Unearthed Arcana Revived, Noble Genie and Archivist Revisited in UA

The latest Unearthed Arcana replaces the Revived, Noble Genie, and Archivist subclasses with new versions called the Phantom, the Genie, and the Order of Scribes.

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dnd.wizards.com

 

[Quartz]

I'm not sure that I like the last sentence of the Awakened Spellbook feature

If the previous book still existed somewhere, all the spells vanish from its pages.

but that's easily removed.

And I definitely don't like the second feature of the Awakened Spellbook:

When you cast a wizard spell with a spell slot, you can temporarily replace its damage type with the damage type of another spell in your spellbook, as your spellbook magically alters the spell’s formula for this casting.

That's just too good without something to balance it. At the very least it needs to consume a spell slot of the level of the spell in the book if that is higher (+1 otherwise) and should probably cost two slots - one slot for each spell used.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

So much love for Golden Sun here, my goodness!!!
If any of you are interested, the Temple of Kraden forums still live (long may it do so, much as Kraden's beard!), and our discord is booming, too.




Odd that that link only has 70 UAs, when my list of UAs are 73, but end at the same article? Are they missing 3 UA documents from their list? From a quick glance, it seems like they're missing for example the second take on Psionics and the Mystic (or perhaps their link for the 1st take goes to the 2nd take?). Wouldn't be surprised if one or the other was buried by WotC, just overwriting the link when the new version went live.



I haven't organized by class, but whenever a class is included in an UA, I edit it into the title so I can search keywords in my folder. If I've got some time this week, though, I might make a cheat sheet for ya.



Yeah, but Genie isn't Arabic, it's a French approximation of Arabic "Djinni," as others have said here, by way of genius/genius locus/genii loci.

Yes, I know. My point was that it isn’t quite accurate to say that they are pronounced the same. They’re “the same” in the same way that “Al Jabir” and “Geber” are the same, ie that they refer to the same subject, and one word is a translated derivative of the other.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm not sure that I like the last sentence of the Awakened Spellbook feature



but that's easily removed.

err, what's wrong with it? It's to stop you using your magic quill as a magic photocopier and making a fortune selling copies of your spell book.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

err, what's wrong with it? It's to stop you using your magic quill as a magic photocopier and making a fortune selling copies of your spell book.

.That if fine but It should allow a archive copy feature.

 

[bedir than]

So, what you’re saying is, dj and g aren’t pronounced the same.

one letter and sound doesn't exist and the other does

 

[Quartz]

err, what's wrong with it? It's to stop you using your magic quill as a magic photocopier and making a fortune selling copies of your spell book.

It means that when the PCs drive off (or, at later levels, kill) the enemy wizard, they don't get her spellbook.

 

[Undrave]

I'm playing a ranger who uses it, and it has made a noticeable difference.

But, while I would say that the Ranger version is powerful, because one of the two spells has to be Hunter's mark the combo potential is lower. The familiar idea is not limited, so any two spells could be combo'd and I've played with that too and it might be one of the stronger abilities you can give a caster.

Broken? I doubt it, but you need to be careful with it certainly

I agree with you, but I find a very flavourful option as distinct to what they are actually proposing. As to balance, I am throwing out an idea, and I do intend to add this to my feedback. Balance is for the WotC design team to worry about.

Hmm... well how about you pick a specific spell for that feature when you reach that level and that's the only one your spellbook can concentrate on for you? Would that balance it out a little?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

one letter and sound doesn't exist and the other does

Well, no, they’re words in two different languages.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Hmm... well how about you pick a specific spell for that feature when you reach that level and that's the only one your spellbook can concentrate on for you? Would that balance it out a little?

It would certainly help but may also need to be level restricted. I mean is a Greater Invisible, Tensor's Transformed Wizard OP?
Thinking about it from a balance perspective I would be ok, if the book was restricted to low level spells for concentration. It is a 10th level power.

 

[Dausuul]

Phantom: It's a nifty concept. I have one big problem with it, however: All the really thematic stuff, picking the pockets of dead souls, turning into a ghost, doesn't show up until level 9+. From levels 3-8, also known as "the levels where most of the action happens in most campaigns," all you get are Boring Old Bonuses with a thin layer of flavor. That needs fixing.

Genie Patron: This is also quite nifty. I think it needs some fine-tuning on the details. I don't like bludgeoning damage for dao; bludgeoning is one of the few damage types that is commonly dealt but rarely resisted, so both "bonus bludgeoning damage" and "resistance to bludgeoning damage" are extremely useful. The other three face a tradeoff here, daolocks don't. Also, giving a fly speed to all genielocks is... odd. Maridlocks can fly but they can't breathe underwater?

Order of Scribes: Not so much a fan of this one. The concept seems nice, but I don't feel like the class features do a good job of realizing that concept. Also, modifying spells on the fly should not be in the wizard's repertoire ever. That is the one thing sorcerers have that is uniquely their own, and wizards should stay the heck away from it.