Unearthed Arcana June Unearthed Arcana: Druid Shepherd, Fighter Cavalier, and Paladin of Conquest

The latest Unearthed Arcana from Mearls and Crawford revisits four subclasses from earlier UA articles. "Part of the fun of playtesting is seeing how feedback and play can push a design in new directions. In this month’s Unearthed Arcana, we revisit class material that appeared in previous installments: four subclasses for various classes, along with Eldritch Invocations for the warlock. This material was all popular, and the revisions to it were driven by feedback that thousands of you provided in surveys. The updated subclasses are the druid’s Circle of the Shepherd, the fighter’s Cavalier, the paladin’s Oath of Conquest, and the warlock’s Celestial (formerly known as the Undying Light). One of the main pieces of feedback we got about the Eldritch Invocations is that most players didn’t want them exclusive to particular Otherworldly Patron options, so we’ve opened them up to more warlocks, tweaked them, and cut the least popular ones."

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[Ath-kethin]

I'm not a fan of invocations that modify eldritch blast and hex. I already feel like the Warlock is too focused on those two spells, and it's challenging to play a Warlock that doesn't know them. I would like to think that the designers can think outside that box a little better, but unfortunately, "outside the box" doesn't seem to be a priority for 5e in official material.

I really dig the rest of the invocations, though I also noticed the Hexblade references.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Shepherd Druid: So Hawk spirit lets you use your reaction for advantage for someone 1/round, right?

Cavalier Fighter: I'm not getting the hate. Yes, it overlaps with the Battlemaster, but with the extra skill and the uber-tripping (at the cost of less customizability), I'd choose this over Battlemaster for the fun.

Conquest Paladin: The wording of Aura of Conquest seems off -- how do we get from "menacing aura" to "if a creature is frightened of you"? Surely the fear isn't automatic - if it is, then it overshadows the save-based fear effect of Conquering Presence. Other auras do create fixed effects though. I am confused.

Warlock invocations:
*Aspect of the Moon: underwhelming.
* Eldritch Smite: way too powerful, as described above, vs. flying opponents. Save needed, at a minimum.
* Ghostly Gaze: needs rewording. At least the dark vision should persist, even if x-ray vision is only for a turn (maybe for a minute would be better?)
* Improved Pact Weapon: the first benefit should be standard for pact weapons anyways.
* Kiss of Mephistopheles: Seems powerful, but I think it will self-limit pretty quickly, given the competition for spell slots.
* Maddening Hex: way too powerful, as described above. Needs a save each turn after the first.

 

[gyor]

Armour of Agathys works well with Find Steed, because you can share the spell with your steed, so it's like you can cast it on both your steed and yourself for one spell slot.

I think your going to want to multiclass at least 5th level Paladin for Cavalier, for Find Steed. Really Cavalier should come with a mount version of rangers animal companion, it just gets the extra HP and armour, so it has some suevivablity, and the ability to squeeze without penalty.

Still the Furious Charge attack at high levels is 3D12 + normal weapons damage, and you trip the target, who gets disadavatage to save against tripping.

Do that on two separate hits and you'd dealt 6D12 damage + regular damage one turn.

 

[gyor]

Reading over it, I'd say my favourite of these is the Sheppard Druid, master/mistress of Spirits, both Beast and Fey. Challenges Conjurer Wizard and Lore Bard for being the best summoner. The bonus language is cool as well.

Hellknight is one of my favourite Paladin subclasses now, bad ass.

Celestial Patron isn't as over powered as I first thought, but it's still powerful.

Cavalier is really good at hitting someone hard and knocking then down and protecting anyone within 5 feat of them, but otherwise really doesn't do anything else well. It needs enhancement, mostly in it's ability to utilize mounts in a way that gets around mounted combat limitations. Still a lot of potential.

 

[TheSwartz]

There is on my hard drive:

That's exactly what I was trying to do too! Perfect Thanks!

 

[mellored]

That Unicorn spirit begs for a multiclass with Life Cleric. Goodberries to heal 40 hit points, + everyone gains Druid level in hit points?

Seems pretty strong to me

Going super healing multi-class spam is strong also... Cleric 2 / Druid 2 / Bard X - for full party healing with a single spell slot

Then your druid level is 2. That's not a lot of extra HP from unicorn.

Pretty nice for getting allies off the gound tough.

 

[Chaosmancer]

It doesn't resemble it at all. The name is different, most of its power and where it derives its power from are completely different. It isn't the same subclass, no matter what they say in the PDF.

The majority of the powers are the same, just in a different order, and some replace static numbers with dice rolls.

Shepherd Druid: So Hawk spirit lets you use your reaction for advantage for someone 1/round, right?

Reaction for advantage on 1 attack per round, that's how I read it. It can be used after the attack roll I guess, but still very underwhelming IMO.

Cavalier Fighter: I'm not getting the hate. Yes, it overlaps with the Battlemaster, but with the extra skill and the uber-tripping (at the cost of less customizability), I'd choose this over Battlemaster for the fun.

I think it is because it has so little to offer. The uber-trip and warding manuever are the only things it can do that the battlemaster can't. It's kind of like having a new druid sub-class that can turn into aquatic animals at lower levels, and only aquatic animals for their career, but is otherwise identical to the Circle of Moon. I guess if your concept is that narrow it could be fun to play, but most people will go with the ability to have more variety instead of a sub-set of what another sub-class can already do.

Conquest Paladin: The wording of Aura of Conquest seems off -- how do we get from "menacing aura" to "if a creature is frightened of you"? Surely the fear isn't automatic - if it is, then it overshadows the save-based fear effect of Conquering Presence. Other auras do create fixed effects though. I am confused.

Their aura of menace is so powerful that if you are scared of them (have the frightened condition from something like Conquering Prescence) then you take psychic damage and cannot move.

The fear is not automatic, it is an effect you have on creatures who are under fear effects.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Their aura of menace is so powerful that if you are scared of them (have the frightened condition from something like Conquering Prescence) then you take psychic damage and cannot move.

The fear is not automatic, it is an effect you have on creatures who are under fear effects.

Hmm. Thanks. If that's true, then I don't like it -- the aura is a boost for other effects, not a passive thing sitting in the background (as would be, e.g., "All fear saves of enemies within the aura field are at disadvantage").

 

[R_Chance]

There is on my hard drive:

Thanks. I fell off the numbering band wagon and you saved me the time needed to check dates. It's appreciated.

 

[Azzy]

Yeah, not digging on the Cavalier... It's too much Battlemaster-lite and not enough mounted knight.