Jeremy Crawford Gives an Overview of the New Unearthed Arcana

The upcoming Unearthed Arcana playtest packet for One D&D gets a preview from WotC's Jeremy Crawford. This is apparently the largest of these playtest packets so far, and the biggest Unearthed Arcana they have ever done, at 50 pages long.

It contains 5 classes, new spells, new feats, a revised rules glossary, and the new weapon mastery system.

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[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

It will be interesting to see if AL allows sticking with 5e or mixing 5e and 5.5e. If they restrict AL to 5.5e it will be very telling.

if AL says I can make a 2014 warlock I will be shocked

 

[Parmandur]

I'm not doubting you, but I'd like to read what they said. Do you have a link to that article or video?

Certainly, here you go, this recent preview of the new core material includes a diacussion with vrawford about how theybreally, really want peoppe to continue using old vooks and options, earlier in the article theybcite 4E as a disaster because it didn'tallow that:

""We also acknowledge that what we’re doing is special,” Crawford said. “It has not been done before for Dungeons & Dragons. This is the first time that the game has ever done a major revision of an edition, and then continued that edition — and made it so that you could continue using the products that you already have.”"

"According to Wizards, you won’t need to stop doing what you’re doing at the table right now or change anything about your at-home game to make room for these new, updated rules in your party. Everything written inside the original 5th edition books is still valid, still legal to play. It’s just that they hope these new updated versions can better set the table for D&D’s continued growth into the future – making more player characters and mentoring more Dungeon Masters than ever before."

D&D’s revised core rulebooks will help grow better players and more Dungeon Masters

What you should expect to find in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual

www.polygon.com

 

[Maxperson]

Certainly, here you go, this recent preview of the new core material includes a diacussion with vrawford about how theybreally, really want peoppe to continue using old vooks and options, earlier in the article theybcite 4E as a disaster because it didn'tallow that:

""We also acknowledge that what we’re doing is special,” Crawford said. “It has not been done before for Dungeons & Dragons. This is the first time that the game has ever done a major revision of an edition, and then continued that edition — and made it so that you could continue using the products that you already have.”"

"According to Wizards, you won’t need to stop doing what you’re doing at the table right now or change anything about your at-home game to make room for these new, updated rules in your party. Everything written inside the original 5th edition books is still valid, still legal to play. It’s just that they hope these new updated versions can better set the table for D&D’s continued growth into the future – making more player characters and mentoring more Dungeon Masters than ever before."

D&D’s revised core rulebooks will help grow better players and more Dungeon Masters

What you should expect to find in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual

www.polygon.com

Oof! Pay more for less content!

"Player’s Handbook (2024) will have a lot more pages in it than the original, which is among D&D’s largest books, clocking in at a hefty 320 pages. But the updated version likely won’t have as many words.

The new PHB designers said they are working hard to streamline its language throughout and to provide more art to players than ever before."

On AL, I'm still finding it hard to believe that each AL table will be allowed to mix and match at will. Continuity between tables is what AL is all about so that you can go from one table to another with your AL character. If one table allows only the 5e warlock and another only the 5.5e warlock, those players will not be able to go to the other table.

I'm not saying that they were lying, but rather that they may have either been over optimistic or just not considered AL when they made that statement.

 

[Parmandur]

Oof! Pay more for less content!

"Player’s Handbook (2024) will have a lot more pages in it than the original, which is among D&D’s largest books, clocking in at a hefty 320 pages. But the updated version likely won’t have as many words.

The new PHB designers said they are working hard to streamline its language throughout and to provide more art to players than ever before."

On AL, I'm still finding it hard to believe that each AL table will be allowed to mix and match at will. Continuity between tables is what AL is all about so that you can go from one table to another with your AL character. If one table allows only the 5e warlock and another only the 5.5e warlock, those players will not be able to go to the other table.

I'm not saying that they were lying, but rather that they may have either been over optimistic or just not considered AL when they made that statement.

They may not have been considering AL when they made that statemrnt: however, they have asked people to mix and match 2014 and 2024 options in the playtest, and there are plenty of actual play reports of people playing the '14 Warlock and the proposed '24 Warlock, or the Druid, etc. And everything works fine. They are building compatability in from the ground up, so I see nonreason to expect thar AL won't allow the mixing and matching the rules are designed to accomodate.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Oof! Pay more for less content!

"Player’s Handbook (2024) will have a lot more pages in it than the original, which is among D&D’s largest books, clocking in at a hefty 320 pages. But the updated version likely won’t have as many words.

The new PHB designers said they are working hard to streamline its language throughout and to provide more art to players than ever before."

On AL, I'm still finding it hard to believe that each AL table will be allowed to mix and match at will. Continuity between tables is what AL is all about so that you can go from one table to another with your AL character. If one table allows only the 5e warlock and another only the 5.5e warlock, those players will not be able to go to the other table.

I'm not saying that they were lying, but rather that they may have either been over optimistic or just not considered AL when they made that statement.

Well, it'll be interesting to see how they handle it. There will likely be an ongoing DDAL Season when the new books are released, so they will have to say either:

You can keep playing your 2014-based character, but you can re-spec/re-imagine it using the 2024 rules if you want...
or...
You have to recreate your character using the 2024 rules.

I think it will be the former.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, it'll be interesting to see how they handle it. There will likely be an ongoing DDAL Season when the new books are released, so they will have to say either:

You can keep playing your 2014-based character, but you can re-spec/re-imagine it using the 2024 rules if you want...
or...
You have to recreate your character using the 2024 rules.

I think it will be the former.

"Keep using your old character, but take a free Level 1 Feat, unless you have already from one of the multiple ways to do that previously." Done.

 

[Maxperson]

They may not have been considering AL when they made that statemrnt: however, they have asked people to mix and match 2014 and 2024 options in the playtest, and there are plenty of actual play reports of people playing the '14 Warlock and the proposed '24 Warlock, or the Druid, etc. And everything works fine.

Because most people play home games where it doesn't really matter.

They are building compatability in from the ground up, so I see nonreason to expect thar AL won't allow the mixing and matching the rules are designed to accomodate.

I already stated one very good reason. AL is very much about consistency of rules used. They may reverse that and turn AL into just a bunch of home games with official backing, but that seems unlikely to me. More likely is that the "compatibility" and mixing are just for home games.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

however I also would not expect that a new book putting out a subclass or magic item for 5e would need every DM to adjust it to make it work for a 2014 bard or 2014 warlock but that is what some suggest while keep saying it is compatible

I may have exactly the right ppl ignored, but I haven’t so much seen that as I’ve seen “that might require adjustment as written in the playtest”, which I think is generally intended to take into account multiple passes by the design team to smooth out any conflicts and make it very easy to use everything published by them for 5e together.

 

[Parmandur]

Because most people play home games where it doesn't really matter.

I already stated one very good reason. AL is very much about consistency of rules used. They may reverse that and turn AL into just a bunch of home games with official backing, but that seems unlikely to me. More likely is that the "compatibility" and mixing are just for home games.

There is an AL document that gets updated periodically listing what is allowed as an option: I see no particular reason to doubt, based on what is being laid down, that mixing and matching won't be allowed there, with some guidance.

 

[Velderan]

if AL says I can make a 2014 warlock I will be shocked

So in the current AL players' document, under the section What Rulebooks Should I use? it says "If a rule has been reprinted in a newer resource, you must always use the latest printing" so we'll see if they stick to that one or are they going consider the 2024 PHB to be a different book.

100% worth mentioning that linked document refers to Spelljammer as coming in August 2022 so it hasn't been updated to reflect the new books coming out. I wouldn't hold that as being something that can't change since it's definitely a unique circumstance and is definitely something for AL players to keep an eye on.

 

[Parmandur]

So in the current AL players' document, under the section What Rulebooks Should I use? it says "If a rule has been reprinted in a newer resource, you must always use the latest printing" so we'll see if they stick to that one or are they going consider the 2024 PHB to be a different book.

100% worth mentioning that linked document refers to Spelljammer as coming in August 2022 so it hasn't been updated to reflect the new books coming out. I wouldn't hold that as being something that can't change since it's definitely a unique circumstance and is definitely something for AL players to keep an eye on.

Worth noting that even using that, taking old Subclasses from '14 books is feasible.

 

[James Gasik]

They can of course also say "no 2024" with the same degree of problem/non-problem.

Well that depends. It might not be a problem for us, the players and DM's, but it might be a problem for Wizards if we're not all jumping to buy the new books!

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well that depends. It might not be a problem for us, the players and DM's, but it might be a problem for Wizards if we're not all jumping to buy the new books!

Sure, but I am valuing the desires of gamers over a corporation. Don't worry, I'm sure plenty of people will buy WotC's new books.

 

[Faolyn]

Sure, but I am valuing the desires of gamers over a corporation. Don't worry, I'm sure plenty of people will buy WotC's new books.

Unfortunately, nearly every single non-indie game is the product of a corporation. And corporations--particularly very large ones--are going to put their own interests ahead of those of individual gamers. This is simply how the world works.

So your only true options are to accept what they give you, or only play indie games. Or make your own games.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Unfortunately, nearly every single non-indie game is the product of a corporation. And corporations--particularly very large ones--are going to put their own interests ahead of those of individual gamers. This is simply how the world works.

So your only true options are to accept what they give you, or only play indie games. Or make your own games.

Quite true. That's one reason why I prefer to muck around with the smaller corps when feasible.

 

[Remathilis]

I already stated one very good reason. AL is very much about consistency of rules used. They may reverse that and turn AL into just a bunch of home games with official backing, but that seems unlikely to me. More likely is that the "compatibility" and mixing are just for home games.

AL already limits certain character options (flying races) and methods (point-buy, average hp, starting gear) and for a while limited to you a single additional sourcebook. I'd say the idea the organized play will require conversion to the latest ruleset is 1.) not unexpected 2.) not unprecedented, and 3.) not a betrayal of what WotC has meant by compatible.

 

[Remathilis]

Sure, but I am valuing the desires of gamers over a corporation. Don't worry, I'm sure plenty of people will buy WotC's new books.

I try not to paint all small creators as good, and all corporations are bad. I'd rather play Pathfinder than Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

 

[Maxperson]

So in the current AL players' document, under the section What Rulebooks Should I use? it says "If a rule has been reprinted in a newer resource, you must always use the latest printing" so we'll see if they stick to that one or are they going consider the 2024 PHB to be a different book.

That makes it almost certain that AL will be 5.5e only. Their whole premise is that these new rules are just updates and it's still 5e. They can't hold that premise and then treat the rules differently. Plus it will require AL players and DMs to buy the new books, which is what they want to happen. There is some small chance that they will walk back that rule and allow chaos to reign across AL, but I doubt it.

 

[Maxperson]

AL already limits certain character options (flying races) and methods (point-buy, average hp, starting gear) and for a while limited to you a single additional sourcebook. I'd say the idea the organized play will require conversion to the latest ruleset is 1.) not unexpected 2.) not unprecedented, and 3.) not a betrayal of what WotC has meant by compatible.

1) I agree.
2) I agree.
3) That wasn't anywhere on my radar with that post.

 

[Hussar]

Whoopsee. My bad.

I’ll just see myself out.