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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[tglassy]

I would much prefer it being an official 'swap spells on level up',

That literally is how it works already. Each of these classes can swap spells on a level up. I’ve seen a number of posters here say this. Why do so many people keep saying they want them to change Spell Versatility to only work on a level up when it already does that?

 

[Undrave]

I'm not one to cry "Poor Wizard" but if you really want to give them a boost, just let them swap a spell whenever they use Arcane Recovery.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I just re-watched Thor: Ragnarok and the Unarmed Strike Fighting Style has me pumped to do a Storm Herald Barbarian/Storm Sorcerer (Booming Blade, Lighting Lure, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap cantrips, I choose you!).

Or maybe tempest cleric, but... I don't see Thor as the wise type. He's very charismatic though

Oh and some fighter in there somewhere for Fighting Style

I've always thought an Eldritch Knight with the right spell selection makes a pretty excellent Thor

 

[Yaarel]

That literally is how it works already. Each of these classes can swap spells on a level up. I’ve seen a number of posters here say this. Why do so many people keep saying they want them to change Spell Versatility to only work on a level up when it already does that?

Yeah, swapping spells while leveling is rules-as-written. For example.

Players Handbook, Sorcerer class (page 101).
"
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the sorcerer spelllist, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

"

 

[JPL]

Maybe I'm getting hung up on the word "hidden." Let's think . . .


Unseen Attackers and Targets
Combatants often try to escape their foes' notice by hiding, casting the invisibility spell, or lurking in darkness.

When you attack a target that you can't see, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. This is true whether you're guessing the target's location or you're targeting a creature you can hear but not see. If the target isn't in the location you targeted, you automatically miss, but the GM typically just says that the attack missed, not whether you guessed the target's location correctly.

When a creature can't see you, you have advantage on attack rolls against it. If you are hidden–both unseen and unheard–when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses.

Hmmm. So maybe this guy takes Dodge the first round, and once someone attacks him, they are no longer hidden?

 

[BookBarbarian]

You can't expect weird and cool but very niche stuff like "punchy barbarian" to work in games which refuse to use stuff like that.

Sure I can. It might not be reasonable to do so, but I may or not be a reasonable person,

But honestly I do feel like a Barbarian that focuses on grapples and punches is far more of a well known archetype than one that summons ghosts, storms, or godly power when raging.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yeah, the ranger stuff in here is money.

Balance-wise, I think they need to probably either remove the "remove exhaustion" portion of Tireless or put a "Ranger level 6th" pre-req on it to avoid dipping.

I also think the Roving should be split into two options. Each granting +5' movement and a new movement mode. Getting both a climb speed and a swim speed at 1st level is pretty good. A wood elf ranger would start the game with a 40' Climb, Land, Swim speed.

And they’d not be overpowered for it.

 

[JPL]

Sure I can. It might not be reasonable to do so, but I may or not be a reasonable person,

But honestly I do feel like a Barbarian that focuses on grapples and punches is far more of a well known archetype than one that summons ghosts, storms, or godly power when raging.

And the barbarian works better unarmored, which seems to fit better that having a punchy guy in full plate.

 

[Salthorae]

Yeah, I don’t understand how changing out a spell every now and then steps on the Wizard’s toes when Clerics, Druids and Paladins not only do the same, but already know their whole list without having to pay to scribe it first.

Because there is a vast difference in Arcane spells and Divine spells. Wizard's spell list is just better than any of those divine lists, so them having access to any spell on their list isn't a huge creep into Wizard territory.

It's also a historical sacred cow. Clerics and Druids have always had access to their whole spell list (within their Major spheres anyway ).

I've always thought an Eldritch Knight with the right spell selection makes a pretty excellent Thor

When I originally wrote that post I put Fighter Eldritch Knight, but... Intelligence on Thor?

Sure, I guess. He's often portrayed as more of a dumb brute, but he really is a smart guy, just smart in an "I'm from a highly advanced culture so my education was far more advanced than yours and I've been around for 1500 years, so I know stuff" than "I'm inherently smart like Iron Man or Banner and I can just Invent things." In that way Fighter (EK) fits. Just gotta use Magic Initiate to pick up your other thunder/lightning-related spells since you only start with 2 cantrips.

Would you make him Aasimar or V. Human?

The only thing leaning me towards Sorcerer still would be getting access to Chain Lightning. Somehow getting Call Lighting might be able to flavor the difference.

Yeah, swapping spells while leveling is rules-as-written. For example.

Players Handbook, Sorcerer class (page 101).
"
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the sorcerer spelllist, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

"

That doesn't apply to Cantrips though as it's under the section "Spells of 1st level or higher". I've been saying that Sorcerer/Bard should keep just their level up abilities, but get access to the same Cantrip Versatility that many other classes in this UA got.

And they’d not be overpowered for it.

For which? Sorry didn't follow this response.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Sure. It's a step forward for supporting a fringe concept.

Thrown weapon specialization is fringe? Lol since when?