Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Modifying Classes & Spell-less Rangers

WotC's Rodney Thompson takes a look at how to customize and modify character classes in the latest Unearthed Arcana article, including an example of a spell-less ranger similar to Lord of the Rings' Strider (an often asked-for class option). There are aslo notes about each of the other classes, discussing what to be careful about changing.

The article is here.

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[Mephista]

Worth the read for insight on how the classes were made alone. The rest is just gravy.

Eh... I'd like some insight on how to mess with the basic features more. We got a list of "noooo! touch bad!" stuff, but nothing about how to do the tweaking. How about a paragraph on making the bard or Warlock into a half-caster?

Do they suggest just stealing (sub)class features to paste on to the customized classes?

 

[MoonSong]

I think the whole "extra spells from the domain" is supposed to work like the Warlock Patrons. You add those spells to your spell list, and then pick them with your usual spell choices. You don't suddenly add the lot to your spells known. That was my first thought upon reading it.

It clearly reads "You add that domain’s spells for 1st-level clerics to your known spells. These spells do not count against the number of spells you can know". But as told before -by me n_n- these extra spells are either defining or situational. They don't add raw power, only concept versatility. And these situational spells still require use of regular slots because sorcerers don't have ritual casting.

 

[asorel]

I think the whole "extra spells from the domain" is supposed to work like the Warlock Patrons. You add those spells to your spell list, and then pick them with your usual spell choices. You don't suddenly add the lot to your spells known. That was my first thought upon reading it.

At 1st level, you choose one of the cleric class’s divine domains. You add that domain’s spells for 1st-level clerics to your known spells. These spells do not count against the number of spells you can know, and they are considered to be sorcerer spells for you.

This does not appear to be the case.

 

[Minigiant]

Eh... I'd like some insight on how to mess with the basic features more. We got a list of "noooo! touch bad!" stuff, but nothing about how to do the tweaking. How about a paragraph on making the bard or Warlock into a half-caster?

Do they suggest just stealing (sub)class features to paste on to the customized classes?

Because "no touch. Bad".

That's pretty much what they are saying. Certain class features.are vital to the class. You can't touch those as you'd pretty much have to rewrite the whole class.

Some thing are very important but can be altered with similar strength features without a full class resite. These are subclasses and half casting.

 

[Moorcrys]

I think it's a pretty great article - I'd love to see some threads down the line when people have had a chance to play with these options at the table.

I agree with some other folks on here in that I'd swap the favored soul's sorcerer spell-list for the cleric's and see what happens. It might be fun to see what metamagic does to the cleric's spell list.

 

[CrusaderX]

Since the extra spells of the Favored Soul seem to overpower the other two Sorcerer bloodlines, maybe they should have done something like this:

Create a third bloodline, a Celestial Bloodline, and have it roughly mirror the Draconic Bloodline in abilities.

At 1st level, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, shields, and simple weapons.

At 6th level, you add your Charisma modifier when dealing Radiant damage, and you can spend 1 sorcery point to gain resistance to Necrotic damage for 1 hour.

At 14th level, you get Angelic wings.

At 18the level, you get a Celestial Presence ability similar to the Draconic Presence ability.

(this is just a rough sketch of ability ideas, it can be altered as necessary)

So, that gives you three Sorcerer Bloodlines: Draconic, Wild Magic, and Celestial.

Now, each Bloodline also gets to pick Domain spells. Maybe the Draconic Sorcerer gets to pick from War or Trickery. The Wild Magic Sorcerer gets to pick from Knowledge or Tempest. And the Celestial Sorcerer gets to pick from Life or Light.

In this way, the three bloodlines are all roughly balanced, and all get bonus spells.

 

[CapnZapp]

Good article. Interesting list of things to beware of when modifying classes, plus a new sub-class and a new class. Worth the wait.

I understand the favored soul to be a sorcerer subclass, not a new class.

 

[77IM]

At first I thought the favored soul's massive number of spells known (25 instead of 15, including some good healing spells) was overpowered.

Then I realized it was the other two subclasses that were UNDERpowered. All sorcerous origins ought to get bonus spells from a fixed list the way clerics, land druids, and paladins do. I think it would solve a lot of complaints about the sorcerer getting so few spells known that they have to optimize their spell selection super carefully.

 

[doctorhook]

Great article!

At first glance, I kinda wonder about the favoured soul though: the section about the FS says, "Give it a cleric domain!" but the section about the cleric says, "Make sure domain spells are mostly from outside the cleric list." Without running the numbers, isn't there a good chance that the FS is just gaining back some sorcerer spells?

Also, poultices: it strikes me as absurd that a 20th level druid or cleric trained in medicine can't make these, but every ranger can. I don't hate the mechanic, but it seems odd. Why not just give no-spell rangers a version of second wind, like the fighter gets?

 

[MoonSong]

Since the extra spells of the Favored Soul seem to overpower the other two Sorcerer bloodlines, maybe they should have done something like this:

Create a third bloodline, a Celestial Bloodline, and have it roughly mirror the Draconic Bloodline in abilities.

At 1st level, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, shields, and simple weapons.

At 6th level, you add your Charisma modifier when dealing Radiant damage, and you can spend 1 sorcery point to gain resistance to Necrotic damage for 1 hour.

At 14th level, you get Angelic wings.

At 18the level, you get a Celestial Presence ability similar to the Draconic Presence ability.

(this is just a rough sketch of ability ideas, it can be altered as necessary)

So, that gives you three Sorcerer Bloodlines: Draconic, Wild Magic, and Celestial.

Now, each Bloodline also gets to pick Domain spells. Maybe the Draconic Sorcerer gets to pick from War or Trickery. The Wild Magic Sorcerer gets to pick from Knowledge or Tempest. And the Celestial Sorcerer gets to pick from Life or Light.

In this way, the three bloodlines are all roughly balanced, and all get bonus spells.

The favored soul overshadows the other two bloodlines but not because it is more powerful, it overshadows them because it is a non-blaster less-abnormal bloodline, the domain spells give Mostly UTILITY, except for light domain that gives combat spells -but without blaster bonuses-. Do Land druids overpower moon druids with their extra 8 preppared spells? or are they just less combat oriented? the same with the FS.

Not opposed to a celestial bloodline focussed on radiant damage, but that is another thing entirely.