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.

 

[Jiggawatts]

So, it lists Amaunator and Lathander, and it says nothing about the fact that they're two faces of the same god?

Each Faerunian deity has a 3-4 paragraph blurb describing them, they both have their own entry.

Amaunators talks about how he is the god of law and the sun, that he is seen as a stern and unforgiving god, not unlike Silvanus, also talking how people will swear oaths, sign contracts, and declaring laws under the light of the sun in veneration to him. It does mention that he has died and been reborn time and again.

Lathander is described as the god of spring, youth, vitality, renewal, and it specifically mentions that he is not a god of the sun but of the dawn, which is the start of a new day filled with potential.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Really? That's odd. They're supposed to be two faces of the same god.

Didn't someone earlier in the discussion say that SCAG specifically says that they are the same? Looks like we're getting a some crossed wires here...

(Also, I'm a bit irritated that my local stores that had OotA early don't have SCAG early. I was really wanting to have it available for my game later today...)

 

[Irennan]

Well, thanks for the info, but that's rather surprising. Sounds like a retcon of what was said in a novel published when? 2 years ago? Meh...

 

[pukunui]

Didn't someone earlier in the discussion say that SCAG specifically says that they are the same? Looks like we're getting a some crossed wires here...

It says that in one of the Sundering novels. Not sure about SCAG.

 

[Mirtek]

Well, thanks for the info, but that's rather surprising. Sounds like a retcon of what was said in a novel published when? 2 years ago? Meh...

Well, not necessarily. If the post above it's all the SCAG says, it doesn't state anything about whether they are two distinct entities. In The Reaver the church of Amaunator, at least some parts of it, were not happy with the idea of Lathander's return and tried to to convict the chosen of Lathander as a heretic (and no, the fact that he could show off legit powers from Lathander made them only more angry at him). The church of Aumanator didn't even disagree that Lathander transformed into their deity (the first sects preaching the upcomming change sprang up when Lathander was still fully himself yet), they just were angry about the claim that he was already changing back not even two centuries later.

So both faces could still be worshipped by different churches (and clerics preaching the truth might be hunted by both branches) until Lathander speaks a ultimate decree.

 

[Irennan]

Well, not necessarily. If the post above it's all the SCAG says, it doesn't state anything about whether they are two distinct entities. In The Reaver the church of Amaunator, at least some parts of it, were not happy with the idea of Lathander's return and tried to to convict the chosen of Lathander as a heretic (and no, the fact that he could show off legit powers from Lathander made them only more angry at him).

So both faces could still be worshipped by different churches (and clerics preaching the truth might be hunted by both branches) until Lathander speaks a ultimate decree.

Yes, I guess that it makes sense. He could be currently answering to prayers invoking both Lathander and Amaunator.

 

[Jiggawatts]

Just wanted to also say, as someone who disliked the Spellplague and the 100 year time jump, I really like this book. It has a surprising amount of lore packed in given its page count. Only thing I'm really bummed about is no official return for Khelben and Halaster.

The new character options are all pretty nice, though I would have loved at least one new subclass for bards, druids, and rangers. I'm personally looking forward to playing a Bladesinger after I finish my current rogue character. I'm gonna talk to my DM about letting Bladesinger training swap the versatile property for the finesse property on the longsword as I want to go full on classical style and without having to go rapier.

 

[CapnZapp]

The main feature is the advantage that you get from Tides of Chaos. The Wild Magic surge creates interesting situations but it is not where the power of the subclass comes from.

I completely agree.

But imagine my dismay when I realize the PHB offers two (2) non-cantrip spells that you can use that advantage on. And both are bottom-rung level (levels one and two). Add ranged attack level 3, 4 and 5 spells ASAP!

Just getting advantage on defense is not nearly enough for me.

Then I want spells that specifically plays off the wild mage schtick. Just like rangers or necromancers, I want spells with randomness built into the basic chassi, which I then can control better as a Wild Mage.

Undercooked, is my end analysis.

To this you then add the issues with all Sorcerers. A painfully short list of spells means you're basically being forced into the Fireballer archetype. No other element is given enough support. And you don't want to be anything else because you can't really afford to be without the "best in class" spells: once you've done a decently optimized spell selection you pretty much don't have anything left for "signature" spells.

Add to this metamagics which is very dry. Not weak, but beige.

Take all of this together and each time I look at building an arcanist, I choose a Wizard or something. The Sorcerer doesn't get any truly standout powers justifying its limitations. That's the brutal truth: it ain't worth all the hassle.

The UA sorcerers would have gone a long way of ameliorating this.

Screw "we can't overshadow the PHB" because the PHB Sorcerer (and Ranger) needs bein' overshadowed!

 

[Serpine]

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Add ranged attack level 3, 4 and 5 spells ASAP!

Definitely. The EEPC which should have been brimming with elemental blasts I think only added one in that range (Storm Sphere) and two in the weaker range (Ice Knife and the Magic Stone cantrip). This issue limits the options for the Spell Sniper feat's range bonus to.

 

[EroGaki]

I guess this is the crucial point.

If y'all (this does not mean YOU, but the guy to your right ) hadn't rated the class so high, perhaps they would have retrofitted bonus spells to the PHB sorqs instead...

Myself, I rate the sorcerer and ranger the lowest of the PHB classes.

A shame not more of you did the same... oh well.

Agreed. The only class lower than the sorcerer is the ranger.

Really, I wish more thought had been put into the sorcerer. It's just so strange to me that the so-called natural born magical genius is the worst full caster.