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

Interesting stuff.

 

[Azurewraith]

Oh i get that there are ways to do it im just sour that the BM rangers pet requires you to use an action and the new shadowhound just munches its target till it can munch no more.

In before anyone assumes im one of those guys that wants the rangers pet to be a 2nd pc or even half a pc etc im more than happy to have the ranger be like0.1% of the combat effectiveness basically just buffing the pet and they pet being the rest. in reality i would rather a 80 20 split in the pets favor. Hell one of my faviourte pcs from 3.5 was the super hafling beast rider.

 

[Dausuul]

Not pleased at having to wade through so much off-topic pettifoggery in this thread to find the posts that actually talk about the UA article.

Same way i am not pleased that sorcerers get a pet that acts on its own and Bm hunters get left as a trap.

I think this would go under the heading of "careful what you wish for."

Props for using "pettifoggery," though.

 

[gyor]

Oh i get that there are ways to do it im just sour that the BM rangers pet requires you to use an action and the new shadowhound just munches its target till it can munch no more.

In before anyone assumes im one of those guys that wants the rangers pet to be a 2nd pc or even half a pc etc im more than happy to have the ranger be like0.1% of the combat effectiveness basically just buffing the pet and they pet being the rest. in reality i would rather a 80 20 split in the pets favor. Hell one of my faviourte pcs from 3.5 was the super hafling beast rider.

The Ranger's Beast companion is also way more powerful, lasts longer, can do alot more then the Hound of Il Omen, the Hound is cool at what it does, but it doesn't do anything outside that.

If anything you should be jealous of the Bard, she can steal conjuration spells, then cast Planar Binding on them to extend the duration to huge levels.

Example once the Bard gets 7th level spells, she can steal conjure celestial and summon a Coutl, a serpent celestial that has magic spells, flies, can change into any humaniod or animal of its CR or lower (its a CR 4). At level 9 the can use that spell to summon a unicorn,which has unlimited self healing and a once per day group teleport. Or she can use True Polymorph to create an up to 9 CR fiend, elemental, fey, or celestial out of an object and use Planar Binding on that.

 

[Azurewraith]

The Ranger's Beast companion is also way more powerful, lasts longer, can do alot more then the Hound of Il Omen, the Hound is cool at what it does, but it doesn't do anything outside that.

If anything you should be jealous of the Bard, she can steal conjuration spells, then cast Planar Binding on them to extend the duration to huge levels.

Example once the Bard gets 7th level spells, she can steal conjure celestial and summon a Coutl, a serpent celestial that has magic spells, flies, can change into any humaniod or animal of its CR or lower (its a CR 4). At level 9 the can use that spell to summon a unicorn,which has unlimited self healing and a once per day group teleport. Or she can use True Polymorph to create an up to 9 CR fiend, elemental, fey, or celestial out of an object and use Planar Binding on that.

I'm planning a bard right now lol. I wouldn't say tgr beast companion lasts longer with there low AC one decent wack is all it will take

 

[Mistwell]

I really just don't understand how so many DMs here have all their monsters constantly rushing *around* the guy in front that letting that Tunnel Fighter guy take two to four additional swings at them is really such a huge deal. Do NONE of your monsters ever just stop and attack the guy in front?

If you don't want the Tunnel Fighter to take so many "free" Opportunity Attacks... have all your monsters just gang up on the Tunnel Fighter instead!

I think too many times DMs have this ridiculous AD&D urge to "game the system" by always trying to take out the squishies in the back!... when in truth, there are very few monsters that would have both the intelligence to go after the less-armored caster in back, while at the same time have the stupidity to try and rush past the guy with the huge honking greatsword standing in the way.

For those kind of monsters... they each DESERVE to get a single wallop as they run on by.

Apparently you have not observed the conga line problem. They DO attack the guy in front. It's just that they move in, attack him, and move back. Because in this edition monsters (and PCs) can split their move up with part before the attack and part after. Once the first opportunity attack is spent, it's a free for all - 20 goblins can attack one PC with no repercussions for it, and no need for the space around the PC to attack them (they can do this all with just one space open).

In the right circumstances it's a real issue. And this ability solves for it.

 

[Serpine]

Same way i am not pleased that sorcerers get a pet that acts on its own and Bm hunters get left as a trap.

Each Hound of Ill Omen costs you 3 sorcery points (half of your total at the point you first get it) and is bound at casting to a specific target (it dissipates once its target dies and there is no option to switch). It is really just a single target, non-scaling, low damage over time, debuff effect that costs resources that could have otherwise been used for empowering more direct killing magic. Basically it is cool and all but I wouldn't really classify it as a pet anymore then I would Spiritual Weapon (which can at least change targets).

 

[Leugren]

Apparently you have not observed the conga lime problem. They DO attack the guy in front. It's just that they move in, attack him, and move back. Because in this edition monsters (and PCs) can split their move up with part before the attack and part after. Once the first opportunity attack is spent, it's a free for all - 20 goblins can attack one PC with no repercussions for it, and no need for the space around the PC to attack them (they can do this all with just one space open).

This makes me smile. I've never seen a DM do this. Do they draw straws to see which poor schmuck is gonna eat the OA, or is it really just a hive mind mentality at work? In any case, Tunnel Fighter is the perfect antidote, as you stated.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Each Hound of Ill Omen costs you 3 sorcery points (half of your total at the point you first get it) and is bound at casting to a specific target (it dissipates once its target dies and there is no option to switch). It is really just a single target, non-scaling, low damage over time, debuff effect that costs resources that could have otherwise been used for empowering more direct killing magic. Basically it is cool and all but I wouldn't really classify it as a pet anymore then I would Spiritual Weapon (which can at least change targets).

Agreed. I think too many people look at the fluff when making comparisons, when they should really be looking at the effects.

For example, let's say you have a class ability that said, "Expend one level 1 spell slot to summon a spectral hawk. The hawk can fly out to 120ft and automatically hit up to three targets, inflicting 1d4+1 points of damage with each hit."

Does that mean the ranger's pet just became weaker? Or does that mean all that class ability is, is nothing more than a magic missile spell?

 

[I'm A Banana]

I like tunnel fighter. What saves it is the bonus action activation - that's not an insignificant cost. You're giving up your TWF or your healing surge or some other bonus action shenanigan so that you can get extra OA's, and it's up to the monsters whether or not they trigger those OA's. I can just as easily make 20 goblins make ranged attacks when they see the warrior hunker down and get ready for 'em.

I love the quirks for the sorcerous origin. I'm fond of how the Hound works, and I do think the BM ranger could crib some notes there - tell your beast to "sic 'em," and they can attack without using your action like that. Can't be a precise transfer (hound is a limited resource and only lasts 5 minutes), but I like how that works.

 

[Serpine]

Do they draw straws to see which poor schmuck is gonna eat the OA, or is it really just a hive mind mentality at work?

They use the same system to decide the vanguard that those packs of squirrels that love darting under cars do.

For example, let's say you have a class ability that said, "Expend one level 1 spell slot to summon a spectral hawk. The hawk can fly out to 120ft and automatically hit up to three targets, inflicting 1d4+1 points of damage with each hit."

I really need to use this as a magic missile skin to freak out players when facing nature oriented arcanists...