Unearthed Arcana New UA: 43 D&D Class Feature Variants

The latest Unearthed Arcana is a big 13-page document! “Every character class in D&D has features, and every class gets one or more class feature variants in today’s Unearthed Arcana! These variants replace or enhance a class’s normal features, giving you new ways to enjoy your character’s class.”

News Archive | Dungeons and Dragons

Read the full archives of Dungeons & Dragons news, Sage Advice, Unearthed Arcana, and D&D Studio Blogs.

dnd.wizards.com

 

[Parmandur]

Worth noting that the Kensai can choose a few weapons not on the menu by these new rules, and can use the weapon as a magical weapon...

 

[CapnZapp]

I think they would just need to focus a full UA to it, not just a few paragraphs.

I think they would need to publish it in a dead tree supplement, not just focus a full UA to it. And I think they could and should have done so years ago.

 

[Undrave]

I think they would need to publish it in a dead tree supplement, not just focus a full UA to it. And I think they could and should have done so years ago.

Oh I agree, but I meant they would test them as a UA first and I'd expect it to be the central focus.

 

[Salthorae]

The picture of a Hobgoblin Monk with a Maul using Dex for attack and damage makes me both happy and squeamish at the same time though.

Or a Githyanki with a Greatsword.

Oof... with a dip into monk as a Hobgoblin you could dump Str and use your Dex for Polearm Master/Sentinel shenanigans without really sacrificing too much on the Fighter side and letting you focus on just Dex/Con with ASI's. Seems... niche but really good.

 

[RSIxidor]

The picture of a Hobgoblin Monk with a Maul using Dex for attack and damage makes me both happy and squeamish at the same time though.

Or a Githyanki with a Greatsword.

Oof... with a dip into monk as a Hobgoblin you could dump Str and use your Dex for Polearm Master/Sentinel shenanigans without really sacrificing too much on the Fighter side and letting you focus on just Dex/Con with ASI's. Seems... niche but really good.

I feel like I'm missing something. It still can't have two-handed, heavy, or special properties to qualify as a monk weapon.

 

[Parmandur]

The picture of a Hobgoblin Monk with a Maul using Dex for attack and damage makes me both happy and squeamish at the same time though.

Or a Githyanki with a Greatsword.

Oof... with a dip into monk as a Hobgoblin you could dump Str and use your Dex for Polearm Master/Sentinel shenanigans without really sacrificing too much on the Fighter side and letting you focus on just Dex/Con with ASI's. Seems... niche but really good.

No, neither of those work. Both the Maul and Greatsword are ineligible for either these Monk weapons variant or for the Kensai: this new option says that the weapon cannot be Special, Heavy, or Two-handed, the Kensai cannot use Special or Heavy weapons (so a Kensai can use a Greatclub, while the new Monk cannot). The Githyanki Monk can now use a Longsword, and the Hobgoblin certainly has some wide open options.

 

[bedir than]

As for the Ranger, I miss an option that replaces Spellcasting. Favored Foe means you don't need Spellcasting to mark enemies, and since Spellcasting is fairly powerful (at least, it's not a mere ribbon ability), it's the perfect candidate to trade away for a stronger Animal Companion.

While I'm not actively hating the "primal beast" option, it's clearly intended as an expendable pet (weak and cheaply raised).

What we're still waiting for is a living breathing animal companion with clear lupine/ursine/feline traits, robust enough for extra "rebirth" options not to be necessary, yet as independent as any other creature. (If you can summon hundreds of effective hit points, why not offer a "permanent" pet?) It's okay if such an UA option clearly mandates that the option can only be picked with DM approval, since it will by nature be stronger than most other subclasses.

While we've disagreed on much in regards to the Ranger, I like the thoughts behind how Favored Foe means that Spellcasting can be replaced with a powerful beast.

 

[Salthorae]

I feel like I'm missing something. It still can't have two-handed, heavy, or special properties to qualify as a monk weapon.

No, neither of those work. Both the Maul and Greatsword are ineligible for either these Monk weapons variant or for the Kensai: this new option says that the weapon cannot be Special, Heavy, or Two-handed, the Kensai cannot use Special or Heavy weapons (so a Kensai can use a Greatclub, while the new Monk cannot). The Githyanki Monk can now use a Longsword, and the Hobgoblin certainly has some wide open options.

Great points! I'd forgotten that part of the limiters.

That makes me feel much better

Though I might still make a Hobgoblin Monk that uses a Maul just because that sounds fun now

 

[Parmandur]

Great points! I'd forgotten that part of the limiters.

That makes me feel much better

Honestly, I think it mostly impacts flavor, allowing for Race to make a small difference for the Monk in character concept.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Likely the better explanation is that Barbarian is a powerful popular class that needs no fix

Is the Paladin not a popular powerful class that needs no fix?

It got cool new fighting styles, spells, and a buff to Channel Divinity. Which all seem more useful, powerful, and fun to me than the Barbarian options.

Edit: and in the case of the Barbarian I would have been happy with useful and fun with no power increase