Unearthed Arcana Light, Dark, Underdark - November's Unearthed Arcana

Interesting stuff.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

I think that the Undying Light should stay in development until we get more radiant spells. That way the fire aspect can be phased out. We already have one fire-themed Warlock patron.

Save it for when we have a book dealing with the Planes so necrotic damage could see some loving too. Shadow Sorcerers and Favored Souls would probably get released in that same book.

 

[Minigiant]

Good stuff.

• Close Quarters fighting style. Trade +1 to hit for the toned down, weaker parts of the Sharpshooter feat. Great.
• Tunnel Fighter. I pushed for unlimited oppy attack since the playtest, man! FINALLY!
• Deep Stalker. Good underdark or jungle/swamp ranger.
  • Underdark Scout. Vanish at level 3 OMG.
  • Deep Stalker Magic. Yes, please. Explosive Runes.
  • Iron Mind. Meh. It's something good I guess.
  • Stalker's Flurry. Interesting.
  • Stalker's Dodge. This isn't too.. stalkery. Now you ranger's a tank.
• Shadow Sorcerer.
  • Quirks? Why only one?
  • Eye's of the Dark. Pretty Weak. but it's not the power feature.
  • Strength of the Grave. Strong at low levels. Useless after level 5 or so.
  • Hound of Ill Omen. Well you aren't using it to attack. But for the points of a 2nd level spell, all your spells are Heightened. Until someone wastes an action to kill the shadow hound.
  • Shadow Walk. Nice utility power.
  • Shadow Form. For a number of point eqqual to a 2nd level spell, you get resist all. Nice.
• Undying Light Sorcerer
  • Flaws? Light addiction.
  • Expanded Spells. Meh. Flavorfull at least.
  • Radiant So... This is bonkers. Just Bonkers. Borderline overpowered.
  • Searing Vengence. This is overpowered.
  • Radiant Resilience. okay....
  • Healing Light. Okay cut it out.

Okay C'mon.
Undying Light?
Undying Light!!!

Positive energy plane, my butt.
It's Pelor!
He's making warlocks in the Forgotten Realms.
I told you he's secretly evil!!
He sneaked into the FR somehow!!!!!

 

[TwoSix]

Still 8-12 levels into the game before that distinction comes into play.

"It gets more powerful after level 10" was a poor balancing factor for wizards in 1/2e and it's a poor balancing factor for a fighting style.

Meh. It's already a consideration at level 4, when the bulk of archers would be thinking about sharpshooter. And honestly, CQS is only a touch better at level 1. It's a situational +2 or + 5 or disadvantage negation versus a constant +1. Dungeon crawls would give CQS the nod, outdoor games I'd prefer archery.

 

[Celtavian]

Nothing should provide unlimited AoOs. Not a feat, not a spell, nothing. It opens the door to absurdity that rules lawyers try to force on DMs. Whoever wrote that fighting style didn't think it out too well.

The removal of cover penalties just further makes it so DMs can't create situations where missile combat is made more difficult by terrain. Why is WotC doing this to DMs? It isn't like ranged attacking does less damage. Are they trying to make being a melee pointless? And give monsters no means to defend themselves from missile fire?

 

[Jester David]

Meh. It's already a consideration at level 4, when the bulk of archers would be thinking about sharpshooter. And honestly, CQS is only a touch better at level 1. It's a situational +2 or + 5 or disadvantage negation versus a constant +1. Dungeon crawls would give CQS the nod, outdoor games I'd prefer archery.

And being able to use a bow in melee. Which is huge in a game where you can't just five-foot out of reach and have to either attack with disadvantage or blow your action moving away. That and ignoring cover would be fine without the added +1.

 

[ScuroNotte]

The second part of Underdark Scout still favors Archers vs melee weapon users. The ability already includes the Mobile feat of move 10 ft, though limited. Should have included the part of no opportunity attacks, whether hit or miss to benefit sword wielding Rangers.

 

[SkidAce]

Okay C'mon.
Undying Light?
Undying Light!!!

Positive energy plane, my butt.
It's Pelor!
He's making warlocks in the Forgotten Realms.
I told you he's secretly evil!!
He sneaked into the FR somehow!!!!!

Sounds more like Pholtus to me...

 

[Duganson]

Okay, after thinking about it some more I'm a little miffed. Where are the additional Warlock Invocations specific to the Undying Light archetype? Just perusing the choices you get, few fit the thematic changes that the new archetype creates. Kinda dropped the ball on that Mearls and Co.... Also Searing Vengeance might be tooo gooood....

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Nothing should provide unlimited AoOs. Not a feat, not a spell, nothing. It opens the door to absurdity that rules lawyers try to force on DMs. Whoever wrote that fighting style didn't think it out too well.

what do you think is the problem with unlimited AoOs?

 

[Unwise]

For me this article points out two things:

1) I love the fact that 5e is so easy to make stuff up in. Imagine putting out 4e classes and subclasses this regularly. It would be a headache.

2) I am worried about things like the +CHA to Fire and Radiant. Not from a power point of view, but from having to care about damage types as a DM. I hated the fact that in 4e I could not just let somebody reskin a frost attack to be fire etc, or a hammer to be a mace as even tiny changes like this could break the balance wide open. It looks like a 1 level dip gives you +cha to damage with certain types. I don't want to have to keep a close eye on stacking bonuses to damage, or damage type substitutions.