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.

 

[Scribe]

Any guesses on what parts of this playtest packet will make 70% or 80%+ even? Does anything fail?

I still think ardlings dont get there, but they are anathema to me regardless. I'm sure people will like the Goliath, but I expect most of the options to even be buffed. Cleric looks fine.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Any guesses on what parts of this playtest packet will make 70% or 80%+ even? Does anything fail?

Goliath level five might fail (or at least there should be a more mundane option). Divine Intervention possibly? Double prof bonus for Divine Spark?

I think in a lot more danger is the Expert playtest.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Ardlings are probably going to come in on the line again. They don't seem to make anyone they're aiming for happy.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

Ardlings are probably going to come in on the line again. They don't seem to make anyone they're aiming for happy.

In my experience, people who want to play a dog person want the doggiest dog person imaginable with a bunch of dog traits (ex Superscent, Bite Attack, Pack Tactics, Howl) that help express the dog concept.

It is the specifics that matter to them, not a generalized animal-headed thing that doesn't really have any flavor. The fact that this version was at the very low end of the power spectrum for species is not going to help its popularity either.

 

[Vaalingrade]

In my experience, people who want to play a dog person want the doggiest dog person imaginable with a bunch of dog traits (ex Superscent, Bite Attack, Pack Tactics, Howl) that help express the dog concept.

It is the specifics that matter to them, not a generalized animal-headed thing that doesn't really have any flavor. The fact that this version was at the very low end of the power spectrum for species is not going to help its popularity either.

They aren't doing well in the smell test for a Now Shut Up element.

It seems the designers either don't understand or don't care for the reasons people want to play animal people species and the Ardlings feel like them saying 'now stop bothering us' to the ones who do.

Buuuut, the fact that they genuinely tried again and tried to tie them into D&D lore suggests to me that maybe they really think they're doing people right by creating an all-animal species without, again, really getting the appeal.

 

[Faolyn]

Buuuut, the fact that they genuinely tried again and tried to tie them into D&D lore suggests to me that maybe they really think they're doing people right by creating an all-animal species without, again, really getting the appeal.

Maybe they're trying to not appeal to the "weird" furry crowd?

 

[Remathilis]

My problem with ardling is they feel like they are now sharing a design space with the shifter (humanoid with vague animalistic qualities) that doesn't really give the impression you're some sort of animal folk. I'm not sure how you fix that. I can't imagine any reason I'd pick a cat-ardling over a tabaxi, for example.

 

[Incenjucar]

My problem with ardling is they feel like they are now sharing a design space with the shifter (humanoid with vague animalistic qualities) that doesn't really give the impression you're some sort of animal folk. I'm not sure how you fix that. I can't imagine any reason I'd pick a cat-ardling over a tabaxi, for example.

Ironically, this would be clearer if they left tabaxi as jaguar people only. Homogenization of related concepts makes everything smudged and indistinct, and then it gets even less distinct because new ideas are clumped in with old ones.

That said, which would you pick if you were trying to play something like a rakshasa instead of a cat furry?

 

[Vaalingrade]

That said, which would you pick if you were trying to play something like a rakshasa instead of a cat furry?

Tiefling.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Maybe they're trying to not appeal to the "weird" furry crowd?

Fair enough. Who  are they trying to appeal to with the ardling?