UA: New Race Options, Eladrin and Gith

The Eladrin ability score adjustment needs to be: +2 Charisma, +1 any other.

Charisma and all of its connotations [charm, innate magic, bardic song, etcetera] is what best represents the Fey Elf concept.

Intelligence is an accident of D&D only having Wizard class in the beginning, but it has merit in folklore too.

Dexterity is irrelevant.

Maybe handsized sprites connote Dexterity, but humansized spirits of magic, less so.



Edit.

Elves can work better this way:

Wood Elf: +2 Dexterity
High Elf: +2 Intelligence
Eladrin Elf: +2 Charisma

That is what the Elf feels like.



Edit.

High Elf
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence (!)
Trance
Investigation skill proficiency
Languages: Elven, Sylvan, and Common
Cantrip
Elven Armor (permanent Mage Armor, appears as supple chain armor or as invisible force)
High Elf Weapon Training (longsword proficiency, treat as finesse weapon and spell focus)
(Darkvision too?)



Edit.

Eladrin are a group of elves that are native to the Fey Plane. They feel like a separate race of Elf with their own four subraces. The concept of the Eladrin evolves across the editions, and their association with the four seasons seems to enjoy traction. They consolidate well into four kinds of Eladrin, each one corresponding to a season.

Eladrin Elf
• Spring: +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity (Ghael, Coure)
• Summer: +2 Charisma, +1 Strength (Firre, Bralani)
• Autumn: +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence (Tulani)
• Winter: +2 Charisma, +1 Wisdom (Noviere, Shiere)

 

[Sacrosanct]

I suspect all signs are pointing to a Planescape setting/campaign in the near future.

 

[Jester David]

I suspect all signs are pointing to a Planescape setting/campaign in the near future.

Sure. After all, an Eberron campaign setting book followed right after the February 2015 UA article, right?

 

[gyor]

I really like the Eladrin shifting personality thing.

I'm not sure why but for some reason I'm a bit down on the Gith. They get a +2 to an ability, +1 to an ability, a toughness boost, and free access to 3 different spells. It all seems like it might overshadow the other races, especially wis based ones.

P.S. If this is all pointing to an upcoming book of the planes then sign me up!

The Gith is based on the Tiefling model, cantrip, spell at 3rd level, spell at 5th.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Sure. After all, an Eberron campaign setting book followed right after the February 2015 UA article, right?

this is just one more thing though, not by itself, like that UA was. Also, in Feb 2015, there were a lot of higher priority things that had to be done first.

 

[cbwjm]

I suspect all signs are pointing to a Planescape setting/campaign in the near future.

If not the Planescape setting itself, a planar handbook may be on the horizon.

 

[jgsugden]

A little lackluster, but fine. I don't like how fiddly the eladrin is... a lot of rolling and random switches.

 

[gyor]

Sure. After all, an Eberron campaign setting book followed right after the February 2015 UA article, right?

I think it's more likely a manual of the planes style book that touches on various, settings like planescape, eberron, greyhawk, ect..., let's see what the next few UAs look like, that could give up a better grasp of their direction.

 

[gyor]

A little lackluster, but fine. I don't like how fiddly the eladrin is... a lot of rolling and random switches.

The switches are the Eladrin's choice, they can chose to switch once per short/long rest, it's not random.

And the personality trait/flaw stuff is complete fluff, it's not required, and can be ignored.

 

[Yaarel]

In 5e, "fluff" is rules as written, and matters a lot.

If you dislike the fluff, speak up now, or forever hold your peace.

 

[Jester David]

this is just one more thing though, not by itself, like that UA was. Also, in Feb 2015, there were a lot of higher priority things that had to be done first.

What are the other planar things they've done or teased.
I remember a lot of people expected "Midway" to be planar related, but that was just a semi-random codename for Xanthar's Guide to Everything.

I think it's more likely a manual of the planes style book that touches on various, settings like planescape, eberron, greyhawk, ect..., let's see what the next few UAs look like, that could give up a better grasp of their direction.

I doubt they're advertising the Fall 2018 book this early. After all, they didn't start doing the classes for XGtE until November of last year. And a lot of the other stuff (traps, skill & racial feats, downtime) was also early in 2017.

If they do something planar, it will likely be an adventure. So they can do a tour of Sigil and the surrounding realms at the same time, like they gave a tour of Chult and the North.
But, given they tend to alternate between big module and low module, I think that would be the summer 2018 adventure at the earliest, with the spring one announced in January being more of a reprint.