D&D (2024) New One D&D Playtest Shows Us The New Druid & Paladin

WotC has released the fourth One D&D playtest document. This 29-page PDF includes the druid and the paladin with Circle of the Moon and Oath of Devotion subclasses.

Druid. The Druid class and Circle of the Moon subclass are ready for playtesting here.

Paladin. The Paladin class and Oath of Devotion subclass are ready for playtesting here.

Feats. Several revised feats appear here for your feedback, with more revised feats coming in future articles.

Spells. More spells are ready for playtesting, with a focus on smite spells, Find Familiar, and Find Steed.

Rules Glossary. The rules glossary has been updated again and supersedes the glossary in previous Unearthed Arcana articles. In this document, any underlined term in the body text appears in that glossary, which defines game terms that have been clarified or redefined for this playtest or that don’t appear in the 2014 Player’s Handbook.

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[Pauln6]

I had to re-read a handful of times in responding to you "The spell ends if you use an action to dismiss it or if the steed takes any damage."

Oh yes! So effectively poor AC and 1hp? You are definitely overrating this spell. One arrow and pop. Well, pop after 1 minute. It's a really odd spell. Actually, one could argue that it has the hp of a riding horse so it can be killed outright but if it takes any damage, it fades after one minute.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Maybe non moon druids should lose wildshape (at low levels). Instead focus on channel nature and give a few options there.

Then at level 3, some druid subclasses should be really good at shaping. Some should have it as ribbon features, some should not be able to shift at all. They might instead summon spirits. Or have a companion.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

The real problem with Plane Shift is that it's so difficult to plan for. How can I prep random encounters that could be anywhere on any Plane? Maybe there should be an app for that. My group voted for the older edition style to roll d% and you end up that many miles from your desired location.

my answer is to use teleport circle as a star gate... you need to learnt eh pass code to a circl then you can use the spell to get there... at base 5th level you can only stay on the plane but if you up cast to 7th it can cross planes... doing this keep the ability to plane shift in teh DMs hands... don't have coordinate/address for the city of brass, you just can't go.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

At higher levels though, massacring some bandits is just something pcs do before second breakfast. Why would the PCs run?

teleport and plane shift are all such high level spells that I almost laugh at the bandit/wandering monster problem...

like do you often have a threat that a 5th 6th or 7th level spell is needed to stop randomly on a road? if so what do people that don't have access to 3rd level spells yet do?

Teleport is speed and ease, but by the time it comes up the party should get a kick out of "10 bandits appear and say your gp or your hp" I mean by level 5 if we have a full caster often bandits obolds and goblins are seen as 'cute;' on a random encounter.... heck we more often then not even at lowish level if we have an adventure or two under us already just offer to pay teh bandits/goblins to take a week off and reconsider there lives... more then once we told a group of kobolds "We don't carry silver any more and don't have much gold, but we will give you these gem chips platinum and +1 magic weapons if you promise to consider going back the way we came and offering to join town milita for pay instead of being bandits"
we didn't even ask for a promise the WOULD do that, just a promise they would think about it... but the DM (and as such teh kobolds) realized we gave it to them cause we would be back and if they did this again ew would kill them and take it back,,, so when we came back we found they were now town guard members (with really cool equipment and new homes in town)

 

[tetrasodium]

teleport and plane shift are all such high level spells that I almost laugh at the bandit/wandering monster problem...

like do you often have a threat that a 5th 6th or 7th level spell is needed to stop randomly on a road? if so what do people that don't have access to 3rd level spells yet do?

Teleport is speed and ease, but by the time it comes up the party should get a kick out of "10 bandits appear and say your gp or your hp" I mean by level 5 if we have a full caster often bandits obolds and goblins are seen as 'cute;' on a random encounter.... heck we more often then not even at lowish level if we have an adventure or two under us already just offer to pay teh bandits/goblins to take a week off and reconsider there lives... more then once we told a group of kobolds "We don't carry silver any more and don't have much gold, but we will give you these gem chips platinum and +1 magic weapons if you promise to consider going back the way we came and offering to join town milita for pay instead of being bandits"
we didn't even ask for a promise the WOULD do that, just a promise they would think about it... but the DM (and as such teh kobolds) realized we gave it to them cause we would be back and if they did this again ew would kill them and take it back,,, so when we came back we found they were now town guard members (with really cool equipment and new homes in town)

Group transport spells had a purpose beyond fast travel, that purpose was removed by 5e. Specifically they allowed the group to explore some improbable hellscape while their resources lasted (hp, spell slots, etc). Once the party felt like they were crossing the rubicon those spells allowed them to go back to someplace safe to safely recover for a few days or weeks. Because the spells were limited in their destinations (and/or prone to inaccuracies) it meant the party couldn't use them to nova>evac & rest>nova>evac & rest>repeat. Now with 5e's rest & recovery anything shy of half minute hero inspired gameplay encourages nova>rest>nova>repeat

 

[Pauln6]

Group transport spells had a purpose beyond fast travel, that purpose was removed by 5e. Specifically they allowed the group to explore some improbable hellscape while their resources lasted (hp, spell slots, etc). Once the party felt like they were crossing the rubicon those spells allowed them to go back to someplace safe to safely recover for a few days or weeks. Because the spells were limited in their destinations (and/or prone to inaccuracies) it meant the party couldn't use them to nova>evac & rest>nova>evac & rest>repeat. Now with 5e's rest & recovery anything shy of half minute hero inspired gameplay encourages nova>rest>nova>repeat

We use the lowest healing option but enhance healing spells by one die I.e starting at 2d4 or 2d8+wis and that seems to work reasonably well.

I think the designers just thought high level pcs would become bored of easy random encounters and so built in mechanics to avoid them.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Group transport spells had a purpose beyond fast travel, that purpose was removed by 5e. Specifically they allowed the group to explore some improbable hellscape while their resources lasted (hp, spell slots, etc). Once the party felt like they were crossing the rubicon those spells allowed them to go back to someplace safe to safely recover for a few days or weeks.

again a GREAT use for teleport circle... you can spend some down time (currently a year) makeing a perm one back at some place safe, or you can have one that you found or a safe place like a guild hall... and mid adventure you can say "that's it I'm taking my fighter and going home.

I remember in 2e and 3e we used word of recall (I think on clerics if I remember) to do this all the time.
in 4e it was simpler with just anyone who takes (or gets) rit casting...

but the fact that it doesn't come online until 5th level spells (9th level full caster) There is part of me that wonders if you make it a ritual only to

Because the spells were limited in their destinations (and/or prone to inaccuracies) it meant the party couldn't use them to nova>evac & rest>nova>evac & rest>repeat. Now with 5e's rest & recovery anything shy of half minute hero inspired gameplay encourages nova>rest>nova>repeat

I disagree with that cause/effect... but do understand teh problem you are seeing.

 

[mellored]

Just to toss out another idea for the aura.

+2 to saves.
Your aura can affect a number of creatures equal to your charisma modifier.

 

[James Gasik]

Just to toss out another idea for the aura.

+2 to saves.
Your aura can affect a number of creatures equal to your charisma modifier.

WotC seems to hate flat bonuses, so maybe +1d4?

 

[Stalker0]

Just to toss out another idea for the aura.

+2 to saves.
Your aura can affect a number of creatures equal to your charisma modifier.

So no range, just number of creatures you can see?

I maybe sold, would certainly help out theater of mind styles so much. And while a +2 to saves is awesome, its no +5, and so it would always remain a beautifully solid bonus that doesn't ever get too crazy.