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

 

[cbwjm]

I think its just an unfortunate over site, because wizards definitely need a boost.

One boost we have given them is to allow them to concentrate on two spells with a feat. Has worked pretty well, and given them a small nudge towards wizards of older editions.

We could give wizards a similar ability to the sorcerer, bard, and warlock's spell versatility. Allow a wizard to replace a spell in their spellbook during a long rest. That way, if they ever added a spell to their spellbook that they never use they can swap it for one that they would use.

 

[Maxperson]

Enhances which Spellcasting feature? You mean the Class’ spellcasting feature? Is this the Spellcasting feature you are referring to? The same one the Spell Versatility wording refers to?

Ok, where in the Spell Versatility Feature does it say where you get this extra spell you can switch out? The first one. At your first long rest.

The interview shows the way they intended it to read, and how it was written as well. This is for those play groups, like play by post, that can go a year or more between leveling up, so that Bards, Sorcerers and Warlocks aren’t stuck with useless choices, as from a design standpoint, telling players they have to “eat their vegetables” or “Git Gud” just doesn’t make sense.

I appreciate the link to the interview, I really do. Unfortunately, I lost sound on my computer a few months ago when a sound file crashed my computer and broke. I'm not tech savvy enough to fix it, so I've been unable to do audio.

I'm going to run it as I've laid it out here. That way it will be reasonably versatile without being over the top.

 

[Hussar]

The problem with melee clerics isn't so much about horning in on Paladins, but, rather that their attack cantrips are too good.

I mean, by 8th level, Sacred flame is doing 2d8 damage. That's easily equal to whatever melee attack the cleric is doing. Why bother having decent weapon proficiencies and good armor prof's if your ranged cantrips are flat out better? Never minding something like Toll the Dead which is dealing even more damage.

Having just played a Forge Priest out to 12th level, I quickly realized that even though I was a good tank, there was virtually no point in having magic weapons. My cantrips could do for free as much or more damage as my melee attacks. And, since Sacred Flame is a Dex Save, my odds of success were at least as good as flat out attacking.

I honestly think it would not hurt to give clerics a second attack at, say, 7th level, just to allow for the "melee combat" cleric archetype. Otherwise, you might as well be standing beside the wizard.

 

[Kurotowa]

I mean, by 8th level, Sacred flame is doing 2d8 damage. That's easily equal to whatever melee attack the cleric is doing. Why bother having decent weapon proficiencies and good armor prof's if your ranged cantrips are flat out better?

Well, at 8th level the melee Cleric is doing 2d8 + ability mod + magic weapon perks on a hit. That can be significantly more than just 2d8, but it's very dependent on gear and build. Sacred Flame has good baseline performance that's harder to improve. It may be a case where melee Cleric holds up if you go all in on it, but half measures don't pay off well compared to just spamming a Cantrip.

Though it doesn't hurt to consider the side benefits of being on the front line. For one, you're part of the front line. In a small or ranged heavy party, having an extra body to help there can make a lot of difference.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

And while I'm at it, while I don't care much for Cunning Action: Aim on the Rogue, it does model perfectly exactly how spellcasting and ranged attacks need to be universally nerfed. You move, no spellcasting or ranged attack for you. You cast a spell or make a ranged attack, your speed is 0 the rest of your turn.

No.

 

[Hussar]

Well, at 8th level the melee Cleric is doing 2d8 + ability mod + magic weapon perks on a hit. That can be significantly more than just 2d8, but it's very dependent on gear and build. Sacred Flame has good baseline performance that's harder to improve. It may be a case where melee Cleric holds up if you go all in on it, but half measures don't pay off well compared to just spamming a Cantrip.

Though it doesn't hurt to consider the side benefits of being on the front line. For one, you're part of the front line. In a small or ranged heavy party, having an extra body to help there can make a lot of difference.

Yeah. Well, as I said, my forge priest made a very good brick wall. Good HP, great AC. But, standing between the fighter and the barbarian, I'm just doing so little damage comparatively that realistically, I might as well not even bother.

I mean, even at 8th level, I had a magic mace with gauntlets of ogre power, an the Ild rune (Against the Giants) that meant I was doing 3d8+4 points of damage on a hit (Forge Priests get that smite thing at 8th level). Great. Fantastic. But, that ate THREE magic items AND a class ability and two Attunement slots.. Just to do, on average, 8 more points of damage per round than my cantrip.

At the end of the day, it REALLY wasn't worth it. I should have just stuck to spamming Sacred Flame and then have a wand or two.

Never minding that at 11th, now my Sacred Flame is doing 3d8 damage. So, effectively, my three magic items and a class ability would net me +4 damage. Whoopdee freaking doo.

Granting a second attack to clerics at, about , say, 7th level would go a LONG way towards allowing Fighty clerics to shine.

 

[Hussar]

No.


No.

And while I'm at it, while I don't care much for Cunning Action: Aim on the Rogue, it does model perfectly exactly how spellcasting and ranged attacks need to be universally nerfed. You move, no spellcasting or ranged attack for you. You cast a spell or make a ranged attack, your speed is 0 the rest of your turn.

Thinking about it, that's not a bad house rule. No movement when casting or making a ranged attack. That would go a LONG ways towards scaling back the ranged/dex mastery in the game and would make casters a lot more vulnerable. Hrm.... I kinda like that idea.

 

[Bacon Bits]

While I'm at it, while I don't care much for Cunning Action: Aim on the Rogue, it does model perfectly exactly how spellcasting and ranged attacks need to be universally nerfed. You move, no spellcasting or ranged attack for you. You cast a spell or make a ranged attack, your speed is 0 the rest of your turn.

Aim doesn't bother me at all because it's just a less odious version of hide abuse.

 

[Leatherhead]

It's d20, everything uses the same mechanics.

I thought we were talking about 1e Rangers?

 

[Chaosmancer]

And while I'm at it, while I don't care much for Cunning Action: Aim on the Rogue, it does model perfectly exactly how spellcasting and ranged attacks need to be universally nerfed. You move, no spellcasting or ranged attack for you. You cast a spell or make a ranged attack, your speed is 0 the rest of your turn.

I'm not sure if you are fully thinking through the consequences of that nerf, especially the "no casting spells if you move" part.

The majority of classes have spellcasting, and a non-insignifigant portion of spells have short range, range self aoe, or range touch. This would further gut things like Spare the Dying or Cure Wounds, because the cleric running to the downed ally would then have to wait a turn to use those spells, meaning if it is 1 turn from them possibly dying, there is no point, you can't reach them in time.

I also wonder what happens to the wizard when someone gets close. An enemy ends there turn within 10 ft, that is dangerous so the wizard moves. Now they can't do anything except dodge (guess they could throw a dagger first?). If they move their normal speed, enemy moves 30 ft, ends within 10 ft and now we have a loop. Wizards dashes? Enemy dashes, back to the loop.

I just don't see any benefit to that, except making things more boring because no one will want to move.

Not to say I particularly like the Aim ability for cunning action, but I at least see value in the ability for some concepts.