Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 2011309" data-attributes="member: 1465">What this book is and what is notUnearthed Arcana is a book of variant rules, alternative class options, character enhancements and customizations, and supplementary material that a Dungeon Master can use in his campaigns. It essentially features a collection of possibilities from which a DM can adopt only the ones he wishes and ignores the others, evaluating them on a one-by-one basis, but also should carefully consider how the variants interact with each other. Some of the variants are so dramatic that they can provide a significantly different gaming experience within the same D&D game, and given the sheer amount of material and the endless combinations, the book is usable over several lifetimes.Players can find many interesting character options to try something new, but would not benefit from about half of this book.Rules compliancyThe book is officially compliant with the 3.5 ruleset. Beside characters material, which seems in general very well balanced with the Player's Handbook, most of the variant rules are effectively something different from 3rd edition altogether, and as such it is probably not more difficult to use the book in 3.0. Every variant is supposed to work fine alone, but some may be incompatible with each others. Character options have no problems (and can be used both as replacement to core options or as coexistent), but rules variants should be handled with more care.Scattered throughout the book are also house rules used by the authors themselves. These house rules are to be taken as lighthearted examples, and are often based on a gaming group's perception that something didn't work well for them (such as feeling that a PC option was underpowered), which may not be the case for the majority of the D&D community. It is symptomatic that these are always presented in sidebars instead of real chapters, and they each bear the name of its responsible, to clarify that they have no presumption of officiality.There are very few playtesters credited (14 at all); given the fact that some of the variants are definitely far from the core rules, as such they should have deserved more extensive testing.Setting adaptivityUnearthed Arcana is a very general book not tied to any specific setting. Incorporating a variant may change the feel of your setting, but everything here is very adaptable by its nature.Editing notesThe book is a 224-pages hardbound in standard WotC format. The language used is generally clear, although there are some explanations here and there which tend to complicate an otherwise very simple rule (such as in the case of Reducing Level Adjustment). Surprisingly for a book about rules, there is actually a lot of text dedicated to roleplay and flavor, especially in the sections about characters.Examples are provided throughout the text, but kind of limited by the space available; otherwise, there is a just abundance of necessary tables everywhere. The chapters are overall well structured, with only a couple of occasions where two subjects could have been merged into the same paragraph, or when a topic seems misplaced (e.g. alternate Turn Undead and complex skills could have been in chapter 4).Finally, the artwork of the book is only average for the WotC standards. For a book of rules I would have actually preferred to limit the pictures to a few, freeing up space for more examples or just to lessen the paper used.Content walkthroughChapter 1: Races 42 pagesThe chapter presents concepts not entirely new. For example, there are already many elemental variants in several books. However having one more implementation for the same idea can provide more variety on the same thing in the setting.Environmental / Elemental Racial Variants - The paragraphs feature something similar to a minor template for four environments (Aquatic, Arctic, Desert, Jungle) and the four base elements, plus extra changes to add to specific races.Reducing Level Adjustments - This features a rule to reduce a LA in time. The rule is based on the idea that at higher levels the racial benefits become a lesser advantage and the LA is not worth as much anymore. Although the rule is presented as "spend XP to lower your LA", the reduction is completely free, the only "cost" is that the higher the LA is, the higher level you have to wait before you can reduce it.Bloodlines - A bloodline is a heritage from an ancestor of a monstrous, outsider or elemental race, which manifests as ability boosts, skill bonuses and special abilities in the span of 20 levels. To compensate for these benefits, a character must expend XP in a sort of "blank" character levels (a cost softer than LA). Presented bloodlines are Celestial, Demon, Devil, Doppelganger, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Genie, Giant, Githyanki, Githzerai, Hag, Lycanthrope, Minotaur, Ogre, Slaad, Titan, Troll, Vampire and Yuan-Ti, some of which come in two or three possible "strength".Racial Paragon Classes - The idea is 3-level racial classes, something reminding of old D&D days, to represent characters which are more than iconic specimen of their race ("to be more dwarf than any other dwarf"). In brief, those 3 levels grant improvement to some of your racial features and a boost to a typical ability of your race, plus something related to your race's favored class (such as 2 levels of advancement in the favored spellcasting class, or full BAB if the favored class is combat-oriented). The system is not advantageous for spellcasters (a paragon is always at least 1 spellcasting level behind a non-paragon). Paragon classes provided are for all PHB races plus Drow, Half-Dragon, Orc and Tiefling (strangely, not for Aasimar).Chapter 2: Classes 32 pagesPossibly the best chapter in the book, it contains great ideas for PC and NPC, usable as replacement or alongside the core ones. Most of the variants are extremely easy to apply, and can be combined together. A DM who is not entirely satisfied, can also modify the variant itself, using the ones here as a guideline for balance.Variant Character Classes - Each PHB class has at least one variant provided here, and each variant seems to be very well balanced (except the Domain Wizard). It is worth mentioning all the variants one by one.    Totem Barbarian: tinkering with class features such as fast movement, uncanny dodge and trap sense (echanged for feats, various bonuses, improved or new features), the core Barbarian is split into 10 slight variations.    Bardic Sage / Divine Bard / Savage Bard: respectively oriented towards knowledge, religion and barbaric societies, they features changes to skills and spells, and often reduced musical abilities    Cloistered Cleric: a less combat-oriented cleric, this variant is significantly different to the core class; the cleric gives up hit points, BAB and some armor proficiencies but gains 6 skill points/level, bardic knowledge, free Knowledge domain and extra spells and skills on the class lists    Druidic Avenger: an aggressive Druid who has Rage and Fast Movement but is much less animal-oriented    Thug: a skillful streetfighter (more skills and less feats and proficiencies than a core Fighter)    Fighting-styles monk variant: same idea as the Barbarian variant, the Monk class is tinkered about its bonus feats    Paladin of Freedom/Tyranny/Slaugther: a CG, LE and CE version of the Paladin; each of the paladin has its own class skills, spell list, aura effect and RP guidelines, and all the alignment-based features are eventually switched    Planar Ranger / Urban Ranger: minor changes to class features oriented to outer planes or civilized environment    Wilderness Rogue: basically the other way around of the Urban Ranger    Battle Sorcerer: loses one spell/day and one spell known per level, in exchange for d8, intermediate BAB, proficiency in light armor (and ability to cast in it with no ASF) and a light or one-handed martial weapon, which meansmore combat resiliency for reduced versatility    Domain Wizard: unsurprisingly, it is an non-specialized Wizard with a domain whose spells are automatically known for free, are cast at +1 caster level, and can be cast both from domain slots (one per level) or normal slots. This is the only variant in the whole chapter I have issues with: since there is no downside (e.g. no prohibited schools), allowing the Domain Wizard in a campaign leaves no reason for the core non-specialized Wizard to exist, which does not happen with any other class variant in this book. Domains presented are Abjuration, Antimagic, Battle, Cold, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Fire, Illusion, Necromancy, Storm and Transmutation.Finally, a short list is provided about class features that can be exchanged between different classes (such as Familiar for Animal Companion, or Fighter bonus feats for Sneak Attack). It is not a general rule and not necessarilty two-ways, but it provides interesting guidelines for custom variants, and most of these can be applied to either core classes or variant classes from this same book.Specialist Wizard Variants - Every specialization school offers 3 independent special features, one exchanged for the familiar, another for the wizard's bonus feats, and the last for the bonus spell slots. Some ideas are very good and always fitting the style of the school. As an example, a Conjurer may gain the ability to cast summon monster spells as a standard action (in exchange for the familiar), to summon more powerful and harder to dispel monsters (in exchange for bonus feats), to spontaneously cast summon monster spells (in exchange for bonus spell slots), or any combination of the 3.Spontaneous Divine Casters - This is a very important section which will surely please players and DMs who don't like the "vancian" spell system based on preparation. Clerics and Druids who cast spontaneously have to choose a limited number of known spells from their class list, just as many as in the Sorcerer spell known table plus the domain spells for the Cleric or the summon nature's ally spells for the DruidClass Feature Variants - A few specific class abilities such as wild shape or favored enemy get a variant which can substitute the core one entirely or otherwise be used only on some of the characters.Prestigious Character Classes - Many gamers think that Bards, Paladins or Rangers should always be somehow prestigious (they cannot concieve 1st-level Paladins), and this paragraph provides the best and easiest solution by "compressing" all the class abilities into a 15-levels prestige class and introducing some requirements. The section mentions that if these variants are used then the core classes should be unavailable, however I believe this is not true; all the 3 classes offer advancement in a previous spellcasting class, which means e.g. that a Bard could cast spells as a lesser Wizard or Sorcerer, and the final result is very different compared to the core PHB class.Gestalt Characters - This paragraph provides a variant for the classes as a whole, which means that it has to be used for either all characters or none. The variant allows a character to take each level in two classes at once, getting the best of both HD, BAB, ST, skill points and gaining all the special class features of each including spellcasting. It is obviously an option for very powered-up campaigns, and guidelines are provided to the DM to make some adjustments.Generic Classes - Another variant for the classes as a whole (although it may work even to allow the core classes at the same time), this paragraph introduces the Warrior, the Expert and the (spontaneous) Spellcaster classes, which build a class system more oriented towards ability-based advancement (most of the PHB class special abilities can be made into feats).Chapter 3: Building Characters 30 pagesFrom this chapter and onward, the book starts addressing substantial changes in the d20 system, and as such is more geared toward the DM.Alternative Skill Systems / Complex Skills Check - If ever there is something I would never change about D&D rules is how skills works. But if you feel that skills deserve a modified approach, here are options for simplifying skill choices for PCs and/or complicating the usage of skills with multiple rolls.Character Traits / Character Flaws - Traits are 35 minor additions which consists of a benefit and a drawback, and as such can provide interesting RP ideas, but could be also exploited by min-maxers. Flaws (13) are only drawbacks and definitely not minor, and therefore will appeal only experienced roleplayers.Spelltouched Feats - These are a very good idea, essentially 17 feats that require you to have been exposed to a spell (often not harmlessly) which somehow has left you with a beneficial ability.Weapon Group Feats - A simple system to categorize weapons in subgroups, make proficiencies a little more complex but more customizable, and allow weapon feats to benefit entire groups instead of single weapons.Craft Points - A redundant system which simply allows to bypass the rule of crafting time and to speed up item crafting with multiple crafters.Character Background - Used entirely, this is a cumbersome system for the DM to create NPC much more various than using the DMG tables. Used lightly, it can provide the same benefit in much less time.Chapter 4: Adventuring 26 pagesEach of these rules can change your game dramatically. Think twice before making your decision, and possibly try each alone first!Too long would be to list every variant. There are variants to how armor works (such as converting part of the damage into nonlethal, or giving DR), to how damage works (using saving throws instead of HP, or more complex rules to determine wounds and death), rules for facing or using a hex grid, and more.Beside alternative rolling methods which I found quite unattractive, all the variants address topics that have been of favourite debates by the gaming community. I cannot say if the solutions provided work well because I haven't playtested directly, however each of them requires some time before the players get accustomed. It is important to notice that many variants here are supposed to be useful in campaigns with low-magic or low-healing availability.Chapter 5: Magic 44 pagesThis was the chapter that concerned me most about balance issues. Since only spellcasters are going to be affected by most of the variants, they can scramble the balance between them and non-caster classes.Included are rules to give lesser penalties to multiclassed spellcasters, to personalise summon monsters lists, to make metamagic easier and more popular (often bypassing spell preparation), to improve a PC's signature item/weapon, and free-form rules for incantations (rituals that can be cast by everyone).The probably 2 biggest variants are Spell Points instead of daily slots (like a Psion) and Recharge Magic which partly resembles a mana-like system but still relies on preparation.Chapter 6: Campaign 37 pagesThis miscellaneous chapter provides rules to cover topics that normally are handled by roleplay or storytelling, namely contacts, reputation, honour, taint and insanity.Although many gamers frown at the idea of representing these with game mechanics, some others actually enjoy having rules to keep them on track, and the ones provided in this chapter are actually very well detailed in depth.The final features of this chapter are hints about using in-game requirements for feats or prestige classes (such as winning a duel or a challenge) and a simplified XP system.The book closes with a 3-page essay about how to make sense to a campaign whose rules continually change. For some reason, the authors seems worried that this is a problem which must be solved with in-game machinations. However at the end the suggestions can be summarized in either (1) play Planescape or a similar potentially infinite setting, or (2) just play different campaigns.ConclusionsThis book is possibly the first rulebook published by WotC in a long time, and as such it succeeds in addressing many topics of favourite debate and in providing a wide range of options. I find it kind of funny that many people don't want this book because they will never use it in its entirety; effectively, I haven't even used the Player's Handbook yet in its entirety.The material presented here is complex enough and has too many implications to be considered a mere collection of house rules. Using only a few of these can change D&D into a very different thing. If buying a character-oriented book with feats, prestige classes, spells and magic items can be compared to buying new colours to paint your car, buying Unearthed Arcana can be compared to buying the tools to turn your car into a boat, an airplane or a tricycle (if you are not careful). Another book can give you 30 prestige classes, but a simple core class variant can suddenly double all the prestige classes from every source. As such, this book is a very long-term investment which multiplies the gaming possibilities to unknown numbers. 5Li Shenron</blockquote>

Verification