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.

 

[pukunui]

I saw the booming blade pic in the reddit.

Huh. I didn't see any pics when I looked a few minutes ago. Will have to look again.

 

[gyor]

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

Its on the Wizards, Warlocks, and Sorcerors spell lists.

Which means that Wizards, Warlocks, Sorcerors, Eldrich Knights, Arcane Tricksters, High Elves, and Half-High Elves (new half elf variant), can use that and the other cantrips.

 

[Ainulindalion]

No Sune centerfold? Drat.

Given the changing face of gaming, they'd need to include a Tempus (?) centerfold as well. Two centerfolds probably exceeded the art budget.

 

[Mithreinmaethor]

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.

You are assuming that SCAG is not going to be considered a CORE Players resource in AL.

 

[gyor]

Is Sharess in it? If so what domains does she get?

 

[gyor]

Given the changing face of gaming, they'd need to include a Tempus (?) centerfold as well. Two centerfolds probably exceeded the art budget.

Actually the way its going you'd need to put Sune in plate armour that would leave her looking like Tempus and then add 200 pounds to her, and then have a fully nude centerfold of Lanthander to please the feminists.

 

[pukunui]

Some pics from the reddit thread:

The Undying:

Half-Elf Variants:

(Trading Skill Versatility for Keen Senses is a pretty bum deal, eh?)

Tiefling Variants:

Map:

 

[Mirtek]

You are assuming that SCAG is not going to be considered a CORE Players resource in AL.

I'd expect it to be repeatedly allowed from season 4 onward, but the admins have been pretty clear that rules for past season are not expected to change unless WotC really surprises them

Races having their closely guarded military/magical secrets is a fundamental trope of much fantasy.

As is the foreigner sneaking in (or even being accepted in) to learn such crafts

Really, just stating that non-pure-blooded elf bladesingers are of utmost rarity and treated with hostility and scorn by elves would have done it's service to tradition and still kept the open spirit of 4e

 

[Azzy]

If we're going there, then paladins should be human only.
And paladins are shinning examples of goodness and would never never ever turn evil and become blackguards
Like the tile suggest the main character was a swordmage, which was different from a bladesinger even in 4e

View attachment 71324

Just saying.

 

[Remathilis]

Same with bladesingers, there's no racial justification beyond "elves are pricks and managed to keep it secret" which is completely believable that in 20,000 years of bladesinging no rogue bladesinger ever violated his oath to not teach non-elves and no non-elve ever managed to just steal the technique

There might have been one or two; that's up to the DM (as in: if they want to allow it, they will).

Also, I'd like to see you argue the Battlerager shouldn't be dwarf only as well.