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.”

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

Legend
True, but I don't think Chain has any Invocation that is comparable to Book of Ancient Secrets. And, since Find Familiar is so good, most Tomelocks take it, and it provides 90% of the utility that Chain gets. The familiar attacking is not the point, so Chain getting that isn't helpful, and I think it is fair to look at this and see Tome getting a large chunk of Chain's cake at the moment.

Don't get hung up on the pact specific invocations. Chain warlocks can just add more at-will SLA's instead. Gift of the Ever-Living Ones is chain and good for extra personal healing and I would say that's the worthwhile comparison to Book of Ancient Secrets.
 

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Chaosmancer

Legend
Don't get hung up on the pact specific invocations. Chain warlocks can just add more at-will SLA's instead. Gift of the Ever-Living Ones is chain and good for extra personal healing and I would say that's the worthwhile comparison to Book of Ancient Secrets.

Why should we not be worried about the Pact specific invocations?

You realize that what you are saying is similiar to "Don't worry your unique options aren't good enough, it just means you get more of the abilities the other subclasses found worse than their unique invocations"

I get your point, that we can supplement with the general use abilities, but that doesn't feel good since so can everyone else.

As for Gift of the Ever-Living Ones... I'm torn. I like it, but I'm not sure how good it actually is. HD recovery? Great. Healing Word or potions? Minimal impact.

I would definetly not put it as good as Book of Ancient Secrets, just because the ability to get all rituals is really good. , and I've never really heard someone talking that they wish their Chain pact warlock got better healing. The Chainlock is usually casting from the back row, so they are avoiding a lot of direct fighting anyways, since they really can't take a solid blow in melee combat.
 

Ashrym

Legend
Why should we not be worried about the Pact specific invocations?

You realize that what you are saying is similiar to "Don't worry your unique options aren't good enough, it just means you get more of the abilities the other subclasses found worse than their unique invocations"

I get your point, that we can supplement with the general use abilities, but that doesn't feel good since so can everyone else.

It's not supplementing general use abilities for pact restricted abilities. There were not enough pact specific abilities to cover the number of invocations for that to be true. The expectation was always that those other invocations were meaningful and being taken.

I see chain pacts as more of a general practitioner warlock who might go for SLA's or might go for more of those EB enhancements while other pacts are specializing in different directions.

It's also not so much that those other options aren't good enough so much as some people really value rituals. I think they get over-rated for what they actually do, especially because they break concentration and cost using hex.

Chain pact is the one most likely to actually maintain hex throughout the day.

As for Gift of the Ever-Living Ones... I'm torn. I like it, but I'm not sure how good it actually is. HD recovery? Great. Healing Word or potions? Minimal impact.

Any healing spell or ability used that affects the warlock. Really good. It's short rest HD use as great like you say, but it's also gone past low-roll protection to maximum results. That has some solid synergy with the self healing celestial warlock.

I would definetly not put it as good as Book of Ancient Secrets, just because the ability to get all rituals is really good. , and I've never really heard someone talking that they wish their Chain pact warlock got better healing. The Chainlock is usually casting from the back row, so they are avoiding a lot of direct fighting anyways, since they really can't take a solid blow in melee combat.

They complain when they drop to 0 hp, however. Gift of the Ever-Living Ones isn't as flashy but it's definitely good. I find better self healing keeps me alive better than ritual casting.

Meanwhile, not all tome pact invocations are as good as Book of Ancient Secrets. Comparing Book of Ancient Secrets to Chains of Carceri or Voice of the Chain Master is like comparing Aspect of the Moon to Gift of the Ever-Living Ones. Tome pact does not have a lot of must-have invocations either. It's one good one that people equate to the entire pact. Probably because it was the only invocation specific to the pact but that isn't true anymore.

2cp
 

The main think I have to say about the Warlock is that it's an easy boon to us for my "vegas wedding" warlock idea. Just make the amulet a ring and you're golden.
 


Fenris-77

Small God of the Dozens
Supporter
Yeah, I'll take the book and normal find familiar over the chain variant most times. YMMV though.

I really like the new psion stuff for some particular Warlock builds. Mostly third pillar builds but those are some of my favorite Warlocks, so I'm not upset.
 

NotAYakk

Legend
Pact of the Chain: as is. Plus you can expend a spell slot to grant it 10 temporary HP per slot level (up to 50 hp) for 1 hour. While it has this temporary HP, you can order it to attack as a bonus action (it uses its reaction), and it deals +1d4 damage per slot level with its attack (up to 5d4).

I think that gives it a way to convert spell slots into pet offence and defence. Maybe as an invocation to delay the dip by 1?
 


Chaosmancer

Legend
Spell versatility for the Bard and Sorcerer is the worst example of power creep. It steps all over the Wizards domain.

Depends on what you see as the wizards domain and how much you see the Cleric, Druid, Paladin and Artificer also stepping all over the Wizards domain.
 

NotAYakk

Legend
So, I'm starting to rethink the spell versatility "infringing on wizards" because of one thing.

Because of spell scrolls.

A Sorcerer can cast any spell on their spell list they don't know with a spell scroll. So they can get the flexiblity to cast "one off" spells they don't want to have always ready in todays game.

The same is true of a Bard and Warlock (and Eldritch Knight).

This does require more investment of coin than 2 nights of spell swapping. But the same wizard who collects the spell scroll gets to scribe it and repeat the casting any number of times (again, after a long rest).

---

If you wanted to make it more modest, you might require that this Spell Versatility requires they consume a spell scroll -- or, even, they have to possess a spell scroll -- and permit Wizards to change one spell they have prepared during a short rest.

Now both Wizards and other casters can collect spell scrolls to swap out their spells, but Wizards can swap spells in a short rest.
 

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