Clint_L
Hero
We had various threads relating to this on the OneD&D forum, and it would be interesting to continue those discussions here, as we gear up for the new PHB later this year.
My latest home 5e campaign had reached around level 7 when we started experimenting with incorporated the UA rules for 2024. I usually (not always) am the DM, and also play a character, a monk (I gave her low intelligence both as a dump stat and so the party doesn't look to her for decision making when I am DMing). We have had four core characters, a Battle Smith artificer, Moon druid, Ancestors barbarian, and Mercy monk. The artificer has not worried about the new rules because obviously, the druid has hated the new rules and stuck with 2014, the barbarian has been using them, and my monk has FULLY embraced the latest UA. We also have also had a fighter, rogue and bard play with us at times.
The takeaway so far is that the changes to barbarian are mostly quality of life improvements, but have been very positive. Having more out of combat utility is a big positive for a class that has always been strong but one dimensional, and weapon mastery makes combat a touch more tactical as well.
The new monk is, well, HOLY SMOKES. It is so much more fun to play, I can't even tell you. In past, playing a monk was kind of an exercise in frustration: there was fun stuff that you could do, but you were so resource limited and fragile that you had to play your character very conservatively, which undermined the class fantasy in a significant way. New monk is way tougher, with deflect attack, still has to be a bit careful with resources but not nearly to the same extent, and can do cool stuff without needing any resources, which just opens up a ton of possibilities. At level 10 now, and she is a BEAST in combat - for example, in a recent battle she picked up the barbarian, carried him 100' across a moat and up a wall to tank for her, and still got two attacks off on the enemy spell caster, including a stunning strike, while putting hand of harm on his bodyguard to leave him automatically poisoned. Yeah. New monk is really good.
We haven't run into the new spells much, though the few we have tested have made sense and improved game flow.
My latest home 5e campaign had reached around level 7 when we started experimenting with incorporated the UA rules for 2024. I usually (not always) am the DM, and also play a character, a monk (I gave her low intelligence both as a dump stat and so the party doesn't look to her for decision making when I am DMing). We have had four core characters, a Battle Smith artificer, Moon druid, Ancestors barbarian, and Mercy monk. The artificer has not worried about the new rules because obviously, the druid has hated the new rules and stuck with 2014, the barbarian has been using them, and my monk has FULLY embraced the latest UA. We also have also had a fighter, rogue and bard play with us at times.
The takeaway so far is that the changes to barbarian are mostly quality of life improvements, but have been very positive. Having more out of combat utility is a big positive for a class that has always been strong but one dimensional, and weapon mastery makes combat a touch more tactical as well.
The new monk is, well, HOLY SMOKES. It is so much more fun to play, I can't even tell you. In past, playing a monk was kind of an exercise in frustration: there was fun stuff that you could do, but you were so resource limited and fragile that you had to play your character very conservatively, which undermined the class fantasy in a significant way. New monk is way tougher, with deflect attack, still has to be a bit careful with resources but not nearly to the same extent, and can do cool stuff without needing any resources, which just opens up a ton of possibilities. At level 10 now, and she is a BEAST in combat - for example, in a recent battle she picked up the barbarian, carried him 100' across a moat and up a wall to tank for her, and still got two attacks off on the enemy spell caster, including a stunning strike, while putting hand of harm on his bodyguard to leave him automatically poisoned. Yeah. New monk is really good.
We haven't run into the new spells much, though the few we have tested have made sense and improved game flow.
