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.

​

[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.

 

[gyor]

Since 4e Asmodean Tieflings, the PHB Tieflings breed true almost no matter what the none Tiefling Race parent is.

 

[Dragonhelm]

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.

Honestly, I would treat it as a feat. Genasi Heritage, or some such. That would allow any race to take on a trait or two from the Genasi (or whatever race you want).

 

[Remathilis]

Honestly, I would treat it as a feat. Genasi Heritage, or some such. That would allow any race to take on a trait or two from the Genasi (or whatever race you want).

Except most races don't get a feat at first level, meaning they would be level 4± to "discover their heritage"

 

[Dragonhelm]

Except most races don't get a feat at first level, meaning they would be level 4± to "discover their heritage"

True, forgot about that.

Hrm...

 

[Mistwell]

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.

Commenting on it before you read it? Totally get that. Posting a review of a book you've never seen? Messed up.

 

[Prism]

"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?

Archmage definitely takes place at the end of 1486 and is a direct continuation of Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf which is set during the Rise of Tiamat story line. I guess that means that Rage of Demons takes place sometime during 1487

Oddly Princes of the Apocalypse is said to take place during 1491 (I'd probably ignore that bit)

I would say that the main reason that these are all set so early is that the authors don't want to build time jumps into their stories (again). I'd just run them in whichever year you like. That's probably why there is no set current year as far as I can see

 

[Azzy]

Yep, I can't wait until the 3rd.

 

[pukunui]

Panache. Persuasion opposed by Insight. If succeeds, opponent has disadvantage on attacks vs. targets other than you and cannot make opportunity attacks against anyone but you. Basically protects your allies. If used on not hostile, target is charmed.

Hmm. They fixed the combat usage - previously it made it so the target couldn't attack anyone other than you. I'm still unsure about the non-magical charm effect, though. But then charm isn't really mind control in this edition anyway. Yes, you're forcing the person to like you, but that doesn't mean they have to do what you say. I don't suppose they've added a clause indicating that the charm effect ends if you or an ally harms the target?

Archmage definitely takes place at the end of 1486 and is a direct continuation of Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf which is set during the Rise of Tiamat story line. I guess that means that Rage of Demons takes place sometime during 1487

Wait. The Iron Dwarf book mentions the Tyranny of Dragons storyline? If so, that makes no sense. ToD takes place in 1489. And 1485 is, as I mentioned above, in the middle of the Sundering.

It seems like somewhere along the line, WotC has got their dates all messed up.

Does the SCAG include a timeline of any kind?

 

[Valus]

Wait. The Iron Dwarf book mentions the Tyranny of Dragons storyline?

Archmage mentions the Tyranny of Dragons storyline and the fact that Tiamat failed. I don't recall any mention of it in Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf.

 

[pukunui]

[MENTION=6777490]Valus[/MENTION]: OK, which says to me that Archmage has to take place after 1489. Otherwise it makes no sense.