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.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Just theorycrafting, but I think MYV is right, the bladesinger is going to turn the Arcane Trickster into a bear. Multiple attacks, Expertise, Cunning action, High Level spellcasting, and all the little bonus things I can't think of right now because I don't have the books in front of me? Synergistic alignment of all major stats?

Finally, the Fighter/Magic-User/Thief is reborn!

Low hit points, but those guys were always glass tigers anyway.

if nothing else, this makes it rock... 2e fighter/mage/thief for the win...

now we need a fighter/cleric/mage build...

 

[Salamandyr]

The way the game is set up, I can't see that Bladesinger getting much play save as a style-choice. When the Bladesinger first appeared, it was a very cool archetype/kit. Now it's just an inferior archetype very few will ever play.

It's a wizard with a sword. It will get played.

 

[gyor]

You don't need to be a bladesinger to play a wizard with a sword, you just need to play an Elf, certain half elf variants, or take the right feat, or multiclass.

I say that not as a complaint against bladesinger, it sounds like an interesting subclass, but as mere observation.

 

[gyor]

if nothing else, this makes it rock... 2e fighter/mage/thief for the win...

now we need a fighter/cleric/mage build...

Fighter/Cleric/Mage equals Favoured Soul Sorceror with life domain from UA, access to sorceror spells/metamagic, cleric buff and healing spells from the life domain (many of which are enhancable with metamagic), and two attacks, extra weapon and armour prof, and now access to Greenflame Blade and Booming Blade (this assumes favoured soul is not nerfed by removing domain spells).

Alternately play a Valour Bard, take a mix of wizard and cleric spells, plus you get an extra attack, and armour weapon prof.

Really out there verison Tomelock, which gives you access to other classes rituals and cantrips including the clerics and wizard, with Green Flame Blade and Booming Blade cantrips.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

if nothing else, this makes it rock... 2e fighter/mage/thief for the win...

now we need a fighter/cleric/mage build...

Arcane Domain Cleric with a Fighter dip gives you that same feel. You get 10 generic Wizard spells, 4 high level Wizard spells of your choice, 2 Wizard cantrips of your choice, and +Wis to cantrip damage. Playing as variant human opens the door to grabbing a feat at 1st level for more build specialization. I have a thread about a similar build in the CharOp forum.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Arcane Domain Cleric with a Fighter dip gives you that same feel. You get 10 generic Wizard spells, 4 high level Wizard spells of your choice, 2 Wizard cantrips of your choice, and +Wis to cantrip damage. Playing as variant human opens the door to grabbing a feat at 1st level for more build specialization. I have a thread about a similar build in the CharOp forum.

sounds good to me...

 

[Salamandyr]

Arcane Domain Cleric with a Fighter dip gives you that same feel. You get 10 generic Wizard spells, 4 high level Wizard spells of your choice, 2 Wizard cantrips of your choice, and +Wis to cantrip damage. Playing as variant human opens the door to grabbing a feat at 1st level for more build specialization. I have a thread about a similar build in the CharOp forum.

Ah, yeah. that's the stuff. Thanks, I will check that thread out.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

At least the other <other stuff>/wizard classes have limitations on them like limited spell schools.

Not in 5e. No wizard subclass limits spell access or anything else. Subclass features are purely additive across the board in 5e.

Please don't take this in the wrong way, but I'd encourage you to read or re-read the wizard entry in the PHB. It sounds like you may be going on some outdated premises. I apologize if I'm misunderstanding your argument.

 

[ZickZak]

Bladesinger is an Archetype of a Wizard who really doesnt lose that much. It is still a Wizard who can go melee twice a short rest. The only thing I dont like is that it cannot have 2hander. Easy to HB as long as one isnt trying to break it.
MCing Wizard and Warlock I would have went Blade pact and Bladesinger, would "look" cool.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Not in 5e. No wizard subclass limits spell access or anything else. Subclass features are purely additive across the board in 5e.

Please don't take this in the wrong way, but I'd encourage you to read or re-read the wizard entry in the PHB. It sounds like you may be going on some outdated premises. I apologize if I'm misunderstanding your argument.

I was about to post something like this. It really sounds like the bladesinger is being compared to older-edition wizards.

Read the wizard entry. Completely. Without assumptions. You'll find a lot of prior-edition knowledge simply isn't accurate here.