Unearthed Arcana Beyond D&D: Replacements and Enhancements for the Ranger and Fighter

[Parmandur]

I'd be unsurprised to see WotC split the difference, actually and have "X's guide to the Planes", with a sort of Xanathar-style personality guiding us through the Planes. Just so long as it's not some GOOGLY-MOOGLY has-been Forgotten Realms "celeb" like Volo. He can go back into retirement. Bring us a REAL NPC from Planescape. Someone who says "berk" non-ironically.

(Note: portions of this post may not be intended seriously - adding this before someone decides to defend Volo's "honour" or something equally mad!)

They already made Shemeska one of the narrators to Mordenkein's Tome of Foes. Such a "Guide to the Planes" would likely be a Planescape Setting book, full stop, which is to my mind currently the most likely possibility.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

They already made Shemeska one of the narrators to Mordenkein's Tome of Foes. Such a "Guide to the Planes" would likely be a Planescape Setting book, full stop, which is to my mind currently the most likely possibility.

I'd forgotten that. Honestly if they stick with the car-crash Monte Cook version (which 4E did), I'll be pretty sad, but it seems likely with her prominent (she was in the 4E version). It's literally like some Tyler Durden "I just felt like destroying something beautiful" deal. I honestly hope Monte Cook is profoundly ashamed of what he did (he has sort of indicated he kinda maybe sorta kinda is, in that he blamed TSR/WotC for not letting him finish what he was doing and bring the Factions back). Only the 4E FR compares for "setting ruined by idiotic hooligan", and it's still not nearly as bad, and they rolled that back with 5E at least.

 

[Parmandur]

I'd forgotten that. Honestly if they stick with the car-crash Monte Cook version (which 4E did), I'll be pretty sad, but it seems likely with her prominent (she was in the 4E version). It's literally like some Tyler Durden "I just felt like destroying something beautiful" deal. I honestly hope Monte Cook is profoundly ashamed of what he did (he has sort of indicated he kinda maybe sorta kinda is, in that he blamed TSR/WotC for not letting him finish what he was doing and bring the Factions back). Only the 4E FR compares for "setting ruined by idiotic hooligan", and it's still not nearly as bad, and they rolled that back with 5E at least.

I'll admit to not being deeply familiar with Planescape, but I think any 5E approach would lean into the Factions hard.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

At ~34 pages (plus art, minus anything that doesn't pass muster with the public: I checked, the words per page and style match the printed book parameters), it is significantly less player material than XGtE, less than half. And Xanathar's is one of the shortest books for 5E. Unl as they are going to throw a few full Classes out there (Paion, Warlord...Blood Hunter), it doesn't seem like XGtE 2: Eldritch Bugaloo. A total surprise (which they are well capable.of) or a Setting book, I think. But the options range too much from straight weird (Rune Knight, Swarm Ranger, Firebug Druid) to relatively mundane ("I throw things!", Heroism Paladin) without a strong flavor of an old school setting: my guesses in that case remain the catch-all meta-settings Magic: the Gathering or Planescape, or as a wild card Greyhawk (OG Setting with room for anything, including weird or down to Earth, original rules supplement introducing new Classes was Greyhawk...Greyhawk wouldn't really have Race options screaming to be added, for that matter, unlike the meta-settings).

Right, I’m not suggesting a Xanathars style book. I’m suggesting a setting guide meets guidebook on worldbuilding and understanding the interconnected cosmos of dnd.

Because Planescape is weird as hell, as is Spelljammer, and the MTG worlds are mostly fairly small in terms of lore, I think they may well combine them in a book with a format that uses different worlds, parts of the cosmos, factions, etc, to talk about games and worlds that stretch the boundaries of traditional DnD.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

They're just bad and have literally no reason to exist, that's the problem. You can achieve the same thing, but better, by simply using the Basic-set PC class/subclass combos.

Strongly disagree. They are extremely simple classes that can be added to a race and standard array, and make a very simple companion that won’t fall behind, but won’t overshadow.

They do exactly what they should do.

 

[Parmandur]

Right, I’m not suggesting a Xanathars style book. I’m suggesting a setting guide meets guidebook on worldbuilding and understanding the interconnected cosmos of dnd.

Because Planescape is weird as hell, as is Spelljammer, and the MTG worlds are mostly fairly small in terms of lore, I think they may well combine them in a book with a format that uses different worlds, parts of the cosmos, factions, etc, to talk about games and worlds that stretch the boundaries of traditional DnD.

I'm sorry for being unclear, I agree with what you said and was more trying to add to what your point.

 

[Charlaquin]

Right, I’m not suggesting a Xanathars style book. I’m suggesting a setting guide meets guidebook on worldbuilding and understanding the interconnected cosmos of dnd.

Because Planescape is weird as hell, as is Spelljammer, and the MTG worlds are mostly fairly small in terms of lore, I think they may well combine them in a book with a format that uses different worlds, parts of the cosmos, factions, etc, to talk about games and worlds that stretch the boundaries of traditional DnD.

I think you’re right on the money here.

 

[bedir than]

Maybe they aren't done with UA?

 

[Parmandur]

Maybe they aren't done with UA?

For Class options, it sounds like they are done based on what Crawford said. No more Subclasses anytime soon, at any rate.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I think you’re right on the money here.

I hope so!

I'm sorry for being unclear, I agree with what you said and was more trying to add to what your point.

No worries!