Unearthed Arcana 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.

 

[Weiley31]

I also feel this is the first UA that feels like it could signal that Ravenloft/Vistani product mentioned previously. They feel suitably gothic.

Well the next book coming up after Frostmaiden is Curse of Strahd Revamped technically.

 

[Remathilis]

Well the next book coming up after Frostmaiden is Curse of Strahd Revamped technically.

New book. They stated Vistani would feature in two upcoming products. CoS RV could be one.

 

[Marandahir]

Well the next book coming up after Frostmaiden is Curse of Strahd Revamped technically.

So, do we think that this Planar options book is 2021, and Curse of Strahd Revamped is taking the final spot for 2020 (or the final book got pushed back due to Covid delays)?

 

[MarkB]

Yeah, that's my biggest complaint. Then again, I have a strong bias against level dipping and/or optimization in general anyway.

I don't know why they didn't do something like, "1/2 your warlock level, rounded down, minimum 1 time". They've done that a few times already in that way.

For the past several UAs they've used the "number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus" for a lot of things. They seem to be strongly pushing that as a game mechanic.

 

[Weiley31]

So, do we think that this Planar options book is 2021, and Curse of Strahd Revamped is taking the final spot for 2020 (or the final book got pushed back due to Covid delays)?

Who knows. Till they say otherwise, November(or an announcement) should still happen for a final book of this year.

 

[Marandahir]

Oh, I just noticed they called this an EARLY playtest. Uh oh. That language suggests they have a LOT more steps to go through until/if these reach publication. That heavily suggests they're not destined for a 2020 book.

For the past several UAs they've used the "number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus" for a lot of things. They seem to be strongly pushing that as a game mechanic.

Either Perkins or more likely Crawford described this in a UA analysis video on Youtube a few months ago. They realised that it's a useful tool to prevent MAD requirements (especially for MC characters and for classes that are already MAD like Monks, Paladins, Rangers, etc). They also want to not punish MC characters with half your "this class" level rounded down - better to just use the singular measure everyone gets!

 

[Weiley31]

For the past several UAs they've used the "number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus" for a lot of things. They seem to be strongly pushing that as a game mechanic.

Honestly, its probably better that way.

 

[Helldritch]

Not really impressed with either of them.
The bard screams: "I want to be a shaman! But I'll get a randomized ability so that I don't look like one..." There is a reasons that we don't see many wild magic sorcerers... The next most useful ability (spirit session) takes up two hours to set up. And only for divination or necromantic magic. A nice way to get dancing skeletons?

The warlock is a bit better but would not rate high on my list of all time favourite. "Form of dread" almost encourages any fighter type to take a 1 level dip into the warlock. Untied to charisma, it could mean disadvantage to any attackers trying to attack the character. I can imagine a Barblock using this along with reckless assault. I attack with advantage, you attack me normally. DC would be charisma, so not a big DC but now imagine a paladin/warlock... The second ability to change damage to necrotic is a bit meh. The additionnal dice is nice but warlock do arcane damage with EB. Arcane is the least resisted damage type in the game. So in effect, the necrotic damage is not that great. But for a melee char, it still not bad. But this high, only a pact of the blade lock would benefit from this.

The next ability can be used only if you "die" and only 1 every 1d4 long rest... Powerful yes, but also very trivial. And you get a level of exhaustion to boot.

They should really make a shaman class... Maybe for the PHB 2?

 

[Charlaquin]

That said, it REALLY urks me the wrong way when WotC publish two subclasses for the same class that are essentially identical in narrative function. I don't mind if we have Bladesingers and Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters and Battle Smiths and Hexblades and Blade Bards - these are all different iterations on the Arcane Gish, but live within their own classes that feel thematically distinct from one another otherwise.

I get that, but like... I remember back when the UAs for the Xanathar’s Guide subclasses were making the rounds, I voted against the Oath of Treachery Paladin on the basis that we already have the Oathbreaker (as I’m sure many others did). And now I really wish I hadn’t because it never even got a second pass, and it was so much better as a mechanical expression of the concept of a Paladin who violated their Oath (as opposed to a Paladin sworn to an oath of evil, which is what the “Oathbreaker” seems like).

Also, despite the similar names, I feel like the Undead has a distinct story identity from the Undying. The latter feels like a lich in training - someone who made a pact with an undying being to extend their own life beyond its natural limits, while the former feels like someone who made a pact with a being that wields power over undeath for a measure of that power. Like the difference between giving your eye and hand to Vecna in exchange for the secret of lichdom vs giving your soul to Orcus in exchange for the power to wake the dead.

 

[MarkB]

Spirit Session took me a couple of tries to parse, and still seems a little weird. You can conduct the ritual with a number of "creatures", limited by proficiency bonus (naturally), and the benefit you gain scales with the number of participants. And apparently whoever takes part alongside you doesn't even gain a participation trophy.

So, what qualifies a "creature" to be able to participate in this ritual? If nobody else in the party wants to hang out with me for an hour getting in touch with my spiritual side, can I use a couple of trained rats instead?