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.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

bland in mechanics sense to be precise.
background/roleplaying of characters have (almost)nothing to do with it.

Not even that. I never restricted myself to perfect race/class choices.
I had fun with my dwarven abjurer, my halfling monk and my ritual caster variant human rogue... The goliath bard I tested for myself was also not bland.
Stat choice + racial abilities/feat + background + lvl1 class abilites were enough. At level 2 multiclassing with just the base classes allows for 144 different kinds of characters.
So with 10 species you have 1440 different character options.
If this seems bland, I am sorry.

Without multiclassing and background feat and stat distribution you are easily looking at more viable choices with plebty of level 1 options.
And as seen with the cleric, having subclass at level 3 allows for some nice defining class abilities right off the gate.

 

[Horwath]

Better to accommodate newer players with simple early levels than to drive them away with complexity.

that is why I said that every class needs a subclass that has simple mechanics for starting players or those not invested in D&D as much as others.

then you can have better crit for simple fighter or 3/4 maneuvers with 4/5 superiority dice as an option.


human champion fighter with 2Hander(javelin as secondary), +1 AC style and +2HP/level feat is great option to give someone character sheet and throw them into game.

 

[Cadence]

I believe the assumption is that if your cleric worships a god, you can only choose a domain that god control or has access to.

I mean FR, GH, Mystara and most of the settings with active gods have them killing each other over domains. Some 3rd level cleric wont be able to tap a domain without the corresponding god's permission.

To me it feels like they really need to say that. Something like "choose a deity or power source based on what you and your DM have worked out (some examples for some game worlds are in Appendix X)."

 

[Remathilis]

And in exchange we get bland 1st and 2nd level characters.

Great.

What exactly are you losing at those two levels? At first level, you might have to rely on medium armor and a mace (you probably couldn't afford much better gear anyway) but by second, you have your bonus proficiencies you'd get from your domain, and swapping channel divinity from second to first surly didn't change much. At best, you lost the first level spells from your domain. Oh noes, the cleric has been nerfed. Negative five stars!

I'll give you the loss of the first level domain slots, but everything else is still there by third level. With the bonus options of being more militant light clerics or more mystical tempest clerics.

 

[Umbran]

that is why I said that every class needs a subclass that has simple mechanics for starting players or those not invested in D&D as much as others.

Mistaking rules mastery for investment or engagement is an error.

 

[Horwath]

What exactly are you losing at those two levels? At first level, you might have to rely on medium armor and a mace (you probably couldn't afford much better gear anyway) but by second, you have your bonus proficiencies you'd get from your domain, and swapping channel divinity from second to first surly didn't change much. At best, you lost the first level spells from your domain. Oh noes, the cleric has been nerfed. Negative five stars!

I'll give you the loss of the first level domain slots, but everything else is still there by third level. With the bonus options of being more militant light clerics or more mystical tempest clerics.

honestly, all 3 levels of cleric features should have been at 1st level.

 

[Minigiant]

To me it feels like they really need to say that. Something like "choose a deity or power source based on what you and your DM have worked out (some examples for some game worlds are in Appendix X)."

I'm sure they will and display the god/domain pairings in the actual PHB. That's not info needed for playtesting.

 

[Cadence]

Better to accommodate newer players with simple early levels than to drive them away with complexity.

I wonder about a pack of pre-gen character sheets that only have the things for the first two levels laid out with boxes and arrows saying where to find things. Or maybe a printable cheat sheet for each race class combination.

I also kind of wonder why they need to comfortably understanding everything about their character without a cheat sheet going into their first game. That doesn't seem to be how a ton of board games, bridge, chess, MtG, etc... are usually learned.

 

[Minigiant]

honestly, all 3 levels of cleric features should have been at 1st level.

It's too much power for 1st level.

 

[Remathilis]

honestly, all 3 levels of cleric features should have been at 1st level.

That would be great for multi-class dipping! Free weapons/armor prof, healing, divine magic and channel divinity for a 1 level dip? Sign me up!