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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[bedir than]

Are you considering the extra Bonus Action attacks that Monks can make here? Fighter's don't get that (with unarmed strikes anyway). So they're attacking 1/round until level 5. Monks have the option of attacking at least 2/round until 5th, then 3/round.

Dunno. 3.5-4.5+Str per round vs. 2.5-5+Str or Dex seems on par to me.

EDIT - and then at 5th level, the Monk's jump up to 3.5 per hit and it can be done 2-4 times per round.

This fighting style just increases the damage from Unarmed Strikes, it doesn't let them work with things like Two-Weapon Fighting or other things.

Also, the Fighter with this fighting style won't have fists that are magical weapons...seems like a fantastic option for the Champion as a secondary fighting style but hardly OP.

As a Fighter I would attack with two hands, but one attack. More damage.

 

[Salthorae]

As a Fighter I would attack with two hands, but one attack. More damage.

Yes, I already accounted for that in what I replied, that is the "4.5+Str" version.

So your monk is 2.5-5+Str/Dex x1 or 2 total from levels 1-4 on 1-2 attacks. Your fighter is 3.4-4.5+Str total from levels 1-4 if they are using either a d6 or a d8

At 5th the monk goes to d6's on martials arts and then they also get extra attacks, so they go up to 3.5-10.5+Str/Dex x1-3 depending on # of hits.

Fighter goes to 4.5-9+Str x2.

Those #'s are right in line with each other. The only advantage the Fighting Style gives is that you can deal an extra 1d4 if you're in a grapple with creatures. Which encourages grappling, but not a given on any comabt.

 

[TwoSix]

Best UA article ever, and it isn’t close. This is what the game needed.

 

[Jay Verkuilen]

Also, the Fighter with this fighting style won't have fists that are magical weapons...seems like a fantastic option for the Champion as a secondary fighting style but hardly OP.

It would probably work OK as a primary build in a campaign that focuses that way, say something more swashbuckling or pulp. The character would often switch to weapons when needed. It probably wouldn't keep a hardcore charop type person happy but I bet it'd be fun.

In a really pulp or swashbuckling oriented game, I'd probably give everyone the Tavern Brawler feat.

 

[Parmandur]

That would make a fairly odd book... a bunch of player options, plus a whole new setting. I'd assume it would have to cut new races/classes to make room.

This smells more like a PHB2/Xanathar's3 as others have suggested, just seems like a more clear-cut explanation.

It's certainly one of the live possibilities, but if so they haven't tested much relatively speaking. However, if you look particularly at the Eberron book, the new regime for setting books does involve large amounts of player options that are more generally useful.

 

[Parmandur]

It would probably work OK as a primary build in a campaign that focuses that way, say something more swashbuckling or pulp. The character would often switch to weapons when needed. It probably wouldn't keep a hardcore charop type person happy but I bet it'd be fun.

It certainly enables a particular type of character without neccesitating a "Wrassler" Subclass.

 

[Artagon]

So did I miss it, or is the beast companion still not scaling (other than hp)? I was hoping that the scaling was in a separate class feature, but I'm not seeing it. It looks like they grabbed everything from artificer except for the "Might of the Master" ability for the pets? Tell me I'm wrong, please?

Might of the Master. The following numbers increase by 1 when your proficiency bonus increases by 1: the iron defender’s skill bonuses, the bonuses to hit and damage of its bite, and the number of hit points restored by its Repair action.

 

[Jay Verkuilen]

It certainly enables a particular type of character without neccesitating a "Wrassler" Subclass.

Absolutely. I don't think that would merit a full archetype, either. Champion or Battlemaster with the right Maneuvers or Feats does that fine with this Fighting Style. It could be pretty decent for an Eldritch Knight, too, come to think of it, given that they'd not need to worry about having a hand occupied.

 

[Parmandur]

Absolutely. I don't think that would merit a full archetype, either. Champion or Battlemaster with the right Maneuvers or Feats does that fine. It would be pretty decent for an Eldritch Knight, too, come to think of it, given that they'd not need to worry about having a hand occupied.

That could take care of the magic weapon damage issue, too.

 

[Bitbrain]

reads UA

I LOVE THIS!!!