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.

 

[Serpine]

Hows the Utgardt tribesmen different than the standard Outlander?

Proficiency wise Uthgardt can have artisan tool instead of music. Feature wise they don't have the map memory (though they still have an idea of the are) and can only find double forage (rather then feed a whole party). However they get hospitality with their tribe, its allies, and nature oriented folk.

So basically Uthgardt are "social" types better for working peaceful encounters with wilderness dwellers, where Outlanders are the rugged loners who guide you through the wilderness itself.

 

[nightspaladin]

Rallying Cry, Royal Envoy, Inspiring Surge, Bulwark

Thank you so much!

 

[JohnLynch]

Pretty much this. I had all of my spell choices carefully selected to play the character I desired to play. Now, with the removal of the bonus spells, I can't match the concept. If I can't actually use my magic to call up storms or lightning or conjure air elementals, then I see no point in pretending to be this awesome weather mage.

Your DM clearly had no problem with you choosing this ability and presumably it hasn't caused problems during play. Have you considered asking him to let you keep your character as is?

for me the days of having to implement errata are gone. I'll look at it and then decide if it's fixing any problems for my table and disregard it if it isn't.

 

[Parmandur]

Proficiency wise Uthgardt can have artisan tool instead of music. Feature wise they don't have the map memory (though they still have an idea of the are) and can only find double forage (rather then feed a whole party). However they get hospitality with their tribe, its allies, and nature oriented folk.



So basically Uthgardt are "social" types better for working peaceful encounters with wilderness dwellers, where Outlanders are the rugged loners who guide you through the wilderness itself.

Nice. How about the Far Teaveller, what's the deal there?

 

[SkidAce]

Pretty much this. I had all of my spell choices carefully selected to play the character I desired to play. Now, with the removal of the bonus spells, I can't match the concept. If I can't actually use my magic to call up storms or lightning or conjure air elementals, then I see no point in pretending to be this awesome weather mage.

Especially since my character, who's 8th level now, has built tactics around those spells and used them effectively since level one. To turn around and see 8 of my spells vanish kills any fun I was having. I know most consider a paltry 9 spells at 8th level to be plenty, but it really isn't.

I think I see your point.

I am assuming the DM won't grandfather your character in and just let you keep playing it as is? Yeah, that's rough to lose a concept, I wouldn't like it either.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

It will be interesting to see how they handled Favoured Souls if they ever get around to them now that bonus spells for Sorcerers are off the table. I do agree that bonus spells made the PHB sorcerous origins unattractive in comparison since spells known was one of their big limiting factors. I still think that the Sorcerer is second behind the Ranger in terms of unrealized potential and bonus spells would be a good offset for that. I can understand why they didn't want to make the PHB versions obsolete one year out as well.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

Well... on one hand it might be hard to think of a Bard subclass concept with only 3 levels worth of features to represent it, but on the other hand it should obviously be easier to design and playtest 3 features rather than more

It is just a bit more limited than it might be because the features fall at 3, 6, and 14 rather than being spread out a bit more evenly. Subclass features at 10 and 18 would definitely allow a bit more flexibility in even dropping in a couple of "ribbon" type abilities. I realize that the Bard is pretty "busy" class in terms of design and mechanics anyway. I think throwing more of those abilities into subclasses might have helped in terms of subclass focus. This is no slight on the bard. It may have hit its design goals better than any other class in 5e and it works great as is. I just wish it was a bit sleeker and more customizable on the subclass end.

 

[NiClerigo]

He becomes a Knight of Furry-Undies, lol

Picked this up yesterday, wow, they really packed alot of info into this book, and it even covers cursorily Zakhara and Kara-Tur. Im excited to start perusing, the production values are stunning, I only wish that a pull out map could have been included, but then again, Im sure that these maps will be sold cheap through digital, (if not already).

The gods section is pretty impressive, I had no idea they would include non-human deities, and there are some deities that I had not even heard of, (Jergal, Hoar).

Wizards really delivered me the FR book I needed for 5e. Hope we get to see more FR books, possibly one on Kara-Tur and Zhakara.

What about Maztica? Is it mentioned as well?

 

[EroGaki]

It will be interesting to see how they handled Favoured Souls if they ever get around to them now that bonus spells for Sorcerers are off the table. I do agree that bonus spells made the PHB sorcerous origins unattractive in comparison since spells known was one of their big limiting factors. I still think that the Sorcerer is second behind the Ranger in terms of unrealized potential and bonus spells would be a good offset for that. I can understand why they didn't want to make the PHB versions obsolete one year out as well.

What irks me is that by taking away bonus spells, they've chosen to let the class stay underpowered, rather than doing anything to improve it. There was enough of an out cry that they presented to archtypes with bonus spells.

And now that it's all said and done, they just shrug and say, "too late now. Sorcerers shall just have to continue being lame."

 

[Celtavian]

They removed bonus spells? I'm going to continue them as a house rule and write some bonus spells for the sorcerous origins in the PHB. 15 spells is too few, especially at high level.