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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[Ashrym]

Also I’ve been building for and playing around with a “2 SA per round” rogue recently (over the last 6 months, to test the insistence that it’s required in some way, and it’s really easy. Sentinel and Mage Slayer make it trivial.

I don't think consistent 2nd sneak attacks are necessary, but it's not that hard to get them. They compete with uncanny dodge and that's often more important so I find feats to be a heavy investment to increase something that competes with something else I value a lot.

If a person really wants bragging rights on number of sneak attacks a cavalier who splashes rogue eventually gets a lot of them. They are just weak sneak attacks for that tier.

 

[Ashrym]

Well, Protection style qualifies it "other than you," specifically.

Likely an oversight.

That's what I was wondering. It's either an oversight or intentional. Flip a coin?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I don't think consistent 2nd sneak attacks are necessary, but it's not that hard to get them. They compete with uncanny dodge and that's often more important so I find feats to be a heavy investment to increase something that competes with something else I value a lot.

If a person really wants bragging rights on number of sneak attacks a cavalier who splashes rogue eventually gets a lot of them. They are just weak sneak attacks for that tier.

Absolutely. I’ve found that my DPR hungry rogue drops more often, and the extra damage just isn’t worth it.

It’s an “on paper” problem, anyway. Rogue perform very well with or without optimization.

 

[Ashrym]

Absolutely. I’ve found that my DPR hungry rogue drops more often, and the extra damage just isn’t worth it.

It’s an “on paper” problem, anyway. Rogue perform very well with or without optimization.

On that same note, I still like getting them and it feels nice to have that damage boost.

 

[Leatherhead]

One of my players believes the new Interception fighting style can be used on attacks that target yourself, rather than only attacks against allies.
...
What say you?

I think I would allow it. Using that interpretation it would function similarly to a shareable Deflect Missiles (sans the part where you can make a counterattack). Otherwise Interception is just a weaksause Protection style that can use weapons instead of a shield.

For Contrast:

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield

 

[doctorbadwolf]

On that same note, I still like getting them and it feels nice to have that damage boost.

Oh hell yeah.

My main PC rogue (the other main guy got turned into an NPC for a while, but he’ll be back soon!) is a mage hunter, and he has sacrificed a good chuck of SA damage in exchange for a very odd build that is right now 4/4 swashbuckler/Bladesinger, and getting those Mage Slayer reaction attacks is fantastic! But next level he will have Uncanny Dodge, and will have to make hard choice a lot of times.

But that’s what happens when you ignore CharOp to build according to story!

When that other rogue is back as a PC, he is a real killer. He’s level 12 Swashbuckler (mostly for more reliable SA and maneuverability in combat) and may MC Hexblade or Vengeance Paladin next few levels. He attacks from Stealth often enough that higher crit chance would really mean something to him.

 

[Hussar]

I'd point out that being able to do a Smite Spell plus Smiting doesn't really make Smite Spells better.

By and large, the Smite Spells are going to play second fiddle to most of what a paladin could be casting - I see Shield of Faith getting dropped far more often than any Smite spell, followed by slots being used for healing. Maybe it was just my group, but, AFAIC, the Smite spells would be far better used on the Cleric spell list than the paladin.

 

[Salthorae]

I don't get how doing extra damage on top of your extra damage with additional riders and effects is not worth someone's time.

Bonus damage for all of them, caught on fire, knocked prone, blinded, staggered, or even banished are great conditions. Branding smite is probably the weakest one, but all of them have good riders and additional damage that stacks with any other damages.

I feel like people who've never even tried the Smite spells are saying they're not worth it. Like saying you don't like that food you've never tried.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I don't get how doing extra damage on top of your extra damage with additional riders and effects is not worth someone's time.

Bonus damage for all of them, caught on fire, knocked prone, blinded, staggered, or even banished are great conditions. Branding smite is probably the weakest one, but all of them have good riders and additional damage that stacks with any other damages.

I feel like people who've never even tried the Smite spells are saying they're not worth it. Like saying you don't like that food you've never tried.

Yeah honestly against a foe who isn’t gonna have an easy time saving, I’d rather throw a Wrathful or Blinding early on than just do a little more damage with that slot.

Branding is super situational, but occasionally you get that day where you suspect it will be useful, and you prep it, and it pays off, and it’s fantastic.

Because yeah, someone else could spend their whole action making that greater-invisible vampire wizard visible, but you did it while dealing damage to the bastard, and then made another attack!

 

[Ashrym]

I don't get how doing extra damage on top of your extra damage with additional riders and effects is not worth someone's time.

Bonus damage for all of them, caught on fire, knocked prone, blinded, staggered, or even banished are great conditions. Branding smite is probably the weakest one, but all of them have good riders and additional damage that stacks with any other damages.

I feel like people who've never even tried the Smite spells are saying they're not worth it. Like saying you don't like that food you've never tried.

I can slot divine favor, bless, crusaders mantle, or elemental weapon and use one slot for longer benefits. I can knock someone prone by giving up an attack without using a spell slot, even if it's not as effective a use of the attack. I can focus more on STR and worry about CHA later if I'm using buffs instead of DC saves and smite bonus effects. The same spell slot does more damage with a standard smite. By the time a paladin gets blinding smite another spell caster can multi-target multiple opponents and not have to worry about concentration. Reasons like that.

IME, I'm better off using concentration for a party wide buff while another member of the party works status control. Adding these spells to clerics doesn't take the occasional use away from paladins or invalidate anyone who wants to use them on paladins. It gives clerics a reasonable melee application that doesn't actually buff them (spell slots and concentration are still limiting factors) and results in more use for the spells. It's the type of ability I would expect to see on a melee cleric.

I just find the spells don't have enough draw for me on a paladin to use them.