D&D (2024) One D&D Expert Classes Playtest Document Is Live

The One D&D Expert Class playest document is now available to download. You can access it by signing into your D&D Beyond account at the link below. It contains three classes -- bard, rogue, and ranger, along with three associated subclasses (College of Lore, Thief, and Hunter), plus a number of feats.

Unearthed Arcana Playtest

Unearthed Arcana Playtest Materials Get Unearthed Arcana playtest content, try it out in your game, and provide feedback! Check back regularly for ...

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[Charlaquin]

That change is huge for rogues. It means you have two chances to get Sneak Attack and still use Cunning Action.

Combined with the new Subtle Strikes ability, melee rogues are making a comeback! That's my "Wish #2" for 5.5.

And steady aim didn’t come back in this packet, so yeah, melee is very much the stronger option for rogues here. Although, note that the new Light property doesn’t specify that it has to be a melee attack, so dual hand crossbows will be a viable option from 1st level, with Crossbow Expert adding Dex mod damage on the second attack.

Of course, changes to weapon proficiencies mean rogues aren’t proficient with hand crossbows from 1st…

 

[Guest 7031328]

I avoid 3PP stuff like the plague. I don't assume it's unbalanced and untested crap. Rather, if I'm going to use unofficial content, I want it to be my unbalanced and untested crap rather than someone else's.

Just going to throw out that the LevelUp monster book is actually incredibly good, and worth looking into. Generally if there's an official 5e version and a LevelUp version of a monster, I use the LevelUp version.

 

[overgeeked]

UA Character Origins. "[Halfling] Luck. When you roll a 1 on the d20 of a d20 Test, you can reroll the die, and you must use the new roll."

UA Expert Classes. "Whenever a player character rolls a 1 for a d20 Test, that character gains Heroic Inspiration."

Nothing there about the natural 1 needing to "stand" or be used for the result.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

And steady aim didn’t come back in this packet, so yeah, melee is very much the stronger option for rogues here. Although, note that the new Light property doesn’t specify that it has to be a melee attack, so dual hand crossbows will be a viable option from 1st level, with Crossbow Expert adding Dex mod damage on the second attack.

Of course, changes to weapon proficiencies mean rogues aren’t proficient with hand crossbows from 1st…

i missed that... I just add it to cunning action in my head but you are right????

 

[Micah Sweet]

How? You only ever use one version or the other of the rule. It is the same for everyone in the group. This is a very bizarre way of defining power creep IMO.

It's power creep because all PCs suffer less, which is another way of saying empowered. Power creep has nothing to do with power relative to other PCs, necessarily.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Nothing there about the natural 1 needing to "stand" or be used for the result.

GAINING HEROIC INSPIRATION
A player character gains Heroic Inspiration if the
character rolls a 1 for a d20 Test. That 1 must be
on the d20 used for the test’s total, not on a d20
that was rerolled or discarded. This Heroic
Inspiration represents a character’s resolve to
do better after fumbling an attempt

 

[Micah Sweet]

Katniss is a glorified Rogue with a focus on nature skills, Aragon a fighter. They have little to nothing to do with D&D Rangers since 3rd edition when most of the class identities began to solidify for D&D.

Class identities solidified long before 3e.

 

[overgeeked]

GAINING HEROIC INSPIRATION
A player character gains Heroic Inspiration if the
character rolls a 1 for a d20 Test. That 1 must be
on the d20 used for the test’s total, not on a d20
that was rerolled or discarded. This Heroic
Inspiration represents a character’s resolve to
do better after fumbling an attempt

That's what I get for not looking in that section.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Oh I'm sorry mr gatekeeper sir, should I spend half the thread arguing about Crawford instead of discussing the playtest package?

That's not what gatekeeping means. I'm simply asking you if there's anything you like, because I noticed you joined the same day the first packet came out, and all you're doing is bemoaning about how awful it is, and voicing your personal malice towards Jeremy.

 

[DeviousQuail]

And steady aim didn’t come back in this packet, so yeah, melee is very much the stronger option for rogues here. Although, note that the new Light property doesn’t specify that it has to be a melee attack, so dual hand crossbows will be a viable option from 1st level, with Crossbow Expert adding Dex mod damage on the second attack.

Of course, changes to weapon proficiencies mean rogues aren’t proficient with hand crossbows from 1st…

You're totally right, melee rogues for the win.

I didn't really mind how two-weapon fighting worked in 5e. I just thought making the off hand attack as part of the attack action should have been part of the Dual Wielder feat or two weapon fighting style. That way anyone could dual wield but those with training could do it better.