D&D (2024) Classes: What changes do you predict?

[doctorbadwolf]

What I hope to see with the warlock is Eldritch Blast as a class feature that lets you make a ranged spell attack. Not a spell, but just a bean of force as a ranged spell attack. That you get additional beams of at the normal levels.

And then Pact of The Blade let’s you make a melee spell attack with it instead.

 

[cbwjm]

Highly doubt this would happen, as in I think the chance is 0, but my hope for the warlock would be for eldritch blast to become essentially a force version of firebolt (only a single bolt no matter the level) and then have all of the invocations that alter eldritch blast apply to all warlock cantrips. Too many people feel pigeon-holed into using eldritch blast, I'd like to see more reason to use other attack cantrips.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Highly doubt this would happen, as in I think the chance is 0, but my hope for the warlock would be for eldritch blast to become essentially a force version of firebolt (only a single bolt no matter the level) and then have all of the invocations that alter eldritch blast apply to all warlock cantrips. Too many people feel pigeon-holed into using eldritch blast, I'd like to see more reason to use other attack cantrips.

Re: Eldritch Blast changes, that'd be a pretty big nerf to Warlock DPR (1x stat bonus instead of up to 4x stat bonus, and 1x hex die instead of up to 4x hex die), and nerf to how fun they are to play for sure too (rolling multiple attacks even if some miss feels vastly more rewarding than rolling one big attack that sometimes hits big and sometimes misses totally - it's also better for avoiding overdamage), so I definitely don't think that's likely, especially as it would introduce a pretty serious incompatibility with the PHB Warlock.

I think it's more likely we'll see Invocations expanded out though, and I think as people are more math-savvy now and less knee-jerk-y, you could even do stuff like make Agonizing Blast apply per-die (assuming no Cantrips roll multiple dice at L1, but I don't think they do?), which would make the DPR on stuff like Fire Bolt a lot closer. Back in 2014 people would have been panicking and rioting if you suggested that (even though arguably EB would STILL be better!) but now I don't think you'd have that reaction.

 

[cbwjm]

Re: Eldritch Blast changes, that'd be a pretty big nerf to Warlock DPR (1x stat bonus instead of up to 4x stat bonus, and 1x hex die instead of up to 4x hex die), and nerf to how fun they are to play for sure too (rolling multiple attacks even if some miss feels vastly more rewarding than rolling one big attack that sometimes hits big and sometimes misses totally - it's also better for avoiding overdamage), so I definitely don't think that's likely, especially as it would introduce a pretty serious incompatibility with the PHB Warlock.

I think it's more likely we'll see Invocations expanded out though, and I think as people are more math-savvy now and less knee-jerk-y, you could even do stuff like make Agonizing Blast apply per-die (assuming no Cantrips roll multiple dice at L1, but I don't think they do?), which would make the DPR on stuff like Fire Bolt a lot closer. Back in 2014 people would have been panicking and rioting if you suggested that (even though arguably EB would STILL be better!) but now I don't think you'd have that reaction.

I really don't think it will happen either, it's just how I'd prefer to have warlocks operate. An invocation could be created to allow for splitting cantrips in two once they reach level 5 or something. I've been thinking of making these changes in my own games, really don't like the current eldritch blast set up.