Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana:Are they revealing limitations in the 5th edition system?

[The Game Doctor]

I think a slight variation is a lot more than you might think. A "slight variation" to a character class can end up performing wildly different on the battle field, just like the difference between a +1 and a +2 saves your life 5% of the time.
I don't think Unearthed Arcana is doing anything wrong at all. Yet.

 

[Jester David]

Something I've noticed with most of the Unearthed Arcana's is they seem to running out of design room. We are getting several classes doing essentially the same thing but only in very minor ways. I'm seeing a less class system and a more broad system coming into play because class niche is slowly being taken away with each new Arcana. I think I've noticed it more with the martial classes than the spellcasters.

I would like to see them experiment more with "new" mechanics than giving us 5 different ways to make the same character. Why haven't they done more with the fighter's maneuver system? I mean they are playtest articles so I want to see some bold new mechanics being tested instead of the same old boring "safe" stuff we keep getting?

Could this be a limitation with the system as a whole? Could it be a creativity limitation? It really reminds me of 4th edition where the only thing separated some powers was a shift instead of a push etc....

Nope.
Completely not.

The limit is not the system.
The limit is the desire to keep things simple and quick at the table.

Unearthed Arcana is a concept test. They're throwing stuff at us to see how we like broad concepts. It's rough and very much unfinished. It's a pencil sketch. You have a rough idea, but it's not always enough to judge the final produtc.

 

[Jester David]

I just want to chime in with a few things.

You see, there are a few posters on these boards who really enjoy exaggerating things. The biggest thing has been when it comes to options. Any time you ask for more options you are suddenly accused of wanting SPAT SPLAT SPLAT and GLUT GLUT GLUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is also assumed that its' always players options.

Personally I feel like these people just can't come up with an argument that defeats "moderation". There are a lot of us who want more variety but want them in moderation.

Anyway, I do agree with your post overall.

One book a year IS moderation.

 

[CapnZapp]

Something I've noticed with most of the Unearthed Arcana's is they seem to running out of design room. We are getting several classes doing essentially the same thing but only in very minor ways. I'm seeing a less class system and a more broad system coming into play because class niche is slowly being taken away with each new Arcana. I think I've noticed it more with the martial classes than the spellcasters.

I would like to see them experiment more with "new" mechanics than giving us 5 different ways to make the same character. Why haven't they done more with the fighter's maneuver system? I mean they are playtest articles so I want to see some bold new mechanics being tested instead of the same old boring "safe" stuff we keep getting?

Could this be a limitation with the system as a whole? Could it be a creativity limitation? It really reminds me of 4th edition where the only thing separated some powers was a shift instead of a push etc....

No, I don't think so.

I agree UAs are not very creative and mostly shuffle things around.

But I don't think that need to mean the system overall prevents new and exciting abilities and powers.

I merely think the UA design team is unimaginative and should be replaced.

 

[Kabouter Games]

Consigning character concepts to subclasses only serves to limit character options, not expand them.

Good! That's what having a class-based system means.

Wow.

Three years of complaints due to WotC not putting out more stuff.

Now they're prepping to put out more stuff and more complaints that it's not the "right" stuff.

If I was Mike and the gang, I'd be all like "You know what? F- ALL Y'ALL, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE..."

THIS RIGHT HERE.

 

[pkt77242]

No, I don't think so.

I agree UAs are not very creative and mostly shuffle things around.

But I don't think that need to mean the system overall prevents new and exciting abilities and powers.

I merely think the UA design team is unimaginative and should be replaced.

I think it is overly harsh to say that they are unimaginative and should be replaced (in fact I would call it mean and uncalled for). The design team would seem to be doing a good job since the edition from all reports is doing well.

I personally like some of the UAs and some I don't but that is to be expected from play test material.

 

[Parmandur]

One book a year IS moderation.

Specifically, the moderation people asked for when asked. I know I still have trouble keeping up with the breakneck three book a year release schedule.

 

[happyhermit]

No, I don't think so.

I agree UAs are not very creative and mostly shuffle things around.

But I don't think that need to mean the system overall prevents new and exciting abilities and powers.

I merely think the UA design team is unimaginative and should be replaced.

Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford are unimaginative and should be replaced? Nope, not buying that for a second. I have seen plenty that proves they are both imaginative.

And replaced by whom? There has been plenty of design work done by non-Wotc people and there isn't much there that people will agree makes UA pale in comparison. Sure there are a few more "innovative" classes out there, but they mostly don't jive with 5e D&D at this point, are fiddly, have some other issues, or are not what most D&D groups want right now. People are buying and using those options, which is great, but it doesn't mean they would be better that the UA stuff.

Innovation alone is not enough, it takes imagination to fit innovation into an existing design.

 

[CapnZapp]

Innovation alone is not enough, it takes imagination to fit innovation into an existing design.

Whatever you want to call it, the UAs don't have it. *shrug*

 

[DEFCON 1]

Whatever you want to call it, the UAs don't have it. *shrug*

Don't worry Capn... I'm sure the important UA that adds magic item pricing, erratas SS and GWM, and changes the adjectives on the encounter building charts will be arriving some time in April.