Pantheon, completely legal. A Fire Genasi Way of the Shadow Monk who worships Umberlee Bitch Goddess of the Sea (I did not name her Morrus) and water. I could continue with both illegal thematic builds that go together like peanut butter and jelly and legal builds that are freakish in every way and absolutely WTF about them.

 

[gyor]

?

Deities that aren't in SCAG?

Yes, alot of Deities that aren't in the SCAG, the Seldarine more then doubles in size roughly, the Dwarfs nearly have as much growth, Gnomes and Dark Seldarine gain a fair amount of deities for their size, and Halflings gain one, Charmalaine, bit she sounds cool. Also in the Monster side we learn of two Derro deities, Vaprak God of Trolls (I think he was mentioned in VGTM), maybe others. There is also the Unknown dead God that the Githyanki leave on, but that doesn't count really, and the Zerths believe Zerthimon will return as a God, I don't know if Zerthimon counts.

 

[gyor]

Its 16 Elven Gods added to the Seldarine and 3 added to the Dark Seldarine (Keptolo, Zinzerena, and Malyk) compared to the SCAG (not counting Vulkoor and Raven Queen). Halflings gain 1. Gnomes gain 4, plus Urdlen absorbed The Glutton a Gnome Deity that used to be separate Gnome God, but isn't now.

Not AL legal I think (although they don't say it's illegal either) are the two Derro Deities and Zerthimon.

Now every Pantheon in the book has a deity of Love/Lust/Beauty/Hedonism except the Duergar.

 

[gyor]

New Gnome deities Bleredd N (Labour, Craft),
Gelf Darkhearth CN (Frustration, Destruction) ,
Rill Cleverthrush LN (Law , Thought) ,
Shayana Flaxenstrand CG (Love, Beauty, Passion).

New Elf Gods

Alathrien N (Runes, Writing, Spellcasting).
Alobal Lorfiril CG (Light, Stars, Revelations).
Darahl Tilvenar LN (Fire, Earth, Metalwork).
Elebrin Liithiel CG (Abundance, Gardens, the Harvest)
Gadhelyn CN (Independence, Outlawry)
Kirith Sotherial (Divination, Illusion)
Melira Taralen (Poetry, Song)
Mythrien (Aburjation, Mythals)
Naralis Analor NG (Healing, Suffering, Death)
Rellavar Danuvien NG (Winter, Harsh weather)
Sarula Iliene CG (Lakes, Streams)
Tarsellis Meunnuduin CN (Mountains, Rivers, Wild Places).
Tethrin Veralde NG Battle, (Sword Fighting)
Vandri Giladrith LN (War, Grief, Justice, Vigilance)
Ye'Cind CG (Music, Enchantment)
Zandilar CN (Romance, Lust, Dance).

New Drow Gods
Keptolo CE (Beauty, Hedonism, Fertility)
Malyk CE (Chaos, Rebellion, Wild Magic)
Zinzerena (Assassination, Illusions, Lies)
Vulkoor (Scorpions)

New Halfling Goddess

Charmalaine (Keen Senses, Luck)

New Dwarf Gods
Hanseath CN (Festivals, Brewing, Song)
Muamman Duathal NG (Storms, Travel)
May NG (Clan, Family, Wisdom)
Roknar NE (Lies, Intrigue)
That's Hard CG (Wilderness, Hunting)
Tharmekhul N (Fires, Forges, Molten Rock)
Thautam N (Mysteries, Darkness, Lost Treasures)
Ulaa LG (Minubg Quarrying)
Valkauna LN (Oaths, Birth, Aging, Death)