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.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I asked Chris Perkins on Twitter about Out of the Abyss. He said: "No, but if the novel ARCHMAGE is canonical in your campaign, the adventure would take place in 1485 DR or later."

Which would put it during the Sundering. And would mean that it's not necessarily meant to take place *after* the Tyranny of Dragons and Elemental Evil storylines. Which is interesting.

But I still reckon SCAG will be "set" around 1495 DR or so.

By the Novels it takes place after Tyranny of Dragons. Reading the books it's probably around 1488 or 9

 

[Macca86]

Thanks for all the info so far.
One if the guys I play with has a wood elf barbarian and he was wondering what the perks are for the tiger and elk totem, he has made more of a stalker hit em hard Barb and he reckons these could fit really well.
Cheers!

 

[pukunui]

By the Novels it takes place after Tyranny of Dragons. Reading the books it's probably around 1488 or 9

"It" being Out of the Abyss?

As I mentioned above, Chris says Archmage takes place in 1485 DR, which is the same year as the Legacy of the Crystal Shard adventure and the Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf novel, both of which were part of the Sundering storyline. The Sundering went from like 1483 to 1487 or something like that.

Tyranny of Dragons takes place in 1489 DR, while Princes of the Apocalypse is in 1491 DR.

I wonder if maybe Archmage is meant to be set in 1495 DR?

 

[Mirtek]

By the Novels it takes place after Tyranny of Dragons. Reading the books it's probably around 1488 or 9

Well, their new years resolution didn't hold long before they messed up the timeline. In Archmage the ToD is over, the drow are discussing Tiamt's failure and how the early driw retreat nicht strain the relationship betwenn Lolth and Tiamat.

Guess they didn't manage to hire their realms traffic cop in time

 

[Bardbarian]

Are there any new fighting style options for fighter or paladin? I remember them adding some stuff for maritime adventures, some of which looks like it made it into this book.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I hope someone tells me that panache was changed... the playtest one was a mess...

 

[pukunui]

Well, their new years resolution didn't hold long before they messed up the timeline. In Archmage the ToD is over, the drow are discussing Tiamt's failure and how the early driw retreat nicht strain the relationship betwenn Lolth and Tiamat.

Yeah, that's really got me thinking that the date mentioned in Archmage is a typo and should really be 1495.

I hope someone tells me that panache was changed... the playtest one was a mess...

I believe it has. The details were mentioned in the reddit thread. Lemme just look 'em up for you.

EDIT: Nope, it's in the other SCAG thread. [MENTION=1]Morrus[/MENTION]: Can you *please* combine the two threads so we don't have to keep looking in two places for all the SCAG details?

Swashbuckler:
Fancy Footwork (target of your melee attacks cannot make opportunity attacks against you)
Rakish Audacity (Charisma bonus to initiative, do not need advantage for Sneak Attack)
Panache (use Persuasion to give opponent on attack rolls against you)
Elegant Maneuver (bonus action to gain advantage on Acrobatics or Athletics)
Master Duelist (reroll a missed attack with advantage)

EDIT: Presumably that should read "use Persuasion to give opponent disadvantage on attack rolls against you. Am I right, [MENTION=12373]Palladion[/MENTION]?

 

[gyor]

I hope your right. I am betting at the very least the the Wing Variant of the Tiefling goes the way of Aacrokkaa (disallowed). The others are likely to be fine.

"Today Mulhorand is ruled by demigods that call themselves by such names as Re, Anhur, Horus, Isis, Nephthys, Set, and Thoth..."

Thanks

 

[Li Shenron]

5e was supposed to be about options and rulings not rules

The *system* is, but the *campaign settings* are not. Otherwise all campaign settings would be the same.

 

[ad_hoc]

Yeah, that's really got me thinking that the date mentioned in Archmage is a typo and should really be 1495.

I believe it has. The details were mentioned in the reddit thread. Lemme just look 'em up for you.

EDIT: Nope, it's in the other SCAG thread. [MENTION=1]Morrus[/MENTION]: Can you *please* combine the two threads so we don't have to keep looking in two places for all the SCAG details?



EDIT: Presumably that should read "use Persuasion to give opponent disadvantage on attack rolls against you. Am I right, [MENTION=12373]Palladion[/MENTION]?

I am pretty sure I answered this one along with some other questions that just came up.

Panache gives disadvantage if the opponent attacks people other than you and it ends now if you move more than 60ft away OR an ally targets them with something.

Don't think there are new fighting styles.

Spiked armour is AC 14 max +2 AC disadvantage to stealth.

1489 is mentioned in past tense but I don't see a mention of current year. I haven't read the whole thing though.

Storm Sorcerers as far as I can tell are the same but lose the bonus spells (as answered earlier)

Sea Elves fluff is mentioned but no crunch. Shouldn't be hard to just give them a swim speed though.