One D&D Cleric & Revised Species Playtest Includes Goliath

"In this new Unearthed Arcana for the One D&D rules system, we explore material designed for the next version of the Player’s Handbook. This playtest document presents the rules on the Cleric class, it's Life Domain subclass, as well as revised Species rules for the Ardling, the Dragonborn, and the Goliath. You will also find a current glossary of new or revised meanings for game terms."

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WotC's Jeremey Crawford discusses the playtest document in the video below.

 

[Aldarc]

Picking your subclass for a cleric is picking who you worship. Seems odd you would wait till third to do that.

Maybe better to frame it as your choice of deity (or whatever) not having a mechanical impact until 3rd level.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Or you pick it at level 1, but the diety(ies) don't give you the extra power until you prove yourself first. They just give you your spells and channel divinity powers at low level (which is still quite a bit). Maybe you change your mind and convert to a different deity based on gameplay, and this gives you that option before you're locked in?

Yeah, since most D&D faiths are polytheistic, a cleric dont necessarily lock themselves in a very specific domain (especially since most gods also have more than one domain) until later.

 

[Remathilis]

Goliaths seem to have a huge boost. I don't see how they are going to be backwards compatible since now they get to use abilities prof times per long rest. Compare both versions of Stone's endurance for example. Those are more powerful than feats (misty step 2-6 times per long rest? Better than the fey feat).

It's on par with the eladrin, shadar-kai and astral elf.

 

[orangefruitbat]

I'mma.....SERIOUSLY LIKING how Smite Undead works/is and how Channel Divinity: Divine Spark works/is.

I like the Smite Undead, but I really dislike giving Divine Spark to everyone - seems lazy to have a ranged heal provided by default to everyone. I prefer most characters having to chose between a touch-range Cure spell and a weaker Healing Words.

 

[Undrave]

Cleric doesn't get Subclass until 3, but at 2nd gets to choose to be a tank or a blaster type, seperate from Domain.

THAT feels like something you should get at 1st level, because it impacts your stats spread way more.

Picking your subclass for a cleric is picking who you worship. Seems odd you would wait till third to do that.

Yeah it is... I guess it could be framed as picking which aspect (i.e. domain) of your deity you want to dedicate yourself to?

 

[Minigiant]

I guess Goliath is the Critical Role influence?

I was kinda hoping for Goblins.

More likely support and interest for the Giants book.

 

[Marandahir]

I like how the Cleric made it so that Martial vs Caster vs Divine Wizard are early choices, and late in your career you can mix and match (so Gandalf is a Scholar Holy Order Aasimar Cleric from 2nd Level who took the Protector Holy Order at 9th level, and promptly got his hands on Glamdring from the Troll-horde.

I also like the Goliaths of many Ordnings. I'd love a Fomorian-tied Goliath, too (maybe has an Evil Eye?).

Ardlings are still Planar and Divine - just very reflective of Guardinals now, not trying to be both Guardinals and Ardlings and a mirror to Tieflings and the Egyptian Gods. I'd still use them instead of Aarakocra or Dragonborn or Minotaurs if I was playing an Amonkhet campaign, for example.

 

[Marandahir]

More likely support and interest for the Giants book.

Very possible that this is a secret slide in of an unrelated UA playtest for Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, even, like how Rabbitfolk and Fairy were for the Feywild book, but the other two lineages - Owlfolk and Hobgoblin of the Feywild - were for Strixhaven and Mordenkainen Presents respectively.

 

[Minigiant]

Dazed Condition. My wishes are coming true.

We know what Warrior classes will be able to spam.

Also "Succeed: Dazed. Fail: Stunned" incoming.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Spiritual Weapon now takes concentration to maintain.

that is interesting. I see a lot of clerics use it so I wonder if that will stop if this gets made official.

 

[Marandahir]

Dazed Condition. My wishes are coming true.

We know what Warrior classes will be able to spam.

Also "Succeed: Dazed. Fail: Stunned" incoming.

Starting to remind me of the Break/Topple/Daze, Stagger/Topple, Break/Topple/Launch/Smash, Break/Topple/Daze/Burst combos from Xenoblade. Making warriors have more optional combat systems that mirror the complexity of spells is a good thing, in my honest opinion.

 

[Hurin88]

Long rest restores all Hit Dice. Is that new?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Prayer of Healing now gives a short rest to the targets, nice.

I really wonder how this will interact with warlocks

 

[Minigiant]

Maybe better to frame it as your choice of deity (or whatever) not having a mechanical impact until 3rd level.

Yeah. It's the "Low level clerics are mostly the same." same how fighters are.

Your connection to your god or source is too weak to express itself until level 3. I like it this way.

 

[Marandahir]

Long rest restores all Hit Dice. Is that new?

That was in the Expert Classes UA too.

 

[mellored]

Resistance is now pretty good.

Also, the 1/day limit on guidance is gone.

 

[Xamnam]

that is interesting. I see a lot of clerics use it so I wonder if that will stop if this gets made official.

I think in the light of "we don't want mandatory feats," a similar philosophy is going to make sure that SW is at least moderately altered to not be such a powerful option.

 

[mellored]

I really wonder how this will interact with warlocks

Combined with catnap, very well.
Combined with crono wizard 10, a little broken.

 

[Minigiant]

I like how the Cleric made it so that Martial vs Caster vs Divine Wizard are early choices, and late in your career you can mix and match (so Gandalf is a Scholar Holy Order Aasimar Cleric from 2nd Level who took the Protector Holy Order at 9th level, and promptly got his hands on Glamdring from the Troll-horde.

This is something I wished for and homebrewed for decades.

The Church of Light doesn't only train Lazer Clerics. It trains Heavy Masher Clerics to tank for them.

Domain shouldn'tbe tied to Cleric Role. The Storm Church has Storms, Zueses. Statics, and Thors.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Well this is the first time I've ever wanted to play a cleric.