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.”

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[Undrave]

Do all rogues really need to be expert snipers? Cunning Action is a very strong feature already - it really doesn't need to be "enhanced". Cunning Action: Aim makes every rogue the best marksman in the game. What it enables rogues to do is to utilise their sneak attack without risk to themselves or anyone else. (Did someone forget to tell WoTC that ranged combat is far lower risk than melee combat, so anything that makes ranged combat more effective is inherently unbalancing? Just like the GWM feat is far less of a problem than Sharpshooter.)

So do you think the Aim action should instead be a Subclass feature then? Like a specific Sniper Rogue build that gains Aim as a Cunning Action?

 

[Parmandur]

Oh yeah.View attachment 115478

More of a Rogue thing, for D&D purposes?

 

[Tony Vargas]

More of a Rogue thing, for D&D purposes?

It doesn't really matter which class - my 3e knife-thrower was a fighter/ranger, in 4e he was a rogue - just the concept, fun & effectiveness.
And, Geoffrey Holder, as Kudjo Quadrill, in the picture certainly calls for fighter - he's Bond-heavy (Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die ) tall & badass.

In 5e fighters do DEX-based/light-weapon just fine, but they need the flurry of attacks, which this finally opens up.

 

[Al'Kelhar]

So do you think the Aim action should instead be a Subclass feature then? Like a specific Sniper Rogue build that gains Aim as a Cunning Action?

I did start writing about having at a feature of the assassin subclass, but don't have any of my books in front of me, so didn't know whether it was mechanically (as opposed to thematically) appropriate. In any case, "sniper" should generally not be a rogue's schtick, if we're trying to keep some role distinction between classes.

Which is a more general point about these UA options. Basically, I think they're trying to break down a lot of role distinctions between the classes, particularly with the replacement class features. Which may be fine in a game with no multi-classing. But I suspect not a lot of games preclude multi-classing, and the options will just promote even more multi-class dips.

And my hatred of Spell Versatility knows no bounds. Wait, I think my next PC will be a Bard/Sorcerer with access to every friggin spell from the bard and sorcerer spell lists, every day. Fudge me, what a stupid concept.

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Undrave]

I did start writing about having at a feature of the assassin subclass, but don't have any of my books in front of me, so didn't know whether it was mechanically (as opposed to thematically) appropriate. In any case, "sniper" should generally not be a rogue's schtick, if we're trying to keep some role distinction between classes.

I dunno, hiding somewhere, unmoving, and hitting dudes who don't know you're there is in line with using Sneak Attack...

Then agan Aim could have also been a neat Fighting style. But I think the 0 movement thing is just more dangerous for the Rogue.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

I did start writing about having at a feature of the assassin subclass, but don't have any of my books in front of me, so didn't know whether it was mechanically (as opposed to thematically) appropriate. In any case, "sniper" should generally not be a rogue's schtick, if we're trying to keep some role distinction between classes.

The rogue is currently the only viable sniper, in the sense of a "one shot one kill" guy. Every other martial character achieves high damage with multiple attacks.

 

[FireLance]

This is how I see Spell Versatility.

	Classes that can change all their prepared/known spells after a long rest	Classes that can change 1 prepared/known spell after a long rest
Classes with access to their entire spell list	Cleric, Druid, Paladin	Bard, Ranger, Sorcerer
Classes with access to a subset of spells from their spell list	Wizard	Warlock*

* Since Pact Magic only covers 1st to 5th level spells.

 

[Sacrosanct]

The rogue is currently the only viable sniper, in the sense of a "one shot one kill" guy. Every other martial character achieves high damage with multiple attacks.

kinda always been that way since 1e days though, right? Back then, it was a backstab multiplier, but for damage potential on a single attack (as opposed turn), the thief/rogue has led the pack. I’m not even gonna mention 1e’s assassin auto kill % lol

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

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[coolAlias]

not true at all. You can take a reaction to move 15 feet. Which is more than 10 feet. So instead of moving up to 40 ft per round on your turn only, you can move up to 45 ft at different points in the combat round (not counting dash obviously). How many times in melee combat does an opponent come within 15 ft of the barbarian? That’s how often this can come up.

round 1: barbarian moves 30ft to engage in combat. Enemy caster stays in the back. Another enemy moves forward into the battle, ending up within 15ft of the barbarian, who then uses his reaction to move next to that creature (putting him 15 ft closer to the enemy caster, which is closer than the 40ft if the barbarian kept the old version). A third monster now has the realization that if they move to engage the rest of the party, it’s suddenly facing an opportunity attack from said barbarian that wasn’t near him just a second ago.

A little late to the party perhaps, but wanted to point out that the barbarian would not be threatening any attacks of opportunity until their next turn as they have already spent their reaction on the 15ft of movement.

Still somewhat useful, but not very threatening with no more reaction.