Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Cleric, Druid, Wizard Options

In another new Unearthed Arcana (these things are coming out fast right now!) the cleric receives a new Divine Domain option: the Twilight Domain; the druid gains a new Druid Circle option: the Circle of Wildfire; and the wizard gains a new Arcane Tradition feature: Onomancy, the magic of true names.

 

[TwoSix]

I demand to know who was responsible for the fluffing of the Onomancer!

And did they use mage hand?

 

[eyeheartawk]

And did they use mage hand?

Okay, we better stop before somebody tells us to go get a Leomund's Tiny Hut.

 

[DEFCON 1]

You're a monster.

Nuts do not belong in food. And coconut isn't even food-- coconut is the food equivalent of the packing peanut.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

The blurb at the beginning of the Twilight domain seems to be trying to stuff 10lb of fluff into a 5lb crunch bag. I was expecting some type of general liminal deity domain, but that's not what this is. Some of the deity assignment seem like a fairly large stretch.

 

[Raunalyn]

I am not terribly impressed with the Twilight domain...I may need to read through it again and think about it more, but it doesn't really inspire me much. I can say that the Twilight Cleric will probably be the party Rogue's best friend.

The Wildfire Druid... Seems a bit on the strong side, but wow, what flavor! You can out fireball a mage AND heal better than a cleric?

I have to think about the Onomancer. I like the idea, but I'm not sure I like the implementation.

 

[Yaarel]

Nuts do not belong in food. And coconut isn't even food-- coconut is the food equivalent of the packing peanut.

I friend of mine from the Caribbean was appalled at seeing someone eat the white of a coconut. ‘You eat that?! We use that for soap.’

The coconut milk and gel is the edible part.

 

[Li Shenron]

I meant, care to unpack what it is you find dissatisfactory with these options...?

Many of the subclasses recently previewed just feel to me like old concepts from other classes re-applied to a new class. Twilight is basically a shadow option for clerics, Aberrant Mind a Sorcerer version of the GOO Warlock, Wildfire a (fire) elemental option for druids... I don't like this kind of crossover because I like classes to be separated, I don't like the idea of having the same theme across many classes. And it's starting to feel like half of these designes are generated by looking at gaps across classes.

I also see way too many abilities that really aren't nothing new, just repackaging of the same. Twilight Druid has... darkvision, temporary hit points, bonus spells (but none is a new spell). Minimal novelty e.g. in the darkvision range but meh. I can design subclasses like that by myself, without having to buy a book.

What is new is otherwise goofy or too narrow in concept, and apparently new mechanics too focused on minutias and fiddly bits . The Onomancer is indeed a novelty concept, but still doesn't impress me when at the end you are still just boosting damage, healing yourself or imposing disadvantage on saving throws...

 

[Undrave]

Again we see spell lists that would be improved by reprinting some spells once it gets to print, like the previously mentioned Catnap.

Melee clerics don't get extra attacks. Divine strike is what they use to help keep up in melee.

I could swear they did... still, isn't Divine Strike late at 8th level? Martial classes get extra attack at Lv 5 (or extra Sneak Attack) and Cantrips upgrade at lv 5... so Clerics are expected to wade in melee as subpar damage dealer for three levels if they didn't invest enough to make their cantrips potent enough?

And even there, you have this guy who stands shoulder to shoulder with Fighters for five levels and then for three he just hangs back dropping Sacred Flame (AKA the most boring attack Cantrip ever...)...

I'm really not a fan of the 5e Cleric's base class. I think it tries to do too much at once and ends up half-baked. Is it a support frontline fighter or a back line caster? The Fire and Lightning of God guy in light amor should just have been a different class.

 

[Parmandur]

Honestly, I'm ok with the crunch of the subclass, but I have some problems with the fluffing.

Keep in mind the fluff is very probably a Red Herring.

 

[Parmandur]

Many of the subclasses recently previewed just feel to me like old concepts from other classes re-applied to a new class. Twilight is basically a shadow option for clerics, Aberrant Mind a Sorcerer version of the GOO Warlock, Wildfire a (fire) elemental option for druids... I don't like this kind of crossover because I like classes to be separated, I don't like the idea of having the same theme across many classes. And it's starting to feel like half of these designes are generated by looking at gaps across classes.

I also see way too many abilities that really aren't nothing new, just repackaging of the same. Twilight Druid has... darkvision, temporary hit points, bonus spells (but none is a new spell). Minimal novelty e.g. in the darkvision range but meh. I can design subclasses like that by myself, without having to buy a book.

What is new is otherwise goofy or too narrow in concept, and apparently new mechanics too focused on minutias and fiddly bits . The Onomancer is indeed a novelty concept, but still doesn't impress me when at the end you are still just boosting damage, healing yourself or imposing disadvantage on saving throws...

Fair enough, though at this point to get any new archetypes in the game they will have to go for long stretches or bleed over conceptually.