D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Travelers of the Multiverse

New free content from WotC - the latest 4-page Unearthed Arcana introduces six new races: astral elf, autognome, giff, hadozee, plasmoid, and thri-kreen.

News Archive | Dungeons and Dragons

Read the full archives of Dungeons & Dragons news, Sage Advice, Unearthed Arcana, and D&D Studio Blogs.

dnd.wizards.com

Looks like Spelljammer and/or Planescape is back on the menu!

 

[Mind of tempest]

this is true, but from what they've said in the last psionic UA, they pretty much gave up on making a full psionic class...

if they make another class like they say they might with the shamen then a psionic class or something mechanically viable for it would likely be hot on its heels.

 

[Bolares]

if they make another class like they say they might with the shamen then a psionic class or something mechanically viable for it would likely be hot on its heels.

They said they might do a shaman? I missed that!

 

[Parmandur]

They said they might do a shaman? I missed that!

Only place I recall that was in the 2015 Settings, Race & Class options survey we all love to quote so much. A lot of water under the bridge since then, I wouldn't place money on a Shaman in this day and age. Though maybe a Warlock "Spirits" Patron, or an Artificer focused on talismans?

 

[Mind of tempest]

They said they might do a shaman? I missed that!

some other guys on this site mentioned it.

 

[Bolares]

Only place I recall that was in the 2015 Settings, Race & Class options survey we all love to quote so much. A lot of water under the bridge since then, I wouldn't place money on a Shaman in this day and age. Though maybe a Warlock "Spirits" Patron, or an Artificer focused on talismans?

ah, got you

 

[Argyle King]

Not really. It's pretty explicit what you can and cannot do.

"You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense."

Is your new form capable of limited shape-shifting? If not, then you can't do so in that form.

That depends.

For example, can a changeling's ability to change a voice still work? That's limited shapechanging.

Likewise, the ability to change hair color abs other options from that race would (I think) work.

Sprouting limbs is, I think, different, but I think that's also debatable.

At higher levels, I would say that elemental forms would allow the sprouting of limbs.

For animal forms, my first instinct would be to say that you can't just pip out an extra set of limbs. Thinking about it more though, I'm not 100% sure. A dragonborn's breath weapon continues to work, so that suggests that some innate abilities which aren't a function of the new form -even when the animal cannot normally do those things- still work.

How much does D&D shape-shifting and wildshape change the internal or biological capabilities of the user?

The reason I'm asking is because it might be possible for a form that doesn't normally have hands to have hands -which matters for some of the game rules.

Edit: Further thoughts...

If it were a flight speed or some other ability which made use of an aspect of a physical form which no longer exists (like wings), I think it's obvious that the new form cannot use something which ceases to exist.

However, in the case of the Plasmoid, the limbs are not something which exist and then do not. Instead, they are something which do not exist by default and are created by some manner of innate ability.

I think that innate ability relies on the ooze nature of the plasmoid form, but I could also see an argument for it being something internal and innate like a breath weapon.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Shaman is better for a new class about monster allies like the summoner from Pathfinder.

And the psionic powers can be too dangerous if they are enough subtle, for example teletransportation of a tear of poison in the wine cup of the noble, or to unlock a padlock. An astral mindless construct can be ordered to explore a room and nobody worries about the hidden traps (you can't do the same with summoned allies).

Psionic mysthic could be a popular class, at least enough, but it needs a lot of work. It is not only about the power balance, an easy, fast and fun gameplay but also how to give the right lore as source of inspiration to create new characters.

If plasmoid reject clothing and armour for an emergency then they can't be caged easily. It would like crossoing through the bars door in Terminator 2. The ropes would be uselles to tie them, or the net hunt trap.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Shaman is better for a new class about monster allies like the summoner from Pathfinder.

And the psionic powers can be too dangerous if they are enough subtle, for example teletransportation of a tear of poison in the wine cup of the noble, or to unlock a padlock. An astral mindless construct can be ordered to explore a room and nobody worries about the hidden traps (you can't do the same with summoned allies).

Psionic mysthic could be a popular class, at least enough, but it needs a lot of work. It is not only about the power balance, an easy, fast and fun gameplay but also how to give the right lore as source of inspiration to create new characters.

If plasmoid reject clothing and armour for an emergency then they can't be caged easily. It would like crossoing through the bars door in Terminator 2. The ropes would be uselles to tie them, or the net hunt trap.

put them in a barrel problem solved.

 

[overgeeked]

That depends.

I don't think so. It's pretty black and white.

For example, can a changeling's ability to change a voice still work? That's limited shapechanging.

No, because the new form does not have limited shapechanging so cannot change its voice. This is also countered by the fact that you cannot talk while in wildshape.

Likewise, the ability to change hair color abs other options from that race would (I think) work.

You could decide as you wildshape what color things are, but not once you've already assumed the wildshape form. Unless you want to burn a wildshape use on changing colors.

Sprouting limbs is, I think, different, but I think that's also debatable.

Not really. It's there in black-and-white. Unless we're talking some serious rules lawyer action, it's not an option.

At higher levels, I would say that elemental forms would allow the sprouting of limbs.

Does the stat block of the elemental say anything about sprouting limbs? If not, then no, you could not.

For animal forms, my first instinct would be to say that you can't just pip out an extra set of limbs. Thinking about it more though, I'm not 100% sure. A dragonborn's breath weapon continues to work,

No it doesn't. If the new form cannot breathe fire, then a wildshaped dragonborn cannot breathe fire. Unless there's a specific exception to dragonborn that I missed.

How much does D&D shape-shifting and wildshape change the internal or biological capabilities of the user?

Completely. As written.

The reason I'm asking is because it might be possible for a form that doesn't normally have hands to have hands -which matters for some of the game rules.

Not according to the rules of polymorph or wildshape.

Edit: Further thoughts...

If it were a flight speed or some other ability which made use of an aspect of a physical form which no longer exists (like wings), I think it's obvious that the new form cannot use something which ceases to exist.

However, in the case of the Plasmoid, the limbs are not something which exist and then do not. Instead, they are something which do not exist by default and are created by some manner of innate ability.

Exactly. An innate physical ability that their new form does not share, so they cannot use.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I don't think so. It's pretty black and white.

No, because the new form does not have limited shapechanging so cannot change its voice. This is also countered by the fact that you cannot talk while in wildshape.

You could decide as you wildshape what color things are, but not once you've already assumed the wildshape form. Unless you want to burn a wildshape use on changing colors.

Not really. It's there in black-and-white. Unless we're talking some serious rules lawyer action, it's not an option.

Does the stat block of the elemental say anything about sprouting limbs? If not, then no, you could not.

No it doesn't. If the new form cannot breathe fire, then a wildshaped dragonborn cannot breathe fire. Unless there's a specific exception to dragonborn that I missed.

Completely. As written.

Not according to the rules of polymorph or wildshape.

Exactly. An innate physical ability that their new form does not share, so they cannot use.

While I personally agree with you, that's a much stricter reading of the rules than a lot of tables (apparently including the designers of the game) use, from what I understand.