D&D (2024) 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.

 

[Micah Sweet]

A traditional setting with Eberron-level consistency could be interesting, but it's going to struggle to get attention over anything else unless it's attached to another system that doesn't already have several generic fantasy worlds.

I also don't think they're up for supporting new settings from scratch on a large scale, just focused books like Radiant Citadel or things based on popular works like Critical Role. WotC hasn't even been visibly pulling anything from the setting submissions that came in with Eberron after all these years, unless I missed it.

That's why I'm suggesting remaking the Realms, or Greyhawk, or Nerath, like they've done with other settings. What's good for the goose, after all...

 

[Maxperson]

However, I do think that some major aspects of its design are objectively better for the game than the alternatives many settings used before it. Like how it forbids metaplot and objective canon, how it's designed with the intent of the DM making it their own, and a few other big aspects of how it was designed.

You still have not shown hard evidence that your claim is true. Where is the objective proof that forbidding metaplot is objectively better?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Again, it took TEN YEARS to get to the point where you could talk about 4e design ideas and not get dog piled for it. And, even now, suggesting things like Skill Challenges or damage on a miss will see the usual responses. The only way to get 4e material into 5e is by steal thing them in and pretending they aren't from 4e in the first place. Too many cooties.

Slow and steady wins the race. Looks like things are slowly going your way, one way or the other.

 

[Aldarc]

Slow and steady wins the race. Looks like things are slowly going your way, one way or the other.

Call me when the game returns to having Rolls against Defenses rather than Saving Throws and Per Encounter-based class designs.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Call me when the game returns to having Rolls against Defenses rather than Saving Throws and Per Encounter-based class designs.

Well, they still want it to look like 5e, so big changes are going to be tricky.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

If that's true (and I will admit you make a fine argument), why hasn't WotC either re-made a more traditional setting, like the Realms or Greyhawk) or re-introduced an appropriate setting (like Nerath) or produced a new setting that adheres to the design aspects and values you are so convinced are objectively better? Greyhawk in particular would be a great candidate for that treatment, as it's metaplot was always pretty thin. Nerath would work great that way too.

Nerath used quite a bit of Eberron's design philosophies. Its religions were nuanced, it didn't have a metaplot, it was designed as a D&D setting first and foremost, not as a fantasy story setting.

However, it was also designed as the setting for 4e. You know, the edition so widely reviled that WotC had to go and make 5e as an entire apology edition for it.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I like metaplots.

I like the idea, but then I remember the 90's and also the Dragonlance discourse.

It's easy to see how it could be done right, but in practice... it's not. And people keep proving that as they bash their heads into that wall again and again and they keep coming up Samuel Haight.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Nerath used quite a bit of Eberron's design philosophies. Its religions were nuanced, it didn't have a metaplot, it was designed as a D&D setting first and foremost, not as a fantasy story setting.

However, it was also designed as the setting for 4e. You know, the edition so widely reviled that WotC had to go and make 5e as an entire apology edition for it.

If that's still a problem, after 10 years and a huge influx of players who know nothing about 4e, why not Greyhawk then? Very little metaplot, classic setting. Easy to convert to the high standards of Eberron.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

They have repeatedly said that Eberron is an objectively superior setting to others.

No, that's not what I said. I think that some specific aspects of its design are objectively superior. Not that I think that the setting overall is objectively superior or that everyone would or should like it.

If they had just said it was their favorite and they liked the way it did this and that, and didn't out down other settings explicitly, I would have had no objection.

Eberron actually isn't my favorite setting. Spelljammer is.

 

[Pedantic]

Call me when the game returns to having Rolls against Defenses rather than Saving Throws and Per Encounter-based class designs.

I've always wondered about the Save vs. NAD differentiation as a 4e touchstone. Mathematically, there's no difference whether you're adding 10 to the attack or the defense modifier to produce a static number, it's just the "elegance" factor of making players roll consistently vs. some flavor in separating how magic vs. weapon attacks work.

As design points go, I don't know that it's particular important, vs. stuff like mostly resetting player HP totals and powers between encounters, but it gets a fair amount of press.