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.

 

[Mirtek]

If you only play AL, then that's your DM - take up the limitation with them, maybe they'll waive it!

AL doesn't change the rules. Any player wanting to be a bladesinger in Encounters or Expeditions will have to be an elf or half-elf

Not really - 5e describes the thing first, then models it with mechanics. The bladesinger is apparently first something that elves have.

5e was supposed to be about options and rulings not rules, but now they again entered the path of just making rules that forbid things. If they did this from the begining we'd be back at LG only paladins and many other restrictive holy cows of old that 5e ackknowledges in description but retrains from hardcoding into rules thereafter

Nope. For one, Earth Genasi.

What's with earth genasi? Favored class fighter in FRCS

 

[abirdcall]

5e was supposed to be about options and rulings not rules, but now they again entered the path of just making rules that forbid things. If they did this from the begining we'd be back at LG only paladins and many other restrictive holy cows of old that 5e ackknowledges in description but retrains from hardcoding into rules thereafter

Personally I make a distinction between core books and setting books.

I think it is the job of setting books to be restrictive in the interest of the fluff. Without the fluff it's not a setting book.

I could see the argument if it was called PHB2 instead of Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. I think it is as advertised.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Personally I make a distinction between core books and setting books.

I think it is the job of setting books to be restrictive in the interest of the fluff. Without the fluff it's not a setting book.

I could see the argument if it was called PHB2 instead of Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. I think it is as advertised.

This.

"Bladesingers have to be elves" isn't a D&D 5E game rule. It's a Forgotten Realms setting rule. There's a fundamental difference.

 

[Palladion]

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?

Holy symbols of the main deities are depicted, no art for the deities themselves.

 

[gyor]

I don't like how AL and its goofy origin story works anyways, if you want to be say a Genasi or Goliath Paladin of the Crown or Purple Dragon Night, you won't be able to because they had that goofy origins thing, and that's just a start why I don't like how AL works compared to 4e living forgotten realms.

What's worse is if you want to worship a God that's not in the PHB, but is in the SCAG, that means you can't play Genasi, which means you can't have a water genasi worshiping the Elemental God of Water for example.

And this will only get worse, its a silly role and makes AL not worth playing in.

 

[Ainulindalion]

Could we get a brief overview of the dwarf pantheon as listed?

 

[Staffan]

What's with earth genasi? Favored class fighter in FRCS

2e earth genasi were allowed in rare cases to be paladins. Aasimar and bariaur could become paladins as well. So that's at least three races other than humans with the potential to become paladins in 2e.

 

[abirdcall]

Could we get a brief overview of the dwarf pantheon as listed?

Abbathor, Berronar Truesilver, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Deep Duerra, Dugmaren Brightmantle, Dumathoin, Gorm Gulthyn, Haela Brightaxe, Laduguer, Marthammor Duin, Moradin, Sharindlar, Vergadain

 

[CrusaderX]

Holy symbols of the main deities are depicted, no art for the deities themselves.

No Sune centerfold? Drat.

Thanks for the answers!

 

[Ainulindalion]

Abbathor, Berronar Truesilver, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Deep Duerra, Dugmaren Brightmantle, Dumathoin, Gorm Gulthyn, Haela Brightaxe, Laduguer, Marthammor Duin, Moradin, Sharindlar, Vergadain

Well, that should allow me a proper dwarf war cleric, then, finally.