Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana August: Races of Ravnica

I don't know modern MtG or Ravnica other then what we have been talking about on here and at D&D the last few weeks...but quick look I like this.


Vedalken sound like I could totally play the blue elves like 'mystic elf' and 'magician of black chaos' from yugioh. I think I really like the race even if I never heard of it before.

 

[Parmandur]

Vedalkyn which featured in one of the Planeshift articles, but they we're offered less then this version so perhaps it wasn't popular enough as is. Which Planeshift article had Dryads?

You could be right about one of the Planeshift Vampires being well received enough that no further changes we're deemed needed, they seemed okay.

Dryads weren't, it seems, but we did get Vampires, which are iconic to NtG in their particular form: not D&D vanpires, as with Minotaurs and Centaurs.

 

[flametitan]

Viashino also get a bite, and either acrobatics or stealth Prof free. The tail lash is really good so combined it's enough. Good stats too, especially for a fighter or monk.

The Vedalkyn also gets a two free profs, one skill and one tool Prof, which makes them inheriant skill monkeys. I do agree they should get something a bit more, but it's better then the previous version of Vedalkyn. Maybe a couple of bonus languages.

I was going to mention the bite, but ultimately didn't. However, here's my quick take on it:

yawn.

It does damage equal to a dagger without finesse. Most of the classes want a higher damage weapon, a weapon with a specific property, or just for the hit to land. In the case of the monk, starting unarmed strike is already 1d4. The only real thing you get is piercing, and from what I can tell, most creatures, if they call out one of blugeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and not all three, it's usually in favour of bludgeoning anyway. More often than not, I consider the extra damage on unarmed strikes a ribbon ability.

Vedalken being a skill monkey class is also not that interesting. We already have the half elf, and they're even more versatile at it. Again, it's giving up, "being interesting and unique," to be "Good at things others can do."

 

[gyor]

I don't think Loxodons seem too powerful. Free Mage Armor is nice, but most characters will outclass it. Remember, it doesn't stack with anything except a shield. Advantage on fear saves is pretty meh. Advantage on scent based skill checks is going to be really hit and miss to the extent that it's as powerful as the DM decides it will be. Truly, the only thing the race really does well is Druid.

Simic Hybrid is interesting, although I agree with others that it'd be nice to have a few more selections. Grappling Appendages is weird, though. How many attacks do you get?

Viashino's Lashing Tail, on the other hand, seem amazing to me. Sure, it only deals non-magical dagger damage, but so what? A raging Barbarian certainly isn't going to care, and you'll get to deal bonus Rage damage with it and still have resistance. If you're a Rogue, it's a way to deal Sneak Attack damage an extra time each round!

Vedalken seem good. They're at least as good at being a Wizard as a Gnome.

I was going to mention the bite, but ultimately didn't. However, here's my quick take on it:

yawn.

It does damage equal to a dagger without finesse. Most of the classes want a higher damage weapon, a weapon with a specific property, or just for the hit to land. In the case of the monk, starting unarmed strike is already 1d4. The only real thing you get is piercing, and from what I can tell, most creatures, if they call out one of blugeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and not all three, it's usually in favour of bludgeoning anyway. More often than not, I consider the extra damage on unarmed strikes a ribbon ability.

Vedalken being a skill monkey class is also not that interesting. We already have the half elf, and they're even more versatile at it. Again, it's giving up, "being interesting and unique," to be "Good at things others can do."

The Tail Lash is the key trait for the Vaishino, the rest just fills out the race. A Viashino Monk's Tail Lash will gain a lot of benefit from being a monk, same with a Valshino Paladin eventually, thanks to Divine Smite and Improved Divine Smite. A Viashino battle master could be interesting as well, using manvuevers with the Tail Lash could be very interesting, perhaps even knocking an enemy back before it can complete the attack that triggered the Tail Lash.

Veladkyn can choose Thieves Tools and say Slight of Hand with a d4 bonus to take on a very roguish ability, even as say a Wizard. Still honestly I'd add back the Aether (or setting equivilant) feature to the race on top of this, not instead of.

I'm pretty happy with these races, they provide interest play opportunies, but I think they need a side bar on how to use them in none Ravnica D&D settings.

 

[Parmandur]

The Tail Lash is the key trait for the Vaishino, the rest just fills out the race. A Viashino Monk's Tail Lash will gain a lot of benefit from being a monk, same with a Valshino Paladin eventually, thanks to Divine Smite and Improved Divine Smite. A Viashino battle master could be interesting as well, using manvuevers with the Tail Lash could be very interesting, perhaps even knocking an enemy back before it can complete the attack that triggered the Tail Lash.

Veladkyn can choose Thieves Tools and say Slight of Hand with a d4 bonus to take on a very roguish ability, even as say a Wizard. Still honestly I'd add back the Aether (or setting equivilant) feature to the race on top of this, not instead of.

I'm pretty happy with these races, they provide interest play opportunies, but I think they need a side bar on how to use them in none Ravnica D&D settings.

I've no doubt that the book will have some sort of "using this material in other D&D settings," very much WotC modus operandi.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

It wasn't pushed back, as such: Mearls hinted it is coming soon, but Crawford said point blank it wouldn't be August when asked.

The fast turnaround is because Hasbro publishes in the US rather than China (which contributes to the book cost).

One of the authors working on the Eberron stuff was the first to leak on Twitter that Artificer would be this month, then Mike added fuel to the fire before it had to be shut down.

And I am glad that the books are printed in the US. We save all that time wasted in the ship transit time and, with all the new tariffs between the US and China, the books could actually have been more expensive than they are now, or the same price but with lower page counts.

 

[Parmandur]

One of the authors working on the Eberron stuff was the first to leak on Twitter that Artificer would be this month, then Mike added fuel to the fire before it had to be shut down.

And I am glad that the books are printed in the US. We save all that time wasted in the ship transit time and, with all the new tariffs between the US and China, the books could actually have been more expensive than they are now, or the same price but with lower page counts.

Nobody gave any hard dates until Crawford's clarification cut to the chase. Fully expect that we will see it soon. If anything delayed it, I'd actually suspect Mearls epiphany on summoning mechanics, and maybe we'll see those introduced for testing alongside the full class details.

 

[Prakriti]

Dear Lord, a +2 Intelligence race. I never thought I would live to see this day.

 

[Parmandur]

Dear Lord, a +2 Intelligence race. I never thought I would live to see this day.

Gnomes are in the PHB...?

+2 Wisdom is the rare combo.

 

[dynath]

Ermm... so the unique races of Ravnica aren't in the book dedicated to Ravnica? Why?

 

[Warbringer]

I can finally play Babar!!