Xanathar's War Mage is Gandalf, Dr Strange, and Elric

Ok I love that he gave a shout out to old school Michael Morrcock character Elric

What is Crazy is how old those books were when I started reading them 84-86 time frame

 

[Savage Wombat]

He has a patreon demon.

I am now imagining a warlock who gets spells from generous internet supporters.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I am now imagining a warlock who gets spells from generous internet supporters.

Actually...that could be a fun concept to play. Figure out which Warlock spells are closest to the ones in Shadowrun, and it would really gel...

OTOH, there could be some unusual side effects or components.

"Mage, why does our Warlock go "Pew! Pew! Pew!" when using his Eldritch blast?"

"His Masters from beyond time and space demand it. It pleases them."

 

[Li Shenron]

There is also the background rules, but I dunno how that will interact with AL. They are basically trying not to force people to buy all the books to get the options they want for organized play, so... popular options get reprinted.

Not sure but I think the background rules are narrative and non-mechanical, meant to help you write your background description i.e. you may not really need XGE to do so.

 

[Parmandur]

Not sure but I think the background rules are narrative and non-mechanical, meant to help you write your background description i.e. you may not really need XGE to do so.

We really don't know yet; it's probably no different from making up a Background as is.

One of the main things they have talked about is growing organized play by making it accessible: reducing the need for numerous books for newbies. They have data on what characters people have actually made, and are likely to make in the future. Apparently, it isn't Undying Warlocks or Arcana Clerics that bring people to the table.

 

[Li Shenron]

One of the main things they have talked about is growing organized play by making it accessible: reducing the need for numerous books for newbies.

Makes sense, but it isn't without issues.

For a start, the +1 book rule is there pretty much to avoid excessive focus on optimized builds and possibly killer combos, although I don't think we're nowhere near the risks of 3e/PF and 4e!

But then reprinting stuff just because it's popular is pretty much against the whole idea of the +1 book limitation. Especially because "popular" might be not just because of concept coolness but sometimes also because of power, or at least I would expect that an otherwise weak option soon becomes unpopular. So if there is any character material that might end up being mechanical exploitable, it's more probably the popular material rather than the unpopular.

We don't know for sure this was the criteria for reprinting... maybe it's the opposite, maybe they actually reprinted only stuff that they recognize as "safe" for combining with the new XGE material.

I also don't buy the idea of reducing the need for numerous books for newbies. Newbies should probably be encouraged to stick with the PHB until they aren't newbies anymore. If some of them want to jump ahead, it is more sensible not to give them even more stuff in the extra book.

I am starting to think there can be other reasons for SCAG reprints...

At some point either Mearls or Crawford mentioned they were introducing a change to the Swashbuckler, or did I daydream about this? I mean an actual (minor) revision of this subclass. What if this is actually the reason for the reprints? What if also the Sun Soul, Storm Sorcerer and Mastermind have been slightly updated?

 

[Parmandur]

Makes sense, but it isn't without issues.

For a start, the +1 book rule is there pretty much to avoid excessive focus on optimized builds and possibly killer combos, although I don't think we're nowhere near the risks of 3e/PF and 4e!

But then reprinting stuff just because it's popular is pretty much against the whole idea of the +1 book limitation. Especially because "popular" might be not just because of concept coolness but sometimes also because of power, or at least I would expect that an otherwise weak option soon becomes unpopular. So if there is any character material that might end up being mechanical exploitable, it's more probably the popular material rather than the unpopular.

We don't know for sure this was the criteria for reprinting... maybe it's the opposite, maybe they actually reprinted only stuff that they recognize as "safe" for combining with the new XGE material.

I also don't buy the idea of reducing the need for numerous books for newbies. Newbies should probably be encouraged to stick with the PHB until they aren't newbies anymore. If some of them want to jump ahead, it is more sensible not to give them even more stuff in the extra book.

I am starting to think there can be other reasons for SCAG reprints...

At some point either Mearls or Crawford mentioned they were introducing a change to the Swashbuckler, or did I daydream about this? I mean an actual (minor) revision of this subclass. What if this is actually the reason for the reprints? What if also the Sun Soul, Storm Sorcerer and Mastermind have been slightly updated?

I believe they did mention a clarification in wording, but change might be strong.

Notably, none of the reprints are spellcasters, so they won't synergize with the new spells, nor the new spellcasters with the SCAG spells.

 

[MoonSong]

I believe they did mention a clarification in wording, but change might be strong.

Notably, none of the reprints are spellcasters, so they won't synergize with the new spells, nor the new spellcasters with the SCAG spells.

Storm sorcerer is not a caster?

 

[MechaPilot]

Elric's a Warlock, not a Wizard.

May be true (I've never read those books), but Gandalf's a plot contrivance, not a wizard. He's DM ex-machina come to save the PCs from death. Except for when he's actually around, then he's just a stoner who shops in the Norse myth version of Hot Topic and likes to occasionally set things on fire.

 

[GloomyGus]

May be true (I've never read those books), but Gandalf's a plot contrivance, not a wizard. He's DM ex-machina come to save the PCs from death. Except for when he's actually around, then he's just a stoner who shops in the Norse myth version of Hot Topic and likes to occasionally set things on fire.

Let me just say, I would kill for a Norse myth version of Hot Topic.

 

[Parmandur]

Storm sorcerer is not a caster?

Ah, well, there you go: no mechanical reason, then, leaving AL as the probable motivation.