Nope. Crawford already explained this in the videos. Crits will no longer include sneak attack damage, spell damage, smite damage, or any dice other then actual weapon dice. This is definitely a change coming with this edition. I don't even think they're going to playtest it - they've said this is a thing they are doing. But maybe I am wrong and they will playtest it and open it up to a survey.
Crawford also explained in the videos that the rules glossary of later UA supersedes the rules glossaries of earlier UA. The latest UA says to use the 2014 Crit rules, not the ones from the previous UA. You're wrong and you missed a substantial change in this UA. Rogues can still double Critical Sneak Attack damage. This is from the most recent UA's rules glossary (you can double check for yourself, just "CTRL + F" it):
Attack Roll
The Attack Roll is one of three types of d20 Tests. This Unearthed Arcana article uses the rules for attack rolls and critical hits found in the 2014 Player’s Handbook.
I hope this clears things up.
It's pack tactics. The effect is the same, is all I was saying. It's a way to get advantage most of the time.
It's actually more substantial than that. It means that so long as they have an ally within 5 feet of their target, they always get to sneak attack, because the advantage cancels out any potential disadvantages they might get. This helps a lot for ranged rogues that might have disadvantage from long range, from being within 5 feet of the enemy, being prone, restrained, or inflicted with some other debilitating condition.
This is a great buff.
I am guessing rogue players would have been very happy to move the next set of expertise to a higher level instead.
We'll have to wait until after the survey to find out! I personally think level 7 is a bit early to get "completely ignore Fireball most of the time", especially when you get an extra Subclass ability to make up for delaying the feature 2 levels, but I'd be fine with either.
That's right, sorry forgot about the proficiency bonus part. I have never gotten to 11th level with a rogue
Yep! So it's a smaller nerf than you thought! (Doesn't work on Initiative unless you're a bunnyman, doesn't work on Counterspell/Dispel Magic unless you're a level 10 Aburation Wizard multiclassed 11 levels into Rogue somehow, et cetera.) And, since tool checks are now based off of specific skills, that means that more tools are available with Reliable Talent. That's an overall buff, IMO.
It's pretty minor. It's noteworthy just because of the high number of magical longswords found in published adventures. But I agree not very noteworthy, and whip makes a lot more sense of a rogue.
So they gain the whip, which they can sneak attack with at reach, and lose the longsword, which is mostly useless to them because they can't sneak attack with it. I don't consider that a nerf.
Good one, thanks! I like that change.
Yep! I thought it was neat! Rogues basically get an extra Expertise because of this (they don't have to choose Thieves' Tools and Sleight of Hand to have proficiency with both, they get both just from choosing Thieves' Tools).