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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dnd.wizards.com

 

[abirdcall]

Best UA article I've ever seen. I'm somewhat disappointed that they did nothing to address warlock spell slots. Most groups I play with have far fewer than the expected number of short rests per day, so the warlock gets seriously gimped.

Changing something for the people who don't play as intended wouldn't make sense. I think the Warlock's spells are perfect. I would definitely not use a thing that changes them (or the spell slots of the other classes too).

Making house rules for the short/long rest dynamic should be done outside of the Warlock. It should be done on a global scale. If WotC wants to provide an optional module for that in one of their books then that's cool.

Making something specifically for the Warlock would just make it bad for everyone who does play as intended. I'm sorry your groups don't, but changing the Warlock is not the solution there.

 

[Sunsword]

Some classes like Ranger really needed the boost.

Some classes like Wizard were already doing ok, and didnt really get much.

In the case of the Bard, the spell list expansion looks solid, thematically. The spell versatility was desperately needed.

The Fighter needed the unarmed fighting style as an option for flavor reasons, and it has to competitive with other weapon fightingstyles.

Barring any oversights, the tweaks look solid.

I completely agree with the Ranger, but with these other enhancements, the Ranger still lags behind. IMO, they decided to try to fix the Ranger but didn't stop there.

I don't mind the new Fighting Styles, but the expanded spell lists don't feel right to me, I mean the Paladin can now cast spirit guardians, I'm troubled by Harness Divine Power and Blessed Strike, and Monk Weapons makes the Kensei pointless.

IMO, we're looking at power creep, but I realize that these are optional changes.

 

[cbwjm]

The Barbarian options are horrible.

I think they're great, I'd happily swap out the original abilities for the new ones.

 

[Yaarel]

I think they're great, I'd happily swap out the original abilities for the new ones.

I need a question mark emoji.

For example, how is Pounce better?

 

[Ashrym]

Superior technique looks way underpowered. Paladins and rangers add 2 cantrips with a fighting style that can be used at will while superior technique adds 1 maneuver that can be used once for short rest.

Primal awareness went way overboard on the changes stepping up from primeval awareness. A 3rd level ranger is now casting hunter's mark 1-3 times, 2 spells from awareness, and 3 slots from the spell progression. They also know 6 spells. That's quite a bit of slots and known compared to most classes.

Rangers end up knowing 19 spells now, 15 spell slots, 7 free castings from awareness, 1-5 free hunter's marks. That's more slots per day than the full caster chart, even if it's limited in selection. They definitely seem to be embracing a shaman hunter doing that. I think just adding the spells known without out the free castings for awareness was enough given hunter's mark is getting free castings and not being subject to concentration with those free castings.

Clerics and paladins will automatically recover 1st-level slots every short rest with unspent channel divinity. Looks good. Might step on warlocks, sorcerers, and wizards who all have a slot recovery / creation mechanic. At 2nd level when gained, that's 3 1st-level slots recovered to the wizard's 1 1st-level slot, for example. Clerics now also gain a damage to weapon and spell attacks every turn.

When I look at this, I see additional resources given to several classes and others are only getting more options on which to spend limited resources. That's reverse nerfing, and in some cases the opposite of what I would expect. Giving more spell slots to clerics, rangers, and paladins while giving sorcerers more competition for sorcery points so that they'll be less likely to create spell slots hardly seems appropriate given the spells known gap clerics and paladins already had, and rangers now get included.

It's like they looked at feedback for individual classes and missed the big picture putting it together.

 

[tetrasodium]

I get that it is useful to do. I just don't think removing the cost of things is necessarily good.

If you want Sending then spend a spell known on it. That's the cost. The Wizard's whole thing is that they are much more flexible than that. (not to mention fully open classes like Cleric)

Limitations can help define characters.

I agree 1000% It's why having the wizard cantrip swap being limited to leveling up instead of rests is even more bizarre & unreasonable

 

[cbwjm]

I need a question mark emoji.

For example, how is Pounce better?

I don't think it is necessarily better I think it is somewhat equivalent. I can move 15 feet as a reaction without worrying about opportunity attacks and this reaction enables me to react to the enemies positioning. It makes it harder for them to avoid me by moving around me after I've moved on my turn.

 

[Yaarel]

I don't think it is necessarily better I think it is somewhat equivalent. I can move 15 feet as a reaction without worrying about opportunity attacks and this reaction enables me to react to the enemies positioning. It makes it harder for them to avoid me by moving around me after I've moved on my turn.

But 15 feet of Pounce isnt worth it. If the opponent ENDED its move within 15 feet of you, it is nothing to simply walk up to it on your turn normally.

Meanwhile, the valuable speed of Fast Movement was lost in a worthless trade for nothing.

The Barbarian option is horrible. Worse than worthless, in that it destroys something valuable.

 

[Artagon]

But 15 feet of Pounce isnt worth it. If the opponent ENDED its move within 15 feet of you, it is nothing to simply walk up to it on your turn normally.

Meanwhile, the valuable speed is lost in a worthless trade.

Is it though? I guess it depends on your party composition and feat choices. Being next to an enemy for free right before the rogue takes his/her turn isn't wasted. Pick up a fighter level so that you have the interception fighting style and you are able to take the hit for someone who didn't disengage before moving. Keep the caster from being completely surrounded, etc. These are just the tactical thoughts that leap to my mind immediately.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Is it though? I guess it depends on your party composition and feat choices. Being next to an enemy for free right before the rogue takes his/her turn isn't wasted. Pick up a fighter level so that you have the interception fighting style and you are able to take the hit for someone who didn't disengage before moving. Keep the caster from being completely surrounded, etc. These are just the tactical thoughts that leap to my mind immediately.

Agreed. It seems the evaluation is being made from an on paper like for like comparison. Disregarding how it actually impacts actual play from a tactics perspective. Like being able to move outside of your actual turn. Or moving to the enemy, which forces the next creature to stay where it’s at or suffer an attack of opportunity from you. It can make the world of difference to be able to react to what’s happening in the game without having to wait for your turn.