Dungeons & Dragons Releases Updated Unearthed Arcana for Arcane Subclasses

Dungeons & Dragons has released an updated set of Unearthed Arcana, incorporating feedback about the Arcane Subclasses released for playtesting earlier this year. Included in the new subclass is the Arcane Archer Fighter, Tattooed Warrior Monk, and the Conjurer, Transmuter, Necromancer, and Enchanter Wizard classes.

The Arcane Archer has several new features, including Magical Ammunition that can be used outside of combat and a new Arcane Burst that pushes creatures away when the Indomitable feature is used. The Tattooed Warrior Monk has also been redesigned, with magical abilities that are no longer spellcasting, along with Beast Tattoos that provide cantrips in addition to enhancing other core Monk features.

Meanwhile, the Conjurer Wizard now emphasizes summoning spells with creatures that are much more durable, the Enchanter has moved back to a subclass similar to the 2014 design, the Necromancer now has ways to summon multiple Undead creatures, and the Transmuter now has shape-shifting ability. With the Transmuter ability, the Durability option of the Transmuter's Stone is now included as a default, as that option was seen as the strongest and other options were considered far inferior.

Three other subclasses from the original playtest - two Warlock subclasses and a Cleric Domain - were not included in the new playtest.

 

[EternalDungeonMaster]

I liked the format of Player's Handbook, Player's Handbook 2, and Player's Handbook 3 from 4th edition. I'd love to see this sort of format come to 5e.

 

[GarrettKP]

Three other subclasses from the original playtest - two Warlock subclasses and a Cleric Domain - were not included in the new playtest.

Actually, it was a Sorcerer subclass. Not a second Warlock. Two Warlocks came in the Horror UA.

 

[bedir than]

I liked the format of Player's Handbook, Player's Handbook 2, and Player's Handbook 3 from 4th edition. I'd love to see this sort of format come to 5e.

That format didn't sell well because it leads to player confusion.
On the other hand the [name] of Everything books sold extremely well.

 

[Parmandur]

That format didn't sell well because it leads to player confusion.
On the other hand the [name] of Everything books sold extremely well.

It does really feel like they are feeling their way towards an Everything book in these tests.

 

[Charlaquin]

It does really feel like they are feeling their way towards an Everything book in these tests.

The Player’s Handbook of Everything Else

 

[kapars]

I feel like this version of the Tattoo Monk is even worse.

I recommend they have a spreadsheet with the sub-class feature text of the PHB subclasses and fill in the new feature text and compare across the line. There's some SCAG level stuff in here.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

I feel like this version of the Tattoo Monk is even worse.

I recommend they have a spreadsheet with the sub-class feature text of the PHB subclasses and fill in the new feature text and compare across the line. There's some SCAG level stuff in here.

These things are way too limited to be worth the subclass. It's like they're trying to bring this down to the level of 2014 4 Elements Monk.

 

[Zardnaar]

Split Enchantment is really good. Limited now but from level 6. I would call tgat an improvement.

 

[doctorhook]

That format didn't sell well because it leads to player confusion.
On the other hand the [name] of Everything books sold extremely well.

4E vs 5E. Are you certain the sales difference is due to the format and not the difference in overall popularity? I have strong doubts that the format is the root variable here.

Plus I still think “____’s Book of Everything” is a really stupid naming convention. To me, I’d be confused as hell that the “book of everything” doesn’t actually contain everything, and even more confused that there’s more than one such book and they all contain different material… Also if I was already a fan of [Greyhawk character] and discovered that their “book of everything” wasn’t focused on them or their setting, I’d be even more confused.

Let’s be real, it was just a name approved by their in-house process, meant to capture the idea that this book is a grab-bag of new stuff, and it sold well because 5E was on fire.