UA Unearthed Arcana: Spirits Bard and Undeath Warlock

We have a new UA release with two subclasses. The College of Spirits Bard is a fortune teller or spirit medium type character with a big random effect table. Meanwhile the Undeath Pact Warlock is a a do-over of the Undying Pact Warlock.

 

[Azzy]

That seems a silly diversion and childish attempt to have the last word in order to dodge the fact that cloying attempts to come off as virtuous and inclusive while undermining religious peoples is not very virtuous or inclusive.

Never mind the fact that I wasn't "undermining religious peoples" in any way shape or form when I said that people get tetchy about religion. Because the statement is true for both the religious and non-religious for varying reasons each. Stop reading into things that aren't there.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah.

I really do not think that this UA is meant for Xanathar's 2.0/Planescape. It doesn't fit the theme of the other more recent UA subclasses, and comes out too soon before November. Does anyone disagree?

At this point, seems unlikely to be for the Q4 product.

 

[AcererakTriple6]

At this point, seems unlikely to be for the Q4 product.

They said they were making a book that would come out later this year, and it definitely did not sound like Rime of the Frostmaiden.

 

[jmartkdr2]

They said they were making a book that would come out later this year, and it definitely did not sound like Rime of the Frostmaiden.

That doesn't mean this content will make it into that book.

The class feature and feats UAs most likely will, though.

 

[AcererakTriple6]

That doesn't mean this content will make it into that book.

The class feature and feats UAs most likely will, though.

By this content, do you mean these subclasses (Undead, Spirits)? If so, you're preaching to the choir.

 

[Parmandur]

They said they were making a book that would come out later this year, and it definitely did not sound like Rime of the Frostmaiden.

Yes? I was agreeing with you that these Gothic options are probably not for that?

 

[AcererakTriple6]

Yes? I was agreeing with you that these Gothic options are probably not for that?

Okay, sorry, I must have misunderstood you.

 

[Kurotowa]

The survey for this UA is up, and there are some new additions to refine the questionnaire. Besides adding a Don't Know/Not Interested option to the questions there are new questions asking if you actually playtested the subclass, if you've played the related class in the 5e era, and how interested you are in playing the subclass in a game.

I for one applaud the addition of these refinements. It lets me easily indicate that I'm neither particularly inspired by the Spirits Bard or interested in Bards in general, while I have experience playing Warlocks and would roll a new one to use the Undead Patron. It'll also help separate feedback from people who are eyeballing these subclasses in the abstract versus those who've gone the extra mile to try them in play.

 

[Leatherhead]

actually playtested the subclass

I honestly wonder how many people did the entire level 1-14 run of the subclasses (let alone a full 1-20 run). Mostly because I envy the heck out of having that much extra time.

 

[Kurotowa]

I honestly wonder how many people did the entire level 1-14 run of the subclasses (let alone a full 1-20 run). Mostly because I envy the heck out of having that much extra time.

Heck, no one's going to do that in two weeks. That's just putting the bar waaaaay too high. But some people will have jumped at the chance to convert an existing PC it fit exactly right, or tried using it in a one-shot adventure, or even just played out some gladiatorial matches with a hastily rolled template character. While the abstract white room theorycrafting we fall into on the forums has its place, so does actual play of any stripe, and it's good to distinguish the data sets.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I honestly wonder how many people did the entire level 1-14 run of the subclasses (let alone a full 1-20 run). Mostly because I envy the heck out of having that much extra time.

I would think very few people would have the time to actually play the subclasses in the time between the UA and the survey.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yeah.

I really do not think that this UA is meant for Xanathar's 2.0/Planescape. It doesn't fit the theme of the other more recent UA subclasses, and comes out too soon before November. Does anyone disagree?

It may be that "Xanathar's 2" was scheduled for November, but, because of rejected psionics and failure of sufficient subclasses to meet the 70% bar it has been postponed to spring.

The changes to the survey suggest WotC may be concerned about the validity of the results.

 

[Kurotowa]

The changes to the survey suggest WotC may be concerned about the validity of the results.

I'd say it's less about validity and more about nuance. You've got a couple of intersecting axis at work here that combine for different results like "I've never played this class before but this subclass makes me interested in doing so" or "I've played this class before and I don't think this subclass holds up" or "I'm not particularly interested in the class and this subclass doesn't change that". I'm sure all that is very valuable information for them.

 

[Parmandur]

I'd say it's less about validity and more about nuance. You've got a couple of intersecting axis at work here that combine for different results like "I've never played this class before but this subclass makes me interested in doing so" or "I've played this class before and I don't think this subclass holds up" or "I'm not particularly interested in the class and this subclass doesn't change that". I'm sure all that is very valuable information for them.

Yes, especially as the approach increasingly niche options. I think this change to more nuanced data that can be looked at from multiple angles suggests that this is, indeed, material for the next thing, after the Q4 product.

 

[AcererakTriple6]

It may be that "Xanathar's 2" was scheduled for November, but, because of rejected psionics and failure of sufficient subclasses to meet the 70% bar it has been postponed to spring.

The changes to the survey suggest WotC may be concerned about the validity of the results.

That could be it, but at this point, there's not any real evidence of this happening. We'll see soon, I hope.