D&D 5E New Unearthed Arcana Today: Giant Themed Class Options and Feats

A new Unearthed Arcana dropped today, focusing on giant-themed player options. "In today’s Unearthed Arcana, we explore character options related to the magic and majesty of giants. This playtest document presents the Path of the Giant barbarian subclass, the Circle of the Primeval druid subclass, the Runecrafter wizard subclass, and a collection of new feats, all for use in Dungeons & Dragons."

Giant Options | Unearthed Arcana | Dungeons & Dragons

Explore character options related to the magic and majesty of giants! This playtest document presents new subclasses for the barbarian, druid, and wizard, and a collection of new feats, all for use in Dungeons & Dragons.

dnd.wizards.com

New Class options:

• Barbarian: Path of the Giant
• Druid: Circle of the Primeval
• Wizard: Runecrafter Tradition

New Feats:

• Elemental Touched
• Ember of the Fire Giant
• Fury of the Frost Giant
• Guile of the Cloud Giant
• Keeness of the Stone Giant
• Outsized Might
• Rune Carver Apprentice
• Rune Carvwr Adept
• Soul of the Storm Giant
• Vigor of the Hill Giant

WotC's Jeremy Crawford talks Barbarian Path of the Giant here:

 

[Bitbrain]

Giant Path Barbarian - nothing fancy but it feels to me like a streamlined Storm Herald barbarian. I like it.

Primeval Druid - Not gonna lie, I’ve always imagined that the Rakasta species which live on the Isle of Dread were actually gorgonops-folk instead of tiger-folk. Might be a lot of fun to play as a prehistoric therapsid humanoid with a pet eryops.

Feats - I dislike Feats and I HATE feats chains. I’ve hated them since I first played Pathfinder (which was the first RPG I ever played). I really hope feats remain optional in 5.5 but it looks like that won’t be happening.

 

[Micah Sweet]

And I'm 100% cool with that approach. I'm a much bigger fan of gaining cross-ass abilities (for example) piecemeal through feats than wholesale by multiclassing.

The giant themed feats look pretty cool, and I'm a fan of the flavor they bring. I wonder what product they're heralding, though.

That barbarian subclass straight up unlocks size large PCs. I like it. Very Hulk smash!

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

So - any speculation about the upcoming product that this is tied to? A 5e version of "Giantcraft" (like Fizban's is the 5e version of the Draconomicon) would probably be the most obvious guess. But are there any MtG worlds that are focused on giants and runes?

Can't speak to any specific MtG settings as I'm not even remotely well-versed in Magic's worlds and cosmology beyond what's been ported over to 5E (and then only vaguely), but between the giant and rune related options, if there's a Theros equivalent for Norse mythology, I think that would be a pretty likely option.

EDIT: Google says the MtG setting "Kaldheim" is Norse-themed, so perhaps that's where this is leading...

 

[Amrûnril]

Are these the first level-locked feats we've seen in 5e? I wonder if feats will expand into a warlock style invocations abilities for each class in 5.5e.

There were several in the the Dragonlance UA as well. There, I think they were needed to prevent a level 1 variant human with a background feat from having access to second level spells through a feat chain. Here, where most of the feats in question are stand-alone, I'm not sure it makes as much sense. If the feats are the same power level as other feats, the level prerequisite isn't necessary. If they're stronger, then that turns "normal" feats into trap choices for higher level characters.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

So - any speculation about the upcoming product that this is tied to? A 5e version of "Giantcraft" (like Fizban's is the 5e version of the Draconomicon) would probably be the most obvious guess.

I would guess likewise.

If so, YAWN. Giants are not something D&D has ever handled particularly well or interestingly, and doubling down on them as being elementally linked and so on isn't going to make them more interesting, only less.

The subclasses are decent but not hugely exciting. The Feats are similar, though one of them is basically "be a Goliath", which is quite a thing. I'm kind of wondering who these would be accessible to - if it's "all characters" that would simply be bizarre.

 

[Kurotowa]

So - any speculation about the upcoming product that this is tied to? A 5e version of "Giantcraft" (like Fizban's is the 5e version of the Draconomicon) would probably be the most obvious guess. But are there any MtG worlds that are focused on giants and runes?

I suspect that the negative reaction to feat chains is leading them to try to explore other options for keeping power levels in check across levels. Level requirements is a better choice than feat chains IMO.

A giant themed book to match Fizban's dragon themed book would be my guess too. There's just too much stuff here for anything else. As for the feats, I they're they're trying out a "Why not both?" approach. You'll note there's one feat chain in this as well, the Rune Carver Apprentice and Rune Carver Adept pair. It may be that their idea is to keep the "chains" limited in length to keep them from being too onerous. Two feats isn't much of a chain, especially when you're getting free feats from somewhere.

As for interesting uses for the material itself, it's cool the Barbarian one is doing double duty as the "big and elementally charged" subclass and the "make thrown weapons viable for Barbarians" subclass. Doesn't hook me personally, but I appreciate it exists.

The Primeval Druid is certainly deploying the summoned companion tech they've been refining to its utmost. A lot tankier of a companion than most, but unlike Drakewarden Rangers or Battlesmith Artificers you're not being encouraged to go into melee with it. In fact, the "make spells originate from the companion" feature might open up some interesting spell choices. A good use case for Poison Spray? Maybe try to pick up Shocking Grasp via race or feat? I don't think you'd want Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade, since the companion would have to make the melee attack and their attack bonus is a bit low.

 

[TwoSix]

I would guess likewise.

If so, YAWN. Giants are not something D&D has ever handled particularly well or interestingly, and doubling down on them as being elementally linked and so on isn't going to make them more interesting, only less

Agreed. WotC is weirdly attached to the Ordning-style giants, which are among their least interesting concepts.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Two feats isn't much of a chain, especially when you're getting free feats from somewhere.

I mean, if you factor in opportunity cost and the very small number of Feats people get in 5E, this is roughly equivalent to it being a 4-5 Feat chain in 3E/4E.

 

[ersatzphil]

There were several in the the Dragonlance UA as well. There, I think they were needed to prevent a level 1 variant human with a background feat from having access to second level spells through a feat chain. Here, where most of the feats in question are stand-alone, I'm not sure it makes as much sense. If the feats are the same power level as other feats, the level prerequisite isn't necessary. If they're stronger, then that turns "normal" feats into trap choices for higher level characters.

You're right, now that I look, along with the 'Strixhaven Mascot' feat. I think these are the first feats with level requirements and no prerequisite feats, though.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

So - any speculation about the upcoming product that this is tied to? A 5e version of "Giantcraft" (like Fizban's is the 5e version of the Draconomicon) would probably be the most obvious guess. But are there any MtG worlds that are focused on giants and runes?


I suspect that the negative reaction to feat chains is leading them to try to explore other options for keeping power levels in check across levels. Level requirements is a better choice than feat chains IMO.

I actually think this is a hint to an entirely new setting, one that was heavily hinted in Fizban's.... the "First World."

For one thing, I believe the First World will be heavily focused around the Dragon vs. Giant conflict, back in the ye old days when giants ruled the Material Plane. Plus, although two of three of these subclasses are very giant-themed, the Druid subclass is very PREHISTORIC themed.

So my guess, this is for the new setting the "First World," which is at least partly dominated by Giant Kingdoms/Empires. There have been a couple 3rd-parties that tackled this concept, best probably being Planegea.

PS check out Prehistoric Avengers for how I'd build a D&D party....