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

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[Garmel]

Crawford details the feedback from U6 in the video:

• Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, Bard and Rogue are done with UA and going straight into final development for the book

I hope the Life domain gets some more work done on it.

 

[Parmandur]

I hope the Life domain gets some more work done on it.

I mean, they are goongntondo more development and playtesting of the math details, but apparently the shape is finalized.

 

[Stalker0]

That's whybitbisn8mportsnt to give then names and families. Players will then dedicate their characters lives to protecting them.

Here's the problem. If characters actually start caring about the defenders, they also might get peeved that the character died to "1 random die roll". Its literally a d6, got a 1 (maybe a d8 if you did invest in the armory).

You might start gettign things like "whoa whoa whoa, why wasn't I there? I didn't hear about any rumors of an attack? What about all of those spies I hired, what about my divinations, etc etc".

Once defenders go from just numbers to "people", you might get the players pretty annoyed at the random way they die.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I mean, they are goongntondo more development and playtesting of the math details, but apparently the shape is finalized.

I think that is a good thing. I hoped for another go with the bard. But then, I have faith they will not screw it up too much.
I still don't get why they removed song of rest last time. But that is my only real concern.

I really liked the idea of chosing your spell list. Gave me some flashbacks of 2e. Maybe I would have been even happier if they could still chose the wizard list (with int as caster stat) or druid list (with wis as caster stat) or the bog standard bard list.

But that won't happen.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think that is a good thing. I hoped for another go with the bard. But then, I have faith they will not screw it up too much.
I still don't get why they removed song of rest last time. But that is my only real concern.

I really liked the idea of chosing your spell list. Gave me some flashbacks of 2e. Maybe I would have been even happier if they could still chose the wizard list (with int as caster stat) or druid list (with wis as caster stat) or the bog standard bard list.

But that won't happen.

It can at your own table. Sounds like a cool rules change.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It can at your own table. Sounds like a cool rules change.

Of course it can. The problem hiwever is that then I am the DM and can't play that bard. Or I am a player and have to convince the DM...

Maybe if we would get subclasses at level 1, then every subclass could just define their casting stat... hmm...

.... probably not worth it...

 

[Arilyn]

Ok, we have one vote for and one against Shillegah....anyone else (let's hope the two above don't argue here too much about it and take over the thread)....

Definitely a positive vote here too. My druids always have this spell. It's a cantrip, so you always have a good weapon at hand, using your Wis.stat. Not even sure it needs a buff, since in my mind, it exists to bypass the druid's weapon selection by buffing the staff and using wisdom.

I'd actually love to see a reduction in cantrip power, but that ship has sailed, and is an entirely different conversation!

 

[Gammadoodler]

I agree, except for 2024 monster design they seem to be getting rid of legendary actions in favor of additional reactions. That's probably really why they redesigned it.

This is an interesting perspective, but does make playtesting rather challenging.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

With an armory it's now fairly easy to get +1 weapons, at 5th level assuming the party has someone who can cast Magic Weapon. Level 5, which is roughly the level I feel most dedicated weapon users should be getting their first magic weapons.

 

[Gammadoodler]

With an armory it's now fairly easy to get +1 weapons, at 5th level assuming the party has someone who can cast Magic Weapon. Level 5, which is roughly the level I feel most dedicated weapon users should be getting their first magic weapons.

It is interesting, though, that they introduce the concept of a "masterwork" weapon, but make it useless until the right spell is cast.

It's nice to have a source of magical weapons, but it's kind of a bummer that in the haste to get there, they approached and then drove right over a ton of worldbuildong potential in the form of more effective mundane gear.