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.

 

[Zaran]

Only the three types listed, sorry.

I guess Regis just has a high constitution.

 

[Mirtek]

I guess Regis just has a high constitution.

he likely is a quarter elemental aka has a genasi in bis family tree, but he's not a new subrace oft halflings (unless you count him AS a subrace of only one individual)

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

I guess Regis just has a high constitution.

I thought the premise was that he was like 1/16 Water Soul Genasi and had inherited just the ability to hold his breath for a long time because of it. That's what I thought the novel said.

 

[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.

So you left a review here for a book you haven't looked at?

I will remove it if I feel I was wrong after personally seeing it, but I've seen enough spoilers of its contents to form an opinion.

 

[Noctem]

I will remove it if I feel I was wrong after personally seeing it, but I've seen enough spoilers of its contents to form an opinion.

not to mention that everyone is entitled to having an opinion and everyone else can go suck on an egg if they don't like yours I've pre purchased the book myself but I have to admit that based on the spoilers shown thus far I'm a tad disappointed. Considering the subject matter the book feels small.

 

[TheThirdFlash]

I thought the premise was that he was like 1/16 Water Soul Genasi and had inherited just the ability to hold his breath for a long time because of it. That's what I thought the novel said.

The reborn Regis doesn't work mechanically in the game because all genasi are humans mixed with elemental blood. I like the idea that this isn't restricted to just humans though. And it makes some sense. For instance, azers are essentially dwarves that come form the Plane of Fire in my mind. So why not have other PC races that come from elemental planes and have various traits. I think it would be interesting to see an option to swap out certain racial abilities for the "elemental soul" for all races rather than have a race like the genasi that is effectively a human variant.

But to answer your question, the novel discusses his heritage or inherited ability from his mother, but that's really it. They don't talk about it beyond the fact that he has some genasi blood in him.

 

[ad_hoc]

Fwiw I quite like the book. It is exactly what I expected it to be.

Would it be better if it was longer? Probably. I know how long it is though and the content is good.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

The reborn Regis doesn't work mechanically in the game because all genasi are humans mixed with elemental blood. I like the idea that this isn't restricted to just humans though. And it makes some sense. For instance, azers are essentially dwarves that come form the Plane of Fire in my mind. So why not have other PC races that come from elemental planes and have various traits. I think it would be interesting to see an option to swap out certain racial abilities for the "elemental soul" for all races rather than have a race like the genasi that is effectively a human variant.

Genasi aren't really any different than Tieflings. They are both races that likely were planetouched at some time in the past. Either due to interbreeding or magic rites. However, the conceit in D&D has pretty much been that humans are the most adaptable race. They easy bond with magic and change. Both but of those races are very much races on their own no longer related to humans. It doesn't make much sense to have the ability to add elemental soul to other races than it does to add dwarven resilience as an option to add to every other race.

But to answer your question, the novel discusses his heritage or inherited ability from his mother, but that's really it. They don't talk about it beyond the fact that he has some genasi blood in him.

From my memory, I know they don't saw it precisely but I thought there was a sentence to the effect of "There are some races who have been touched by the planes like the Genasi who were attuned to certain elements and his mother due to a trick of her birth seemed to have some semblance of this ability."

I don't remember the exact wording by I remember interpreting it to mean that she wasn't a member of a special race, that she was likely a very small percent either Genasi or Water Elemental. But since the entire thing was coming from "young Regis" who was having difficulty understanding the world around him that he didn't really understand it himself.

Either way, it was fairly clear that he was meant to have a special ability not written in the rules that was unique only to him.

 

[Shemeska]

More options for tieflings beyond the exclusively devil-blooded description of the PHB race and finally an acknowledgement that yeah, they aren't all linked to Asmodeus. Then they go ahead and link two of the options thematically to devils anyway...

 

[Palladion]

The reborn Regis doesn't work mechanically in the game because all genasi are humans mixed with elemental blood. I like the idea that this isn't restricted to just humans though. And it makes some sense. For instance, azers are essentially dwarves that come form the Plane of Fire in my mind. So why not have other PC races that come from elemental planes and have various traits. I think it would be interesting to see an option to swap out certain racial abilities for the "elemental soul" for all races rather than have a race like the genasi that is effectively a human variant.

But to answer your question, the novel discusses his heritage or inherited ability from his mother, but that's really it. They don't talk about it beyond the fact that he has some genasi blood in him.

http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/EE_PlayersCompanion.pdf
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
Page 7, Heirs to Elemental Power
"They resemble humans but have unusual skin color (red, green, blue, or gray), and there is something odd about them..." and "A given genasi might have some features reminiscent of the mortal parent (pointed ears from an elf, a stockier frame and thick hair from a dwarf, small hands and feet from a halfling, exceedingly large eyes from a gnome, and so on)..."

All genasi look human-ish, but do not have to be from a human/genie pairing. Results in your own game may vary...