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.

 

[Lojaan]

According to the Aardling/Dragonborn/Goliath video, Goliath is being added to offer two Big Guy races. Crawford said they wanted to have several choices for a burly character.

Small: Human, Gnome, or Halfling
Big: Goliath or Orc

I wish the same for Stout but the only stout popular fantasy races I know of are dwarves, pigmen, and beaverfolk.

Aren't Dragonborn burly?

 

[Minigiant]

I did not play 4th edition, so it is not listed here, but I gather from Googling that spell schools went away in 4th edition? Can someone familiar with 4e confirm?

Effectively, yes.
Wizard attacks still labels of evocation, illusions, etc.. but I can't remember a single time it mattered.

That was only when they brought in essentials, right? The Mage class had subclasses that interacted with it.

4e spells had schools but they were cut down.

Enchantment
Evocation
Illusion
Necromancy
Nethermany (new)
Pyromancy (new sorta)

Spells either were tied to a school or had no school (No Abjuration for Shield). They never got to Transmutation and Conjuration. Abjuration and Divination were never happening as Wizards were controllers.

Schools were also the subclasses of the Essentials Mage class. Pyromancy wasn't a real school. It was tag for fire spells for a fire based Pyromancy subclass mage.

Bring back Nethermancy?

 

[Minigiant]

Aren't Dragonborn burly?

Not according to Crawford.
They don't get Powerful Build and +Str is not forced anymore.
Plus you can have frail skinny dragonborn.

But Orcs.... The old runt warlock Guldan from WOW is still jacked.

 

[NaturalZero]

Holy Order is one of the worst kind of game designs IMO: take the option you want right away and at higher level when you're supposed to be more powerful, take the thing that you didn't really want the first time.

I know if flies in the face of traditions and sacred cows, but I'd rather the base cleric chassis have zero baked-in undead affecting abilities. As a DM, I don't want to have to include undead in my campaign or one-off just to make the cleric's features valid and as a player I don't want to play for months without engaging with a chunk of my class features because the arc doesn't have undead. If the features must be universal to all clerics, when you gain them you should at least be able to choose what kind of creature type you specialize in: aberration, fey, et al.

 

[Lojaan]

Bring back Nethermancy?

BEHOLD the power of my NETHERS!

 

[Aldarc]

Bring back Nethermancy?

I would probably just combine Nethermancy and Necromancy by saying that it all involves manipulating the power of the Shadowfell and then calling it a day.

 

[Oncewasbenji]

As of this document, there are three different versions of the goliath race in play. I hope nobody who bought the Mordenkanien book actually believed they would be the final compatible with oned&d versions - as promised.

I for one can't wait for that moment where I have to explain to a new player that this species has three versions and there's no consistency in the lore or other players choices about which one is the relevant one. Unless the game is less backward compatible than they first claimed?

 

[Horwath]

I want game designers to all look into the mirror for an hour each morning and repeat after me:

"New Players Are Not Stupid."

if they fell from their high horse, they would surely break their necks.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

As of this document, there are three different versions of the goliath race in play. I hope nobody who bought the Mordenkanien book actually believed they would be the final compatible with oned&d versions - as promised.

. . . It is compatible. You just choose which version you prefer, and use it. There's no compatibility problems here.

I for one can't wait for that moment where I have to explain to a new player that this species has three versions and there's no consistency in the lore or other players choices about which one is the relevant one. Unless the game is less backward compatible than they first claimed?

Why would you tell a new player that there are different versions of it? Just use the most recent version or the one you prefer.

 

[Horwath]

Clerics now get their Subclass at Level 3, because First Level Subclass is a blocker for new players, expect this for al Classes. Also meant to discourage Level dipping for multiclassing.

loosely translated; begin all campaigns at level 3.