D&D 5E Speculation on the Remaining UAs in 2017

So the next UA is on Jan. 9, and it'll probably be the Ranger.

What we're left with if it follows the pattern is:
Ranger (Jan. 9)
Rogue (Jan. 16)
Sorcerer (Jan. 23)
Warlock (Jan .30)
Wizard (Feb. 6)

It's a while to the next one so let's speculate, and then see if anyone guessed correctly later on.

Ranger: It has it's problems in that it's also being revised, but I want a subclass that's sort of like a Witcher with limited access to arcane spells like Burning Hands, Thunderwave, and Shield.

Rogue: I think there should be an Inquisitor sub-class, sort of like the Arcane Trickster but divine with abilities related to finding out about things.

Sorcerer: Where to start? Just about any new bloodline will do...

Warlock: We don't have Vestiges, Dark Powers of Shadowfell, or Elemental Lords yet.

Wizard: The schools I could see being added are the Elemental schools, and a remake of the Shadowcaster.
 

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Since ranger is in the middle of revisions, I wouldn't be surprised to find it after the wizard. The rogue and warlock sound right to me. I also agree that any bloodline would be appreciated for the sorcerer (although since they borrowed from the hellknight for the paladin, maybe borrowing from the oracle for the sorcerer).

For the wizard, I think it would be hard not be the "other evoker" for the elemental schools with fire being such a prominent element or the "other illusionist"/"other necromancer" for the shadowcaster. Not saying it couldn't happen. The easiest wizard subclass would be a land druid version of the theurge. Since I assume there will be a DM section of the Big Book of Crunch where the skeezy bards and the evil paladins will go, there is no reason a demonologist/fiendologist wizard couldn't going join them.
 


Ranger: They've said they will make subclasses that work for the PHB or UA main class. I think: Conclave of the Steppe, for riders and their mounts, an Urban Conclave for more civilized Rangers, and maybe a "more magic" Arcane Conclave of some sort.



Rogue: I can see a Tinkerer, given some Gnome-like Artificer-esque abilities; an Acrobat, to hearken back to the old Thief-Acrobat.



Sorcerer: a "generic" sorcerer, a Giant sorcerer, a Yuan-Ti sorcerer, a Genie sorcerer, a Far Realms sorcerer, Fey sorcerer, fiendish sorcerer...perhaps some new metamagics.



Warlock: Binder, Genie Warlock, Dragon Warlock. I can see also maybe more pact types, or invocations.



Wizard: Defiler, Sha'ir.



Interesting question, what do we get after...
 


I have a feeling the Ranger will be a 2nd draft of the new version, along with a couple new subclasses.

I'd also say the Thug (STR-based, Sneak Attack with bludgeoning weapons) has to be among the new Rogue subclasses.
 

These UAs have been testing the oddball content. Most UAs tend to do so, since it's about getting feedback on the extremes of mechanics and flavour and concepts.
So I doubt any of the "obvious" choices will be included in the future UAs. Because the safe choices are easier to design.

Ranger. Maybe a planar option, to see how people like stretching favoured terrain and moving the ranger into unnatural wildernesses.

Rogue. Possibly a divine rogue. Maybe a soulknife to test how receptive people are to a psychic subclass.

Warlock. Primordials are a softball. Not happening. Ditto most other likely outsider types, like angels and inevitables. Stretching the idea of the pact makes sense. This will likely get creative and experimental. Maybe a shadowpact, if only to test lore on the "archbeings" of the Shadowfell.

Wizard. A tricky one since the biggest options have been done. It doesn't need much. Maybe a defiling option. Truenamer perhaps.
 

Some interesting thoughts in here...some I agree with...

Next: I think there's a good chance we'll see "Mystic #3" next. That's where it falls in the alphabetical order. They clearly want to get a psychic class introduced into the game. It would be nice if they put out something in UA that was complete and thorough and, well, tested and vetted for flavor and crunch with a sufficient number of subclasses to give [most] psychic fans what they're looking for all at once.

Then, I reeeally wouldn't mind, to be honest, if they SKIPPED Ranger altogether. We have two different "base" rangers. We have, what at this point, a half dozen or so subclass options. They've already done 3 UA's on the Ranger. ENOUGH already!

Rogue: I'd love to see how they'd do a committed Acrobat subclass, but I doubt it would happen. I'm kind of at a loss for other Roguish optinos. A "divine 1/3rd caster" equivalent to the Arcane Trickster would be expected. Whether that's Inquisitor" or Avenger or "Assassin's Creed" in flavor/slant I can not say. An Artificer might be an interesting [for those who like artificers/eberron] twist, and alternate type/example of "magic rogue" for those who aren't interested in being a "trickster."

Sorcerer: I've done several iterations of sorcerer subclasses. To reiterate, sorcerer's are broken into the "Ancestry" camp: Dragon, Favored Soul [celestial], possibly Storm [if you use an air elemental or djinn as your back-/origin-story] or "Environmental" camp: Wild Magic, Shadow, possibly Storm [if you're not using an ancestor origin/backstory]. That in mind, they seem much more interested in working the "environmental" angle so that those involving other beings are more focused on warlocks. I could see/and would make sense, to include a Fae origin. An Elemental origin, since like Storm, you could worked that as either "my great grandmama was a X" or "you fell into/slept near/woke up in/whatever a font/vat/portal/whatever of elemental power." Might see a Duskblade. Maybe a Soulknife [especially if they bring Mystic in, they can start intro-ing psychic-base/-flavored subclasses for other classes]. Not that I care for either. But they're a possibility. The sorcerer has a lot of untapped potential.

Warlock: Sha'ir [genie based pact]: creates a pact for a genie-servant who grants spells-casting ability other warlocks don't get. "Binder/Diabolist": a warlock that uses and gains multiple/different pacts -mostly temporary, maybe some permanent- with different entities to get things done/increase their power. Also, multiple [at least two] new pact options and a few invocations. EDIT: Oh! and I forgot. I would like to see, though I don't know what you'd call it, a Celestial Patron warlock [and probably accompanying additional pact and some new invocations]. /Edit.

Wizard: Tradition of the Craft [folk/nature magic/traditional Witch], Tradition of the Magi [generalist mage]. A Runecastersubclass [versus the "prestige class" model they've already presented] to dovetail/follow the giant AP makes sense also. Alternately, for Wizards, since they already have so many existing subclasses, they could just present multiple different 5 level "prestige class" traditions to provide an additional "layer" over the existing schools. So, as the runecaster we already have, you'd have a "Generalist/Mage" prestige class that just lets you pick some other schools' special abilities as you advance, maybe gives you a magic enhanced strike with a special staff. A Shadowcaster [like a rune caster but shadowy powers]. Not sure how you'd do a witch this way, but it probably would work. etc...

That's mostly my thoughts.

I would think, after the subclasses UAs I think we'll see a return to setting-specific material. For example, a special race or subrace, couple of subclasses, couple of backgrounds, maybe a [very] setting specific feat or languages or some kind of flavor material for a giveen campiagn setting.
 
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[MENTION=697]mearls[/MENTION] said on Twitter that they are leaning towards making the Mystic a d6 class, and making a Psionic Fighter subclass instead of a Fighter today: so, they are still working on the concept.
 

[MENTION=697]mearls[/MENTION] said on Twitter that they are leaning towards making the Mystic a d6 class, and making a Psionic Fighter subclass instead of a Fighter today: so, they are still working on the concept.
5 days ago, he said it, and it has had very mixed reaction, in favour of keeping d8 and renaming the mystic, as far as i can tell. Very little opinion on the immortal as a fighter subclass, some are upset about that, others think it might pave the way for a soulblade rogue.

Personally, I'm in favour of d8, keeping the mystic subclasses where they are now, and giving the rogue a soulblade.

- Zynx, from the EN World mobile app
 

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