New SCAG Info: Someone Got The Book

Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide hits preferred stores tomorrow (and everywhere else in a couple of weeks). However, some stores have jumped the gun - which only benefits us, as folks on social media are telling us all about it! Below is a compilation of that information. I'm sure come tomorrow, the amount of information on the book will increase dramatically.

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[h=4]Original Post[/h]
Thread is here, Gnunn and others are answering questions about it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/3pot39/call_your_local_stores_scag/

The info:

I'am trying to compile the answers here by those who have new information. The answers do not represent me in anyway I'am just passing on the information.

Q: Name all the subclasses (submitted by me)

A:

Not really interested in spoiling all of the specifics, but here's what I noticed to be new at first glance:
Races:
Gray Dwaves (Duergar)
Ghostwise Halflings
Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin) -- also provides a new feat "Svirfneblin Magic" (same as EE)
Half-Elf Variants
Tiefling Variants


Classes (only new class options, not new classes):
Barbarian - Path of the Battlerager, new Totem Spirits
Bard - New musical instruments
Cleric - Arcana Domain
Fighter - Purple Dragon Knight
Monk - Way of the Long Death, Way of the Sun Soul
Paladin - Oath of the Crown
Ranger - Several paragraphs that amount to nothing
Rogue - Mastermind Swashbuckler
Sorcerer - Storm Sorcery
Warlock - The Undying
Wizard - Bladesinging


New cantrips for sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards
Booming blade, green-flame blade, lightning lure, sword burst.

Backgrounds:
City Watch
Clan Crafter
Cloistered Scholar
Courtier
Faction Agent
Far Traveler
Inheritor
Knight of the Order
Mercenary Veteran
Urban Bounty Hunter
Uthgardt Tribe Member
Waterdhavian Noble
This only covers about 50 pages of the almost 160 page book. There's a TON of info on the Sword Coast itself. I'm sure DMs who already have the book are salivating at the moment.



Q: No Bard, Ranger or Druid subclasses?

A: There are new bard colleges. I only listed non-flavor changes (in my opinion at least each one is paired with an existing class option so nothing new in terms of mechanics.

-Q2: Wait WHAT? So the Bard Colleges AND Druid Circles don't list fully new subclasses that offer new mechanics to that class? And no "spell-less" Ranger variant or anything?

-A2: Correct on all accounts.



Q: Monk Subclasses specifics

A: Sun Soul gives the monk methods of dealing radiant damage. Burning hands makes an appearance as well.It seems almost too obvious, but all of the Long Death abilities are triggered by death in some way - either yours or an enemy.



Q: Warlock the Undying

A: Hard to explain. It's Lich-like, but not undead it seems.



Q: Paladin Oath of the Crown

A: The new paladin oath is a straight up tank. They seem to have added a ton more detail for the paladin codes. Too much to go into here.



Q: Fighter Purple Dragon Knight

A:Party buffs/heals. Would be a good party leader out of combat as well.




Q: How do the Half elf and tiefling variants work?

A: Tiefling variants are pretty different. I'm not next to my book currently, but I believe there were three options. Half elf replaced the half elf skill dealy with a selection from the elf half. Like Drow magic replacing the skill selection for example.


Q: What does it say about Aasimar?

A: It basically just says, "See the DMG.

(I guess that makes Eldarin valid as well)

Edit 1: Did some cleaning, added cantrips and explanation that is not me giving the answers.

 

[Palladion]

I'd be curious to know how this works mechanically. Also, I've seen the posting of the 10th and 14th level abilities and I'm a little stumped. The 10th level ability seems to indicate you can burn a spell to defend yourself in some way? And the 14th adds your Intelligence bonus to your damage? Weapons or spells? Both?

(Just getting groceries, so this is from memory...)

10th: reaction to expend spell slot, absorb spell slot times 5 damage from the triggering attack.
14th: Int mod damage with melee weapons while Bladesong.

 

[TheThirdFlash]

It is released early in select stores.

Bladesinger

- Elves only
-Light armour, 1 one-handed weapon, performance
-Bladesong is similar to rage must have 1 hand free and has various benefits
-extra attack at 6 like valour bard
-reaction to spend spell to defend (10th)
-int to damage (14th)

I'm very interested in this particular class option. Can you elaborate a bit on the 10th and 14th level abilities? Is the reaction to cast a defensive spell, or expend a spell slot to gain a defensive bonus? And is the INT to damage on weapons, spells, or both?

 

[abirdcall]

They were introduced to the Realms during 4e, when parts of Abeir swapped places with Toril. They had two realms on the Inner Sea - Akanûl and Tymanther - both of which returned to Abeir during the Sundering. My guess is that the dragonborn are now scattered across Faerûn with no home to call their own. Is that about the gist of it?

Described as rare, free people, looking for place and purpose in their new world

 

[Mirtek]

In a nod to the original 2nd edition flavor text for the bladesinger, it should be "elf only". Much in the same way that the battlerager should be "dwarf only".

If we're going there, then paladins should be human only.

In the original fluff for the bladesinger, it was described as a highly protected secret amongst the elves. They would not teach it without a firm commitment to defend the elven way of life and they never taught it to non-elves, including half-elves and drow.

And paladins are shinning examples of goodness and would never never ever turn evil and become blackguards

Even after reading Richard Baker's Swordmage (Blades of the Moonsea trilogy), I'd still avoid allowing other races to train as bladesingers. To me, it's flavor. (EDIT: I see the Swordmage main character as an Eldritch Knight, more than a true bladesinger. Which is how I'd approach the issue in a game. Elves will teach you how to be an eldritch knight, but not a bladesinger.)

Like the tile suggest the main character was a swordmage, which was different from a bladesinger even in 4e

 

[abirdcall]

What spell lists are the Greenflame Blade cantrip available on. Wizards only?

All cantrips are sorcerer, wizard, and warlock

 

[Valus]

Wow, that sucks. We got rid of LG-only human-only paladins and now this crap

Eidt: Half-elves also forbidden?

Based on some replies on reddit, I think half-elves are allowed by default. DM approval for other races.

 

[pukunui]

Described as rare, free people, looking for place and purpose in their new world

OK, so they've basically just reverted the FR dragonborn to the default 4e dragonborn fluff then - in the Nerath pseudo-setting, they were homeless wanderers looking for "place and purpose" after the fall of their great empire Arkhosia.

All cantrips are sorcerer, wizard, and warlock

That's gonna make my wife happy. She's playing a dwarf wizard with a penchant for wading into melee. She's managed to get him a breastplate and a shield (plus the War Caster feat). Some melee-oriented cantrips will be right up her alley.

One question: We saw a preview for greenflame blade, which made it clear that the attack doesn't actually need to be made with a sword. Any melee weapon will do. Is that the same with the other three cantrips?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Wow, that sucks. We got rid of LG-only human-only paladins and now this crap

I wouldn't be too worried - you might not be able to play a human bladesinger in AL, but at individual tables, nobody gives much of a frig, and the restriction retains the story-first elements of 5e D&D - bladesingers have basically been elven in the narrative; paladins have not always been narratively human (it's not like they were added in the Complete Human's Handbook or are denoted as especially emblematic of human culture or anything).

 

[abirdcall]

What do booming blade, lightning lure, and sword burst do?

BB - melee attack, if target moves before your next turn take d8 damage (dmg increases by d8+d8 on move dmg each increment)
LL - 15ft str save or pulled 10ft take d8 dmg if end up 5ft from you
SB - dex save or d6 force dmg all within 5ft

 

[CrusaderX]

Are there any illustrations in the Gods section? Do we get images of holy symbols for all gods? Do we get any artwork featuring the actual gods themselves?