Unearthed Arcana New UA Paladin and Bard.

There's a new Unearthed Arcana in town! "The bard receives a new Bardic College feature: the College of Eloquence. Additionally, the paladin gains a new Sacred Oath feature: the Oath of Heroism."

 

[bedir than]

I may be working on this for my Rebellion & Uprising project.

We need a Revolutionary Paladin whose mechanics lend to toppling the burgeois and seizing the means of production.

I've got a couple Rogues, a Fighter, a Monk, and a Druid so far.

 

[FrogReaver]

Well this new series of subclasses-based UA articles pretty much tell me two things:

• the game doesn't need more subclasses after Xanathar’s
• the gamers still want more subclasses after Xanathar’s

So it's really starting to feel like subclasses are the new prestige classes, but fortunately the extremely slow release schedule of 5e will keep us safe for a long time.

I mean the game doesn't need more than 4 classes either....

 

[Parmandur]

I mean the game doesn't need more than 4 classes either....

The beauty of the exceptions based design means that more options don't overwhelm the game, either.

I mean, "needs" is meaningless in the context of a game.

But insofar as we all know roughly kinda what you mean by it, here, I disagree. It's not that the game doesn't need more subclasses, it's simply that they aren't going to bother with a lot of the stuff that a lot of us really want any time soon, if ever.

Honestly, I'd rather have a shadow warlock than anything they've playtested except the artificer, but because so many people see the sorcerer and claim the concept is "covered", it ain't happening anytime soon. I mean, nevermind that making a pact with The Raven Queen or with the Dark Powers, or whatever would be entirely different from the sorcerer bloodline. They're both "shadow magic subclass" ideas, and apperently each concept has to be reduced to the most uselessly broad definition and then compared to the existing game on that basis in order to have a chance at existence.

I do not think that they are unwilling to consider a Shadow Warlock: they tested one for Xanathar's, it just didn't get traction. If they come at it from another angle, maybe not zeroed in on the Raven Queen, they'll have better luck.

In regards to the recent batch of tests, once you look at it as an exercise of Magic Mana wheel coverage, they make so much sense...

 

[Kurotowa]

In regards to the recent batch of tests, once you look at it as an exercise of Magic Mana wheel coverage, they make so much sense...

Here's the thing about M:tG's color wheel and existing sets. They're like those D&D Alignment charts that people do. Which is say, they're broadly drawn and try to hit the key iconic story points that show up everywhere, so you can fit almost anything into them. Showing you can describe something in M:tG terms proves absolutely nothing.

Now yes, the Ravnica book exists, but I'd honestly count that as a strike against the idea, not for it. They don't want to dilute the D&D identity by throwing out too many M:tG books too quickly. It's too soon for another one.

 

[Parmandur]

Here's the thing about M:tG's color wheel and existing sets. They're like those D&D Alignment charts that people do. Which is say, they're broadly drawn and try to hit the key iconic story points that show up everywhere, so you can fit almost anything into them. Showing you can describe something in M:tG terms proves absolutely nothing.

Now yes, the Ravnica book exists, but I'd honestly count that as a strike against the idea, not for it. They don't want to dilute the D&D identity by throwing out too many M:tG books too quickly. It's too soon for another one.

Nate Stewart in January's Spoilers & Swag was asked did there would be more Magic in D&D: his response was that they hadn't known about how successful Ravnica would be early enough to pull the trigger on a 2019 Magic D&D book (!), but that more would be coming soon. They will do more Magic books for D&D eventually, whatever product these tests are for: but three UA in a row for high-magic options that read like Mana themed pairs is interesting.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The term for that is anti-paladin.

Nah, the term is a Good Paladin I the truest sense

 

[Quartz]

I'm liking the Oath of Heroism. One tweak I'd make: for Bolster Your Allies just as you can make your enemies afraid, so you can inspire your allies i.e. I'd allow targets a new save against fear effects.

 

[gyor]

The beauty of the exceptions based design means that more options don't overwhelm the game, either.



I do not think that they are unwilling to consider a Shadow Warlock: they tested one for Xanathar's, it just didn't get traction. If they come at it from another angle, maybe not zeroed in on the Raven Queen, they'll have better luck.

In regards to the recent batch of tests, once you look at it as an exercise of Magic Mana wheel coverage, they make so much sense...

I could see a Warlock Pact based on the Sworrowsworn of the Shadowfell, it's a broad enough concept, there are a bunch of Sworrowsworn types. It gives it a district enough flavour to the Shadow Sorcerer.

As for the Sorcerer taking up that roll, there are two Feywild flavoured Druids, a Fey Warlock, this Fey Barbarian, and even the Neutral version of the Divine Soul Sorcerer gets fairy wings. So there is still tons of room of Shadow Warlocks.

 

[gyor]

We need a Revolutionary Paladin whose mechanics lend to toppling the burgeois and seizing the means of production.

The Holy Liberator from 3.5e, I'm still surprised that haven't done that, it's so obvious.

 

[Leatherhead]

As for the Sorcerer taking up that roll, there are two Feywild flavoured Druids, a Fey Warlock, this Fey Barbarian, and even the Neutral version of the Divine Soul Sorcerer gets fairy wings. So there is still tons of room of Shadow Warlocks.

There is a baffling trend for people to fiercely defend any perceived niche for the Sorcerer, despite niche protection not being a thing anymore, and how many subclasses (including those belonging to the Sorcerer) poach from other classes. It's like Sorcerers have to go around with steel-toe shoes for all the worries about other Classes treading on their feet.