If you’d like to catch up on the journey so far, you can check out the posts for the previous weeks:

• week 1
• week 2
• week 3
• week 4

29/366: Vegas

Week 5 started with day 29’s selection, Vegas by The Crystal Method, inspired by our upcoming trip to Las Vegas. I’m really conflicted about this one, because it’s got some great tracks, like “High Roller” (I’m a sucker for NASA samples), “Keep Hope Alive” (a very groovy affirmation), and “Trip Like I Do” (I’m a sucker for Dark Crystal stuff), but I don’t feel like it’s a great album. It just doesn’t feel cohesive in the way I want it to, with no moment of catharsis, and a frankly weak ending. Your mileage, as they say, may vary. For more info, check out the Wikipedia entry.

30/366: Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition)

I really enjoyed day 30’s selection, Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition) by Daft Punk. To be totally honest, I never really got into the original version upon release, and neglected it for a long time. I was going to pick the original version, but saw there was a new “drumless” edition and decided to explored that instead. I totally dig this, as it showcases how solid the songwriting is by stripping out an entire category of instrumentation, and it really lets the synths and guitars shine. Speaking of guitars, I got some serious Mike Oldfield vibes from the endings of “Giorgio by Moroder”, and “Beyond” (with almost a touch of Gilmour?), and if you like funky wah pedals, this is the album for you. Another highlight for me was “Motherboard”, which evokes Philip Glass. And while “Contact” makes a great closer (again, I’m a sucker for NASA samples), “Touch” really makes this album for me with its refrain:

Hold on
If love is the answer
You’re home
Hold on

This one has a lengthy Wikipedia entry.

31/366: Tabula Rasa

Day 31’s selection, Tabula Rasa by Einstürzende Neubauten, frustrated me since it’s a long-time favorite but it doesn’t seem readily available on any of the major streaming services. Apple Music doesn’t list it at all, and while Spotify lists it, none of the tracks are playable in the US. It looks like YouTube has us covered this time, but in general this is a great reminder that if you like something weird, you’d better have your own copy (whether digital or physical) lest it disappear when you need it.

Anyway, this is weird stuff but I love it. Tabula Rasa was my introduction to Einstürzende Neubauten way back when, a glorious, alien artifact of strange industrial sounds and entirely German lyrics, which my high school German studies at least let me vibe to even if I couldn’t make out all the lyrics.

The opener, “Die Interimsliebenden”, is a can’t-miss track, easily a “greatest hits” entry for Neubauten. “Zebulon” and “Chrysanthemum” are pure poetry. “12305(te Nacht)” speaks to the toil of days following days. “Sie” moves through a day with furious, haunting momentum. “Wüste” features whispered lyrics over dramatic orchestral sounds. The album concludes with the epic “Headcleaner”, a work of four parts split over two tracks, a noisy industrial storm that eventually breaks, revealing a calming conclusion. (I also enjoy it borrowing lyrics from “All You Need is Love”.)

The Wikipedia entry here is unfortunately sparse; I was really hoping to learn some details about the production of this one since it’s been so foundational to my enjoyment of industrial music.

32/366: Sunday 8PM

For day 32, I listened to Sunday 8PM by Faithless, an album my father purchased for me because the album cover features Denver’s Bluebird Theater, which he’d lived near once upon a time. The album is overall good; the opener “The Garden” and “She’s My Baby” remind me of post-Cross of Changes Enigma, and “Hour of Need” and “Hem of His Garment” wouldn’t be out of place on a Moby album, but as always with Faithless, the most fun tracks are the ones that feature the inimitable voice of Maxi Jazz: “Bring My Family Back”, “Postcards”, “Killer’s Lullaby”, “Take the Long Way Home”, and the absolute highest high point of “God is a DJ” (Is there a more perfect Faithless track? I don’t think so.) The Wikipedia entry is sorely lacking for an album that’s such a touchstone.

33/366: The Oculus Occult

Day 33’s selection, The Oculus Occult by Ghost Data, is brand new to me, suggested listening from a coworker. They recommended starting with “Celestial Bodies”, and I liked it enough to dive into the whole album. I’m not sure what specific sub-genre I’d tag this with – it’s sort of a poppier synthwave? Dreamwave might be a thing? I dunno, I’m old too old for labeling things. Whatever you want to call it, it was great to unwind with on a Friday night.

34/366: The Chronicle of the Black Sword

Day 34’s selection was The Chronicle of the Black Sword, a concept album from the space rock legend Hawkwind about Michael Moorcock’s tragic hero Elric, sorcerer-king, avatar of the eternal champion, wielder of Stormbringer, the black blade that fuels Elric’s life by drinking the souls of its victims.

What can I say? It was D&D night. I kinda had to.

The Wikipedia entry has a little extra context. I was surprised to discover that each release has featured a different set of bonus tracks, so I got to listen to some new-to-me songs on an album that I thought I knew pretty well.

35/366: Into the Storm

To round out my Sunday night, I chose Into the Storm by Inon Zur for day 35. Zur has been highly prolific in scoring video games – I discovered him through Dragon Age: Origins – as well as movie trailers, but Into the Storm is its own thing, unattached to any specific title (though it’s said to be inspired by the Dragon Age world). It’s clearly grounded in the fantasy score world, and a bit “new age”-y, but with a few slightly orchestral-pop tracks like “One More Day”, “Far Far Away”, and “Sun is Shining”, and the album features a number of his Dragon Age collaborators. It’s thoroughly pleasant, a fitting conclusion to the weekend, echoing yesterday’s D&D vibes (with more chill), and I like it a lot.

Weirdly, despite having an otherwise-thorough discography, Inon Zur’s Wikipedia entry makes no mention of this album, nor of his other works that aren’t tied to a specific game or film.

36-42/366: ???

Since you’re an astute reader, you’ve noticed that I’ve switched from alphabetical-by-album-title to alphabetical-by-artist, so the next week will feature J through P. Stay tuned here, or follow along day-by-day on Mastodon, for my next selections.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Ready? On to…

The Video

Playtest 8* scored very well.

Starting with the Druid… Updated Wild Shape and Circle of the Moon features score 70 and above. In an aside explaining the 70% goal, Crawford makes it explicit that the UA version isn’t the final version — it’s a milestone that informs additional internal development to analyze what people liked about the 70-plus-scoring features and refine and amplify that.

Barbarian features (such as Brutal Strike) scored in the 80s. Path of the World Tree scored in the 80s as well.

Monk will likely end up as the most-improved class in the 2024 book (in terms of satisfaction). It surpassed the Ranger and most features landed in the 90s. It’s rare for any feature to get into the 90s due to the size of the player base and differences in taste.

Revisions to spells scored well too — the healing spells scored in the 80s, and the revised, experimental conjure spells all scored in the high 70s and 80s.

Apparently Playtest 8* is the last UA release for the 2024 Player’s Handbook (so I guess we’re not getting nine UAs for the PHB after all??). Crawford seems very satisfied that the process ended on a high note. Internal PHB development now turns to things that haven’t been publicly shown yet, such as new spells “that will be surprises”. Everything is “getting careful polish”.

On image-based rumors… The graphic that appeared online that said the new books would be out in May was a complete surprise to both Crawford and Kenreck (who were literally on stage at PAX Unplugged when the image popped up). Officially, that was never the date, and won’t be the date. They’ll still be working on the books in May. Also, the Dwarf Fighter image that folks thought would be the new cover isn’t. The new cover hasn’t been revealed yet. The Dwarf Fighter image comes from the Fighter section of the new PHB. Classes and subclasses will all have art. More equipment art. More spell art.

Revised monsters for the new Monster Manual are undergoing internal playtesting. The new encounter building tools are as well. They’d talked about showing that in a UA release, but are focused on internal iteration instead, and having really tight loops there has apparently led to really strong results. We’re promised that the new encounter building stuff will be very pleasantly streamlined — you’ll be able to quickly determine what the “monster budget” is for a given difficulty and then spend that budget. Work continues on the Dungeon Master’s Guide as well, with new and revised magic items.

Announcements and events will be coming up “over the course of the year”.

Finally, Crawford waxes slightly nostalgic about his personal long history with the game and seems quite proud of being part of the team creating “a monument” to the game for the 50th anniversary update.

Hot Takes

I’m glad that things in Playtest 8* scored well overall — I thought it was pretty solid.

I’m disappointed that it looks like this will be the end of the public playtest process for the 2024 books. At the beginning of the process we were promised monthly releases of material for all three books. Later we got promised at least nine releases for the PHB with additional releases for the DMG and Monster Manual. Ultimately, we got eight releases of PHB material, one of DMG material (Bastions), no glimpse of the updated encounter building rules, and zilch for monsters. My disappointment, I think, comes in three pieces — first, that WotC wasn’t able to meet the expectations they’d set for their audience; second, that I and other fans won’t get to provide feedback on what will be really important changes; and third, that I’ll lose one of my few motivations to update this blog.

As much as I don’t like it… it makes sense, and I guess that upon reflection I can’t say that I’m all that surprised. The audience response ended up being huge, probably an order of magnitude more than anticipated, which meant that it took way longer than WotC expected to fully process the survey results, and in turn that impacted the release cadence. Then the whole OGL debacle happened just when it was time to release another playtest update, and the radioactive toxicity of that drama meant pushing back that release until things had calmed down a bit. Then at the end of 2023, just as the survey for Playtest 8* was opening up, Hasbro did a huge round of layoffs that (despite WotC being Hasbro’s sole source of actual profits) hit WotC hard, including some of the folks whose job it was to process the survey results. And now, a scant four weeks since that survey closed, D&D has officially turned 50. They need to get the new books out sometime this calendar year to capitalize on the occasion — really by September or October in order to meet the Christmas shopping/gifting season. The survey process already took too long, and now they’ve lost the staff they needed to maintain that too-slow pace.

Oh, and that toxicity? Yeah, it was bad, and it wasn’t just about the OGL, but about everything, and in addition to people spouting off on Twitter and Reddit and wherever else, it came directly to the design team via the survey process. Jeremy Crawford literally got death threats through the survey process, just for trying to give folks an opportunity to weigh in on the design team’s ideas. Those ideas weren’t perfect, but they also weren’t set in stone as “this is what D&D 2024 will definitely be.” And nothing of the playtest content or the good faith extended by the design team deserved to be met with the kind of bile and vitriol that the deeply online parts of the community vomited up in response. Would you want to be on the receiving end of that? For trying to make a game — a thing that people play together for fun?

So. I’m disappointed that the playtest ride, at least for now, is over. I’m disappointed we didn’t get as much of a peek behind the curtain as we’d been told to expect. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get to see another revision of Bard (because spell lists, lol). I’m disappointed that the surveys weren’t designed in a way that would be faster to complete and faster for WotC to digest. And I am, once again — because what else should I expect in the internet-roaring 20s? — disappointed in the failure of human decency exhibited by the worst parts of this fandom.

Well, that turned into a bit of a rant. Phew! (Also some big dad energy on display with the whole “I’m not mad, just disappointed” angle. Pardon me while I heave a weary sigh.)

I suppose I should go figure out what spells to pick up before my Saturday night game since we just leveled up and I haven’t done that yet. TTFN, folks! Until next time, stay safe out there, and may all your d20 rolls be natural 20s.

If you’d like to catch up on the journey so far, you can check out the posts for the previous weeks:

• week 1
• week 2
• week 3

22/366: Violator

Day 22’s selection, Violator by Depeche Mode, is the band’s best, perfect from one end to the other, with timeless production that sounds as fresh today as it did on release. I won’t be taking questions at this time. (The Wikipedia entry has some interesting tidbits – for example, I learned that “Clean”, the closing track, was inspired by one of my favorite Pink Floyd songs, “One of These Days”.)

23/366: Welcome Oblivion

For day 23, I listened to Welcome Oblivion by How to Destroy Angels, one of my favorite Trent Reznor outings. The group features Reznor, two longtime NIN collaborators, and Mariqueen Maandig (Reznor’s wife). I really, really enjoy Maandig’s vocals here; they’re a great complement to the post-industrial sounds on offer, and they mesh beautifully with Reznor’s voice. “Ice Age” and “The Loop Closes” remain my favorite tracks (I still can’t get enough of “Ice Age”, I could do that on repeat for days), but it’s worth taking the whole journey from beginning to end. The Wikipedia entry is sadly lacking in detail.

24/366: X

Day 24’s selection was X by INXS, an album I knew only by reputation, but had never actually listened to. I think I’d gotten X and Kick conflated, and it turns out Kick is the source of most of my favorite INXS songs. That’s not to say that X is bad – far from it! It’s all very well crafted, perfectly serviceable pop-rock from the inflection point where the 80s became the 90s, and “Suicide Blonde” is a really solid opening track, but I struggled to connect with anything else. It is, perhaps, too much an artifact of its time. Your mileage, of course, may vary! Wikipedia offers more context, though not as much detail as I’d like.

25/366: Year Zero

For day 25, I selected Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails, an album that, despite being a NIN fan since the first time I saw the video for “Head Like a Hole”, I had largely overlooked and never connected with. I definitely understand more of the evolution of Reznor’s sound this time, but I didn’t come away from this one with the feeling of connection I’d hoped to find. I blame, in part, the haphazard presence of lyrics in Apple Music, which made it harder to follow the story aspect of the album while listening to it. It could also be that, while artistically valid, the apocalyptic alt history story just isn’t what I’m looking for from NIN. Wikipedia has gobs of extra context, including a bunch of stuff about the ARG used to promote the album’s release.

26/366: Zooropa

Day 26 brought me to Zooropa by U2, which is sort of the point where U2 started going off the rails a bit, with Bono performing as a character that’s more caricature, and steering deeper into electronic and pop music. A lot of the weirdness here is my jam, though, and so Zooropa remains sort of the last U2 album that clicks with me. Putting it on for the first time in forever, I was struck by the opening of the title track, which sounds like it was sent back in time from a future Nine Inch Nails record. Anyway, this album is cooler than you remember, and there’s a heap of information about the inspiration and recording process over on the Wikipedia article.

27/366: Plays Metallica by Four Cellos

For day 27, I went back to an album that I spun regularly back in my radio days, but which I’ve been neglecting for many years – Apocalyptica’s debut, Plays Metallica by Four Cellos. It’s exactly what it says it is – covers of Metallica songs performed by a quartet of cellos – and it feels like the most natural thing ever. The whole thing’s solid, but my favorites are “Enter Sandman” (which immediately sells the concept), “Master of Puppets” (because it just rules), “The Unforgiven” (because of course it sounds great this way!), and the closer, “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”. Definitely check this one out if you haven’t encountered it yet! (The Wikipedia article has given me a small grumpiness, however – it turns out there’s an updated version with three more tracks!)

28/366: Fur and Gold

Some days I manage to pick exactly the right thing to listen to, and thankfully day 28’s choice was one of those. Fur and Gold is the debut from Bat for Lashes, and I’ve been enthralled by the opening track, “Horse and I”, ever since it was (if I recall correctly) one of the weekly freebie songs from iTunes. Somehow I never managed to get around to listening to the rest of the album – until tonight. I’m glad I did. If I had to give it a quick summary, I might call it “gothier and less monotonous Lana Del Rey”. The Wikipedia entry has a modest amount of extra context.

29-35/366: ???

Since you’re an astute reader, you’ve noticed that I’ve switched from alphabetical-by-album-title to alphabetical-by-artist, so the next week will feature C through I. Stay tuned here, or follow along day-by-day on Mastodon, for my next selections.

If you’d like to catch up on the journey so far, you can check out the posts for week 1 and week 2.

Otherwise, let’s “dive in” (haha) with…

15/366: Oceanic

I was still feeling instrumentally after M83 and Turbo Knight, so day 15’s pick was Oceanic by Vangelis, Vangelis’s 1996 meditation on the sea. This is definitely one I prefer to enjoy later in the evening, as a relaxing prequel to floating away on a voyage of slumber. The “Composition” section of the Wikipedia entry describes the flow of the album well enough, so I’ll spare any recap here, but like many Vangelis albums do, I love how Oceanic engages my imagination, particularly in “Dreams of Surf”, “Spanish Harbour”, “Fields of Coral” (which made an appearance in season one of Stranger Things), and “Song of the Seas”, which is probably one of my favorite Vangelis closing tracks. Close your eyes and enjoy.

16/366: Paranoid

What can I say about day 16’s selection, Paranoid by Black Sabbath, that hasn’t already been said, and better? It’s solid as hell, a true classic, groundbreaking, a seminal work, essential listening. This thing friggin’ rocks! Turn it up.

17/366: QE2

For day 17, I revisted QE2 by Mike Oldfield, which on reflection I should do more often. I think I’d lumped this in with Oldfield’s (IMO, lesser) 80s albums that steered away from epic instrumental compositions into more base pop territory, but QE2 isn’t one of them. It’s entirely instrumental (okay, minus some nonsense lyrics on “Celt” that are just there to add atmosphere), and though there are shorter pieces that presage the coming changes, there are still two longer works (“Taurus 1” at a bit over 10 minutes, and the title track at nearly 8 minutes). If I hadn’t checked the Wikipedia entry I would never have noticed that two tracks – “Arrival” and “Wonderful Land” – are covers. The whole thing flows really nicely, and though it’s not Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge, or Ommadawn, I think QE2 deserves to be heard more often.

18/366: Rabies

Day 18 was Rabies by Skinny Puppy, my introduction to the band in my high school years. “Worlock” was my gateway song, which I first heard at a friend’s house. Before too long I picked up the CD and discovered that Ministry’s Al Jourgensen had been involved (which I thought was kind of cool – it somehow hadn’t yet dawned on me that musicians might cross-pollinate like this rather than just being in one band forever). Apparently Jourgensen’s involvement has a lot of baggage that I only learned about recently, but to me this will always be the milestone album that sounded like nothing I’d ever heard before and opened me up to a lot of new musical ideas. Also, I’m a total sucker for all the 2001 samples in “Rivers”, a track that remains in regular rotation in my “Angry at Computers” playlist.

19/366: A Saucerful of Secrets

For day 19 I listened to A Saucerful of Secrets by Pink Floyd, the second album by one of my all-time favorite bands. It’s a classic, of course, but one that I haven’t paid as much attention to, and it seemed like a good occasion to revisit it. It marks the exit of founder Syd Barrett and the arrival of David Gilmour, and (as I learned from the Wikipedia entry) “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” (one of my favorite early Floyd tracks) is the only song on which all five core band members make an appearance. It’s an album of spacey psychadelia, cascading from the alien encounters of “Let There Be More Light” into fairy tale reminiscence in “Remember a Day”, the haunting tranquility of “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun”, the anti-war sarcasm of “Corporal Clegg”, the title track’s epic avant-garde instrumental (said to describe a battle and its aftermath), the dreamy (but possibly blood-soaked?) whimsy of “See-Saw”, concluding in the folky madness of “Jugband Blues” that serves as Barrett’s farewell. If you’d like to go deep here, I definitely recommend not only the main Wikipedia article linked above, but also click through on the track list for specifics on each song.

20/366: Transatlanticism

Day 20’s selection was Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie, an album that I like a lot but for whatever reason have only listened to a handful of times, and probably not for 15 years or more. I’d been thinking about a different pick, but the opening lyrics of “The New Year” (“So this is the new year / And I don’t feel any different”) were too on the nose to evade a January listen. The whole thing’s good, but “The Sound of Settling” and “A Lack of Color” in particular hit harder in middle age. The title track remains unmissable, and still gives me goosebumps throughout. The Wikipedia article is thorough, and even explains the origin of crow on the album cover.

21/366: Upstairs at Eric’s

On day 21 I picked Upstairs at Eric’s by Yaz, mainly so that I could hear “Winter Kills” while the world outside is covered in snow. It’s a lovely little album, pairing the analog synths of Vince Clarke (a founder of Depeche Mode and later one half of Erasure) with the rich voice of Alison Moyet. There’s not really any big theme here, just a lot of interesting, beautiful synth-pop experiments. The Wikipedia article is worth checking out for more of the history (especially if you jump through to the entries on Clarke and Moyet). Well worth your listen, zero regrets.

22-28/366: ???

Stay tuned, or follow along day-by-day on Mastodon, for my next selections. I’ll hit the end of the alphabet this week, and haven’t decided yet if I’ll start a fresh cycle at “A”, or just start mixing things up. (The “alphabet game” does give me a little bit of structure which I confess makes the project a little easier for me – constraints yielding inspiration, and all that.)

I would like to figure out how to make the blogging part of this more efficient, though. It just takes more time than I’d like for me to attempt being thoughtful.

Without further ado, here’s what I listened to this week…

8/366: Hail to the Thief

On day 8, I selected Hail to the Thief by Radiohead, an album that I picked up on release and only listened to a couple of times, never really connecting with it. The CD sat on my shelf for a long time, my “am I not smart enough to like Radiohead” shame. Coming back to it now after all this time was interesting – basically it seems that I like Radiohead albums before this one, and after this one, but with a few execeptions this one just doesn’t do it for me. It’s musically solid, but I think the lyrics are kind of weak, and I don’t love how Thom Yorke sings them here. (I suspect my feelings about Thom Yorke’s vocals are like how most normal people feel about Geddy Lee.) That said, “The Gloaming” seems particularly timely:

Genie, let out of the bottle
It is now the witching hour
Genie, let out of the bottle
It is now the witching hour

…

To the shadows blue and red, shadows blue and red
Your alarm bells, your alarm bells
Shadows blue and red, shadows blue and red
Your alarm bells, your alarm bells

They should be ringing
They should be ringing
They should be ringing
They should be ringing

Wikipedia has a heap of additional context in case you want to know more.

9/366: I Robot

For day 9 I picked something I was sure to enjoy, I Robot by The Alan Parsons Project, which I savored with some rye whiskey and salted caramel chocolate. A lovely treat to unwind with at the end of the day! It’s a well-constructed late-70s art rock journey, with no small hint of disco influence (particularly thick on “The Voice”). It also features some cool instrumental tracks – the title track sounds a bit like Vangelis at the disco, the atmospheric “Nucleus” presages Enigma, “Total Eclipse” harks back to the psychadelic journey through the monolith at the end of 2001, and it culminates with closing track “Genesis Ch.1 V.32”, both an ending and an implied beginning.

10/366: Judgement

Day 10 was Judgement by VNV Nation, a strong album from one of my favorite bands. It’s bookended by two lovely instrumentals, “Prelude” and “As it Fades”, the latter of which never fails to provoke goosebumps for me. In between are two halves, the first “outrospective” and the second introspective. “The Farthest Star”, “Testament”, “Descent”, and “Nemesis” explore humanity’s darker impulses in a world unraveling, our collective unwillingness to make meaningful change to avert looming catastrophe, and the disappointment and anger on display resonate with me more than ever. The album’s second thematic half is more personal and uplifting – a calm, relevatory moment of connectedness in “Secluded Spaces”, “Illusion”’s plea against self-destruction, and the “you’re stronger than you think” message of “Carry You”. That just leaves “Momentum” unaccounted for – it’s a groovy mid-album techno tune to bring energy levels back up in between the bleakness of “Descent” and the fury of “Nemesis”. This isn’t my favorite VNV album, but it’s really, really good, and I find that it has increased urgency in 2024. Also, holy crap, this is almost 20 years old?! How did that happen?!?

There’s a little bit of extra info on Wikipedia.

11/366: Koda

For day 11 I listened to Köda by In the Nursery. According to Wikipedia, this can be classified as “neoclassical dark wave” or “martial industrial”. It’s a mostly instrumental album that marks their full-on arrival into producing “cinematic” music with classical instrument sounds assembled using the tools of the industrial scene. The feeling I get from this album is that each track is the closing title of some film that doesn’t exist. (The band would later go on to record new scores for silent films.) It’s a bit rough around the edges, and can be a bit “video gamey”, and I definitely like all of their subsequent work much better, but it’s definitely interesting and worth checking out to understand their evolution. Highlights for me include “Te Deum”, “Burnished Days”, “The Seventeeth Parallel”, and by an easy mile, “Compulsion” (collected from 12" single onto the CD release).

12/366: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

Day 12 was The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis, an album that’s been sitting in my queue of “you should really listen to this at some point” things for a while. It’s the last album with Peter Gabriel, and I knew going in that it was a concept album with a storyline, so I wanted to give it the focus I felt it deserved. And, uh, holy cow, the story is pretty fucking weird. I may have to give it another shot at some point with lyrics in hand as it’s quite dense (and the Apple Music version seems to be lacking lyrics for several tracks). Musically, it’s brilliant, and it flows quite well. I’d almost be interested to hear it without any vocals at all! Wikipedia has a ton of context in case you want to go down the rabbit hole here.

13/366: M83

Day 13 was M83 by M83, the debut album from the French band of the same name. I’ve enjoyed M83 a lot but never gone super deep on them, and hadn’t listened to this one before at all. I enjoyed this one a lot – it’s primarily instrumental, with dialog from some TV and movie samples, and sits at an interesting intersection of ambient, electronic, and shoegaze. I don’t know that I would revisit individual tracks here, but I’d definitely put on the whole thing for a complete listen again. The Wikipedia article contains some fun trivia (if you consider trivia fun).

14/366: Navigators

On day 14 I listened to Navigators by Turbo Knight, a synthwave album clearly inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune series. (Oddly, opening track “The Prophecy” samples the “tears in rain” speech from Blade Runner, but while it’s from a different sci-fi property, I can’t fault it.) This album is what Dune would sound like if it was bathed in neon, the ornithopters looked like Lamborghinis, spiced with a melange of cool synths and scorching 80s guitar solos. To be honest, I’m totally here for it. The sleeper has awakened!

15-21: ???

You’ll just have to wait and see! I hope to make it through at least day 26. I’m enjoying this but I do have other hobbies that are calling to me, and getting my thoughts down takes a little longer than I’d anticipated.

I’ve been using Songwhip for album links; it’s sort of a Linktree-for-music so that it doesn’t matter what services people subscribe to, they can quickly navigate to something they can listen to.

I should note also that the banner image photo here is by Eran Menashri on Unsplash, a placeholder until I can create a suitable replacement of my own.

1/366: Abbey Road

I kicked off the first day with the 2019 mix of Abbey Road by The Beatles. I’m familiar with the original version, but hadn’t heard the updated mix (in Atmos no less!), and it’s one of the Beatles albums I don’t listen to all that often. Growing up, I hated “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” but the Beatles Rock Band game changed my mind on it. My favorite song as a kid was easily “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”, but since catching the prog rock bug, I’ve become fond of the medley that makes up the second half of the album, which benefits the most from the updated mix — the arpeggiated guitars on “The End” that each sit in distinct spatial locations in the mix were a particular treat for me, and Ringo’s drums just fucking rule. Highly recommended. The Wikipedia article has tons of info if you want to know more.

2/366: Beaucoup Fish

For day 2 I selected Beaucoup Fish by Underworld. I know a few of their albums pretty deeply, but I had missed this one on its initial release and never really went back to it, despite it apparently being (according to Wikipedia) their most successful album. Overall this was a groovy accompaniment while I assembled a Lego set, though I think this is probably the horniest Underworld album. My favorite tracks on this listen were “Skym” (channeling some serious This Mortal Coil vibes) and the trance epic “Kittens”.

3/366: The Chase

Day 3’s choice was The Chase by Wolfstone, the second album by the Celtic rock band that blew my early-90s mind with their fusion of traditional tunes and rock instrumentation, bagpipes and electric guitars. I bought their first two albums together, and quickly gravitated to Unleashed, never really giving The Chase the attention it was due. It’s probably been at least 15 or 20 years since my last listen! And that’s a shame, because there are some great tunes here, and well-produced. “Tinnie Run” makes a great opening statement, “The Prophet” is a solid original rocker, “The Appropriate Dipstick” and “The £10 Float” scratch the trad itches, and the somber “Jake’s Tune” builds into some scorching blues guitar. I think the reason this one never stuck with me was that the closing song, “Cannot Lay Me Down”, is a downtempo ballad, while closing track on Unleashed is a rip-roaring, ass-kicking combination of reels whose charms are irresistible to me even after 30 years. Anyway, this one’s still good and is worth a listen. Alas, the Wikipedia article is unfortunately pretty light on additional info.

4/366: Darker

Day 4 was Darker by C-Tec, a high-energy industrial dance side project involving members of Front 242, Frontline Assembly, and Cubanate. I don’t give this a spin as much as I used to, but I’m happy to report that it still holds up, with honestly over half the album comprising what I’d call the highlights, though “Foetal”, “Stateless”, and the anthemic “Epitaph” are still my can’t-miss tracks after all these years. A fun fact that I learned from looking this up on Wikipedia today is that the lyrics to “Epitaph” come from a Dorothy Parker poem.

5/366: Earthling

On day 5 I paid my first album visit to David Bowie with 1997’s Earthling, where drum-n-bass collides with David Bowie-ism much the same way that chocolate and peanut butter collide on busy streets. It’s a rich combination that I don’t want every day, but when I do, I cannot deny its deliciousness. Wikipedia offers quite a lot of information and context here.

6/366: Filigree and Shadow

On day 6 I reached for an old comfort, Filigree and Shadow by This Mortal Coil, and found it just as dreamy as I remembered, a pleasant way to unwind with a drink on a Saturday night. It’s tempting to call out favorites (hi, “The Strength of Strings”) but there’s something special about listening to the whole thing from one end to the other. Since I’ve done one for all the rest, here’s the obligatory Wikipedia link for some extra context.

7/366: Ghosteen

Day 7 of this little adventure… I’ve been putting off Ghosteen by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for far too long, knowing that it would demand some focused attention and that it would not be a “fun” listen. I’m glad that I gave it the space it needed. There are no singles here – any radio-friendliness would be in putting the whole thing on and letting it go, uninterrupted, until its conclusion. It’s far more airy and ambient than I ever expected from Nick Cave, and it gives off vibes of Leonard Cohen and Vangelis having a long, slow jam about life and death and grief and hope, orchestra and synthesizers and poetry and just a little piano producing not crescendos but carefully planned peaks of intense frisson. I don’t think I’ll come back to it often, but it’s really quite beautiful. The Wikipedia entry was quite informative here.

8-14/366: Stay Tuned!

I’ve enjoyed putting together this end-of-week recap, so hopefully more of these will follow on roughly the same cadence. Until then, stay safe out there, and take good care of your ears.

I decided to compose them externally again since I didn’t want to lose anything in case the survey glitched out. Minus some minor formatting for this post, this is verbatim what I submitted.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Barbarian

Base Class

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

I confess I haven’t run the numbers on this update, but from a careful reading it seems like a very nice improvement on the previous iteration and that it’d be more fun to play. I’m very happy to see Rage regain a spent use when finishing a Short Rest – please keep that! This update genuinely makes me want to play a Barbarian into the higher tiers.

Feature Comments

Brutal Strike: Very satisfied.

I strongly prefer this over Brutal Critical – it’s far more reliable, and it gives players some extra tactical options in a way that’s similar to the Rogue’s Cunning Strike. I also really like it building on the core feature of Reckless Attack. I’m a little sad that it uses a d10 instead of a d12 (which doesn’t get enough to do in general), but it’s definitely not a deal breaker.

Improved Brutal Strike (Level 13): Satisfied.

More interesting tactical choices! Yes! I do kind of wish this and Brutal Strike arrived like two levels sooner (level 13 is a long time to wait for this), but otherwise this is cool.

Persistent Rage: Very satisfied.

This is going to feel great when you’ve battled your way to a boss and are low on resources. Then BOOM, the adrenaline kicks in, and you’re rarin’ to go for the big fight! It’s so thematic, and is going to be such a joy in play.

Improved Brutal Strike (Level 17): Very satisfied.

More damage is always nice, but I really dig getting to deploy two different effects at the same time. I wish I didn’t have to wait until level 17 for this, but it’s going to be fun to do.

Path of the World Tree

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This subclass didn’t connect with me in the previous iteration, but I like this one a lot better and would strongly consider playing it. My only issue is that it seems closely aligned with specific cosmologies, and not necessarily appropriate for every setting.

Feature Comments

Vitality of the Tree: Very satisfied.

This is much more practical than in the previous UA, where healing wouldn’t help if you were at your full hit points when beginning a Rage. By providing temporary hp it’s much more regularly useful!

Branches of the Tree: Very satisfied.

I really like that this is now much more clearly flexible for use in repositioning allies as well as foes, and I can envision many uses for it, both for offense and defense. It’s basically a Reaction that lets you Misty Step a comrade out of (or into) danger, and I dig it.

Battering Roots: Satisfied.

The weapon restriction here makes sense, and I appreciate the clarification on the use of Weapon Mastery properties. I am (still) Groot!

Travel Along the Tree: Satisfied.

This solves all of my issues with the previous version. It’s more practical to use and won’t upset a DM with unexpected long distance travel. Nice work!

Druid

Base Class

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

It’s pretty clear that nothing is going to make everyone happy here; it feels like this is a pretty solid compromise. I’m glad that the 2024 PHB will offer more Beast options for Wild Companion (which has felt a little lacking in selection in the past), and I think the new spells are cool.

I don’t love that Evergreen Wild Shape uses the “regain one but only if you’re all out” mechanic for restoring Wild Shape uses, though. Not that I’ll ever get to play at level 20, either… for a level 20 capstone, maybe it should just restore all uses? Or restore them all but only once per day, like the Barbarian’s new Persistent Rage?

Wild Shape

Satisfied.

I’m one of the people who preferred the template approach over the stat block approach and wanted to see more iteration on that idea – I think it’s the right direction and just needed more work to get it right. But if that’s not going to happen, this is all right.

I like the new progression of Known Forms, and that you can end up with quite a lot by the upper end of your adventuring career. I appreciate that looking at the Monster Manual is officially at the DM’s discretion. I hope there will be plenty of forms to choose from in the new PHB so that looking in the MM isn’t essential. I do worry that CR1 forms won’t be worthwhile at higher levels, however.

Taking away a character’s species traits when Wild Shaped is the right decision; the prior version didn’t make sense on this point.

Finally, I noticed that the maximum duration for Wild Shape no longer includes guidance to round down – does that mean odd levels now get an extra half-hour?

Circle of the Moon

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This seems pretty well dialed in at this point, and it addresses many of the nitpicks from previous iterations. It looks fun and thematic to play, and not too annoying to DM for. I like the new spells, and in particular having Starry Wisp to round out the collection of basic blast cantrips – and providing a remedy for Invisible foes that doesn’t require a spell slot!

Feature Comments

Circle Spells: Very satisfied.

The selections here seem appropriately thematic. I especially dig Starry Wisp and Fount of Moonlight, and it’s cool that you can cast these spells while Wild Shaped! (That may be a little over powered, though.)

Circle Forms: Satisfied.

It looks like you’re supposed to pick this subclass if you want to use Wild Shape in combat at higher tiers as it’s the only way to get forms beyond CR1. The new scaling mechanic is better than UA6 though. I like using the Wisdom modifier to fuel Armor Class – that should help this scale at those higher tiers. Scaling temporary hit points based on Druid level also seems like it’ll be good in those later tiers.

Improved Circle Forms: Satisfied.

I appreciate the flexibility of Lunar Radiance, and being able to use your Wisdom modifier to aid Constitution saves while Wild Shaped will be very useful for maintaining concentration.

Lunar Form: Satisfied.

The gain of extra damage in exchange for the loss of increased range of movement for Moonbeam feels like a fair trade to me. People do like to roll more dice!

Monk

Base Class

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

What a turnaround the Monk has made since its last appearance! It seems really solid, fusing the wuxia, kung-fu, anime, and Jedi fantasies. I specifically like that it focuses the Monk on improving fewer ability scores over the course of their careers. I think they’re going to be a lot of fun to play and will finally give folks what they’re looking for from this class. Kudos!

I would, however, like to perhaps see the Monk with a d10 for hit dice instead of a d8, though perhaps with all the options for temporary hp, self-healing, and avoiding getting hit in the first place, maybe it won’t matter quite as much in actual play.

Feature Comments

Martial Arts: Very satisfied.

I am so, so happy to see the return of Monk Weapons here, and I think the way they’re defined is appropriate. This class now works for people who to channel their inner Ninja Turtle as well as those who’re really into Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Thank you! I am a little disappointed to see the loss of Weapon Mastery though, especially since it was the feature that was supposed to unify the Warrior group of classes. Maybe there’s a way to re-add it in an appropriately limited way?

Monk’s Discipline: Very satisfied.

I still don’t love the “Discipline Points” name, but this is pretty cool. I really like how Patient Defense and Step of the Wind have options with an without Discipline Point costs, and the tactical options that the subfeatures open up are going to make the battlefield a more interesting place.

Uncanny Metabolism: Very satisfied.

I really didn’t like the “regain one but only if you have zero” mechanic in the prior version. This is so much better. Like the Barbarian who gets a big recharge that they can trigger at a dramatic moment, this also lets the Monk go a bit “Super Saiyan” when entering a boss fight. I also dig that it scales based on both the Martial Arts die and the Monk Level. It’s also amazing that this lands so early – Monk players will get so much mileage out of this over the course of their adventuring careers.

Deflect Attacks: Very satisfied.

I literally cheered when I saw that this has been updated to include the ability to deflect melee attacks. This is such a staple of martial arts movies; it really needed to be here. Being able to redirect attacks that have been completely deflected is icing on a very tasty cake. PLEASE KEEP THIS!

Stunning Strike: Very satisfied.

I really like that this no longer has a chance to waste the Discipline Point – getting some extra damage is a great consolation prize. I also appreciate that it scales with level and stat improvements.

Heightened Discipline: Very satisfied.

This builds very nicely on the earlier versions of the included subfeatures. Being able to bring someone along with Step of the Wind seems particularly useful for getting allies out of (or into!) trouble.

Self-Restoration: Very satisfied.

I appreciate this not having an action economy cost to use. Nice!

Deflect Energy: Very satisfied.

This builds nicely on top of the already very very good Deflect Attacks. Cool!

Perfect Discipline: Very satisfied.

I strongly approve of the “regain 4 if you have fewer than 4” mechanic. This is going to really help the flow of being able to do fun Monk stuff. My only concern is that without a once-per-long-rest restriction, it’s going to make other classes jealous.

Superior Defense: Very satisfied.

I really like this not having an action economy impact. Very cool!

Body and Mind: Very satisfied.

This is bascially what Barbarians get now, but for the Monk’s main ability scores. Nice!

Warrior of the Hand

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

As with the base class, this is a HUGE improvement over the UA6 Monk. Thank you for the hard work on this class and subclass! My biggest Monk problem now is figuring out which subclass to play.

Feature Comments

Open Hand Technique: Satisfied.

I like that Addle no longer gets a saving throw. You probably need to specify how to calculate the DC for Push. I also like that if you connect more than once with Flurry of Blows you can activate multiple effects in a single turn.

Wholeness of Body: Very satisfied.

I love this scaling with your Martial Arts die. I like being able to use it multiple times daily (scaling with your stats). And being able to do some self-healing is going to come in very handy.

Fleet Step: Very satisfied.

I’m looking forward to putting this on a Tabaxi for a kitty with some serious zoomies!

Quivering Palm: Satisfied.

I like the increased flexibility when completing the technique here, though it’s a little disappointing that it no longer scales with your level. Then again, there aren’t many levels for it to scale with, so maybe it’s fine!

Spells

Conjure Animals: Satisfied.

It may not be to everyone’s liking, but I like that this is thematically distinct from the Summon version. It’s certainly easier to deal with than adding a bunch of combatants to initiative, managing their hit points, etc. On the other hand, many of the new Conjure versions come off as “Moonbeam, but with critters and bonus effects”. In this case, it’s not super clear to me how the swarm of spectral animals provides Advantge on Strength saves, but I suppose it’s not unwelcome.

Conjure Celestial: Very satisfied.

I prefer this over the 2014 version. I like the utility of providing both damage and healing, and I love giving the d12 something to do.

Conjure Elemental: Very satisfied.

This is cool. The flexible damage type is great, and I love it sucking combatants into the cube where they have to try to escape. Should be a lot of fun!

Conjure Fey: Very satisfied.

Yes, more d12s!

Conjure Minor Elementals: Satisfied.

I like this – it’s a sort of offense-oriented Spirit Guardians for non-Clerics. The restriction to Druid and Wizard feels appropriate. Does it step on the toes of Spirit Guardians too much? I’d definitely welcome having a party member with this spell if there wasn’t a Cleric around.

Conjure Woodland Beings: Satisfied.

This is VERY “Spirit Guardians for non-Clerics”. I like it, and the restriction to Druids and Rangers is correct, but again I wonder if it steps on the Cleric’s toes a bit. It’s also unclear about when the choice of which creatures it affects should be made – when it’s cast? Whenever a creature enters the area? Also, I have a quibble about the name; wouldn’t it be more inclusive of other biomes if it were “Conjure Nature Spirits”? Then it could be appropriately flavored for deserts, tundra, etc. as desired.

Cure Wounds: Very satisfied.

I appreciate the buff here, it definitely makes this a more viable and satisfying choice in the heat of battle.

Fount of Moonlight: Very satisfied.

This is SO on-brand for Circle of the Moon Druids. I dig it, particularly the Reaction-based revenge for taking damage.

Healing Word: Very satisfied.

Again, a welcome buff that makes this more viable and satisfying in the heat of battle. Thank you!

Mass Cure Wounds: Very satisfied.

The buff here is also appreciated, and I’m sure busy adventuring parties will enjoy it.

Mass Healing Word: Very satisfied.

What’s not to like about a buff to healing party members at range in the heat of battle? Thanks for these tune-ups.

Power Word Fortify: Very satisfied.

I can see this being really, really nice as a higher-level party heads into a big boss fight.

Starry Wisp: Very satisfied.

I love having a Radiant-themed blast cantrip, and it’s very nice to have an option for countering invisibility that doesn’t require spell slots. Thanks! I almost wish Clerics could have this too, or something like it – Sacred Flame can be so unreliable.

Additional Comments

Y’all did a great job with the updates in this round. I’m really excited to see how these classes and subclasses end up in the final printed version, and I’m glad to see the thoughtful attention on reworking spells.

I know 2023 probably hasn’t been the year you hoped for, with so much online drama and negativity, and outrage being stirred up for clicks and views, and now the added trauma of pre-holiday layoffs. Thank you for persevering through all of that – you’re doing great work for a tough audience that doesn’t always appreciate it. I’m optimistic that it’ll be worth it in the end – things seem to be shaping up really nicely, and I’m eager to put the 2024 books into use at my tables. As always, thank you for all your hard work and for giving us a voice in the future of the game. I hope y’all have happy, healthy, and safe holidays. Cheers!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

With all the classes and subclasses done, there are a few bits and bobs left to look at., namely…

Spells

UA8 includes a few new spells and a few updated spells:

• Conjure Animals (level 3 conjuration, Druid & Ranger) has been redesigned as a Moonbeam type AoE spell that summons a Large swarm of spectral animals. Entering the area around the swarm gives it a chance to make a melee attack that causes Radiant damage (2d10, with additional dice if upcast). The swarm also gives you Advantage on Strength saving throws if you’re within that range, and the swarm can be moved. This (and similar redesigns) are meant to separate the “Conjure X” spells from the “Summon X” spells in Tasha; they create areas of effect rather than adding more actual combatants to the battle.
• Conjure Celestial (level 7 conjuration, Cleric) is a similar Moonbeam-style redesign, this time with a pillar of divine light. Entering the cylinder can provoke either healing (4d12 + spellcasting modifier) or damage (8d12 Radiant, or half on a successful Dex save). It can be upcast for additional d12s.
• Conjure Elemental (level 5 conjuration, Druid & Wizard) is another Moonbeam-style redesign, with an Elemental in a cube. Coming within 5 feet of the cube provokes a melee spell attack (8d8 of either Bludgeoning, Cold, Fire, or Lightning based on the type of elemental spirit conjured). Large or smaller creatures get sucked into the cube and must make Strength saves to try to escape – with a 4d8 damage penalty for failure. The spell can be upcast for 2d8 per slot level.
• Conjure Fey (level 6 conjuration, Druid) puts a Medium spirit onto the board which takes the appearance of a Fey creature of your choice that can immediately make a melee spell attack (3d12 + spellcasting modifier of Psychic damage) which can frighten the target. In subsequent turns, the spirit can be teleported short distances to attack again. Damage increases by 2d12 for each upcast level. (Yes! More d12s! Muahahahaha!!)
• Conjure Minor Elementals (level 4 conjuration, Druid & Wizard) is sort of Spirit Guardians for non-Clerics, except that instead of doing damage on your foes’ turns, it adds 2d8 to any damage you deal via an attack (presumably this includes spell attacks?), and the type of elemental damage can be chosen when you make the attack (yay, flexibility!). It also makes your immediate surroundings Difficult Terrain for your enemies. As with the other new Conjure spells, this can be upcast for more damage (2d8) and increased range of Difficult Terrain.
• Conjure Woodland Beings (level 5 conjuration, Druid & Ranger) is very much Spirit Guardiansfor non-Clerics, with the distinction that with Woodland Beings only harms the creatures you choose (when is this choice made?) rather than harming anyone you didn’t exclude at the time of casting. The nature spirits cause 5d8 Force damage (half on a successful save), and allow you to Disengage as a Bonus Action while the spell is active. It can also (surprise surprise!) be upcast for additional dice of damage.
• Cure Wounds (level 1 abjuration, Bard & Cleric & Druid & Paladin & Ranger) gets a serious upgrade, healing for 2d8 (formerly 1d8) plus your spellcasting modifier, and it can be upcast for an additional 2d8 per slot level (formerly 1d8). I’m sure this will be a welcome change at practically every table!
• Fount of Moonlight (level 4 evocation, Bard & Druid, new!) got covered in my post about the UA8* Druid. It seems cool, and certainly thematic for Circle of the Moon Druids.
• Healing Word (level 1 abjuration, Bard & Cleric & Druid) also gets its healing buffed. It used to do 1d4 (plus your spellcasting modifier), now it does 2d4 (plus the modifier), and upcasting adds 2d4 per slot level (formerly 1d4 per slot level). This might even be more popular than the Cure Wounds refresh, since it’s a Bonus Action spell with a range of 60 feet.
• Mass Cure Wounds (level 5 abjuration, Bard & Cleric & Druid) gets a nice buff as well, now providing a base 5d8 (plus modifier) instead of 3d8 (plus modifier). Upcasting still just adds 1d8 per slot level.
• Mass Healing Word (level 3 abjuration, Bard & Cleric) also gets a bump form 1d4 (plus modifier) to 2d4 (plus modifier). Note that upcasting is unchanged, only adding 1d4 per slot level.
• Power Word Fortify (level 7 enchantment, Bard & Cleric, new!) grants a pool – which must be split evenly – of 120 temporary hit points to up to six targets. I can see this being immensely useful for tough boss fights.
• Starry Wisp (evocation cantrip, Bard & Druid, new!) was also covered in my my post about the UA8* Druid. I like it for a thematic blaster cantrip, especially since Radiant damage is less often resisted compared to Fire (Fire Bolt).

Feats

There’s only a minor change here. Feats now have a Category, which looks like it will be used to keep players from taking advanced feats too early – their example is a “Background” category. Curiously, the only feat that appears here is Ability Score Improvement, and it’s tagged as a “General Feat”.

Weapons & Equipment

There are no changes in these sections.

Rules Glossary

No changes here either.

Hot Takes

• The various Conjure spells are definitely distinct from the Summon spells in Tasha, which is probably for the best.
• As a DM, I prefer the new Conjure spells over the old versions, as it’s less overall bookkeeping, especially for Conjure Animals and Conjure Woodland Beings where I’d have to add a ridiculous number of tokens to the map, creatures to initiative, and have to go look up stat blocks. (Seriously, an upcast Conjure Animals can create up to 32 additional combatants!) These versions will save so much time!
• That said, I do wonder if they might be overpowered, especially on Circle of the Moon Druids, but since “an option could be more or less powerful in its final form” I am going to withhold judgment because I’m frankly too tired and too indifferent to run the numbers.
• As a player, I’m not completely sold on the way that the new Conjure spells are basically “Moonbeam, but for critters”, but I suspect that it’ll be fine and probably fun in actual gameplay, especially since the Summon spells from Tasha are supposed to be included in the new PHB.
• I like the updates to the healing spells; it definitely helps them feel like better choices in combat than the 2014 versions.
• I’m curious to see what the addition of Categories to feats ends up looking like. Maybe we’ll get to see some more of that in the next (final?) PHB-oriented UA release.

That does it for Playtest 8*, which seems to be pretty satisfactory. The survey is open until January 2, so if you have opinions, please let WotC know!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

I know I’m late to this party. The internet consensus seems to be that the UA6 Monk was garbage and that the UA8 Monk is great. So what’s happened to shift opinion so much since the last iteration? (As with my most recent posts, I’m going to only highlight the changes since UA6.)

Base Class

• Martial Arts (level 1) now applies to both Unarmed Strikes and Monk Weapons – defined as Simple Melee Weapons and Martial Weapons with the Light property. THANK YOU. This is already so much better, just right here.
• The Bonus Unarmed Strike component is simplified, requiring just a Bonus Action, without requiring the Action to be spent on an attack. This would, for example, let you Dash up a target and smack them (or the reverse!), or combine a Dodge action with an Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action. This seems very on-brand for Monks, and I like it a lot.
• The Dextrous Attacks component now extends to all Monk Weapons (not just Simple Weapons that aren’t two-handed), and it lets you base Grapples and Shoves on your Dexterity too. My enthusiastic nodding continues – this is simpler and more fun, and it lets the Monk concentrate their investments in ability score improvements.
• Weapon Mastery has been removed. I can probably live with that, though it does mean a departure from the idea that all the martial classes get access to it.
• Monk’s Discipline (level 2) is a rewrite of Martial Discipline. Within it, Flurry of Blows simply lets you make two Unarmed Strikes for 1 Discipline Point, without having to have first taken an Attack action. Patient Defense lets you Disengage as a Bonus Action with no cost in Discipline Points, or spend a Discipline Point to take both Disengage and Dodge. Similarly, Step of the Wind lets you Dash as a Bonus Action with no cost in Discipline Points, or spend a point to take both Disengage and Dash as a Bonus Action and double your jump distance.
• Uncanny Metabolism (level 2, formerly “Heightened Metabolism” at level 7 in UA6) lets you regain all spent Discipline Points when rolling initiative, and restores hit points based on your Martial Arts die and your Monk level. This is only allowed once per Long Rest, but it’s still so much better than the “recharge one but only if you have zero” mechanics that other classes got saddled with. This is going to feel great when kicking off boss fights, and it’s cool that it scales on two dimensions.
• Deflect Attacks (level 3, formerly “Deflect Missiles” in UA6) now works against melee attacks as well as ranged attacks. Heck! Yes! I begged for this in the previous survey, and it seems my pleas were heard! Additionally, Melee attacks that get completely deflected can be redirected to nearby foes, just like ranged attacks could previously be redirected to foes at some range.
• Stunning Strike (level 5) now works with Monk Weapons, and no longer has a chance of wasting the spent Discipline Point – if the target succeeds on the save, they’ll now take Force damage based on your Martial Arts die plus Wisdom modifier. Nice! No more getting nothing for something here, and it scales as you progress.
• UA6’s level 7 feature, Heightened Metabolism, has been removed. Fine with me.
• Heightened Discipline (level 10, new) improves on your Monk’s Discipline abilities. Flurry of Blows can now do three Unarmed Strikes instead of two when spending a Discipline Point. Patient Defense, when using a Discipline Point, gives you an additional die of temporary hit points. Step of the Wind now lets you bring a willing creature with you for your turn, and your “dance partner” doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks. This seems like a great way to get a buddy out of – or into! – the fray.
• Self-Restoration (level 10) now removes one of its supported conditions at the end of your turn, rather than using a Bonus Action. It now just happens, with no action economy cost!
• Deflect Energy (level 13) builds on Deflect Attacks, so it works with melee attakcs as well as ranged attacks. Cool!
• Perfect Discipline (level 15) recharges you back to 4 Discipline Points when rolling initiative. No more “recharge some but only if you have zero” here!
• Superior Defense (level 18) can now be activated at the start of your turn; previously this required a Bonus Action – but as a UA8 Monk, you have far better things to do with those now! I like it.
• Body and Mind (level 20, new) replaces Defy Death from UA6, raising the cap for your Dexterity and Wisdom to 26, and bumping both of them by 4 points. This is basically what Barbarians get, but with the stats that the Monk cares about the most.

Warrior of the Hand

• In Open Hand Technique (level 3), the Addle option now prevents your target from making Opportunity Attacks until its next turn, with no saving throw, so it’s far more reliable in a pinch.
• Wholeness of Body (level 6) has been updated to remove the Discipline Point cost, since it already has limits per Long Rest. That feels better.
• Fleet Step (level 11) now lets you use Step of the Wind in addition to any other Bonus Action. Put this on a Tabaxi and you’ve got a kitty with some serious zoomies!
• Quivering Palm (level 17) lets you replace one attack with the action that triggers the feature’s damage. The increased flexibility means that the damage has been toned down; it no longer scales with your Monk level. The wording is a little unclear, but it seems like this now lets you hit with an Unarmed Strike to initiate Quivering Palm, then trade an additional attack for delivering the burst of Force energy. They obviously can’t call this the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique, but that’s totally what this is.

Hot Takes

Okay, I’m on board. This Monk is bad ass, mixing in highlights of wuxia, kung-fu, anime, and Jedi fantasies. I love that Monk Weapons are back. I love Deflect Attack working against melee attacks. I’d like to maaaaybe see it get a d10 for hit dice, but the options for creating temporary hit points, doing self-healing, deflecting attacks, and adding Dodges and Disengages may mean that it doesn’t matter quite as much. This looks like it’s going to be a blast to play!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

To no one’s surprise, the Druid has been revised again. Like my last post, I’m just going to focus here on what’s changed since UA6.

Base Class

• Spellcasting (level 1) has some inconsequential rephrasings (“level 3 Druid” instead of “3rd-level Druid”, “spells of levels 1 and 2” instead of “spells of 1st or 2nd level”) but is otherwise unchanged. I reckon the updated wording may be easier for newer players.
• Wild Companion (level 2) is identical, but a design note promises that the 2024 PHB will included more Beast options than the 2014 version did, so that’s positive.
• Wild Shape (level 2), the source of so much playtest drama, has changes both smaller and larger. On the minor side, the maximum duration of Wild Shape, half your Druid level, no longer includes the guidance to round down. Does this mean odd levels get an extra half hour?
• The mechanic for the number of Known Forms has changed – it now scales directly with Druid level (2 plus half, rounding up for once! So 3 at level 2, 4 at levels 3 and 4, 5 at levels 5 and 6, and so forth, topping out at a whopping 12 forms at level 19. In UA6, this topped out at 5 at level 8, so this is a huge increase over the the course of a Druid’s adventuring career. UA8 also notes that players may look in the Monster Manual or elsewhere for eligible Beasts with the DM’s permission.
• The section on Game Statistics while Wild Shaped no longer permits Druids to retain their species traits but is otherwise unchanged from the quite generous UA6 rules.
• Wild Shape now adds Temporary Hit Points equal to your Druid level when you transform.

Circle of the Moon

• Circle Spells (level 3, new) adds thematic spells that you always have prepared – including two new ones (Starry Wisp and Fount of Moonlight) – and which you can cast while Wild Shaped.
• Circle Forms (level 3) combines and streamlines the Circle Forms and Combat Wild Shape features from UA6. First, It overrides the maximum Challenge Rating for your Wild Shape form so that it scales with your Druid level instead of having two fixed caps at levels 3 and 6 as it did in UA6 (so you’ll now see CR bumps at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18). Second, your Armor Class while Wild Shaped is now determined using your Wisdom modifier, which should help it stay viable in higher tier play. Next, it overrides your Temporary Hit Points while Wild Shaped to always be three times your Druid level (formerly this had been the lesser of 3x your Druid level or the Beast’s hit points). I haven’t checked the math here, but I expect this will be better in many cases. Meanwhile, the UA6 elements about casting Abjuration Spells and granting Moonbeam have been removed because they’re redundant thanks to Circle Spells.
• Improved Circle Forms (level 6) has been updated to add your Wisdom modifier to Constitution saving throws while Wild Shaped (great for maintaining concentration).
• Lunar Form (level 14) adds Improved Lunar Radiance, which adds 1d10 extra Radiant damage to your hits while Wild Shaped. In exchange, it loses the increased range of movement for the Moonbeam spell. This feels fair to me.

Spells

• Fount of Moonlight (level 4 evocation) is available to Druids… and Bards! It combines a shorter-range, self-centered Light with Resistance to Radiant damage, extra Radiant damage from melee attacks, and can temporarily blind a creature that hit you (that’ll teach ’em to mess with you!).
• Starry Wisp (evocation cantrip) is also available to both Druids and Bards. It’s basically a Radiant damage version of Fire Bolt/Ray of Frost/Eldritch Blast that does 1d8 and makes your target emit Dim Light, preventing them from benefitting from being Invisible. It scales like other blasty cantrips, gaining an extra die at levels 5, 11, and 17.

Hot Takes

• Wild Shape seems decently tuned, or at least close enough that tables won’t feel too bad about adding their own house rule tweaks. The one loss here – not keeping your species traits while Wild Shaped – makes sense and I think actually feels better this way.
• Disappointingly, the Evergreen Wild Shape component of the level 20 capstone, Archdruid, still uses the “regain one when you have none left” mechanic that I haven’t liked in the past. They must be set on it since it’s unchanged from UA6 (and UA4 too). I’ll probably complain about it in the survey, but live with it since level 20 play is extremely unlikely.
• Circle of the Moon seems quite solid to me now, addressing many of the complaints and nitpicks from previous iterations. It looks fun to play, and not too annoying to DM for. The new spells are pretty cool, and in particular I like Starry Wisp rounding out the collection of basic blast cantrips as well as providing a remedy for Invisible foes that doesn’t require a spell slot.

Overall, I like where the Druid’s at now. The trick for me would be deciding which circle to play (Land, Moon, and Sea all look fun to me).

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Grumpy Words About Playtest Numbering

I need to get this off my chest before we get started… Of all the ups and downs in the playtest process, nothing from WoTC bugs me quite as much as how they’ve messed up their playtest naming schemes.

The first few playtest packets didn’t even get numbers – they were just named after their contents. Then when we got the arcane classes and the first two warriors, they introduced numbering with UA5. When UA7 was released, we were told that UA8 would be Bastions and Cantrips, and that UA9 would be revisions to classes and subclasses.

Then UA8 was released without the 8, and now UA9 has been released as UA8, and the result is that I’ve got blog posts with titles – and worse, URLs! – that aren’t accurate. (And as we know, cool URLs don’t change.)

It’s enough to make me declare that… I… would like… to RAGE!

Which I guess is appropriate, as UA9 UA8 opens with a the return of the Barbarian for one more round. What’s new since Playtest 7?

One more quick note before we begin – I am only focusing on changes since UA7 here; anything not mentioned hasn’t changed, which is pretty much fine with me as I was mostly positive on the Barbarian last time.

Base Class

• Rage (level 1) now regains one spent use when you finish a Short Rest, fulfilling the promise to give every class a reason to want a short rest. Yay!
• Brutal Strike (level 9) replaces the poorly-received Brutal Critical. It allows you, while using Reckless Attack, to trade that Advantage on an attack in order to do 1d10 extra damage plus a bonus tactical effect. Forceful Blow pushes a target away from you and then lets you close on it for free without provoking Opportunity Attacks. Hamstring Blow reduces the target’s speed for a turn.
• Brutal Strike Improvement (level 13). Instead of getting an extra die of Brutal Critical damage that you will almost never get to roll, this expansion of Brutal Strike adds two more options. Staggering Blow gives your target Disadvantage on its next save and prevents it from making Opportunity Attacks for a turn. Sundering Blow gives an ally a bonus to an attack roll against your target based on your Rage Damage.
• Persistent Rage (level 15) restores all expended uses of Rage when rolling initiative, regardless of whether or not you’ve still got any, but limits this to once per Long Rest. In UA7, this was a restoration of one Rage, without the Long Rest restriction, but with the “it only works if you’re all out” restriction. It also emphasizes that the Incapacitated condition no longer ends your Rage.
• Another Brutal Strike Improvement (level 17) replaces an extra die of Brutal Critical damage. It now upgrades your extra damage from Brutal Strike with a second d10, and it lets you simultaneously deploy two different effects. Nice!
• Primal Champion (level 20) has been updated to cap your Strength and Constitution at 26 (formerly the cap was raised to 24). Sure, why not?!

Path of the World Tree

This class didn’t really connect with me last time around, but I guess it scored decently enough in the previous playtest to stay around and get refinements.

• Vitality of the Tree (level 3) now gives you temporary hit points when activating Rage. In the prior UA, it provided healing – which might have been useless if you went into a Rage without having taken any damage. This feels much better!
• Branches of the Tree (level 6) has a number of tweaks… Its range has been increased from 20 feet to 30 feet. After the target is teleported to you, you can optionally reduce its speed to zero until the end of the turn. And a design note calls out that the new PHB will make it clearer that any creature can voluntarily fail any saving throw, which solidifies this as being able to reposition allies as well as foes. You can basically use your Reaction (while in Rage) to Misty Step a party member! I can imagine a ton of both offensive and defensive uses for this.
• Battering Roots (level 10) has been updated to restrict it to particular types of Melee weapons (those that are Heavy or Versatile), and makes it clearer that it lets you use two Weapon Mastery properties at the same time (your choice of Push or Topple plus any others currently in use on the weapon).
• Travel Along the Tree (level 14) has been completely rewritten. All the Teleportation Circle stuff is gone, and in its place is a much more DM-acceptable Rage-based local teleportation ability. You can teleport yourself up to 60 feet either when activating the Rage or as a Bonus Action while in Rage, and you can choose to bring up to six willing, nearby partners along for a journey of up to 500 feet. And instead of being able to use this feature once per Long Rest, you can bring your party along once per Rage… and apparently self-teleport without limit while in Rage (as long as you want to use Bonus Actions on it).

Hot Takes

• Brutal Strike seems like it’ll be more fun than Brutal Critical – it’s more reliably useable as you’re not at the mercy of the fickle dice, and it gives you some tactical options in a way that’s very similar to the Rogue’s Cunning Strike. I really like that it all builds on Reckless Attack – taking a core feature and doing giving you interesting new things to do with it. Waiting until level 9 to start using this feature is kind of a bummer, but Barbs already get a lot at 5 and 7, so… yeah. Honestly this does make me interested in playing a Barbarian into higher levels. I will admit, however, that I’m a little sad that the damage gets downgraded from a d12 to a d10 – the poor d12 just doesn’t get enough work in 5E!
• Persistent Rage is, I think, overall better. You won’t get to use it as frequently, but I think it’ll be more narratively satisfying to get to the boss fight and suddenly regain all your spent Rage at once, so only doing it once per day is probably acceptable.
• Primal Champion means you’re basically playing a giant when you hit level 20. It’s hard to complain about getting stat caps raised, though as someone who lived through the roll-3d6-in-order-and-that’s-it days, stats that hit 20 or higher just seem a little ridiculous to me. (Anyone remember 18-double-zero?)
• Path of the World Tree seems pretty satisfactory to me now. Vitality of the Tree is more useful. Branches of the Tree seems full of fun ways to mess with the battlefield. Travel Along the Tree ditches all the stuff that would make me scream as a DM in favor of some more great tactical options for getting into or out of trouble. I can forsee unlimited self-teleporting getting abused, though – which could become a source of DM frustration, though I suspect players will take perverse joy in it.

In short… yeah, I like what I see here! I’d even be interested in playing a Path of the World Tree now. I’m not as obsessed with running the math to figure out if the class will “keep up” at higher levels, but it certainly seems like this would be fun, and that’s really what I’m after from D&D.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Bastions

Overall

Very satisfied.

This is a really cool and fun-looking system that I’m eager to fold into existing 5E games as well as using in future campaigns. It gives players something interesting to do with their coinage, a way to build some income in low-coinage-loot campaigns, and a more reliable source of craftable items. It also gives me some nostalgia for the barebones 1E AD&D material on building and staffing a stronghold. Please, definitely publish it as part of the 2024 refresh!

I question whether it should be in the DMG, though, as it seems like something that belongs in the PHB so that players can be aware of it and start aspirationally planning for their Bastions. And while the rules are easily shared online, DMs might not want to keep handing their physical DMGs to players in order for them to reference how the system works.

Gaining a Bastion

Satisfied.

I’m a little on the fence about whether level 5 might be too soon to receive a Bastion, but I think it’s probably fine since so many campaigns end by level 10. It’s nice to have something to look forward to that will also get at least one upgrade in a typical campaign.

I noticed that in the paragraph about basic and special facilities that the starting number of special facilities is explicitly called out, but the number of basic facilities isn’t. It would probably be helpful to repeat that here too.

Bastion Turns

Dissatisfied.

I like the concept a lot, and the examples of typical Bastion turns are good. I struggle with the 7-day pacing and the 6-8 Bastions turns per level guidance, and there’s not enough meat to the “Bastion action economy.”

7 days doesn’t align well with the default Forgotten Realms campaign setting and its use of tendays instead of 7-day weeks. While settings like Barovia do use 7-day weeks, Curse of Strahd is well known to not require more than a few weeks, or perhaps a month, of in-game time.

This brings us to the guidance of having 6-8 Bastion turns per level, which just doesn’t fit with published campaigns. I kept meticulous track of time when running Princes of the Apocalypse for my players, and they finished in about 70 in-game days. Using milestone leveling, they advanced from 3-14 over the course of the campaign. Based on 6-8 Bastion turns per level, the campaign would have taken 336 to 448 days! (Note that I’m not including level 14 in the math here because that was their reward for finishing the last elemental node). I doubt they would have sat still for that long while the crises mounted.

But if Bastion turns are sped up, then there’s risk of them being over-productive, which could be world-breaking (in terms of economic impact).

Further, the “Bastion action economy” is unclear. When exactly does a turn start or end? Is an order issued at the start of a turn, the middle of a turn, or the end? Can a player interrupt a “Maintain” turn to issue a new order? I see this leading to a lot of “well if I had known before we left” arguments at the table. A brand new system like this needs more guidance on how to run it.

Finally, the 7-day Bastion turn also doesn’t align with the time costs for adding and enlarging basic facilities, which feels like a miss, though I guess it makes sense given the flexible duration of Bastion turns.

Bastion Points

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

The concept of having an abstract currency generated by Bastions that’s useful to the party is good. Keep it!

I don’t think I like that Bastion Points can’t be pooled if a party has combined their Bastions into a single larger facility.

I wish there were some more ways to spend them.

However, I don’t love the “100 BP to undo death” mechanic, especially if the party’s journey has taken them far from home – imagine being literally dead in Thay and waking up the next morning in Waterdeep like it was no big deal. How did the character travel so far, so quickly, while also being dead? How will they get back to the rest of the party (or will they?). This problem only becomes worse in a Spelljammer campaign, and will probably be even more ridiculous in the upcoming multiverse-oriented adventure. What happens if characters start Curse of Strahd after establishing a Bastion back home on their native world? Does a Bastion beat the Mists of Barovia?

I’m also on the fence about the “spend BP to get Advantage on Charisma checks” rule. It makes sense for “civilian” NPCs (shop keepers, faction contacts, etc.), but would an arch villain like Strahd really be THAT impressed with a character who sets up a Bastion down the road in Vallaki?

Feature Comments

Accumulating Bastion Points: Satisfied.

The first paragraph is quite dense and I had to read it several times for it to really sink in. I’m on board with all of the rules here, though, and I especially like the “spend gold to have Advantage on Bastion Point rolls” mechanic a lot.

Acquiring Magic Items: Dissatisfied.

As a player, I like having a mechanic that helps me acquire interesting magical items! But as a DM, I don’t want characters to acquire magic items too quickly, but if we assume two Special Facilities producing 4 BP per Bastion Turn, it would take ~63 days to acquire an Uncommon item – roughly a tenday less than the entire length of my Princes of the Apocalypse game, so we have more time scale problems with published campaigns here.

Fall of a Bastion

Satisfied.

This is fine. I can see players being upset about losing a Bastion through no fault of their own though, if they’re far away and unable to communicate with their home base. I’m glad to see a facility (haha) for establishing a replacement Bastion.

Bastion Events

Dissatisfied.

I do like that there is a mechanic for things to happen at the Bastion asynchronously, while the party is away, and the selection of events is good. This needs to be kept in some form!

But if a Bastion only generates events when it’s in Maintain mode, and the chief cause of the Maintain order is the character being away adventuring, then this setup may take away interesting RP opportunities for the character. Many of these events would be fun to have happen while the party is at their Bastion as they would give the character a chance to do something besides just go out adventuring. How would the mighty Conan the Barbarian handle unexpected house guests? We’ll never know, because people only stop by when Conan’s out, leaving it to his staff to deal with.

It also seems unrealistic that events wouldn’t happen during other kinds of orders. A Bastion that just follows endless crafting orders won’t ever have anything interesting happen to it.

Finally, the “Bastion action economy” needs to be clarified. If a character leaves their Bastion with no order issued, and returns before the Bastion turn is completed, can they interrupt what would be a Maintain turn to issue a different order? (Thus preventing an event from being triggered.)

Special Facilities

Satisfied.

I’m really happy with the variety of special facilities. I also like that it’s possible to change one out per level so that there are more chances to get a player’s Bastion dialed in to a satisfying configuration.

I am a little disappointed that not all Special Facilities can be expanded/upgraded, though.

Given the richness of orders that can be given, it might be interesting for special facilities to have more than one order that can be chosen – otherwise it’s just Maintain or Do Your One Specific Thing. If a special facility can only do one kind of order or else Maintain, and Maintain makes ALL facilities in a Bastion go into Maintain mode… then this is kind of boring and/or broken, because there’s not really any player choice – there’s just “do your thing” if the player shows up in time to give an order, or telling every facility to “Maintain” if they don’t.

Arcane Study: Satisfied.

I like this allowing access to Identify (handy if you don’t have a Wizard in the party).

Archive: Satisfied.

I like this giving access to Legend Lore. The various book effects are a great starting point. I also like that the Archive is upgradeable/expandable.

Armory: Dissatisfied.

I like the concept here, and I think it’s cool that it can leverage a Smithy, but it seems really expensive to stock.

Barracks: Satisfied.

I like that Barracks are upgradeable.

Demiplane: Satisfied.

This is a really fun, creative location! But it provides a LOT of temporary HP (maybe I’m not used to playing at this level?).

Also I’m not wild about how Fabrication can be spammed to create mundane artisanal trinkets that could be valuable for sale.

Gaming Hall: Satisfied.

This is fun, and it’s always nice to give the d100/percentile dice a workout, since they aren’t used too much in 5E.

Garden: Dissatisfied.

I really like that the Garden is expandable, and that doing so can let you choose to have one or two types of Garden within it.

What confuses me is whether Garden produces Potions of Healing or just the herbs? Greenhouse explicitly produces Potions of (Greater) Healing, and Laboratory seems to craft potions all by itself (with no input needed from a Garden).

Greenhouse: Satisfied.

Nice, keep it.

Guildhall: Dissatisfied.

This is a great concept, but I wish that it had more variety of assignments for the guild. Once you pick what type of guild you operate, it just does the same thing over and over and over again.

Laboratory: Satisfied.

It’s unclear whether a Garden needs a Laboratory to complete crafting of potions and poisons. Otherwise, this is fine.

Library: Satisfied.

It would be nice for this to be upgradeable somehow.

Meditation Chamber: Dissatisfied.

I wish the Meditation Chamber’s interaction with the “Bastion action economy” was better specified. It’s somewhat confusingly worded.

Menagerie: Dissatisfied.

I LOVE the concept of this one! And it’s very cool that Menagerie creatures are able to help defend the Bastion during an attack event.

I wish the wording was clearer about whether it had 1 enclosure or 4 enclosures, rather than just room for “four Large creatures”. It’s hard to understand the true limits here as written.

Observatory: Dissatisfied.

The idea is interesting, but with 50/50 odds, this could be a huge time sink for little reward, and really disappointing for players in a taut campaign with relatively few Bastion turns.

Pub: Satisfied.

I really like the spy mechanic, and the magic drinks are a fun idea, but if having them on tap means they’re available to NPCs, that could be quite problematic for the balance of the game world.

Reliquary: Satisfied.

Can this be used to spam Greater Restoration daily?

Sacristy: Satisfied.

I like having a dependable source of (upgradeable!) Holy Water, and the temporary magic items are interesting.

Sanctuary: Dissatisfied.

Why does Sanctuary’s freely craftable item only command half the selling price (5 gp) of an Arcane Study’s (10gp)? That seems unfairly biased in favor of arcane casters.

Sanctum: Satisfied.

Does Sanctum’s beneficiary need to Long Rest in the Bastion?

Scriptorium: Dissatisfied.

Does a Scriptorium’s output not have monetary value? If not, why not?

Smithy: Satisfied.

I really like the variety of crafting choices available on the Smithy. This makes it far more interesting than most “push button, watch the same thing come out” Bastion actions.

Stable: Satisfied.

This is a flavorful facility, but it’s also not terribly exciting. I’m glad to see that this is upgradeable, though.

Storehouse: Satisfied.

This is fine. I like that it scales with the level of its owner (rather than having to physically expand it).

Teleportation Circle: Dissatisfied.

The idea is interesting, but with 50/50 odds, this could be a huge time sink for little reward, and really disappointing for players in a taut campaign with relatively few Bastion turns.

Theater: Dissatisfied.

I really like the Theater as a concept, and it needs to stay – but it needs clarification and more work. As presented here, Theater takes 3 Bastion turns to complete the prep/performance cycle. Does it pay out in Bastion Points on every turn, when the order is given, or when the cycle completes? It’s honestly kind of a mess.

Training Area: Satisfied.

I like the variety of benefits that can be chosen; they help to give a player meaningful choices when interacting with their Bastion.

Trophy Room: Satisfied.

This seems both flavorful and fun.

War Room: Dissatisfied.

I really like the idea of this facility.

I am confused though about the cost structure – the cavalry option is so much more affordable (40 gp/day/Lieutenant) than the infantry option (100 gp/day/Lieutenant).

Workshop: Satisfied.

So basically players can recharge Heroic Advantage if they get back to their Workshop to have a nap? Okay, I’ll buy that.

It’s maybe a little strange that you can only create one shoe at a time though.

Cantrips

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

For the most part, the updated cantrips are good improvements over the 2014 versions, transforming many of the least-loved options into viable choices. I look forward to similar thoughtful updates of leveled spells in the 2024 refresh.

Specific Comments

Acid Splash: Very satisfied.

I like giving Sorcerers and Wizards early access to basic AoE damage right out of the gate. It makes this an interesting competitor to more commonly selected damage cantrips like Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost.

Blade Ward: Very satisfied.

This version actually makes this cantrip a worthwhile choice! It doesn’t take up your turn doing something that you might not get any benefit from, so you can do something more fun like casting a leveled spell, and fall back on Blade Ward when trouble gets too close.

Chill Touch: Dissatisfied.

I like the upgraded die size here, and I don’t mind losing the special undead mechanic. The loss of range is a bummer though – I understand that it makes more sense for a spell with “touch” in the name to have Touch range, but maybe it could have just been renamed instead to retain that utility? I also question whether it should have “chill” in the name when it does Necrotic rather than Cold damage. “Touch of the Dead” would be a great name at Touch range; if keeping it at its prior range, it could be “Necrotic Blast”. Either of those makes it clear what the spell is going to do.

Friends: Very satisfied.

I really like this new version. I avoided it in the past because it didn’t really make friends, but made enemies instead (by turning neutral creatures hostile)!

Poison Spray: Satisfied.

I like this change a lot. It provides a Poison alternative to Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost, with bigger damage dice, and a more usable range. Like those other single-target damage cantrips, it puts the burden of success on the caster rather than the target, which I typically find to be more fun when I’m playing. A little more range wouldn’t hurt, though!

Produce Flame: Satisfied.

I like the boosted range, though it is weird that the radius of illumination doesn’t match the range of the spell attack. I like the idea that I can ready the flame with a Bonus Action and still do something else with my Action that isn’t necessarily hurling the flame at something. Finally, I LOVE that this can now target objects in addition to creatures, which is going to open up fun new possibilities for casters who take this cantrip.

Shillelagh: Dissatisfied.

The damage scaling is definitely welcome, since this otherwise falls off very quickly, but I’m not sure that upping the die size is going to cut it, when other cantrips – like the new True Strike, which is also doing melee attacks – scale by adding additional dice. This got better, but not better enough.

Shocking Grasp: Dissatisfied.

I think I’ve reached the “Acceptance” part of my grief stages here. I don’t mine losing the Advantage-against-metal-armor mechanic, since it eliminates arguments during play, but it was flavorful with it in place. If monster design is moving away from Legendary Actions and toward creatures having multiple Reactions, then I guess I can accept the changed effect, but it’s definitely a drag to reduce its usefulness.

Spare the Dying: Very satisfied.

I really like the increased range here, and love that the range scales as you gain levels. This update makes it easier for a Druid to stand in for a Cleric (nice if you don’t have a Cleric in the party), and it’ll certainly be useful when party members get into trouble but aren’t immediately reachable.

True Strike: Very satisfied.

I love this new version. The old True Strike was genuinely awful, and just didn’t make sense to use. Please keep the new version!

My only issue is that it highlights how Shillelagh wasn’t tuned up enough. Looking at the top end, which comes online at level 17, True Strike is going to do 1dSomething + 3d6, for a minimum of 4, maximum of 26 (on a Great Club, Quarterstaff, or Spear when wielded with two hands). Meanwhile Shillelagh will do just 2d6, for a minimum of 2, maximum of 12.

Additional Comments

This was a really solid UA. The Bastion system shows a lot of promise, and the cantrip updates show a lot of thoughtful design that’s paying off in meaningful ways. You’re definitely on the right track here, so please recognize that many “dissatisfied” ratings will be people (like me) saying they like a thing but just want it worked on a little more, not that it should be rejected outright and removed from the game.

Based on the cantrip changes here, I am hoping we’ll see additional thoughtful tweaks, tune-ups, and redesigns of leveled spells.

As always, thanks for all your hard work and for giving us a voice in the future of the game. I’m still feeling optimistic about the process, and I’m looking forward to the 2024 release!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Acid Splash

Acid Splash moves from Conjuration to Evocation. Instead of targeting two visible creatures within five feet of each other, it now creates a five-foot radius sphere of Acid damage, potentially impacting as many as four targets (assuming you’re playing with grid squares).

This gives Sorcerers and Wizards access to basic AoE damage right out of the gate, making it an interesting competitor to popular direct-damage cantrips like Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost.

Blade Ward

Blade Ward is now a Reaction instead of an Action. Where you used to burn your Action giving yourself resistance to basic weapon damage types, you now get to impose Disadvantage when a visible foe makes a melee attack on you.

This is a great change that makes this actually worth having. It doesn’t take up your turn doing something that you might not get any benefit from, so you can do something more fun like casting a leveled spell, and fall back on Blade Ward when trouble gets too close.

Chill Touch

Chill touch now uses d10s instead of d8s for damage, but its range is reduced from 120 feet to touch distance. It also loses the mechanic that gave Disadvantage to undead targets.

The range reduction is going to make the internet mad, but it’s probably less confusing for new players this way. It could still be applied at a distance using a familiar or the Warlock’s Gaze of Two Minds feature, though that takes a little more coordination. The bigger damage dice are certainly enticing.

Friends

Friends no longer targets yourself, but a visible creature within 10 feet. Instead of giving you Advantage on Charisma checks with the target, it now forces the target to make a save or be Charmed. Notably, this spell no longer causes the target to become hostile to you after the condition wears off.

The after-effect of making the target hostile was always a reason I stayed away from this, as it could have some pretty bad repercussions. While I’m sure there are still some more optimal choices, this would certainly be thematically fun for the right character, like my Tabaxi Bard, Chase. Just look at his big, cute, kitty-cat eyes! Awww…

Poison Spray

Poison spray changes schools from Transmutation to Necromancy. Its range increases from 10 feet to 30 feet, and it now uses a spell attack roll to hit a target instead of having the target make a Constitution save.

I like this change a lot. It provides a Poison alternative to Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost, with bigger damage dice, and a more usable range. Like those other single-target damage cantrips, it puts the burden of success on the caster rather than the target, which I typically find to be more fun when I’m playing.

Produce Flame

Produce Flame’s illuminating effect has had its range doubled (from 10 feet of bright and 10 feet of dim light to 20 feet of bright and 20 feet of dim light), and its spell attack range has also doubled (from 30 feet to 60 feet). In exchange, it now takes a Bonus Action to conjure the flame, and an Action to hurl fire from the flame at a target – though doing so no longer ends the spell. Finally, a subtle but useful update now allows you to target objects as well as creatures, so Druids can now remotely set stuff on fire when the need arises.

The action economy change here is a little weird, since using it to attack sucks up your whole turn if you pop it in combat. But supposing you didn’t want to hurl flame at something right away, summoning the flame as a Bonus Action is great because it frees up your Action to do something else – to Dash, Disengage, Search, or cast a leveled spell.

Since Druids don’t get Light or Fire Bolt, this a good multi-purpose alternative, especially if you don’t have a Sorcerer or Wizard in the party.

Shillelagh

This signature Druid cantrip gets a modest upgrade in scaling as you gain levels. Instead of being a fixed 1d8 forever, it can become 1d10 (level 5), 1d12 (level 11), and eventually 2d6 (level 17). It also lets you choose to do Force damage instead of your weapon’s normal damage type.

The scaling is definitely welcome, since this otherwise falls off very quickly, but I’m not sure that upping the die size is going to cut it, when other cantrips scale by adding additional dice. I guess it’s okay since this is still just a melee weapon, and it’d be weird to do 4d8 with a glorified stick, but I’m not entirely sold yet. What I do really like here is being able to do Force damage, which is the most broadly applicable/least resisted type of damage. That’s cool.

Shocking Grasp

All the changes so far have been positive, in my estimation, so it’s finally time for the big nerf that will make the internet salty: Shocking Grasp no longer prevents its target from using its Reaction, it now only prevents the target from making Opportunity Attacks. It also loses the mechanic where you have Advantage on the attack roll if your target is wearing metal armor.

The design notes state that these changes bring the cantrip in line with its original intent – to allow you to do an attack while also safely disengaging from a target – but it does mean that this loses some tactical utility that was frankly kind of fun to exploit.

The design notes also state that discarding the Advantage mechanic makes it consistent with other Lightning spells that don’t do it, which, enh, fine, I guess so.

Spare the Dying

Back to some good news – Spare the Dying is now available to Druids (in addition to Clerics) and changes from being a touch-range spell to having 15 feet of range. Moreover, the range doubles as you gain levels, topping out at 120 feet at level 17!

This update makes it easier for a Druid to stand in for a Cleric (nice if you don’t have a Cleric in the party), and it’ll certainly be useful when party members get into trouble but aren’t immediately reachable.

True Strike

The 2014 version has a reputation for being the worst cantrip in the game, and for good reason – you spend an entire Action getting ready to have Advantage on one attack in your next turn, and you have to use Concentration the whole time, which means that you risk not even getting any benefit from it if something hits you before your Advantage kicks in.

The new version has been completely rewritten and is a huge improvement. It’s still cast with an Action, but now you use that to immediately make one attack (nice) which uses your spellcasting ability for the attack and damage rolls (niiiiice), and you can choose in the moment whether it does normal damage or Radiant damage (niiiiiiiiiiiiice). Oh, and it scales too, doing extra Radiant damage as you gain levels (1d6 at level 5, 2d6 at level 11, 3d6 at level 17).

This is going to be really, really handy for spell casters who find themselves needing to make melee attacks on the regular, since it means they can focus their Ability Score Improvements on their spellcasting ability. And the optional (and later extra) Radiant damage is nice too, as that helps to bypass many foes’ resistances to mundane (Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing) damage.

I do feel like this gives me some evidence to dislike Shillelagh’s die size scaling, though. Looking at the top end, which comes online at level 17, True Strike is going to do 1dSomething + 3d6, for a minimum of 4, maximum of 26 (on a Great Club, Quarterstaff, or Spear when wielded with two hands). Meanwhile Shillelagh will do just 2d6, for a minimum of 2, maximum of 12. So, yeah, Shillelagh got better, but not better enough. And maybe True Strike, unloved for so many years, got overtuned here.

Hot Takes

Most of these changes are pretty nice, making many of the least-loved cantrips into things that are actually worth having in your toolbox. I look forward to more thoughtful spell updates like these in the future.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Please note (haha) that this is just to catalog what was in the video and my initial thoughts. I haven’t had a chance to read any of it in depth yet.

Bastions

This is a bonus (early?) release featuring the first DMG-specific content, the Bastion system. It’s the first of many new or reimagined tools for DMs. It’s a framework for creating a home base.

A Bastion can be created just for a single character or joined with those of other party members for a bigger setup. It’s highly customizable — guidance is provided for layout, the number of rooms, and various “facilities” which provide both aesthetic as well as mechanical enhancements. Facilities provide special abilities to the Bastion and to the characters that dwell there. Examples include a gaming space that can make you money, a work space where you can craft magic items, a facility that helps you recruit defenders, a teleportation circle, and many more. The Bastion system comes online for players at level 5 and facility choices unlock as you progress in levels. Not all options are available for all classes; the prerequisites are gated by class features.

To give the sense of time passing, Bastions can “take a turn” once every seven days where they can be given an Order (much like an Action). Sounds like you need to be “at home” to issue an Order/change an Order. The Bastion defaults to a maintenance order, but while you’re away there are also random things that can occur. Besides other results of orders, you also earn Bastion Points, which can be used to purchase magic items, extend your influence in the surrounding area, or even revive your character at home if you die while adventuring (with enough points).

This release contains everything you need for the Bastion system, and it can be dropped into existing campaigns using the 2014 rulebooks. On that note, Crawford encourages playing the new things. Internally, WotC is playing using the 2014 rules with whatever new thing they’re testing layered in.

A major goal of this system is to let downtime rules still happen while you’re away adventuring, because many campaigns don’t have breathing room to let the PCs engage in downtime. (Too busy saving the world or whatever!) It’s also meant to give players a taste of being a DM, being responsible for the creation, mapping, and NPCs that will be there.

Cantrips

In the 2021 survey, some cantrips didn’t score very well. They’re putting out some revised cantrips now so that we don’t have to wait for a future PHB-oriented release. They’re focusing on making things more fun, providing a diverse selection, and filing off the rough spots. Some have small but important quality of life improvements. Acid Splash, for example, is now “your first AoE” spell. Others have been totally redesigned, like True Strike, which includes the weapon strike itself in the cantrip. Blade Ward is now a Reaction, imposing Disadvantage on a strike against you. Friends now briefly charms a target without making them hostile to you.

Cantrips are “fallback options”. They’re what you cast when you can’t or don’t want to cast a leveled spell.

Survey Feedback: Playtest 6

The team reads some online discourse, but surveys remain the main focus for receiving feedback from the community. Three members of the design team are focused on going through all the survey feedback.

We’re told that things will feel increasingly “seamless” as we transition out of the public playtest process and get the updated books in order. Next year we’ll start getting previews of the shape things will take in the published form. We’re reminded that the playtest releases don’t represent the final published form, but a snapshot that the team wants to get feedback on, and we should expect changes between what’s in the playtest releases and the final, printed version.

As always, scores and written feedback have been closely considered.

Most classes are meeting with strong satisfaction — Rogue, Paladin, Cleric, Bard, and Druid all scored in the 70s and 80s. Rogue got 89%!

Of those classes, the Druid was the lowest but still in the 70s, with many features in the 80s. Circle of the Land got 86%! Circle of the Sea got 80%. Wild Shape and Circle of the Moon were the main pain points. Circle of the Moon improved, but it needs more work, so we should see it in the next player-focused UA release. Sounds like Archdruid also need some tweaks. They see both the fans of Wild Shape templates and the (larger number of) fans of using stat blocks; they’re listening to both groups but ultimately will go in a direction that’s “solid for the class and healthy for the game”.

Monk will also be returning in a future UA. They “always planned” to present it at least twice. A number of things scored really well, but other things were significant pain points. Most notably painful were the constraints of Discipline Points. They are working on adjusting the class so that there’s still a resource pool to be managed, but that this constraint doesn’t limit your class fantasy or mechanical effectiveness. They’re combing through Monk features now to find places where there’s both a usage limit and a Discipline Point cost — it should have only one of these. They’re also looking into places where they can lower or eliminate Discipline Point cost. The only subclass that will be included in the next UA is Warrior of the Hand, because the others scored well enough that they don’t need to go back out for more public testing. Warrior of the Elements, for example, went from 11% satisfaction on the 2021 survey to scoring in the 70s — a massive jump.

Rogue, Ranger, Paladin, Cleric, and Bard are done in UA for now and are moving into internal development for the book.

Ranger had some pain points in the UA6 survey — concerns about Favored Enemy, Foe Slayer, and Deft Explorer. Those brought down the satisfaction scores for the class overall. Since they A/B tested two versions of these features, and prior versions scored well, they plan to create a synthesis that combines their best elements. The Beast Master subclass, which previously scored quite poorly, reached 78% in the UA6 survey.

The Rogue’s Cunning Strike got 94% satisfaction, and Improved Cunning Strike got ~90%. This is exquisitely rare! Cunning Strike is therefore definitely staying.

In the Paladin, the revised Lay on Hands is approaching 90% satisfaction as well.

After the UA7 feedback is processed, they’ll find out what else is going to graduate to book prep work and what’s going to go out again for public testing. The next player-focused UA release will include all the classes that still need public attention, ending the “leapfrog” approach we’ve had thus far.

The video concludes with an interesting look into the logic behind subclass selection for the UAs. Crawford acknowledged the “where’s the Necromancer” controversy and owned that he caused it by bringing it up in a previous video. It apparently was being worked on internally but didn’t make the cut due to low levels of actual enjoyment and play. While Ranger had low satisfaction, it had high actual use; Druid had low actual use, but high satisfaction. The Necromancer, unfortunately, had bad numbers on both counts. They subbed in the Abjurer instead — it’s consistently highly rated, has healthy play numbers, and has a properly distinct identity from the Evoker. For the subclasses in the core rules, they chose the “quartets” to express the “corners” of the class. Evoker and Abjurer are opposites, and so are Illusionist and Diviner. In the Sorcerer, Clockwork was included because it’s the opposite of Wild Magic — Order vs. Chaos. Crawford suggests that it’d be fun to do a future video where they walk through all the quartets. The new PHB will be explicit about these quartets in the character creation process. Some “hooks” for subclasses are more aesthetic and some are more mechanical. Fighter is a class where the subclass hooks are mechanical.

Hot Takes

• I’m eager to check out the Bastion system and see if it’s all that. It sounds pretty great from the high level stuff mentioned here, and it reminds me a lot of some of my favorite bits from 1E, the stuff I never got to use but always wanted to.
• I’m also eager to check out the revised cantrips. Everybody’s been saying “we need revised spells please” for a while, so good, we finally get a chunk of them. Bring it on!
• I’m cautiously optimistic about the Druid and Monk. I wish they’d tell us exactly how poorly the Monk was received, but maybe it won’t matter if the forthcoming improvements are sufficient.
• I’m glad to see them talking more explicitly about the playtest not being the final thing, and that everything we’ve been reviewing so far is to garner feedback that will inform the internal process that crafts the final result. The internet has been quite reactionary here (no, really?) and really ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.
• I also appreciated the more explicit discussion of the subclass quartets and the design philosophy. I wish we’d had more of that up front (again, it would have probably quelled some of the virulent discourse), but I’m definitely interested in getting a follow up that walks through each of the subclass quartets.
• On a related note, I am glad to see Crawford take responsibility for the “where’s the Necromancer” controversy. More of this transparency please!

Okay, I guess I need to go read the PDF now…

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Barbarian

Base Class

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

The Barbarian is cool overall, but it chaps my hide that Warlocks get more attacks than Barbarians. Barbarians should get a third attack (second Extra Attack), and Warlocks should only get a single Extra Attack. Also, while I understand the intent of giving Barbarians some skill buffs, it still baffles me that you can fuel Stealth or Perception using Rage. “HULK STEALTH!” and “HULK NOTICE!” just aren’t part of my fantasy for this class and don’t make a lot of sense.

Feature Comments

Brutal Critical: Dissatisfied.

I like having more opportunities to roll d12s, and this will be exciting when it happens, but it’s not nearly as glamorous or dependable as same-level features on non-martial classes.

Peristent Rage: Dissatisfied.

I’m really close to satisfied here – I like the change to ending when Unconscious, and UA5’s addition of ending when donning Heavy Armor makes sense. But in general the “it only works if you’re all out of juice” mechanics annoy me, and I wish it would always restore a spent Rage use, whether you had any left in the tank or not.

Path of the Wild Heart

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I really like having each of the features use separate animal names so that it’s clear that you don’t have to pick one and be stuck with it forever.

Feature Comments

Rage of the Wilds: Bear got nerfed a little bit, but it seems okay to me. I like the improvements to Eagle (Disengage and Dash is nice!) and Wolf (increased range).

I rated the options as:

• Bear: satisfied
• Eagle: very satisfied
• Wolf: satisfied

Aspect of the Wilds: I appreciate the symmetry of how Elephant, Owl, and Spider are implemented, but Elephant feels a little lackluster compared to the Bear option it replaces.

I rated the options as:

• Elephant: dissatisfied
• Owl: satisfied
• Spider: satisfied

Power of the Wilds: I really like the Lion version circumventing immunity to being Frightened. Falcon’s increased duration is great too. Ram is fine but feels maybe a little too similar to a Battle Master Fighter’s Trip Attack maneuver.

I rated the options as:

• Lion: very satisfied
• Falcon: very satisfied
• Ram: satisfied

Path of the World Tree

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

After disconnecting classes from real world cultures (phasing out the “totem” terminology, moving away from “ki” points, etc.) it feels strange to introduce a new subclass that’s closely linked to Norse mythology. Something about this subclass just isn’t clicking for me, and I wonder if there are more iconic subclasses that might be a better fit for the core rules.

Feature Comments

Vitality of the Tree: Satisfied.

Some free self-healing is always appreciated.

Branches of the Tree: Satisfied.

This definitely appeals to the Mortal Kombat player in me, and it’s also tactically interesting that it can be used to reposition allies as well as opponents.

Battering Roots: Satisfied.

I am Groot!

Travel Along the Tree: Very dissatisfied.

This seems way too situational to be useful in most sessions, and possibly very annoying for a DM to figure out where all the destinations might be for a campaign. It could also let a campaign go way, way off the rails very quickly. And would this even work in Barovia?

Path of the Zealot

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This version of Divine Fury is probably how this always should have been – I appreciate the damage type flexibility and that it now works with Unarmed Strikes. I also like being able to activate Zealous Presence additional times by spending Rage uses on it.

Feature Comments

Warrior of the Gods: Satisfied.

I like this, though I’m torn about whether I prefer the random d12 roll (as I really like giving the d12 more to do!) or if I’d prefer having something more dependable that scales with Barbarian level.

Rage Beyond Death: Satisfied.

I strongly prefer the new activation mechanic (using Relentless Rage), and the new benefits are cool. Thematically, though, “I’m so mad I’m spooky” doesn’t quite hit the same note as the original “I’m too mad to die right now” version.

Fighter

Base Class

Overall Comments

Satisifed.

I like not giving Heavy Armor training to characters that multiclass into Fighter. I also like that Fighting Styles can be swapped when gaining Fighter levels. Regaining a use of Second Wind during a Short Rest is also a very welcome change, please keep it! The updated Action Surge is solid too, please keep it this way. Please also keep this version of Indomitable!

My main complaint for the base class, I think, is that it takes too long for Three Extra Attacks to come online. I’d much rather see that at 17 and have something more exciting for level 20. Also, I don’t think my previous question about what it will take for Fighters to feel special given so many other classes have access to Weapon Mastery was answered in this UA.

Feature Comments

Tactical Mind: Satisfied.

I like that this gives Fighters a taste of other classes’ multi-use resource pools, and it’s nice for utility outside of combat.

Tactical Shift: Satisfied.

I really like the option to reposition without provoking Opportunity Attacks; it feels very similar to the UA7 Barbarian’s Eagle option for Rage of the Wilds, as well as the Rogue’s Cunning Action Disengage. I think the challenges here will be that moving only 15 feet away might not be enough to be useful/interesting, and that we need more encounters that are designed to give front line folks good reasons to move around.

Master of Armaments: Dissatisfied.

I really like being able to change all Mastery properties at the end of a Long Rest, but I dislike only having a single Mastery property on a given weapon. When I play a Fighter, I’m rarely switching weapons, so while it’s simpler to have fewer in-the-moment choices, it would still be more fun to have those choices.

Studied Attacks: Satisfied.

I like how this helps make up for a bad roll by offering increased future chance of getting a good roll. It seems like it would be really great if you didn’t already have Advantage for some reason.

Battle Master

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I’m positive on most of the maneuver changes. In particular, Commander’s Strike, Disarming Attack, Distracting Strike, Menacing Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Rally, Riposte, Sweeping Attack, and Trip Attack are nicely improved; please keep them this way!

I’m sad to see the Brace maneuver removed; I really liked it.

The new Lunging Attack is mechanically fine, but it absolutely must be renamed – no one can “lunge” for ten or more feet. This is more of a “Charging Attack” since it’s built around Dashing.

Evasive Footwork might need some editing to make its duration clear, as the design notes said “end of YOUR turn” while the text says “end of THE turn”.

While I appreciate being able to change a maneuver when gaining a Fighter level, it’s still going to be difficult for the average Fighter to try most of them during their career. What if a maneuver could be replaced after a Long Rest?

Feature Comments

Student of War: Satisfied.

This is definitely more practical than the PHB version.

Know Your Enemy: Very satisfied.

I strongly prefer this over the PHB version, as it’s much more immediately useful in the moment. I worry that it steps a little bit on the Ranger’s Hunter’s Lore feature, but for parties without a Ranger this should be pretty handy.

Relentless: Very satisfied.

I generally dislike the “only recharge a resource if you’re all out” mechanics, so this is a lot better than the PHB version in my estimation. This is a good way for the Battle Master to keep its fun happening, albeit not at full strength.

Maneuvers:

I really like that Commander’s Strike has less action economy cost now. Please keep this version!

I like Evasive Footwork, but it might need some editing to make its duration clear, as the design notes said “end of YOUR turn” while the text says “end of THE turn”.

The new Lunging Attack is mechanically fine, but it absolutely MUST be renamed – no one can “lunge” for ten or more feet! This is more of a “Charging Attack” since it’s built around Dashing.

I like the increased flexibility of Rally, which will allow some better differentiation in character ability scores – so the Battle Master doesn’t necessarily have to step on the Paladin’s toes as a Charisma user.

I rated the maneuvers:

• Commander’s Strike: very satisfied
• Evasive Footwork: satisfied
• Lunging Attack: dissatisfied
• Rally: very satisfied

Brawler

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

I don’t feel like this implementation lives up to the subclass’s potential. It seems interesting from a roleplaying standpoint but the mechanics presented here just don’t get me that excited for it.

Feature Comments

Unarmed Expert: Dissatisfied.

The larger dice for Unarmed Strike are okay, but nothing to write home about as it just makes them as good as other basic weapons, and they’re still outpaced by Heavy Weapons (or even a longsword wielded with both hands). It’s also better in levels 3 and 4 than the UA6 Monk’s Martial Arts die, despite Monks having so much identity rooted in Unarmed Strikes.

Improvised Expert: Satisfied.

The basic concept is fun, but it doesn’t quite “sing” to me. It’d be interesting to make these decisions “in the moment” to tap into the Jackie Chan fantasy of creative use of environmental props.

Grappling Expert: Satisfied.

This seems situationally fun, but doesn’t get me excited to play this subclass.

Dirty Fighting: Dissatisfied.

This should come on sooner, either as part of Grappling Expert or even part of the base Grappling mechanics. As a level 10 feature, it’s really uninspiring.

Improvised Specialist: Dissatisfied.

Getting the d12 here is nice, but it feels late for adding the Proficiency Bonus into the mix for damage. It feels like this should be baked into the way Improvised Expert scales (much like how Martial Arts scales) and that a new, more interesting feature belongs here.

Unarmed Specialist: Dissatisfied.

This feels really bland for the final subclass benefit. I’d prefer to see this baked into scaling rules for Unarmed Expert and have a new, more interesting feature here.

Champion

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I think this subclass is shaping up nicely. I think it could be a lot of fun if I want a break from a more complicated setup. I do miss having Superior Critical and Survivor come online at earlier points as they did in UA5 though.

Feature Comments

Remarkable Athlete: Satisfied.

I like that this version provides Advantage on Initiative rolls. Granting this for Strength/Athletics checks make sense too, but I think it’d also make sense on Dexterity/Acrobatics.

Heroic Warrior: Very satisfied.

Given how many campaigns top out around level 10-12, this feels like a fun, achievable, and practical reward. Please keep it!

Eldritch Knight

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This Eldritch Knight seems all right, but I just don’t think I vibe with this subclass. I’ve never been compelled to play one, and that hasn’t changed with this version.

Feature Comments

Spellcasting: Satisfied.

The increased cantrip and spell selection flexibility is appreciated, as is the ability to use an Arcane Focus.

War Magic: Satisfied.

I like being able to open up the Bonus Action for other uses.

Improved War Magic: Satisfied.

This is cool, but the design notes say this should be a level 1 or level 2 spell, while the actual text only restricts the spells to those with a casting time of an Action. This should get tightened up to reduce confusion.

Sorcerer

Base Class

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

Aberrant is a great subclass to include in the PHB (though I would have liked to see some light refresh for it), but I struggle with Clockwork being appropriate iconic for inclusion, at least without some kind of renaming and re-theming. It’s also weird as heck that as pointers to the Tasha versions, these subclasses would still get features at level 1, as well as still getting extra spells known that Draconic and Wild Magic Sorcerers don’t!

It’s a little disappointing that the base class has twelve levels between receiving any creative/novel features. It’s an improvement on the PHB version, but it still feels very under-designed.

It’s also disappointing to see SUCH a huge difference between the Sorcerer and Wizard spell lists. I get that Wizards get defensive about this, but they get nearly double the selection that Sorcerers get!

The new Twinned Spell is better, but the name still doesn’t feel like it matches the effect to me, since it’s now about using a Sorcery Point to upcast. The number of spells eligible for Twinning is also disappointing – I’d really like to see how this will be expanded, as the current changes eliminate 69% of Twinnable spells!

Since Sorcerers have magic “stamped into their being”, they should be able to replace a cantrip or spell after a Long Rest rather than at level increases, so that they can better keep up with Wizards and Clerics who can both change their entire loadouts daily!

Furthermore, they should be able to replace metamagics after long rests (as they could in UA5) and either start with a third metamagic or gain more sooner. Since most campaigns top out around level 10-12, this version of a Sorcerer will basically be stuck with the two best metamagics for most of the game and will never get to experience others since the cost of switching is too prohibitive.

Finally, I like the adjustments to Arcane Eruption, but I’m iffy on the new Sorcerous Burst, because it reduces the chance for the “exploding dice” effect, though it could be more exciting when it does.

Feature Comments

Innate Sorcery: Satisfied.

The concept of an “Arcane Rage” is really fun. I’d like to see the number of uses per Long Rest scale with Sorcerer levels, the way that a Barbarian’s Rages scale.

Sorcerous Restoration: Dissatisfied.

Being able to regain Sorcery Points during an adventuring day is good, particularly when it encourages Short Rests, and I love that this arrives at level 5 instead of level 20, but I strongly dislike mechanics that only do anything if you’re all out of a resource. I also noticed that the way this scales, it’s now worse in levels 15 through 19 than it was in UA5, which is also disappointing.

Sorcery Incarnate: Satisfied.

I like that this arrives two levels sooner, that it doesn’t require a 5th level spell slot, and that it leverages the Innate Sorcery “Rage” mechanic. The sorcery point cost makes me more dissatisfied with Sorcerous Restoration though.

Arcane Apotheosis: Very satisfied.

Being able to use metamagic so freely is very very cool, and speaks to it being the Sorcerer’s special sauce. A “Peak Sorcerer” should absolutely get to do its special thing all the time.

Draconic Sorcery

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This is a modest improvement over the PHB version that I would be glad to re-spec my existing character into.

I do still miss having Draconic Resilience at level 1 and 2 to be slightly less squishy in the opening game, but it still ends up better at higher levels than it was in the PHB version, so I’m not too upset here.

I really like the updated Elemental Affinity and I’m glad to see it unchanged from UA5. Please keep it this way.

I am a little disappointed that Draconic Exhalation has been removed. It seemed fun and so thematic!

Feature Comments

Dragon Speech: Very satisfied.

I’m glad to see this return to providing fluency and literacy in Draconic, as well as being understood by all types of Dragon type creatures. Please keep this version going forward.

Dragon Wings: Dissatisfied.

It’s disappointing to lose the magic attack component, but I do like that it’s back to being a plain Bonus Action and that it provides the choice of physical or spectral wings, and that it permits hovering. My main dissatisfaction – which I cited in the 2021 survey as well – is that this arrives so late in the game that most players will never get to experience it.

Draconic Presence: Satisfied.

I definitely prefer this version over the PHB version – all the changes are positive. But I’m on the border with being dissatisfied because this would have been a great place to also include a draconic breath weapon.

Wild Magic Sorcery

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

This version of the subclass is a very nice improvement on the PHB version, however the Wild Magic Surge table desperately needs to be revised. Besides having numerous effects that aren’t that interesting or fun, the self-targeted point-blank Fireball is a disaster – I don’t see a point in playing this subclass, and I won’t play this subclass, while there’s a 2% chance of TPKing my party in lower levels. It sucks to have no way to prevent it before level 14!

Feature Comments

Wild Magic Surge: Dissatisfied.

This is better now that it doesn’t require the DM’s permission. I wish that the Wild Magic Surge table had been updated though; many effects aren’t that interesting, and the point-blank Fireball is still a wildly inappropriate effect in low levels.

Tides of Chaos: Satisfied.

This is better now that it doesn’t require the DM’s permission.

Bend Luck: Satisfied.

This is much better now with the reduced cost. Thanks!

Wild Bombardment: Satisfied.

I wish this could be used more often, but it’s definitely more fun and/or thematic than the PHB version of this feature. With the current Wild Magic Surge table, there are only 10 effects that can be selected, but that may be okay to keep the game from getting bogged down.

Warlock

Base Class

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I really like how customizable this Warlock is, and all four subclasses offered are iconic and interesting. I like the return to Pact Magic for casting spells, and the updates to it here are positive changes. Moving the Pact Boons into the Eldritch Invocations is interesting, and I want to like it, but I suspect that certain combinations are going to be so good that they overshadow other options.

I like Contact Patron moving to level 9. Keep it there.

I liked being able to select which attribute was used for spellcasting in the previous UA version, so going back to Charisma-only casting is disappointing.

I also noticed that the multiclassing sidebar cited Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as the Warlock’s primary abilities, even though the main text says that it’s just Charisma again. (You should probably fix that?)

What I don’t like here is reverting Eldritch Blast so that it scales with the ambigous “level” instead of “Warlock level”, which invites disagreements when multiclassing is in play. A character with one level of Warlock and 19 levels of something else should NOT be able to EB as well as an all-in level 20 Warlock.

I also don’t like reverting Hex; it basically makes it a better version of a Weapon Mastery effect. Combined with Pact of the Blade and Thirsting Blade, this is too much of a “must-have” spell – the kind of must-have that we were told the 2024 version would be trying to eliminate.

Feature Comments

Magical Cunning: Satisfied.

I don’t like “it only works if you’re all out” mechanics, but this is otherwise okay. Warlocks need SOME way to be able to cast spells more often.

Eldritch Invocation Options:

The customizability of Agonizing Blast and Eldritch Spear is cool, and I like being able to change it from time to time.

The updated Fiendish Vigor is nice, but fails to specify at what level False Life is cast at – which is important since that determines the maximum temporary hit points that are granted!

I like that Gaze of Two Minds can now work with non-humanoid creatures; reining in the ability to cast from the other creature’s space feels like a fair compromise.

I like Lifedrinker’s flexibility on damage types, but even though it can now restore more HP that the UA5 version could, I really liked how thematic the 1:1 exchange rate of damage to healing was. Spending your own hit dice in mid-combat also isn’t nearly as much fun as DRINKING THE HIT POINTS FROM YOUR FOES. Like, not even close.

Thirsting Blade needs to be nerfed. A Warlock doesn’t need more attacks than Barbarians and Monks get. I’d almost say it should be removed entirely!

I like the updates to One with Shadows, Otherworldly Leap, Master of Myriad Forms, Visions of Distant Realms, and Whispers of the Grave, and the updated Pacts are all good as presented here.

A few options removed language from UA5 about not needing material components (Armor of Shadows, Ascendant Step, Misty Visions) which seems like an important enough change to have gotten mentioned in the design notes.

I rated the options as:

• Agonizing Blast: Satisfied.
• Eldritch Spear: Satisfied.
• Fiendish Vigor: Satisfied.
• Gaze of Two Minds: Satisfied.
• Lifedrinker: Dissatisfied.
• One with Shadows:
• Pact of the Blade:
• Pact of the Chain:
• Pact of the Tome:
• Thirsting Blade: Very dissatisfied.

Archfey Patron

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This subclass wasn’t all that interesting to me in its original version, but this updated version makes a lot of thematic sense and seems pretty fun. I’m definitely interested in trying it out!

Feature Comments

Patron Spells: Satisfied.

The spell list is good and thematic, and adding Misty Step to it is proper. Having the spell list aligned to the Warlock level is also easier to parse, so thanks for that!

Steps of the Fey: Very satisfied.

This seems useful and fun to me. I’m in favor of more mobility in combat, and extra hit points are always nice too. I also like that this scales with the Charisma modifier, which seems very appropriate.

Misty Escape: Very satisfied.

I like that this builds on the Steps of the Fey mechanics and provides additional options. Dreadful Step is especially cool.

Beguiling Defenses: Very satisfied.

This seems more useful in more situations than the PHB version. I like it!

Bewitching Magic: Satisfied.

This maybe isn’t as creative as trapping a foe in the illusion of being lost in a misty realm, but it seems a lot more practical, and it encourages both casting and repositioning.

Celestial Patron

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This subclass was pretty solid to begin with, and the changes here, while minor, are all positive. I’d say just keep it like this.

Feature Comments

Patron Spells: Satisfied.

As with the Archfey, I appreciate that the spells granted are always prepared.

Celestial Radiance: Satisfied.

I like that this can now be activated using Magical Cunning in addition to finishing a Short Rest or Long Rest. Keep this version please! It looks like the name was changed at some point? My PDF of UA7 calls it “Celestial Resilience” which might be an easier name to understand.

Great Old One Patron

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This subclass seems like it has a lot of overlap with the Aberrant Sorcery Sorcerer. These subclasses share roughly half of their bonus spells (the GOO Warlock’s Pact Spells and Aberrant Sorcerer’s Psionic Spells). Further, the GOO’s Awakened Mind is identical to the Aberrant’s Telepathic Speech, and the GOO’s Psychic Spells is very similar to the Aberrant’s Psionic Sorcery. I think these are both fine, but I maybe wouldn’t want to have both subclasses in the same campaign, as it sure looks like they were copying each other’s school work. I do see the distinction though – C’thulu gave the GOO Warlock psychic powers, while the Aberrant Mind Sorcerer just is psychic.

On a related note, it feels like Intelligence would be an appropriate primary attribute for this subclass instead of Charisma.

Since it’s not called out in the survey otherwise, I do want to give a thumbs-up of approval to Psychic Spells.

Feature Comments

Patron Spells: Very satisfied.

This is a solid, thematic lineup of spells.

Awakened Mind: Satisfied.

I’m not sure I love the requirement that both parties must share a language – that’s a departure from the way telepathic communication has worked historically. Otherwise this is cool; I like that it’s a two-way connection.

Clairvoyant Combatant: Satisfied.

Weaponize your psychic connection? Cool. I like that it’s also rechargeable.

Eldritch Hex: Satisfied.

A nice little bonus buff for Hex. It could be pretty mean to do on a DM’s pet boss monster though.

Create Thrall: Satisfied.

I like the updated mechanics, but making it summon something instead of bending an already-present creature to your will is a pretty big flavor change that doesn’t seem aligned with the name – you’re not creating anything with this version! I’d be fine keeping this version as long as the name got changed to something more appropriate.

Wizard

Base Class

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I’m VERY glad to see Modify Spell and Create Spell removed. As a DM, I am now breathing a huge sigh of relief.

I’m not 100% sure I like replacing a cantrip after a Long Rest, but I guess I can accept it.

I didn’t mind other classes sharing the Arcane spell list in previous UAs. Were Wizard players really so insecure about needing the biggest spell list in the game?

Feature Comments

Scholar: Satisfied.

I liked Academic, but this seems all right for the most part. I’m a little iffy about classes outside of the “Expert Group” getting Expertise though!

Memorize Spell: Dissatisfied.

I prefer this as a feature instead of a spell, but despite the text saying that you “expend mental and magical effort” its only mechanical cost is now time. So what magical effort was expended? There should be some kind of cost here besides just flipping through your spellbook for a minute.

Spell Mastery: Very satisfied.

This needed to be nerfed to avoid free casting of Bonus Action and Reaction spells. This is a good change, please keep it!

Abjurer

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

The changes to this subclass aren’t flashy, but they’re a nice refinement.

I like this newer naming scheme for the Wizard subclasses too. It’s more concise and approachable.

Feature Comments

Abjuration Savant: Very satisfied.

This is a nice way to unlock and try out more spells, which seems more fun.

Arcane Ward: Satisfied.

I appreciate the clarifications that this feature only works when a spell slot is used to cast a spell, and being able to recharge the ward using a Bonus Action and a spell slot, without casting a spell, seems like it will come in handy during combat.

Spell Breaker: Satisfied.

This seems very handy.

Diviner

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This started in a good place, and ended up in a slightly better place. Ship it.

Feature Comments

Divination Savant: Very satisfied.

This is a nice way to unlock and try out more spells, which seems more fun.

The Third Eye: Very satisfied.

I like all the tune-ups here, and it also eliminates a weird loophole. Let’s keep this version!

Illusionist

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I like all the tune-ups here, and I appreciate the clarification of Illusory Reality, which should now cause fewer arguments at gaming tables about the meaning of “directly harm”. Ship it!

Feature Comments

Illusion Savant: Very satisfied.

This is a nice way to unlock and try out more spells, which seems more fun.

Malleable Illusions: Satisfied.

I like this new version that uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Nice!

Illusory Self: Satisfied.

I can see the increased flexibility coming in handy in a pinch since you should be able to burn the spell slot in the exact moment that you need to automagically avoid taking a bad hit. Cool.

Spells

Counterspell: Very satisfied.

This seems all-around more fun. I like the tightening of the rules about when it can be used. I like it moving the burden of success to the targeted caster to make it more distinct from Dispel Magic. I think the move to a Constitution save against the counterspeller’s spell casting DC is likely to speed up gameplay slightly. And I really, really like it not wasting the target’s spell slot when a spell is successfully countered – this lets everybody – players and DMs – have another chance at casting something big and fun.

Jump: Very satisfied.

I like making this a Bonus Action to cast. I appreciate that the target creature now has to consent. I also appreciate the explicit clarification of how it works, to avoid having to go look up the jumping rules. And I like that it can be upcast to target additional creatures, therefore becoming compatible with Twinned Spell. This is a solid set of changes, and I hope to see more like it in a future update.

Sorcerous Burst: Satisfied.

I like the increased die size, but I’m iffy on this version because it reduces the chance for the “exploding dice” effect… though it could be more exciting when it happens? This update makes me feel like I’d always want to use Empowered Spell to get a better shot at triggering the exploding effect. I’m voting “Satisfied” here optimistically.

Weapons

Heavy: Dissatisfied.

The new version is more inclusive (and aligned with the background and species revisions from earlier in the play test process), but it will lead to some absolutely comedic visuals. D&D handwaves away problems with magic weapons and armor not being the right size for a character by just saying that these magic items become the right size for their user. But no such accommodation is available for mundane weapons, so bring on the halberd-wielding fairies!

Additional Comments

Inter-class balance is getting better, but isn’t quite there yet. Warlocks seem a little TOO good relative to Fighters and Barbarians. Wizards are always going to be great, and they have the advantage of having started out in a much better place than many other classes did, but at least their worst UA5 offenses were removed. I would like to see Fighter get more love – maybe it should get its third Extra Attack at level 17, and a more exciting capstone at 20. It also stinks that a Warlock will end up with more attacks than a Barbarian, and that the silly one-level Warlock dip is viable again. It should be possible to capture a player’s desired character fantasy with the combination of class, subclass, and feats without having to allow multiclassing and all the weird combinations and imbalances and accommodations it leads to.

As always, thanks for all your hard work and for giving us a voice in the future of the game. I’m still feeling optimistic about the process, and I’m looking forward to the 2024 release!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Spells

Class Tags are now applied to every spell to indicate which classes can use a particular spell. I feel like this is something that folks had been asking for for some time. I am hopeful that this will mean less flipping back and forth between spell lists and spell descriptions when the new book lands.

Spell Lists are now set for each class. The Arcane, Divine, and Primal lists are gone.

Arcane Eruption (Sorcerer) now has its targets make a Dexterity saving throw rather than Constitution. A Dexterity save makes more sense for an AoE effect, I think, but I’d still prefer this as a level 3 spell since it’s less damage versus Fireball, and over a smaller area.

Counterspell (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) has a couple of interesting changes. The subtle one is that it now triggers when you see a creature casting a spell with Verbal, Somatic, or Material components, not just “casting a spell”. That means it might not be able to counter magic items, a Sorcerer using Subtle Spell, or a monster that might be specially written to cast certain spells without any components. The big change is that instead of the Counterspell user making a spellcasting ability check based on the level of the spell being countered, Counterspell now makes the caster who’s being countered make a Constitution saving throw against the countering caster’s spell save DC, causing the spell to “dissipate” on a failed save. While a failed save means the countered caster is still out the Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction they used to cast it, they don’t actually lose the spell slot they were using in the attempt.

I think these changes will probably make it more fun, as the PHB Counterspell is notorious for neutralizing joy at the table. First, the slight tightening of the rules about when Counterspell can be used should reduce arguments at the table about slightly-atypical ways of casting. Second, moving the burden of Counterspell’s success to the targeted caster helps give Counterspell its own identity, distinct from Dispel Magic. Under this new setup, Dispel Magic targets a spell that’s been cast, and Counterspell targets the magic user who’s trying to cast a spell. Moving to the Con save is also a speedier mechanic as the DC is better established up front instead of having to be determined at the time of casting. Finally, not wasting the spell slot when your spell gets countered just feels better to whoever was playing, whether it was a party member who was trying to have a moment in the spotlight with a big spell or a BBEG that the DM really wanted to be a fun and exciting challenge for their players. (Remember, the DM is a player too!)

Eldritch Blast (Sorcerer) reverts to the 2014 PHB version, where its damage scales somewhat ambiguously with “level” rather than “Warlock level” as it did in UA5. I think this is backward and a mistake. This change invites disagreements when multiclassing is in play – if you’ve got 1 level of Warlock and 19 levels of something else, do you really deserve to be as strong with a Warlock’s most iconic spell as a character that committed to the class and reached level 20? I certainly don’t think so. I am pretty tired of multiclass wankery, and I’d really hoped the UA5 version would stick. I look forward to filing my grievances in the survey feedback.

Hex (Warlock) also reverts to the PHB version, which means goes back to providing bonus damage on every hit instead of just once in a turn. This is basically a better version of a Weapon Mastery effect, since besides taking extra damage, the cursed target also gets Disadvantage on an ability checks, and for level 10+ Great Old One Warlocks, the Hexed target also gets Disadvantage on saving throws. By contrast, a Weapon Mastery effect might only do one of these things. This version also pairs well with the extra attacks conferred by the Thirsting Blade Eldritch Invocation option. I guess it’s cool if you’re playing the right flavor of Warlock, but it could be perceived as too-attractive and a “must have” option, which the WotC team said they were trying to reduce or eliminate in this new revision.

Jump (Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) gets several changes. It now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action, freeing up an Action to do something else (and thus making the caster’s turn more interesting). The target creature must be willing. The target now only gets one magic-enhanced jump per turn, and the magic-enhanced jumps let them go up to 30 feet for the cost of only 10 feet of movement – this is better controlled and the explicit clarification here means it’s much faster to use as it prevents having to go look up the jumping rules. Finally, it can be upcast to target additional creatures – and therefore it becomes compatible with the Sorcerer’s Twinned Spell metamagic. This is a solid set of changes, and I hope to see more like it in a future update.

Sorcerous Burst (Sorcerer) now uses the d8 instead of the d6 – both for causing damage and determining if the dice will “explode” (causing another roll for more damage) or not. This means the damage possible increases (and the average non-exploding damage improves too), but the chances that the dice “explode” are reduced. Maybe it was too “explodey” in playtests? Maybe the 1d6 base damage wasn’t exciting? I still think this could be fun, but this version definitely makes me want to pair it with the Empowered Spell metamagic to improve the chances of a spectacular result.

Feats

Not much to say here – the Ability Score Improvement feat is unchanged from UA6, where taking an ASI at level 19+ now lets the ability score max at 22 instead of 20. Cool.

Weapons & Weapon Mastery

For the first time in the playtest process, the Heavy property has been redesigned. A melee weapon that’s Heavy now requires a minimum 13 Strength, and a Heavy ranged weapon requires a minimum 13 Dexterity; without meeting or exceeding the appropriate ability score, you’ll have Disadvantage on attack rolls with that weapon. In the PHB version, you simply had Disadvantage on Heavy weapons if you were playing a Small or Tiny creature. I think the old rule made sense, that the new rule is more inclusive (and aligned with the background and species revisions from earlier in the play test process), and that the new rule may lead to some absolutely comedic visuals. D&D handwaves away problems with magic weapons and armor not being the right size for a character by just saying that these magic items become the right size for their user. But no such accommodation is available for mundane weapons, so bring on the halberd-wielding fairies!

The Flex Mastery Property is gone. It clearly did not test well. I thought it was all right, but perhaps too subtle for most tables. This means that the Quarterstaff now gets Topple, the Longsword and War Pick get Sap, and the Warhammer gets Push.

The other Weapon Mastery properties (Cleave, Flex, Graze, Nick, Push, Sap, Slow, Topple, and Vex) remain unchanged since the last UA.

I still think it’s weird that Greatswords don’t get Cleave, but whatever.

Rules Glossary

The Death Saving Throws entry has been removed, which I believe means we now fully revert to the PHB rules around what happens when you get knocked down to zero hit points, including the idea of stabilizing a creature and being “stable at zero hit points”. I’m not entirely sure why this keeps getting so much redesign, as it was definitely simpler to run and totally fine several revisions ago. It may also be that we’re just getting more A/B testing and the end result will still end up being some kind of change.

The remainder of the Rules Glossary is unchanged.

Hot Takes

Boy, am I glad to be done reading this update. At 54 pages in length, UA7 is 23 pages shorter than UA6, but it was quite dense. Even though it included 20 subclasses, UA7 was only four pages longer than UA5 (which had five classes, each with just one subclass)!

Inter-class balance is getting better, but isn’t quite there yet. Warlocks seem a little too good relative to Fighters and Barbarians. Wizards are always going to be great, and they have the advantage of having started out in a much better place than many other classes did, but at least their worst UA5 offenses were removed. I would like to see Fighter get more love – maybe it should get its third Extra Attack at level 17, and a more exciting capstone at 20. It also stinks that a Warlock will end up with more attacks than a Barbarian, and that the one-level Warlock dip is viable again. It should be possible to capture a player’s desired character fantasy with the combination of class, subclass, and feats without having to allow multiclassing and all the weird combinations and imbalances and accommodations it leads to.

If you’re reading this series, you probably have thoughts and opinions about what’s working and what’s not – as always, I urge you to fill out the playtest survey so that WotC can hear from you. They’re clearly listening and responding to the survey feedback, even if the schedule means the feedback isn’t reflected immediately. The next iteration of D&D won’t be perfect, but I do think it stands a good chance of being even better than what we’ve been enjoying since 2014.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

I was pretty down about the Wizard in the last go-round due to the absolutely broken spell creation system. So how does the latest iteration fare?

Base Class

• Arcane Recovery (level 1, level 2 in UA5, level 1 in PHB) is back at its original level, giving you a leg up on spell recovery versus other spellcaster classes.
• Spellcasting (level 1) now lets you replace one cantrip after a Long Rest (in UA5 this was on level increases, and in the PHB you were just stuck with whatever you’d previously picked). As with other classes, the latest Wizard now uses a class-specific spell list. It folds in most of UA5’s Wizard’s Spellbook feature (minus the Scribe Spell spell, which was just silly), consolidating all the spellbook stuff in one place. Finally, the number of spells a Wizard may prepare has been boosted. I missed this in UA5, but the number of spells ready-to-cast is no longer based on your Intelligence modifier and level, but is instead a fixed progression. In UA5 this was capped at 22, which is below the 25 you’d expect from a level 20 Wizard who had maxed their Intelligence to 20 (giving a +5 bonus). In UA7, the limit is back to 25, regardless of whether or not you’ve maxed out your Int score.
• Scholar (level 2) displaces UA5’s Academic; it provides Expertise in one skill (of Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion) in which you already have proficiency. I kind of liked Academic, and I’m not sure how I feel about classes outside the Expert Group (RIP) having Expertise… but it’s probably fine, especially if you pick Arcana here.
• Subclass (level 3, level 3 in UA5, level 2 in PHB). If you’ve been following along so far, this shouldn’t be a surprise.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4) or a feat.
• Memorize Spell (level 5) is now a feature instead of a spell, which makes a lot more sense to me in general. It now lets you spend one minute to prepare a spell that you don’t already have prepared, and it stays prepared until you use this feature to prepare a different spell.
• Subclass Feature (level 6). Unchanged.
• Dead Level (level 7). Repeat after me: new spells are your class features. UA5’s Modify Spell has been removed – good riddance!
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8) or a feat.
• Dead Level (level 9). New spells are your class features. UA5’s Create Spell has been removed – good riddance!
• Subclass Feature (level 10). Unchanged.
• Dead Level (level 11). New spells are your class features.
• Ability Score Improvment (level 12) or a feat.
• Dead Level (level 13). New spells are your class features.
• Subclass Feature (level 14). Unchanged.
• Dead Level (level 15). New spells are your class features. This was Spell Mastery in UA5.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16) or a feat.
• Dead Level (level 17). New spells are your class features.
• Spell Mastery (level 18, level 15 in UA5, level 18 in PHB) returns to its original level. It is mostly unchanged, allowing free casting of some lower-level spells at their base level, but now restricts the spells chosen to those that require an Action to cast, as free casting of spells like Shield was too powerful. In exchange for this (deserved) nerf, you can now change one of the spells after a Long Rest rather than after eight hours of study. I’m +1 on the changes here.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19) or a feat.
• Signature Spells (level 20, level 18 in UA5, level 20 in PHB) is mechanically unchanged and merely returns to its original level.

Abjurer

• This subclass was FKA the School of Abjuration. The revised name is part of a pattern of naming the type of Wizard rather than the type or school of magic. I like it.
• Abjuration Savant (level 3, level 2 in PHB) loses the discount to money and time needed to copy an Abjuration spell, replacing it with getting two extra Abjuration spells added to your spellbook immediately and one extra when a level increase unlocks a new spell slot level. This will give you access to try out more spells, which seems a lot more fun.
• Arcane Ward (level 3, level 2 in PHB) is now activated and replenished when you cast an Abjuration spell using a spell slot. You can also replenish the ward using a spell slot and a Bonus Action without casting a spell.
• Projected Ward (level 6) is unchanged.
• Spell Breaker (level 10) replaces the PHB’s Improved Abjuration. Now you always have Dispel Magic prepared, can cast it as a Bonus Action (it’s normally an Action), and it’s boosted with your proficiency bonus. Nice!
• Spell Resistance (level 14) is unchanged.

Diviner

• This subclass was FKA the School of Divination. The revised name is part of a pattern of naming the type of Wizard rather than the type or school of magic. I like it.
• Divination Savant (level 3, level 2 in PHB) is basically the same as Abjuration Savant described above, but with Divination spells instead of Abjuration. Makes sense to me.
• Portent (level 3, level 2 in PHB) is unchanged beyond the level change.
• Expert Divination (level 6) is unchanged from the PHB.
• The Third Eye (level 10) is now activated with a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Its Darkvision option now goes to 120 feet (formerly 60 feet), and its See Invisibility option now uses the See Invisibility spell (thus subsuming the PHB’s Ethereal Sight option). And being Incapacitated no longer interrupts this feature (nice). Seems like a nice improvement, and it helps eliminate a weird invisibility loophole, so, sure, let’s keep this version!
• Greater Portent (level 14) is unchanged from the PHB version.

Evoker

• Evocation Savant (level 3, level 3 in UA5, level 2 in PHB) gets the same treatment as the Abjuration Savant and Divination Savant. Consistency!
• Potent Cantrip (level 3, level 6 in UA5, level 6 in PHB) is available sooner and now works with both failed spell attacks and successful saving throws by the target of your cantrip. This strikes me as the Wizard version of the Graze property from Weapon Mastery.
• Sculpt Spells (level 6, level 3 in UA5, level 2 in PHB) is mechanically unchanged; its level has been moved since lower level spells mostly don’t benefit from this feature. By moving it to level 6, you get one level of worrying about friendly fire from Fireball, which is probably going to make Evokers value this ability a little more.
• Empowered Evocation (level 10) is mechanically unchanged; it just goes back to using the Wizard spell list.
• Overchannel (level 14) has been clarified to indicate that it only maxes out the damage of your spell on the turn where you cast it, meaning longer-duration spells that cause damage wouldn’t keep doing maximum damage every turn. This is a subtle change not mentioned in the design notes, but very important.

Illusionist

• Formerly the School of Illusion. The revised name is part of a pattern of naming the type of Wizard rather than the type or school of magic. I like it.
• Illusion Savant (level 3, level 2 in PHB) gets the same treatment as the other subclasses’ Savant features. No surprise at this point, and seems good to me.
• Improved Minor Illusion (level 3, level 2 in PHB) is mechanically unchanged.
• Malleable Illusions (level 6) now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Nice.
• Illusory Self (level 10) can now be recharged in exchange for a level 2+ spell slot – without an Action! – as well as via Short Rests and Long Rests. The increased flexibility may come in handy in a pinch since you should be able to burn the spell slot in the exact moment that you need to automagically avoid taking a bad hit.
• Illusory Reality (level 14) gets a minor clarification that the temporarily real object created by this feature cannot deal damage or impose any conditions. Previously this was worded as “can’t deal damage or directly harm anyone”, which I’m sure led to hours of arguments at gaming tables about the meaning of “directly harm”.

Hot Takes

• Memorize Spell only costs time, despite the text saying that you “expend mental and magical effort” in the process of preparing an extra spell. Bullshit – if you’re expending something, where’s the resource pool that governs how much you can do this? Now, this update is probably fine, and it’s definitely more fun for the Wizard player, but it’s quite a change from spending a level 3 spell slot – forgoing a Fireball or Haste! – to just needing a minute to sit down and flip through your notes. Some kind of cost in addition to time seems justified.
• I’m pleased to see Modify Spell and Create Spell removed. They were straight-up broken and made me genuinely dread the idea of DMing with a Wizard in the party. I’m glad WotC listened to our feedback on this!
• I’m not exactly heartbroken about this, but… we were promised a Necromancer subclass a while back, and it hasn’t materialized here. I’m sure its omission isn’t without reason, but it does start making me more skeptical of any other promises about what might be in future playtest releases.
• The clarification to Illusory Reality is good, since it circumvents annoying arguments, but the prohibition on doing damage doesn’t make sense to me. What part of a “real” rock doesn’t hurt when it’s hurled against a target’s skull? What part of a “real” sword can’t stab a foe? Wouldn’t a “real” falling Acme anvil still smash that poor coyote?
• Abjurer seems nice if you’re into protection and defense. It’s not a splashy improvement, but it’s a nice refinement.
• Diviner gets positive, if somewhat modest changes. I’m guessing this was pretty highly rated in the big 2021 survey.
• Evoker is solid, and the adjustments seem very reasonable to me.
• Illusionist is fine. If you liked it before, you’ll like it a little more now. Again, the changes seem so minor that this has to have been well-rated in the 2021 survey.

Lukewarm Takes

So, yeah. This Wizard is pretty all right… You get:

• the biggest spell list in the game
• more total spells to cast
• more flexibility when you need something you didn’t plan on
• more freedom to cast in your Action with several subclass features becoming Bonus Actions
• some additional ways to recharge your subclass features
• extra smarts in your academic discipline

Not bad at all.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Wading once again into Controversial Playtest Topics, let’s see what’s up with the latest version of the Warlock…

Base Class

• Class Group has been removed from this, like the other classes.
• Primary Ability is back to Charisma, as it was in the PHB, where UA5 let players experiment with the choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
• The flavor text is tidied up, removing the language about gaining initial spells and boons from “bargains with lesser entities”, or as it had been termed, the “baby boon”. (Barf.)
• Armor Training is back to only providing Light Armor use as it did in the PHB. (UA5 allowed Medium Armor as well.)
• Multiclassing has been updated to remove Medium Armor training (consistency!) and to revamp the rules about how spell slots work if you have both Spellcasting (from another class) and Pact Magic (from this class). In brief: your Pact Magic spell slots can be used for Spellcasting spells, and your Spellcasting spell slots can be used for Warlock spells. Curiously, this sidebar still lists Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as the Warlock’s primary abilities, even though that was pared back to just Charisma on the previous page. This looks like another (frustrating) editing oversight.
• Eldritch Invocations (level 1, level 2 in UA5, level 2 in PHB). This framework arrives a level earlier than it did before, and now provides a maximum of 10 options (formerly 8 in the PHB and 9 in UA5). Cool. Also, the Pact Boons have been integrated into the list of available Invocations, which will allow you to pick more than one of them over the course of your career. More on list later…
• Pact Magic (level 1) is back, after being removed for the more typical Spellcasting in UA5. The flavor text has been updated to describe that you’ve made a bargain with something to get access to spellcasting, but its identity isn’t clear yet. Cantrips and leveled spells go back to being selected from the Warlock-specific spell list (this was the overall Arcane spell list in UA5); in addition to the Warlock spell list from the PHB, you can also choose Bane, Detect Magic, and Speak with Animals, plus any Warlock spells from Xanathar and Tasha. The progression of cantrips known, spells known (sorry, “prepared”), spell slots, and spell slot level remains identical to the PHB. One cantrip and one spell can now be replaced when gaining a Warlock level. Your spellcasting ability is back to Charisma again (after having a choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma in UA5).
• Magical Cunning (new, level 2) allows you, once per Long Rest, to spend a minute to regain half of your spell slots (rounded up) – but only if you’re all out. This, I think, is part of the promise of Warlocks being able to cast spells more often.
• Subclass (level 3). The identity of your otherworldly patron becomes clear! This has been a polarizing change in online discourse, but I really like it from a roleplaying standpoint – it’s very similar to a Paladin taking their oath at level 3.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4) or a feat. Remember those?
• Dead Level (level 5). Choose a new spell (up to level 3).
• Subclass Feature (level 6).
• Dead Level (level 7). Choose a new spell (up to level 4), and an Eldritch Invocation.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8) or a feat.
• Contact Patron (level 9, level 11 in UA5) just moves to level 9 and is otherwise unchanged. Nice.
• Subclass Feature (level 10).
• Mystic Arcanum (level 11, optionally level 5 in UA5) has been extracted from the UA5 Eldritch Invocation options. You’ll get the same progression of extra spells as you did in the PHB, starting with a level 6 spell here, but now you’ll be able to replace one of these when gaining a Warlock level.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12) or a feat.
• Mystic Arcanum (level 13). Pick a level 7 spell.
• Subclass Feature (level 14).
• Mystic Arcanum (level 15). Pick a level 8 spell.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16) or a feat.
• Mystic Arcanum (level 17). Pick a level 9 spell.
• Dead Level (level 18). You get to pick an Eldritch Invocation though, so that helps.
• Hex Master (level 18 in UA5) has been removed.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19) or a feat.
• Eldritch Master (level 20) is back, reflavored to enhance Magical Cunning, but still having the same net effect of restoring all your spell slots once per Long Rest.

Eldritch Invocation Options

The design notes on changes take up nearly three-quarters of a page in the PDF, so, uh, buckle up I guess?

• Agonizing Blast now lets you choose which cantrip it enhances – so it’s not just for Eldritch Blast any more. The selected cantrip can be changed when leveling up. Customization is cool.
• Armor of Shadows says you don’t have to use a spell slot, but removes language in UA5 and the PHB about not needing material components. This is subtle but potentially important, and it’s not even mentioned in the design notes which are supposed to call out all the changes.
• Ascendant Step has its Warlock level prerequisite reduced from 9 to 5, but also removed the “without material components” language that was in UA5 and the PHB. Weird!
• Beast Speech has been removed since Speak with Animals was added to the Warlock spell list (and is available for ritual casting).
• Devil’s Sight now works in Dim Light in addition to Darkness. Makes sense to me!
• Eldritch Mind has been imported from Tasha.
• Eldritch Sight has been removed since Detect Magic was added to the Warlock spell list (and is available for ritual casting).
• Eldritch Smite has been imported from Xanathar. I hadn’t ever really looked at this before, but wow! At level 9 it’s adding 6d8 damage, which is like delivering a personal Fireball when you hit a foe with your pact weapon.
• Eldritch Spear, like Agonizing Blast, is no longer locked to Eldritch Blast, and the cantrip it enhances can be changed when gaining a level. More customizable is more cool.
• Eyes of the Rune Keeper has been removed, since Comprehend Languages is already on the Warlock spell list (and is available for ritual casting).
• Favor of the Chain Master has been removed.
• Fiendish Vigor now gives you the maximum number of temporary hit points when using it to cast False Life, instead of having to roll a die… But it doesn’t say at what level it gets cast, which matters since the maximum scales based on the spell level! This is a nice improvement, but the lack of specificity is sloppy and frustrating.
• Gaze of Two Minds now works with any willing creature (formely just humanoids). Very nice. It does rein in the ability to cast spells from the other creature’s space, though, now requiring that you and the other creature must be within 60 feet of one another. And it requires you to have at least 5 levels of Warlock. Still, this is nice, since it’d let you use it with a summoned familiar.
• Gift of the Depths has been imported from Xanathar.
• Gift of the Protectors carries over unchanged since its introduction in UA5. I still like it.
• Hexer has been removed after having been introduced in UA5.
• Investment of the Chain Master has been imported from Tasha, and replaces UA5’s Favor of the Chain Master. This change means that your familiar gets five features added to it instead of just one that was specific to the form of your familiar. This is probably a good trade. (So what do we think the Chain Master invests in? Stocks? Bonds? Real estate? Startups?)
• Lessons of the First Ones, introduced in UA5, now requires two levels of Warlock, but can be chosen more than once.
• Lifedrinker keeps the level 9 prerequisite, and now lets you select from doing Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage. Its healing is now tied to spending a Hit Die instead of to the damage done. See below for certified Hot Takes™ on these changes…
• Mask of Many Faces is unchanged.
• Master of Myriad Forms moves from a level 15 prerequisite to level 5. Nice!
• Misty Visions now requires the use of material components.
• One with Shadows is now implemented as being able to cast Invisibility without using a spell slot if you’re in sufficiently spooky lighting conditions. This means you can stay invisible while you move or otherwise participate in the action economy. Where this was formerly a clarification in UA5, this is now a nice improvement. Thanks!
• Otherworldly Leap drops its prerequisite from being a level 9 Warlock to level 2. Nice, if you like to jump magically.
• Pact of the Blade is now an Eldritch Invocation instead of a Pact Boon that grants a cantrip. It has no prereq, so you can still take it at level 1 if you like. Bonding with an existing magical weapon is still short (where in the PHB it required one hour). The weapon you conjure or touch to bond with can now have the Heavy property. It explicitly uses your Charisma modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity (where in UA5 it used whatever your spellcasting modifier was – but that flexibility was removed, so here we are). New here is that you can choose to deal Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage (or even the normal damage type) with your bonded weapon. Removed here is UA5’s property that made a thrown weapon return to your hand – sorry, Thor fans.
• Pact of the Chain is now an Eldritch Invocation that can’t be taken until level 2 (formerly this was available at level 1). This returns mostly to the PHB version, where you cast Find Familiar (instead of the new Pact Familiar spell from UA5). UA7 adds the skeleton and slaad tadpole forms to the list of bonus/special forms you can choose for your familiar. The biggest mechanical change from the PHB is that it’s now cast as an Action without using a spell slot instead of a ritual. Rolling back to using Find Familiar means that you lose UA5’s unlimited range for telepathic contact, are deaf and blind again within your own body while perceiving through your familiar’s senses, and lose the ability to speak through the familiar in your own voice. On the other hand, you can once again cast touch-ranged spells via your familiar, which you couldn’t in UA5.
• Pact of the Tome is now an Eldritch Invocation instead of a Pact Boon that grants a spell. The new version lets you have two level 1 spells from any class’s spell list (since the Arcane, Divine, and Primal lists are gone), where the PHB version gave you three cantrips. The new version also provides an extra level 1 spell slot that can only be recovered with a Long Rest. (Nice! More casting is more fun.) As with the UA5 version, the book that you conjure can be used as a Spellcasting Focus. One last note here is that you lose the upgrade from UA5 that did extra cantrip damage based on your spellcasting ability bonus for any cantrips that didn’t already do this. I think last is due to this feature being moved to the Eldritch Invocations umbrella, where you’d be able to take this later in your level progression than when the upgrade would kick in. This is probably fine.
• Repelling Blast is unchanged from UA5, where it restricted the effect to creatures that are Large or smaller.
• Thirsting Blade returns from the PHB, offering an Extra Attack at level 5+, with an upgrade at level 11 that matches the Fighter’s level 11 Two Extra Attacks feature, and putting the Warlock above the number of attacks allowed to a Barbarian. This is a little much if you ask me – if you’re not a martial character class, you shouldn’t get more attacks than martial character classes do.
• Visions of Distant Realms drops its prerequisite from level 15 to level 9.
• Whispers of the Grave drops its prerequisite from level 9 to level 7.
• Witch Sight is unchanged from UA5. Good.

Phew! That was a lot. This is a good time to take a stretch break, and maybe have some water. (How long has it been since you drank a glass of water? Go. I’ll be here when you’re back.)

Okay, all good? Now time for subclasses…

Archfey Patron

The PHB’s Archfey Patron subclass arrives with some tune-ups:

• Patron Spells (level 3) replaces PHB level 1’s Expanded Spell List. It now adds its spells as always prepared (nice), and adds Misty Step to the already very thematic list. The table that shows when these spells are available to you is now aligned to your Warlock level rather than the spell level, which is definitely easier to parse.
• Steps of the Fey (level 3) replaces Fey Presence. This new feature lets you cast Misty Step without using a spell slot, with uses based on your Charisma modifier, and recharging fully on a Long Rest. And whenever you cast Misty Step (with or without a spell slot) you can give a nearby creature temporary hit points or cause creatures near your starting location to have Disadvantage on attack rolls against targets that aren’t you. I’m in favor of more mobility in 5E combat, and extra HP are always nice, so this seems useful and fun to me.
• Misty Escape (level 6) keeps the take-damage-use-Reaction-to-Misty-Step mechanic, but instead of automatically turning you Invisible, brief invisibility is now added as an option for Steps of the Fey, as well as another effect that can cause psychic damage to creatures near the space you left or the space you arrive in. The invisibility change is admittedly a nerf, but it seems fine to me to have to pick one effect rather than doubling them up. Decisions, after all, are a big component of what makes this game interesting.
• Beguiling Defenses (level 10) maintains immunity to being Charmed from the PHB, but instead of reversing the charm on its originator, you can now use your Reaction to reduce damage from a hit caused by an attack roll as well as repaying the perpetrator with an equal measure of Psychic damage. This is typically available once per Long Rest, but you can use it again by spending a spell slot. I can dig this – it seems much more commonly useful than it did in the PHB version.
• Bewitching Magic (level 14) replaces the PHB’s Dark Delirium feature. Now you can cast Misty Step for free whenever you cast an Enchantment or Illusion spell using a spell slot and an Action (which in turn lets you use the options from Steps of the Fey and Misty Escape). This maybe isn’t as creative as trapping a foe in the illusion of being lost in a misty realm, but it seems a lot more practical, and it encourages both casting and repositioning.

Celestial Patron

The Celestial Patron from Xanathar joins the ranks of core Warlock subclasses with light modifications:

• Patron Spells (level 3) replaces Expanded Spell List and Bonus Cantrips from level 1 in Xanathar. Like the Archfey’s spells, those that it grants are always prepared (nice). The spells offered haven’t changed.
• Healling Light (level 3, level 1 in Xanathar) is mechanically unchanged.
• Radiant Soul (level 6) is mechanically unchanged.
• Celestial Resilience (level 10) can now be activated by using Magical Cunning in addition to finishing a Short Rest or Long Rest as it was previously. It’s otherwise unchanged.
• Searing Violence (level 14) is mechanically unchanged.

Fiend Patron

This is our second round with the Fiend Patron subclass in this series. The UA5 version made me somewhat more interested in playing one at some point – let’s see if I still feel the same way now.

• Patron Spells (level 3) replaces Expanded Spell List from level 1 in the PHB. As with other subclasses, the spells granted are always prepared. It looks like the spell list has changed slightly; the new list is: Burning Hands, Command, Scorching Ray, Suggestion (replaces Blindness/Deafness from PHB), Fireball (replaces Fear from UA5/goes back to PHB), Stinking Cloud, Fire Shield (replaces Blight from UA5/goes back to PHB), Wall of Fire, Geas (replaces Flame Strike from UA5 and PHB), and Insect Plague (replaces Hallow from PHB). This feature also loses UA5’s once per Long Rest free casting of one of these spells.
• Dark One’s Blessing (level 3) has been upgraded to activate when someone takes down a foe within 10 feet of you (as opposed to 5 feet in UA5 and not having this mechanic in the PHB). I liked it before, and I like it more now!
• Dark One’s Own Luck can still be used several times per Long Rest (based on your spellcasting ability modifier), but clarifies that it can only be used once per roll. This is probably a good idea, and it’s consistent with similar feats and features in other classes.
• Fiendish Resilience (level 10) is unchanged from the UA5 version. Good, I’m glad to see this change sticking around.
• Hurl Through Hell (level 14) now requires its target to fail a Charisma saving throw in order to be sent on this bogus journey. The damage has been reduced to 8d10 here from 10d10 in UA5, and while it’s experiencing this bad trip, your target is Incapacitated. This feature now requires a level 5 spell slot to recharge early, because by level 14 that’s the only level of spell slot a Warlock has. And like the UA5 version, this can only be used once per turn. This is all in line with the “Deep Dive” preview discussion, so isn’t a big surprise.

Great Old One Patron

Rounding out the proposed core subclasses for 2024 is an update to the 2014 Great Old One…

• Patron Spells (level 3) replaces Expanded Spell List from level 1 in the PHB. As with other subclasses, the spells granted are always prepared. It looks like the spell list has changed slightly; the new list is: Detect Thoughts, Dissonant Whispers, Phantasmal Force, Tasha’a Hideous Laughter, Clairvoyance, Hunger of Hadar (replaces Sending), Confusion (replaces Dominate Beast), Evard’s Black Tentacles, Modify Memory (replaces Dominate Person), and Telekinesis.
• Awakened Mind (level 3) lets you form a two-way telepathic connection to another creature as a Bonus Action, instead of just speaking one-way to the target. The new feature sets some limits on distance and duration, but the other most interesting change is that the new version requires you to speak mentally in a language known by the target, where in the PHB version the target simply had to understand at least one language, even if the two of you don’t share a language.
• Psychic Spells (new, level 3) lets you change the damage type of a Warlock spell to Psychic. It also lets you cast Enchantment and Illusion spells without any verbal or somatic components.
• Clairvoyant Combatant (level 6) is similar to but replaces Entropic Ward from the PHB. It now builds on Awakened Mind, leveraging the psychic link to attempt to impose Disadvantage on the target’s attacks against you and Advantage on your attacks against the target. It can also be recharged by spending a level 2+ spell slot. Cool; in general I like features that build on other features.
• Thought Shield (level 10) is unchanged from the PHB, and seems pretty cool if you know you’ll be going up against things that do Psychic damage.
• Eldritch Hex (new, level 10) makes Hex permanently prepared, and buffs it by giving the target Disadvantage on saving throws in addition to ability checks using the ability you selected. Cool (if a little mean).
• Create Thrall (level 14) has been completely redesigned. It now makes the Summon Aberration spell permanently available, optionally without needing Concentration – though limiting the duration from one hour to one minute if you choose to do this. The summoned creature has some additional temporary hit points based on your Warlock level and Charisma modifier. And once per turn when the summoned creature hits a target you’ve Hexed, it does extra Psychic damage equal to Hex’s bonus damage. This is an interesting flavor change, but seems more direct and practical for combat than merely charming a target.

Hot Takes

• Magical Cunning made me knee-jerk jealous as a Sorcerer player, since it’s restoring leveled spell slots. But then I looked at the spell slot progressions of these classes side-by-side, and, yeah, I think I’m okay after all. A level 20 Sorcerer will have 22 spell slots, where a level 20 Warlock will have four. I think letting Warlocks have eight spell slots (when this combines with Eldritch Master) is probably fine.
• Lifedrinker… I like the increased flexibility on the damage types, and even though a single use of the new version can restore more hit points than the UA5 version could, I really liked how thematic the 1:1 exchange rate of damage to healing was. Spending your own hit dice in mid-combat also isn’t nearly as much fun as DRINKING THE HIT POINTS FROM YOUR FOES. Like, not even close.
• Thirsting Blade needs to be nerfed. A Warlock has so much other cool stuff it can do; it doesn’t need to have more attacks than a Barbarian, and it certainly doesn’t need more attacks than a Monk. I might even say it should be removed again, since there are plenty of other perfectly good Eldritch Invocation options to select from, like doubling up on the Pacts.
• The Archfey Patron seems like the way to go for some thematic extra spells and Misty Step shenanigans. I’m definitely more interested in it now than I was in the past.
• Celestial and Fiend seem like fun counterpoints to one another; I’m glad to see both in the core rules.
• The Great Old One Patron seems like it has a lot of overlap with the Aberrant Sorcery Sorcerer. These subclasses share roughly half of their bonus spells (the GOO Warlock’s Pact Spells and Aberrant Sorcerer’s Psionic Spells). Further, the GOO’s Awakened Mind is identical to the Aberrant’s Telepathic Speech, and the GOO’s Psychic Spells is very similar to the Aberrant’s Psionic Sorcery. I think these are both fine, but I maybe wouldn’t want to have both subclasses in the same campaign, as it sure looks like they were copying each other’s school work. I do see the distinction though – C’thulu gave the GOO Warlock psychic powers, while the Aberrant Mind Sorcerer just is psychic.

Lukewarm Takes

Aside from a few tweaks that I’d like to see, this latest Warlock seems really good, offering fun new features, upgrades to existing features, and tons of ways to customize it and explore different configurations. The subclass selection here is excellent, with four solid and iconic archetypes, all of which are obvious “yes, of course” decisions for inclusion. I think I’d have fun with any of them.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

I was feeling optimistic about the Sorcerer in Playtest 5, so I wonder if that will change this time around.

Base Class

• The UA5 notion of Class Group has been removed. RIP.
• All of the basic character creation and starting equipment is unchanged from UA5.
• Multiclassing rules are unchanged from UA5.
• Innate Sorcery (level 1) has been redesigned as a sort of “Arcane Rage” that’s activated by a Bonus Action (like Rage), which buffs your spell save DC, and which grants Advantage on Sorcerer spell attack rolls. This state lasts for one minute and can be used twice per Long Rest.
• Spellcasting (level 1) goes back to a Sorcerer-specific spell list (pour one out for the Arcane spell list) from the 2014 PHB, plus whatever was in Xanathar and Tasha, and now also adds Sorcerous Burst (cantrip) and Arcane Eruption (level 4 spell). It’s unclear what the final core PHB spell list will be for 2024. It’s otherwise unchanged from UA5, which means it thankfully keeps the big increase in known spells from UA5 (now topping out at 22 instead of 15).
• Font of Magic (level 2) now lets you convert Spell Slots to Sorcery Points without any action economy cost. (In UA5, it was a Bonus Action.) Creating Spell Slots still requires a Bonus Action, though.
• Metamagic (level 2, level 2 in UA5, level 3 in PHB) now only starts with two metamagics (was three in UA5) and you can only change metamagics at level ups (was Long Rests in UA5, not at all in the PHB, and only on ASI level in Tasha). You’ll eventually max out at six metamagics (the same as UA5, and two more than in the PHB).
• Subclass (level 3, level 3 in UA5, level 1 in PHB) is unchanged from UA5 (except obviously there are more choices now).
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4) or, y’know, a feat. I hear those are cool.
• Sorcerous Restoration (level 5, level 15 in UA5, level 20 in PHB) evicts UA5’s Sorcerous Vitality, and updates the mechanic from restoring a fixed number of Sorcery Points whether you’ve got any left or not to only restoring Sorcery Points if you’re all out. The number of points restored is equal to your Sorcerer level divided by five, rounded down, which means you have to reach level 20 to restore the same number of points that UA5 did at level 15. But you get to do this whenever you roll Initiative or finish a Short Rest (hey, look, reasons to take a Short Rest!) So. Dang. What a mixed bag this is… On one hand, it’s good to get some refresh earlier, but this is another feature that’s been moved to only being helpful if your tank is empty, which I dislike the more I see it, and the amount it helps is worse in levels 15 through 19 (then again, why do I care when I’m likely to never play in this tier?). As a Sorcerer player, I want what it does, but I want it to do it better.
• Subclass Feature (level 6) is right where it was in both UA5 and the PHB. I do wish these things were getting called out in the main text, though, like they were in prior UAs, so that I wouldn’t have to keep scrolling back up to the big chart. (Ugh!)
• Sorcery Incarnate (level 7, level 9 in UA5) has moved to a lower level and been totally rewritten. It now lets you use up to two metamagics on a single spell while in the Innate Sorcery “Rage”, and lets you activate Innate Sorcery if you’re all out of its uses at the cost of two Sorcery Points. This plus Innate Sorcery mostly replace the spell version of Sorcery Incarnate from UA5 – though the spell also restored Sorcery Points, which this feature doesn’t. Despite this, it is nice that it arrives two levels sooner, and that it doesn’t require a 5th level spell slot.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8) is what you’d expect by this point. Or a feat of your choice.
• A Dead Level (level 9) brings just the first level 5 spell slot, just as it did in the PHB.
• More Metamagic (level 10) adds your choice of two more metamagic options; in the PHB it was just one here, and it was a subclass feature in UA5.
• Another Dead Level (level 11) introduces your first level 6 spell slot, as it did in the PHB and UA5.
• Another Ability Score Improvement (level 12) comes next, or the feat of your choice, as it did in both the PHB and UA5.
• Another Dead Level (level 13) adds a 7th level spell slot, just as it did in the PHB. In UA5 it added 3 more metamagic options as well.
• Subclass Feature (level 14) just like before.
• Another Dead Level (level 15) adds just an 8th level spell slot, as it did in the PHB. In UA5, this also added Sorcerous Restoration.
• Then it’s time for another Ability Score Improvement (level 16) or a feat, just as it was in past versions.
• Metamagic (level 17) adds your last two metamagic options, bringing you to a total of six. This was a dead level in UA5, and only added one metamagic option in the PHB.
• Subclass Feature (level 18) returns from the PHB. In UA5, this was the suuuuuper broken Arcane Apotheosis (pour one out for consequence-free casting of Wish).
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19), or a feat, is the same as it’s been.
• Arcane Apotheosis (level 20) has been completely redesigned. Instead of the Wish shenanigans from UA5, you can now use one metamagic per turn, while in the Innate Sorcery “Rage”, without spending Sorcery Points. This is definitely better for game balance than being able to cast Wish without consequences, but it was cool to use it to cast most spells without a spell slot. Then again, the UA5 version could only be used once per Long Rest, and this new one can be used once per turn, so we’ll definitely get more mileage out of it. Plus, if metamagic is what makes the Sorcerer special, it makes sense for a “peak Sorcerer” to do its special thing all the time. I think I just talked myself into this.

Metamagic Options

• Careful Spell is unchanged from UA5. Good, keep it this way.
• Distant Spell has been reverted to the PHB version.
• Empowered Spell is unchanged from UA5 and the PHB. It was always fine.
• Extended Spell is unchanged from UA5. Good, keep it this way.
• Heightened Spell is unchanged from UA5. Good, this is subtly better than the PHB version – it costs less and it applies to all saves against the spell, not just the first one. It should be kept this way, but perhaps the name should be changed (spoiler alert: it’s because of Twinned Spell, because of course it is).
• Quickened Spell is unchanged from UA5, which is slightly more restrictive than the PHB version. The clarified language from UA5 is important, but the wording would benefit from an example.
• Seeking Spell now costs less to use – just one Sorcery Point now instead of two.
• Subtle Spell no longer exempts you from needing material components that have a cost specified in the spell description. So much for that nice little loophole from UA5! It’s still better than the PHB version though, which always required material components.
• Transmuted Spell is unchanged from the UA5 and Tasha versions.
• Twinned Spell, everybody’s favorite problem child, is redesigned again! Now it costs just one Sorcery Point (good) to make a spell that can be upcast to target a second creature (okay…) be effectively upcast by one level so that it can have a second target. Hmm. This is a compromise to get the “affect two targets” behavior from the PHB’s Twinned Spell, without running into the problems of it being cheaper to Twin than to exchange Sorcery Points for an equivalent second spell slot and of appearing to let you have two concentration spells going at the same time. I have Hot Takes™ on this – see below.

Aberrant Sorcery

• This is just a pointer to the Aberrant Mind subclass in Tasha… which, while an iconic choice that I’m satisfied to have in the core rules, has two things that bug me about it.
• Number one: it would have been nice to see even a couple of token tweaks just to have something to discuss in the survey.
• Number two: it has several features at level 1, but under the playtest rules, subclasses don’t come online until level 3.

Clockwork Sorcery

• This is just a pointer to the Clockwork Soul subclass in Tasha.
• Only the name has been changed (and then only slightly).

Draconic Sorcery

• Draconic Resilience (level 3, level 3 in UA5, level 1 in PHB) is unchanged from UA5, which means levels 1 and 2 are still squishier than they used to be, but it’s still better at higher levels than the PHB version. Seems like this version is here to stay.
• Dragon Speech (level 3, level 3 in UA5, level 1 in PHB) is back to speaking, reading, and writing Draconic – good! In addition, your speech is understood by all things Dragon, which is helpful for the handful of Dragon-type monsters that don’t speak or understand Draconic. Good. Let’s keep it like this, please.
• Elemental Affinity (level 6) is unchanged from UA5. I was happy with the UA5 version, so I hope this is a sign that it’ll stay this way.
• Alas, Draconic Exhalation (level 10 in UA5) has been removed now that the level progression has returned to the PHB schedule. I thought this feature was kind of cool, but might bog down combat, so I’m not too surprised by its departure.
• Dragon Wings (level 14) is back to being a Bonus Action to activate instead of requiring you to have a class-exclusive spell going. The new version also lets you hover, which the previous versions didn’t, and it gives you the choice of whether the wings are physical (which can be obstructed by your clothing) or spectral (which wouldn’t). One loss here is the removal of flapping the wings to do Elemental Affinity-based damage to nearby creatures. Overall this is a modest enhancement to the PHB version, and while I prefer not having this tied to a spell, it’s a little disappointing to lose the magic attack component.
• Draconic Presence (level 18, level 18 in PHB) returns from the PHB version and is partially responsible for the removal of Draconic Exhalation. It now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action (nice), doesn’t require concentration (good), and creatures that succeed on the save don’t get 24-hour immunity to your aura (nice). This isn’t as flashy as Draconic Exhalation was, but these modest adjustments are definitely an improvement over the PHB version.

Wild Magic Sorcery

• Wild Magic Surge (level 3, level 1 in PHB) takes the DM out of the loop – now you choose when it happens (immediately after casting a leveled spell using a spell slot). It’s otherwise unchanged, and it uses the Wild Magic Surge table in the PHB. This is a mechanically subtle but much-needed change. I only with we had an updated Surge table that was less deadly, as you can still hit yourself with a point-blank Fireball on a roll of seven or eight – yikes! You can’t use the Careful metamagic to fix this either, since spells cast from a surge are “too wild to be affected” by metamagic.
• Tides of Chaos (level 3, level 1 in PHB) now guarantees a roll on the Wild Magic Surge table, again removing the DM’s permission from the equation. It’s otherwise unchanged.
• Bend Luck (level 6) now only costs one Sorcery Point instead of two. It is otherwise mechanically identical. Nice.
• Controlled Chaos (level 14) is unchanged from the PHB. It seems like a long time to wait for a safety valve to prevent self-Fireballing. And yes, I know self-Fireballing only has a 2% chance of happening, but I know how dice are, and I know not to trust them.
• Wild Bombardment (new, level 18) replaces Spell Bombardment. It allows you to do a Wild Magic Surge where you pick the effect from the table. Your selection must either be an effect that casts a spell or that restores all your Sorcery Points, and you can’t do this again until finishing 1d4 Long Rests. (Speaking of, I could use 1d4 Long Rests right about now myself…) This is maybe more fun – or at least more thematic to the subclass – than the PHB’s “possibly do some extra damage” mechanic, but the number of options is quite limited at only 10 effects in total (nine spells, one “regain all” effect), and it can’t be used nearly as often. So I’m a bit torn on this.

Hot Takes

• Wow, the base class has a long gap – twelve levels! – between creative/novel features. It’s still better than the 2014 PHB version, but it still seems sparsely designed, though there are far fewer dead levels than the 2014 PHB.
• I didn’t realize how big the difference is in the size of a Sorcerer’s spell list versus a Wizard’s. According to what I’ve got available on Beyond, Sorcerers have access to about 200 spells and cantrips, but Wizards have access to roughly 350!
• Twinned Spell is certainly more “Twinned” than the UA5 version was, but the way it uses upcasting to deliver the second target effect makes it more “Heightened” than Heightened Spell is. Naming aside, I could probably live with this, however this new version means a big change in the number of spells that can be Twinned at all. Of the spells that can be Twinned under the 2014 PHB rules, 27 out of 39 of them are no longer eligible to be Twinned – a whopping 69% (not nice)! WotC promises that many spells will be revised to permit upcasting to affect a second target and thus be usable with this new Twinned Spell, but they also promised us a Necromancer subclass for Wizards that they haven’t delivered, so… Yeah. I’ve given WotC the benefit of the doubt quite often in this process, but I’m in “I’ll believe it when I see it” territory here.
• Aberrant Sorcery is a great pick for inclusion in the core rules. I still would have liked to see a few tweaks just to freshen it up a little, it’s not like they’d have to stay in.
• Clockwork Sorcery struck me at first a strange pick for inclusion in the core rules. I think I’m getting hung up on the name and the flavor text, because it took me a couple of forced reads of the subclass to really get that it’s not about machines but about order, and is included here as a foil to the chaos of Wild Magic Sorcery. I can see value in its features, but the fantasy of it just isn’t clicking for me as-is.
• The Aberrant Sorcery and Clockwork Sorcery subclasses have level 1 features but aren’t acquired until level 3. It’s pretty sad that there weren’t even any notes about how to reconcile this – I assume they kick in at level 3 when the subclass is acquired, but, c’mon, this takes 30 seconds to type up
• Draconic Sorcery is a modest improvement over the PHB version that I wouldn’t mind playing or converting my existing Sorcerer into. I’m a little sad about the loss of Draconic Exhalation, which was definitely iconic for the subclass, but it doesn’t break my heart.
• The Wild Magic Sorcery changes all seem fine to me. Removing DM permission from the Wild Magic Surge was way overdue.
• I think I’d have fun playing most of these subclasses (I’m currently playing a Draconic Sorcerer and would gladly re-spec her to this version!), but I’m just not into Clockwork.

Lukewarm Takes

Twenty-four hours later, I’m back with some additional thoughts:

• Innate Sorcery is, I think, better than Reddit would have you believe, but not perfect. I think getting a full minute of Advantage on spell attack rolls will feel really cool. I’d like to maybe see some way of restoring these uses, or scaling the number of uses as you progress – after all, a Barbarian gets more uses of Rage as they level up! I might also like the spell save DC buff scale a bit as you level up so that it’s not +1 forever, but would I think prefer scaling the number of uses over scaling the DC buff. (I saw the +1 DC described online as “absolute dog shit” and just… my dude, calm down.)
• I keep thinking about Sorcerous Restoration as well. I don’t love the “it only works if you’re all out” mechanic. But with Seeking Spell and Twinned Spell being knocked down to only costing one Sorcery Point, this means that the only metamagics that are out of reach in a pinch are Heightened Spell and Quickened Spell. That’s not too bad, and in the PHB version you don’t get any method of restoring Sorcery Points without burning Spell Slots or taking a Long Rest, so even though it doesn’t do as much good in the level 16-19 range, it’s certainly helping more over the course of your adventuring career than the PHB version is!

If I think of anything else in the next day or so, it’ll end up here. If not, whatever, I’ve already invested a lot of words in this class.

Reheated Takes

• Sorcerers are supposed to be innately filled with magic; they should be able to replace a cantrip or spell after a Long Rest to better keep up with Wizards and Clerics, who can both change their entire loadouts daily.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

• The UA5 notion of Class Group has been removed. RIP.
• All of the basic character creation and starting equipment is unchanged from UA5.
• Multiclassing into a Fighter doesn’t provide access to Heavy Armor training. This is unchanged from UA5, but I missed this when I first looked at UA5, largely because multiclassing doesn’t really interest me. I’m very fine with this. I’ll look at the multiclassing rules more closely going forward.
• Fighting Style (level 1) has been updated to allow you to swap out Fighting Style feats when you gain Fighter levels. This borrows and improves the fighting style part of Martial Versatility in Tasha.
• Second Wind (level 1) still has the improvements from UA5, and now additionally recovers one use on Short Rests as it did in the PHB. This aligns with the statement in the Playtest 7 video that they’re trying to incentivize all classes to enjoy Short Rests.
• Weapon Mastery (level 1) is mechanically identical to UA5 but adds a sixth Mastery at level 16.
• Action Surge (level 2) now lets you choose any action except the Magic action. Cool. And you now get a second use starting at level 17, though you can’t them both in a single turn.
• Tactical Mind (new, level 2) lets you spend a Second Wind use to add 1d10 to a failed ability check, and you don’t even spend the Second Wind use if the check still fails. I like the base class getting a taste of other classes’ multi-use resource pools.
• Subclass (level 3) is unchanged from UA5 (except obviously there are more choices now).
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4) or a feat. I do wish feats were the headline here, but whatever.
• Extra Attack (level 5) – same as it ever was!
• Tactical Shift (level 5) replaces the extra feat from UA5. Now you can get some extra movement when you use Second Wind, without worrying about Opportunity Attacks. Nice! This is similar to the UA7 Barbarian’s Eagle option for Rage of the Wilds, but with less movement in exchange for the healing. Sounds handy to me! Now we just need encounters that give us reasons to move.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 6, level 5 in UA5, level 6 in PHB) or a feat.
• Subclass Feature (level 7, level 6 in UA5, level 7 in PHB) moves back to where it was.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8) or a feat, same as it ever was.
• Indomitable (level 9) keeps the level-based bonus from UA5 (nice!) and once again provides extra uses at level 13 and level 17, as it did in the PHB. I approve.
• Master of Armaments (new, level 9) replaces UA5’s Weapon Expert (level 7) and Weapon Adept (level 13). It’s basically Weapon Expert, but you can now change out all of your weapons’ Mastery properties at the end of a Long Rest. But you can no longer have two Mastery properties on a weapon as you could in UA5, reducing your in-the-moment choices. This is probably a reasonable compromise, and I bet it makes combat faster to not have to decide which property you’ll apply to an attack.
• Subclass Feature (level 10) was ever thus.
• Two Extra Attacks (level 11) is unchanged, just maintaining the clearer name from UA5.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12) or a feat. Same as it’s been all along.
• Indomitable (Two Uses) (level 13) gives you a second use of Indomitable, as it did in the PHB.
• Studied Attacks (new, level 13) bumps out Weapon Adept. If you miss an attack, you get Advantage on your next attack as long as it’s in the next turn (and really, what else were you going to do?). This should be cool if you don’t already have Advantage for some reason.
• Subclass Feature (level 15, level 14 in UA5, level 15 in PHB) moves back where it was.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16) or a feat. Unchanged.
• Action Surge (Two Uses) (level 17) gives you a second use of Action Surge, as it did in the PHB.
• Indomitable (Three Uses) (level 17) gives you a third use of Indomitable, as it did in the PHB. UA5’s Unconquerable feature has been removed.
• Subclass Feature (level 18) returns from the PHB.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19) or a feat.
• Three Extra Attacks (level 20, level 18 in UA5, level 20 in PHB) returns to level 20. Which is kind of a drag, I think? Good luck ever unlocking this one.

Battle Master

• Combat Superiority (level 3) is slightly reworded for clarity, but is unchanged from the PHB.
• Student of War (level 3) now provides proficiency in your choice of Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Perception, or Survival. And like the PHB version it still grants proficiency in one type of artisan’s tools.
• Know Your Enemy (level 7) has been rewritten completely; it now uses a Bonus Action instead of requiring a full minute of study outside of combat, and tells you a creature’s damage immunities, resistances, and vulnerabilities. It can be used once per Long Rest, or recharged by spending a Superiority Die. This is similar to the UA6 Ranger’s Hunter’s Lore, a level 3 feature that uses Hunter’s Mark to tell you all the same things at no additional action economy cost, plus any condition immunities of the target.
• Improved Combat Superiority (level 10) is unchanged from the PHB.
• Relentless (level 15) now lets you use a Maneuver once per turn without spending a Superiority Die, but makes you use a d8 for it. In the PHB version, this feature recharged one Superiority Die if you didn’t have any when rolling for Initiative (a mechanic that I don’t wholly love, as previously stated). This seems a lot better, and makes sense – if you’re running low on your Fighter super powers, you can still do them, just not as awesomely.
• Ultimate Combat Superiority (level 18) is just a superlatively-named second instance of Improved Combat Superiority from the PHB version, with no mechanical changes.

Maneuvers

Speaking of Maneuvers and Superiority Dice, there are a bunch of changes here, so let’s go over the full list:

• Ambush has been imported from Tasha without changes.
• Bait and Switch is unchanged from the PHB.
• Brace has been removed! Oh no, I liked Brace.
• Commander’s Strike now uses just one of the attacks in your Attack action, instead of consuming both an attack and a Bonus Action. Better!
• Commanding Presence has been imported from Tasha without changes.
• Disarming Attack now works with any kind of attack roll. Nice!
• Distracting Strike now works with any kind of attack roll. Nice!
• Evasive Footwork now provides an AC bonus until the end of the turn, and clarifies that you need to move at least 5 feet to use it. The design notes say “your turn” but the text says “the turn” which feels like just sloppy editing, but could be interpreted to apply for longer than that. This should be clarified in a future revision!
• Feinting Attack is unchanged from the PHB.
• Goading Attack is unchanged from the PHB.
• Lunging Attack has been redesigned; it now lets you Dash, and if you move enough and then hit with an attack, you add the Superiority Die to the damage inflicted. This is okay, but badly named as it’s clearly not a lunge but a charge. (Do you know anyone who can lunge more than 10 feet?)
• Maneuvering Attack has had some minor rewording, but is otherwise unchanged from the PHB.
• Menacing Attack now works with any kind of attack roll. Nice!
• Parry now uses your choice of Strength or Dexterity modifier to help reduce damage. Nice!
• Precision Attack now triggers when you’ve already missed an attack roll, reducing the chance that you’ll waste it. Good.
• Pushing Attack is unchanged from the PHB.
• Quick Toss has been removed. I’m not sure this is much of a loss.
• Rally now uses your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier to grant temporary Hit Points. Nice!
• Riposte now lets you make Unarmed Strikes in addition to weapon attacks. Makes sense to me!
• Sweeping Attack can now be triggered on Unarmed Strikes in addition to melee weapon attacks. I’m sure this is mainly for consistency, but it means that you can now Chuck-Norris-roundhouse-kick multiple foes, or punch someone so hard that you keep going and punch their friend too.
• Tactical Assessment has been imported from Tasha without changes.
• Trip Attack now works with Unarmed Strikes too, as it always should have. Sweep the leg, Johnny!

Brawler

Here we get a brand-new subclass that focuses on Unarmed Strikes and Improvised Weapons. The design notes promise magic items in the new DMG that will enhance these kinds of attacks, with the intention of supporting the Monk, Brawler Fighter, and College of Dance Bard in particular.

• Unarmed Expert (level 3) lets you replace your normal Unarmed Strike damage with either 1d6 or 1d8 (if you aren’t holding any weapons or shields) plus your Strength modifier. I guess that’s a start.
• Improvised Expert (level 3) lets you choose, once per Long Rest, to make one-handed Improvised Weapons into Light or Thrown, and give two-handed weapons Reach or Thrown. Whenever you make an IW attack, you can choose the Weapon Mastery property that applies – one-handed IWs can have Sap, Slow, or Vex, and two-handed weapons can have Cleave, Push, or Topple. It also makes you proficient with Improvised Weapons, so your Proficiency Bonus would be in play as well for the attack roll.
• Grappling Expert (level 7) lets you make a Grapple or Shove Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action, while also doing 1d6 free damage to a creature you’re actively grappling at the start of your turn.
• Dirty Fighting (level 10) gives you Advantage on Improvised Weapon and Unarmed Strikes attacks against a foe you’re grappling. This seems like something that should come on a lot sooner, or maybe just be part of the base grappling mechanic.
• Improvised Specialist (level 15) improves on Improvised Expert by adding your Proficiency Bonus to the damage roll, and it makes your Improvised Weapons use a d12.
• Unarmed Specialist (level 18) makes your Unarmed Strikes use either a d8, or d10 if you’re not holding any weapons or shields.

Champion

• Improved Critical (level 3) is unchanged from both UA5 and the PHB.
• Remarkable Athlete (level 3, level 7 in PHB) evicts UA5’s Adaptable Victor. It’s been rewritten to provide Advantage on Initiative rolls and Strength/Athletics checks (formerly this was a Proficiency Bonus boost to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks). It preserves the boost to long jump distance from the PHB.
• Additional Fighting Style (level 7, level 6 in UA5, level 10 in PHB) simply arrives earlier than it did in the PHB.
• Heroic Warrior (level 10, level 6 in UA5) now gives you Heroic Advantage at the start of any turn where you don’t already have it. Dice goblins rejoice!
• Superior Critical (level 15, level 10 in UA5, level 15 in PHB) returns to its original level.
• Survivor (level 18, level 14 in UA5, level 18 in PHB) is unchanged from the UA5 version, which I preferred over the PHB version, but also moves back to its original level. Fine, be that way.

Eldritch Knight

• The introductory flavor text is completely overhauled and drastically simplified.
• Spellcasting (level 3) has a couple of small but important updates. First, one cantrip can be swapped out when gaining a Fighter level. Second, after level 3 there are no restrictions on spell schools (which should be much less confusing than the PHB’s always-except-sometimes restrictions). Third, one spell can be swapped out when gaining a Fighter level. And finally, the Eldritch Knight can now use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus.
• War Bond (level 3) is the new name for the PHB’s Weapon Bond, but it is mechanically unchanged.
• War Magic (level 7) now lets you replace a weapon attack with a cantrip, freeing your Bonus Action for other things.
• Eldritch Strike (level 10) is unchanged.
• Arcane Charge (level 15) is phrased more clearly, but is otherwise unchanged.
• Improved War Magic (level 18) now lets you replace up to two of your attacks with casting a leveled spell. Curiously, the design notes say this should be a level 1 or level 2 spell, but the actual text only restricts the spells to those with a casting time of an Action. Sloppy editing? They’ll definitely want to get on the same page about this before going to press.

Hot Takes

• The base class seems solid, with some good refinements of and additions to the 2014 PHB version.
• Know Your Enemy feels on-brand for a Battle Master, but is it stepping too far into the Ranger’s territory? Ranger fans will probably think so, but I think this is probably fine – the Battle Master’s ability comes on later, has a (different) action economy cost, and reveals less information.
• The Battle Master’s Maneuver changes are mostly positive, however…
• Lunging Attack absolutely must have its name changed if it’s keeping this new mechanic. I know this is a small thing, and that I griped about it above, but I’m annoyed enough to repeat it here. Surely someone at WotC must know better!
• Improvised Specialist seems fun, and I like rolling d12s, but it’s also kind of lackluster for this tier of play. Meanwhile at this same character level, Toll the Dead is out here doing 3d12, and is nearly at 4d12, at range (assuming the target doesn’t save). I guess Improvised Specialist could be nice if you hit multiple times in a turn, but even at this level you’e only got two attacks.
• The Brawler subclass is interesting from an RP standpoint, and fun for a very creative player, but the mechanics presented just don’t get me that excited for it.
• Champion seems to be pretty close to done. Selfishly, I liked Survivor coming online earlier than it does here, but the move is probably fair. Heroic Warrior at level 10 will, I think, delight players.
• The Eldritch Knight changes seem very common sense. Nothing that has me screaming to play one, but also nothing that damages my calm.

Lukewarm Takes

• Things seems mainly pretty solid, at least for the base class and the three revised subclasses.
• Brawler is kind of interesting but seems like it’s got a long way to go. I’m not sure which subclass I’d replace it with, though.
• I could be pretty happy playing this Battle Master or Champion. Eldritch Knight isn’t bad, but I just don’t think I vibe with it.
• I don’t think my previous question about what it will take for Fighters to feel special given so many other classes have access to Weapon Mastery was answered in this UA.

Get-Chased-Off-the-Internet Takes

What if Monk were the fourth core Fighter subclass?

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

It’s been a few months since we last saw the Barbarian in UA5. What’s the scoop?

Base Class

• The UA5 notion of Class Group has been removed.
• All the starting equipment and non-feature items are unchanged from UA5.
• Rage (level 1) is unchanged from UA5, and so still an improvement over the 2014 PHB.
• Unarmored Defense (level 1) is identical to UA5 and the PHB. Fine.
• Weapon Mastery (level 1) is unchanged from UA5.
• Danger Sense (level 2, not in UA5, level 2 in PHB) is back, replacing UA5’s Primal Knowledge, but eases the restrictions from the PHB. It now grants Advantage on Dex saves without having to see the effect, and works even if you’ve got the Blinded or Deafened conditions.
• Reckless Attack (level 2) is now in effect until the start of your next turn – so is usable for Strength-based attack Actions, Bonus Actions, and Reactions. This is nicer than both the UA5 and PHB versions.
• Subclass (level 3). Unchanged from UA5.
• Primal Knowledge (level 3, level 2 in UA5) has moved back a level but is otherwise unchanged. Some bits still feel weird (like just being so mad that you’re better at being sneaky or observant), while others feel perfectly natural (being so mad that you’re extra intimidating).
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4) continues the trend of no longer leaning into feats being the headlining choice, though you can still choose a feat instead of the ASI feat.
• Extra Attack (level 5). Unchanged.
• Fast Movement (level 5). Unchanged.
• Subclass Feature (level 6). Unchanged.
• Feral Instinct (level 7) now only gives Advantage on Initiative rolls, not Dexterity saves. This is back to the 2014 PHB wording, except that the PHB also gives you some relief from surprise that UA7 doesn’t. Now, that wording is a little complicated, and maybe it doesn’t matter that much, but this is definitely less than what was in the 2014 version.
• Instinctive Pounce (level 7) is imported from Tasha, allowing extra movement when entering a Rage. I’m glad to see this in the core rules.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8) or another feat, which is apparently bland enough that it’s on the level progression chart but not in the main text, even though it was in UA5. Sloppy editing?
• Brutal Critical (level 9, level 11 in UA5, level 9 in PHB) is back at level 9, and semi-returns to the PHB version. In the PHB it granted an extra die of weapon/unarmed strike damage; in UA5 it was flat damage equal to your Barbarian level; now in UA7 it’s an extra damage die, but always a d12. This makes it less reliable, but perhaps more exciting since dice are involved. In general, I am in favor of rolling my d12s more often, but it’s definitely toned down from UA5 in a way that I can see upsetting folks.
• Subclass Feature (level 10) is again only called out in the chart and not the text. Again, this is weird, since it was in the text for UA5.
• Relentless Rage (level 11, level 15 in UA5, level 11 in PHB) is back at level 11, but with the buffed mechanic from UA5 that restores 2x your Barbarian level in hit points – four levels earlier than it did in UA5. Sounds good!
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12) or a feat. Again not mentioned in the text, just the chart.
• Brutal Critical (level 13) bumps Brutal Critical from 1d12 to 2d12. It’s mentioned in the level 9 text, and in the chart at level 13, but it’d be better to be explicitly called out in the text at this level.
• Subclass Feature (level 14) is again only called out in the chart, not the text. It’s otherwise unchanged.
• Persistent Rage (level 15, level 13 in UA5, level 15 in PHB) extends the Rage limit to 10 minutes (like UA5, was indefinite in the PHB) and only ends it if you are Unconscious (the PHB version, was Incapacitated in UA5) or don Heavy Armor (added in UA5). As a bonus, it folds in but slightly nerfs UA5’s level 17 feature, Rage Resurgence, now adding one Rage use if you don’t have any when rolling for Initiative. (In UA5 this always regained a spent Rage, even if you still had some in the tank.) Strictly speaking, this better than the PHB version, and better than the UA5 version.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16) or, y’know, a feat, but only if you look at the chart.
• Brutal Critical (level 17) bumps the extra damage to 3d12. This progression is in line with the PHB, but with bigger dice. Again, I wish this were spelled out explicitly at this level.
• Indomitable Might (level 18, not in UA5, level 18 in PHB) returns unchanged from the PHB version.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19) or a feat. Unchanged.
• Primal Champion (level 20, level 18 in UA5, level 20 in PHB) is back to the PHB version, granting +4 to Strength and Constitution, and bumping their maxes to 24. I guess a 30 max (from the UA5 epic boon) was too much?

Path of the Berserker

• Frenzy (level 3) is unchanged from UA5. Good, this is better than the PHB version that gave you a point of exhaustion.
• Mindless Rage (level 6) is identical to the UA5 version. Good, this is again better than the PHB version.
• Retaliation (level 10, level 10 in UA5, level 14 in PHB) is unchanged from the UA5 version. Good, good.
• Intimidating Presence (level 14, level 14 in UA5, level 10 in PHB) now triggers with a Bonus Action instead of an Action (as it did in UA5 and the PHB). A subtle change, but good.

Path of the Wild Heart

• Path of the Wild Heart is the new Path of the Totem Warrior. Presumably this is to disconnect it from any real world cultural group.
• Animal Speaker (level 3) was called Spirit Seeker in the PHB. It now explicitly specifies Wisdom as your spellcasting ability Beast Sense and Speak With Animals. It’s otherwise mechanically identical.
• Rage of the Wilds (level 3) was formerly Totem Spirit in the PHB. The option you select can now be changed out on level increases. It now only includes three options (five in the PHB):
  • Bear now limits you to two damage resistances of your choice, excluding Force and Psychic. Formerly this was all but Psychic.
  • Eagle now lets you Disengage and Dash, instead of Dash and giving enemies Disadvantage on their opportunity attacks. Nice!
  • Wolf sees its range increase from five to ten feet. Nice.
  • The Elk and Tiger options aren’t included as those were from the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (SCAG). Presumably you could therefore still pick them.
• Aspect of the Wilds (level 6), FKA Aspect of the Beast, adds another set of options for Rage of the Wilds:
  • Elephant replaces the level 6 Bear option, giving proficiency in Athletics or Insight (or expertise if you already have it). Lost here: doubling carrying capacity, Advantage on Strength checks to push, pull, lift, or break things.
  • Owl replaces the level 6 Eagle option, doing the same as Elephant but for Investigation or Perception. (Lost here: sharp vision at range, and not having Disadvantage on Perception checks in dim light.)
  • Spider replaces the level 6 Wolf option, doing the same as Elephant and Owl but for Stealth or Survival. Lost here are tracking creatures at a fast travel pace and moving stealthily while traveling at a normal pace.
  • Presumably you could pick the Elk or Tiger options from SCAG?
• Nature Speaker (level 10) was Spirit Walker in the PHB. It explicitly uses Wisdom now, but is otherwise unchanged.
• Power of the Wilds (level 14), FKA Totemic Attunement, adds another option to Rage of the Wilds:
  • Lion updates the level 14 Bear option so that it can’t be stopped by immunity to being Frightened. Nice.
  • Falcon updates the level 14 Eagle option so that your Fly speed persists for the entirety of your Rage, but only if you’re not wearing armor. Bit of an incentive to go for that Unarmored Defense!
  • Ram updates the level 14 Wolf option to no longer require the use of a Bonus Action, but does give the target a Strength saving throw to avoid being knocked Prone. This is basically a Battle Master Fighter’s Trip Attack maneuver, minus having to spend from a resource pool to attempt it.
  • Presumably you could pick the level 14 Elk or Tiger options from SCAG?

Path of the World Tree

• A brand-new subclass, focused on healing, battlefield control, and planar teleportation.
• Vitality of the Tree (level 3) gives you some self-healing when starting a Rage, and gives temporary hit points to a buddy on subsequent turns while Raging, without any impact to your action economy. Free healing is never a bad thing (unless you’re the DM).
• Branches of the Tree (level 6) lets you pull a target close to you when it ends its turn within 20 feet, much like Scorpion in Mortal Kombat. GET OVER HERE! But the target doesn’t have to be an enemy – so this could be a nice way to reposition allies that are in trouble.
• Battering Roots (level 10) uses “tendrils of the World Tree” to increase the reach of your melee weapons by 10 feet, and lets you use the Push or Topple Weapon Mastery properties even if you’re already using a different Mastery proprerty. So, you may not be Groot – but your axe is.
• Travel Along the Tree (level 14) lets you teleport to the Teleportation Circle nearest your intended destination, whether on the same world or on another plane of existence. (Offer void in Barovia.) This can be done once per Long Rest, or additional times at the cost of five Rage uses (which you would have as of level 12, so that works). This seems… really situational? And possibly annoying for a DM to figure out where all the Teleportation Circles are that are relevant (or not!) to the campaign.

Path of the Zealot

• Path of the Zealot is imported from Xanathar.
• Divine Fury (level 3) lets you choose Necrotic or Radiant damage on every individual hit, where before you were locked in once you gained this feature. It now also works with Unarmed Strikes in addition to weapon hits. This is probably how it always should have been.
• Warrior of the Gods (level 3) gives you 1d12 of extra healing whenever a spell or magic item restores any of your hit points. This is in addition to the Xanathar mechanic about not needing material components to cast a spell that restores you to life. Nice!
• Fanatical Focus (level 6) is unchanged from Xanathar.
• Zealous Presence (level 10) now lets you activate it multiple times per Long Rest by spending Rage uses on it.
• Rage Beyond Death (level 14) has been completely rewritten. It now activates when Relentless Rage heals you up from zero hit points, turning you into a spectral warrior with a Fly speed and the ability to move through creatures and objects, and you can use a Reaction to turn a hit against you into a miss. This lasts for one minute, or until you either regain more hit points, or drop to zero hit points. This is basically “you almost killed me, now I’m so mad I’m spooky”, where the old version was “I’m too mad to die right now”.

Hot Takes

• I’m still slightly put off by the ASI emphasis on feat levels. Either call them all feats, and re-educate players that ASIs are just a different feat you can pick, or just decouple feats and ASIs completely. Maybe these ASI/feat levels should have them as separate items? Give out a +1 ASI, plus a feat as a separate line item. Then remove the +1 ASI from all the feats, and let the ASI feat itself be another +1 instead of +2. It’d be mechanically the same, but would accomplish the goal of making feats first-class citizens. Boom, done! WotC, I am available for consulting – call me!
• I’d rather the “restore some of your class’s special resource pool when rolling Initiative” features (like Persistent Rage) applied regardless of whether or not you were out of that resource. Rage Resurgence’s mechanic was much better.
• Bear stans are going to be salty, but I think the adjustment here is reasonable.
• The Rage/Aspect/Power of the Wilds features have much better names. And making the names all unique makes it much clearer that you never had to go all-in on a particular animal choice. (“When you’re a Bear you’re a Bear all the way” – sing it with me, now!) I’m good with the individual updates (which are more consistent and probably more commonly usable than the PHB versions). At first I was annoyed about Elk and Tiger not being included, but eventually I realized they weren’t in the PHB to begin with. (“Repeat to yourself ‘it’s just a game, I should really just relax’…”)
• Path of the World Tree is… weird. After all the push to disconnect from real world cultures, tying a subclass to Norse mythology via Yggdrasil is a strange look. The teleportation thing looks like it could be annoying for DMs as it either adds to their prep, to their in-game stress, or invalidates/bypasses the prep they invested. Thankfully most campaigns never reach level 14, but still… I dunno. There are some okay ideas here but it feels half-baked.
• The other problem with Path of the World Tree is that I can totally see why they’d float a new subclass here, as pretty much all of the other Barbarian subclasses in 5E don’t feel appropriately iconic for inclusion in the PHB. Maybe the Path of the Ancestors one? I dunno. Maybe the fantasy of this one just isn’t getting me excited.
• The new Rage Beyond Death makes sense in the context of getting more healing back from Relentless Rage than you did in the PHB, but it also doesn’t hit the same “beyond the point where you should be dead” note that it did before, so I’m kind of ambivalent on it. On one hand, kind of a thematic miss, but on the other hand, ghostly flying and dodging attacks isn’t exactly terrible.

Lukewarm Takes

I think this is overall acceptable. Most things are improved from the 2014 PHB versions. The new subclass still needs some work to firm up (and maybe should be replaced instead for the core rules?), but the other three all look like they’d be fun to play.

That said, I am still a bit baffled by Primal Knowledge’s Rage-fueled skills, most of which don’t make sense. “HULK STEALTH! HULK OBSERVE!” I dunno, man…

I am also disappointed to see Persistent Rage do the “only recharge if you’ve got no Rage left” thing which I disliked in previous UA packets on other classes, so I hope that can be changed.

The question is: are these improvements enough to make the Barbarian a fun and viable class relative to other potential party members?

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Please note (haha) that this is just to catalog what was in the video and my initial thoughts. I haven’t had a chance to read any of it in depth yet.

Okay, let’s take a quick look at this brief introduction video that’s… EIGHTY-SIX?! minutes long. Well, jeez, okay then!

Intro

We return now to classes in UA5: Fighter, Barbarian, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard with revisions based on feedback, plus additional subclasses — including brand new subclasses for Barbarian and Fighter. The Brawler (Fighter) is all about improvised weapons. The Path of the World Tree (Barbarian) taps into the power of a “world tree” that links all worlds together, and includes some positioning and teleportation powers. The intent is to “explore the edges” of these classes to see if there’s something thematic they haven’t touched on yet. We also have revisions to other subclasses as well as revisions to spells.

Playtest 7 also returns to class-specific spell lists. Feedback showed that having access to full spell lists diminished the class identities of various spellcasters. In particular, this was seen as a big disappointment for Wizards, who liked that they had the biggest spell list. The Warlock’s return to Pact Magic also necessitated a curated spell list, as some spells are too powerful to upcast all the time. The Bard also felt diluted by not having a curated spell list.

Barbarian

Base Class

• Danger Sense is back at level 2, even if you have the Blinded or Deafened conditions.
• Reckless Attack’s effects all last until the start of your next turn, allowing them to be used in reactions (like opportunity attacks). This also unifies the duration of Reckless Attack.
• Some levels have been moved around (which has happened to other classes too). Primal Knowledge moved from level 2 to level 3.
• Instinctive Pounce has been ported in from Tasha. Expect to see more of the popular things from Tasha coming into the core rules.
• Brutal Critical is back to being a die roll, but now it’s always a d12 — they want it to feel good no matter what weapon you’re using. 2d12 at level 13, 3d12 at level 17!
• They have been asked for crit range expansions for Barbarians, like the Champion Fighter, but haven’t done so because of Reckless Attack upping the odds of rolling a crit.
• Primal Champion returns to level 20, with a +4 to Strength and Constitution.

Berserker

• Previously very well-received, very few changes here.
• Intimidating Presence is now a Bonus Action instead of an Action, allowing it to be used more readily.

Path of the Wild Heart

• This is the new Totem Warrior.
• Baldur’s Gate 3 players will recognize this name. JC worked with Larian to name the subclass, knowing that it’d be unified in the 2024 PHB.
• Overall shape is the same as 2014 — supernatural abilities linked to animals. But many of the options have been refined, and there are nine in total.
• Lackluster options have been improved.
• The Bear option has been toned down from being “wildly overpowered” — now you choose two damage types you have resistance to, where formerly you had resistance to all but one damage type.
• It’s now possible to swap out animal options so that you can try lots out.
• Six have been renamed. Bear, Eagle, and Wolf remain at level 3, while the others have been renamed to make it clear that you don’t have to go Bear all the way. At level 6 we now have Owl, Spider, and Elephant, for example.

Path of the World Tree

• Brand new!
• Two of the main themes are healing and teleportation, tapping into the power of the multiverse-spanning world tree.
• Also battlefield control.

Path of the Zealot

• Ported over from Xanathar with quality of life and balance tweaks.
• Divine Fury lets you determine the damage type when using it.
• Warrior of the Gods provides some self-healing.
• Zealous Presence can be used multiple times between long rests by expending Rage uses.
• Rage Beyond Death turns you into a warrior spirit after using Relentless Rage.

Fighter

Base Class

• Here they’re “turning up the volume” on things that were enjoyed in the past.
• Fighters now cap out at six weapon masteries.
• Master of Armaments (level 9) allows you to swap out mastery properties on all of your mastered weapons.
• Swapping out Fighting Style feats is getting ported over from Tasha.
• Fighters regain a Second Wind use after a Short Rest. They’re trying to give every class an incentive to take a Short Rest. More of this will come in the next playtests.
• Action Surge can now be used with all actions except the Magic action. It was never meant to be a source of casting extra spells or getting extra uses of magic items.
• Tactical Mind (level 2) is a new feature that lets you use a Second Wind use to add a d10 to an ability check. The intent is to be able to give Fighters some extra utility outside of combat; it represents a well of mental stamina in addition to their physical stamina.
• Tactical Shift (level 5) is a new feature that lets you move up to half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks when using Second Wind. The intent is to give Fighters richer, more fun tactical options.
• Studied Attacks (level 13) is a new feature that gives you advantage on your next attack against a foe when you miss with an attack.

Battle Master

• They acknowledged feedback asking for the Battle Master to be “dismantled” and have maneuvers given to the base class. They explored this early on internally! They didn’t want to eliminate a loved subclass just for the sake of other subclasses. Also it represents a different style of play in managing Superiority Dice, which not everyone wants to deal with.
• Mainly quality of life improvements…
• Student of War gives proficiency in a skill.
• Know Your Enemy is easier to use and more reliably useful in battle (it’s now a Bonus Action!).
• Relentless (level 15) now lets you use a maneuver without expending a Superiority Die.
• Maneuver options have been tweaked to be more fun or easier to use.
• Some maneuver options have been imported from Tasha.

Brawler

• “Badass that’s going to beat the monster with a chicken wing”
• This subclass can be thought of as the antithesis of the Battle Master.

Champion

• The previous playtest version was well received and is back here with some tweaks based on feedback.
• Remarkable Athlete is back with clarifications of its functionality. Instead of being too subtly worded, It now explicitly gives you advantage on initiative rolls and STR/Athletics checks. You also get an increase in long jump distance.
• Heroic Warrior gives you Heroic Advantage (FKA Inspiration) at the start of every turn where you don’t already have it.

Eldritch Knight

• After level 3, the spell school restriction has been removed.
• An Arcane Focus can be used while casting spells.
• War Magic and Improved War Magic have been improved to let you replace an attack with a cantrip. This replaces the 2014 mechanic of casting a spell with an Action and being allowed to make an attack with a Bonus Action. The old mechanic caused the EK’s average damage to lag behind other Fighter subclasses. Improved War Magic lets you replace up to two attacks with spells up to level 2!

Sorcerer

Base Class

• The new class-specific spells from the prior UA have either been turned into non-spell class features or into spells on the Sorcerer spell list.
• Innate Sorcery is now a level 1 feature that’s like an “arcane Rage” — for one minute, your spell save DC goes up by one, and you have advantage on Sorcerer spell attack rolls. This is later enhanced by other features. They’re trying to lean into the “boiling magic” within a Sorcerer. Later it allows using two metamagics per spell, or metamagic that doesn’t cost Sorcery Points. They want resource management to be fun and interesting instead of painful.
• Sorcerous Restoration has been moved from level 15… to level 5! It starts with restoring one point and scales up as you progress.
• Something very similar is coming for the Monk in their next update.
• Most metamagic is pretty similar to the prior UA with only slight tweaks, except for…
• Twinned Spell has a new version that modifies spells that can be upcast to target additional creatures. It now does that upcasting with a modest Sorcery Point cost instead of the upleveled spell slot. This makes the math work better, reduces the complexity of figuring out which spells it can be used with, and fixes the “am I concentrating on two spells” question. ”Quite a few” spells are getting upcasting ability in the 2024 version and will therefore be compatible with this metamagic option.

Draconic Sorcery

• Wings are back on all the time (still level 14 though, no matter what Crawford has said in past videos).
• Draconic Presence is back, is now a Bonus Action, and no longer requires concentration. Easier and less painful to use.

Wild Magic Sorcery

• “…is also here.” That sure gives me a great feeling…
• The main request from players over the years is to make it more reliable to access the wild magic effects instead of being at a DM’s whim. Now, immediately after you cast a spell of level 1 or higher, you can roll on the Wild Magic Surge table. ”Full stop. Just do it!”
• Once used, you can’t do this again until finishing a Long Rest.
• …except for ways to refresh it before a Long Rest. Tides of Chaos and other features give it back.
• Bend Luck now uses a d6 instead of a d4.
• Wild Bombardment is the new Spell Bombardment.
• The Wild Magic Surge table isn’t in this UA — just use the table from 2014 for now.

Other Subclasses

• Aberrant Sorcery (FKA Aberrant Mind) and Clockwork Sorcery (FKA Clockwork Soul) are being ported over as-is from Tasha.

Warlock

Base Class

• Pact Magic is back. The previous playtest version’s goal was to find out how important this was. Now they know!
• But there’s still a goal of casting spells more often. Enter: Magical Cunning (level 2) lets a Warlock perform a one-minute ritual to regain some Pact Magic spell slots. This can be done once per day. This is similar to what was done with Sorcerers. The Warlock’s higher-level Eldritch Master feature builds on this lower-level feature. Monk will get something similar (as mentioned before).
• Contact Patron is here to stay, now at a lower level.
• Mystic Arcanum is back in the base class and not a part of Eldritch Invocations.
• Pact Boons have been absorbed into Eldritch Invocations. They want players to have more than one.
• You can now have up to ten Eldritch Invocations.
• Lots of revisions to Eldritch Invocations, including significantly lower prerequisites so they can come online much earlier.
• Pact of the Blade has had some improvements to better compete with Pact of the Tome.
• Thirsting Blade is back, with improvements.
• Additional Invocations have been imported from Xanathar and Tasha, such as Eldritch Smite.

Fiend Patron

• “Loved” in the previous UA.
• Hurl Through Hell is getting some clarifications and moves the saving throw to the front of it. Damage is reduced a bit, but it now applies the Incapacitated condition.

Archfey Patron

• Every feature scored poorly in the 2021 survey, save for Misty Escape. This subclass has been largely redesigned (but keeping Misty Escape). It’s now largely about charm and teleportation.
• Has some thematic connection with the Eladrin — tapping into the same kind of fey magic.
• Misty Escape lets you cast Misty Step as a reaction to taking damage, plus allows some other add-on effects.
• Beguiling Defenses (level 10) still makes you immune to the Charmed condition, and now also makes the attacker take some of the damage they deal.
• A new level 14 feature lets you cast Misty Step, without spending a spell slot, and without any action economy cost, whenever you cast an Enchantment or Illusion spell using a spell slot.
• Trying to give Archfey a distinct play style apart from other subclass.

Celestial Patron

• Imported from Xanathar with a few tweaks.
• Patron Spells is improved, granting additional prepared spells.
• Celestial Resilience now interacts with the new Magical Cunning feature.

Great Old One Patron

• Has improved Patron Spells (like all other Warlock subclasses).
• Awakened Mind now allows two-way communication. A level 6 feature lets you weaponize this telepathic connection! “It got spookier.”
• Eldritch Hex (level 10) gives you Hex for free (and presumably money for nothing?) with enhancements to how it gets used. The subclass needed a damage enhancement relative to other subclasses. Clairvoyant Combatant (level 6) also helps on this front.
• Create Thrall (level 14) has been completely redesigned to let you cast Summon Aberration from Tasha, coming to 2024 PHB. In fact, all of the Tasha summons are coming to the 2024 PHB.

Wizard

Base Class

• Wizard feedback from the prior UA is a big reason that they’ve reverted to class-specific spell lists. This benefits some other places like the Ranger, where spells had to be given as class features since the Ranger and Druid were sharing a spell list.
• All the permanent spell alteration stuff (Modify Spell, Create Spell) is going back into the vault after feedback indicated deep levels of “dread” for what might be possible.
• Memorize Spell remains but is now a non-spell feature.
• Arcane Recovery is back to level 1.
• Cantrip Formulas has been imported from Tasha, allowing Wizards to change out cantrips more often.
• Wizard Spellbook has been folded back into the Spellcasting feature.
• Academic has been replaced with Scholar, which gives expertise in a Wizard-appropriate skill.
• Spell Mastery has been updated to make it easier to change spells. But those spells are now limited to those that require an Action to cast. Bonus Action and Reaction spells were too powerful with this feature. This was the original design intent.

Evoker

• Sculpt Spells and Potent Cantrip have swapped levels. Potent Cantrip comes online at level 3, with Sculpt Spells at level 6. The intent is to align with where cantrips are most important and when AoE spells start coming online.

Abjurer

• Arcane Ward now lets you burn a spell slot to replenish the ward’s hit points.
• Spell Breaker replaces Improved Abjuration. It gives you always-prepared Dispel Magic as a Bonus Action, and lets you add your proficiency bonus to the check.
• Counterspell no longer includes an ability check when using it!

Diviner

• Third Eye is now a Bonus Action to activate.
• Third Eye is no longer stopped by the Incapacitated condition.
• Third Eye combines options and just lets you cast See Invisibility without spending a spell slot.

Illusionist

• Malleable Illusions is now a Bonus Action instead of an Action.
• Illusory Self can now be reused by expending a spell slot of level two or higher.
• Illusory Reality has been clarified — good.

Spells

• Jump is now a Bonus Action instead of an action, can be upcast to affect multiple targets, and it no longer relies on speed, so it’s easier and more fun to use.
• Counterspell has been significantly changed. The 2014 version was too similar to Dispel Magic, and didn’t account for the “might of the spell caster”. Counterspell is now a CON save for the caster (similar to concentration being a CON save), interrupting the spell if the caster fails the save. Further, when a caster fails the save and their spell is countered, the caster doesn’t expend the spell slot they were trying to use to cast the spell.

Hot Takes

• Why wouldn’t someone fix Todd Kenreck’s shirt collar? WHY?! I couldn’t stop staring at it the whole time. I’m sorry, Todd — your people let you down.
• Barbarian changes seem positive at first blush. I’m intrigued by the new subclass but withholding judgment until I get a chance to read it.
• I’m digging the Fighter changes — it sounds like they really took the “okay but how are Fighters going to be special now that so many classes can use Weapon Mastery” to heart.
• The Brawler’s emphasis on improvised weapons kind of makes them the Sorcerer of Fighters.
• The Brawler is also kind of the Monk of Fighters — this archetype feels like it could be right at home in a Jackie Chan movie.
• I’m feeling good about the Battle Master, eager to see the details here.
• Champion’s Heroic Warrior feature is going to be wild!
• The new Innate Sorcery, as described in the video, sounds FREAKING AWESOME and totally in alignment with the Sorcerer I’m playing in Rime of the Frostmaiden. Ditto the move of Sorcerous Restoration to level 5. I reserve the right to change my mind when I get a chance to read these in depth, but for the moment: YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU!
• The new approach to Twinned Spell is definitely better than what was in the prior UA. This might be an okay compromise, depending on which spells get updated to allow upcasting for additional targets.
• Wild Magic Sorcery seems better too, but I’m still scared enough of accidentally dropping Fireballs on myself at point-blank range that I’m not sure I want to play one. The “arcane Rage” idea is fun though!
• The Warlock sales pitch is pretty good. I like what I heard in the video, but again reserve the right to change my mind.
• I’m deeply relieved that the Wizard Create Spell and Modify Spell spells are going away, as I was part of the chorus of dread in the prior UA’s survey. They were just too broken, and I’m glad to see this acknowledged.
• The Wizard subclass changes seem positive and well-reasoned to me (again without having had time to read them yet).
• The Counterspell changes are interesting, and I think probably necessary. I think wasting the target’s action, but not wasting the target’s spell slot, is a solid compromise. I’m hoping that this prevents Counterspell from sucking the fun out of a spellcaster-oriented encounter.

All in all… without looking into details… this seems generally positive to me? (Minus, of course, Todd Kenreck’s wardrobe malfunction.)

I’m sure I’ll have some deeper thoughts when I get a chance to review the new material in depth.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Weapon Mastery was enthusiastically embraced and will “definitely be in” the 2024 PHB. They will continue to refine it. It scored 80% satisfaction overall, and all mastery properties were 80% or higher – except for Flex, which didn’t score well, and Cleave and Nick were at 76%. Flex was meant to be “the simple option”, but people want it to feel more interesting. Six of 12 PHB classes will get it built-in, with opportunities for other classes to benefit from it via Feats… as well as one or two classes that will “dip their toes” into it in the “very nigh” Playtest 7 packet.

Barbarian tested very well overall. 77% overall, with most features over 80%. Path of the Berserker scored 84%! This is a huge, huge improvement over the 2021 survey where this subclass scored only 29% satisfaction. A big component was decoupling Rage from Exhaustion – so players can lean into it without feeling overtaxed. There’s still some refinement to do, and the rest of the subclasses are coming soon.

Fighter scored 75% overall, and, like the Barbarian, almost all features were over 80% satisfaction. Survey respondents expressed interest in Weapon Expert and Weapon Adept to be tuned up, which they’re looking into. The Champion subclass scored 74% , up from 54% in the 2021 survey. They still see some opportunity for improvement and will work on getting it tuned, though they still want the Champion to be the “pick up and play” easy subclass.

Sorcerer scored 72%, up from its 2021 score of 60%. This signals they can improve things even further. There was a mixed response to new Sorcerer spells, but an almost entirely enthusiastic response to Metamagic. Careful Spell scored 89%! Many are 85% or higher. In the past, they’ve struggled to get above 70%. Seeking Spell scored 74%. Twinned Spell scored 60% – which means it’s “improvable” but not “go back to the drawing board”. Crawford again claims it was too good for its cost and that it needed to be redesigned for years. It will be worked on. Sorcerer-specific spells will get more attention as well. Draconic Sorcery got 73% satisfaction. Draconic Resilience and Elemental Affinity scored in the mid-80s. Lowering the overall satisfaction was Dragon Wings depending on one of the new spells, and that wings weren’t out all the time. Crawford says that in Playtest 5, the wings weren’t out all the time because they came online at a lower level (which, again, is untrue). They will revert to always-out in the next packet.

Spell Lists will go back to being class-specific in the next playtest packet! Survey responses have indicated that having multiple classes share the same spell list (whether Arcane, Divine, or Primal) diluted the classes’ identities.

Warlock’s score wasn’t cited, but results are driven by the change of Pact Magic to Spellcasting. The new approach gave the Warlock more spell slots than ever before, and gave the Warlock more reliable output over an adventuring day, but it took away from Warlock being different about how it casts spells – this idiosyncrasy apparently is a big thing that people liked in Warlocks. Players also really like the Warlock’s modularity; expect more Eldritch Invocations in the next revision. They did a lot of experiments in the UA5 Warlock, many of which will be reverted in some way. Mystic Arcanum will be a class feature again, Pact Magic will return, and they’ll be back to a single spellcasting ability (losing the choice of spellcasting ability). But they’re still committed to giving Warlocks more frequent access to their spellcasting. Lots of feedback about Hex – it needs “more oomph”, and it will get it. They want to “deliver the Warlock that Warlock players desire”.

Wizard surprised them with the mixed reactions it garnered, scoring only 70%. Historically it’s one of the most popular classes. The core of the Wizard was liked, but there was “mixed response” to the new spells. The main issue was wanting Wizards to have their own spell list, and that sharing the full Arcane spell list with other classes took away from the Wizard’s class identity. The Evoker scored well, in the 79-80% range across the board. They’re looking to fine-tune it to see if they can get the satisfaction up higher.

Hot Takes

I’m very glad to see that Weapon Mastery will be sticking around and that Flex will be reworked.

It sounds like the Barbarian is on the right track. I was pretty happy with what I saw. Ditto the Fighter, though with so many classes getting access to Weapon Mastery, I am still reserving some judgment until I see how the Fighter can still be special among the six (or seven, or eight…) classes that will be able to use this system in some way. Shall we speculate on which classes that’ll be? We already know about the Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, and the War Domain Cleric, so that’s seven. Bladesinger Wizards, maybe?

On the Sorcerer, I still strongly disagree with Crawford about Twinned Spell, but I’m glad to see they’re going to try to redeem it somehow. But they have GOT to have him stop trotting out his misinformation about the level of Dragon Wings. It was 14 in the PHB, it was 14 in the UA, and now it’s “back” to 14 again. DUDE. Stop. Gaslighting. Your. Customers. (I also liked not-always-out Dragon Wings, so… enh.)

I liked the Arcane, Divine, and Primal spell lists, so reverting to class-specific spell lists feels like quite a let-down to me. In particular, I loved the idea of Bards getting to pick which spell list to specialize in, so rolling back here almost certainly means that baby is out with the bathwater. Boo! Boo, I say! If I weren’t feeling particularly charitable, I might assume that this reversion is due to Wizard players whining about not having the biggest spell list any more.

Warlock must have really been a disaster for them to not even disclose its satisfaction score. Their hearts seem to be in the right place with trying to give the Warlock more frequent spellcasting, and I think it’ll be better for that to have the right Warlock flavor, but I thought that being able to pick a spellcasting ability was interesting, so I’m sad to see that leaving.

With the Wizard, they were again very careful about what scores were revealed. They mentioned “mixed responses” for the new spells – ie, the ones that govern scribing and modifying spells – but didn’t cite any numbers. From the context clues throughout the video, it seems clear that “mixed” is a euphemism for “not good”. I know I had some tough words on the subject, and it sounds like I wasn’t the only one.

Lukewarm Takes

So… it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Some things are looking quite positive. Some things aren’t quite there yet. Some things I find disappointing, but I’m not going to cry (too much) about it. Folks on Reddit, as you might imagine, are pouring out endless reams of “they’re reverting everything” and “what even was the point” and “I’m not buying new books just for glorified errata” and “I wish I were playing Pathfinder instead”. Personally, I think they like getting worked up about D&D more than they like playing it. As always, I aim to engage earnestly with the process and see what the final outcome will be. In the mean time, I’m having a great time playing 5E with my friends.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Bard

Base Class

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This Bard is pretty good overall. I miss Song of Rest, though, and I’m a little disappointed about the rollback of some ideas from the Experts UA.

Feature Comments

Bardic Inspiration: Dissatisfied.

I like that it now triggers only on failed d20 tests, but I miss having it as a reaction (from the prior UA). Whenever I’ve played a Bard I had to nag my party members to remind them to use it.

Spellcasting: Very satisfied.

I REALLY like picking a primary spell list and having access to it all; it’s really good for thematic customizability. Optionally changing a spell on level increases feels right for the Bard too. But the “spells prepared” language is weird when really this Bard is a “spells known” caster.

Font of Inspiration: Satisfied.

I’m glad this is back at level 5. I like being able to exchange spell slots for Bardic Inspiration, similar to Sorcerers with Sorcery Points. I do miss the “rolling a 1 on a BI die doesn’t use up the BI die” rule from the prior UA.

Countercharm: Satisfied.

Being able to use a reaction instead of a full action is nice, since it means I can still do something on my turn, but it only lets me rescue one party member instead of buffing the whole group. It’s probably fine?

Magical Secrets: Satisfied.

Works for me.

Superior Inspiration: Very dissatisfied.

This should be named “Superior Bardic Inspiration” for consistency, and it should always refresh BI points, not just when they’re all exhausted.

Words of Creation: Dissatisfied.

This is cool for Bards, and a better capstone than they had in 2014, but you can’t tell me that the 2014 version of Twinned Spell was overpowered and then give Bards a free twinning of two of the game’s most powerful spells. I declare shenanigans!

College of (the) Dance

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I don’t find the fantasy of this subclass appealing, at least not in the more serious campaigns I’ve been playing in, but I could see it being fun in a more whimsical group. I like that its abilities help make battlefield positioning more dynamic. It almost feels more like a Monk subclass though? (Also the survey name “College of the Dance” doesn’t match the “College of Dance” name from the UA. Remove the “the” please.)

Feature Comments

Dazzling Footwork: Dissatisfied.

This feels like it should be a Monk ability.

Inspiring Movement: Satisfied.

I think this could be pretty cool for making combat positioning more dynamic.

Leading Evasion: Dissatisfied.

This is a very cool ability that I can see being very helpful when the party is at risk of serious AoE damage, but it’s better than what the Rogue gets in Evasion, and arrives a level sooner to boot! This seems unfair to Rogues.

Tandem Footwork: Satisfied.

This is really cool, but I wish other Bard subclasses could do something similar. A music-oriented Bard can’t get everybody synced up for an initiative bonus?

Irresistible Dance: Satisfied.

It’s thematically appropriate. Might Bards already have taken this spell before this point though?

College of Glamour

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I overall like the changes here. Beguiling Magic feels a lot more practical than Enthralling Performance did. Mantle of Inspiration has some added risk, but could be exciting. Mantle of Majesty is better now. Unbreakable Majesty is mostly good but a little disappointing in no longer conferring disadvantage to save against the Bard’s spells.

College of Lore

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I like the restoration of Bonus Proficiencies. Magical Discoveries is good, and I like that Peerless Skill now benefits attack rolls as well as ability checks, and that it only triggers on a fail so that it isn’t wasted. I’m glad the basic Cutting Words behavior is back, but I’m very confused by it no longer requiring its target to hear you. I should be happy that it’s more flexible, but it feels off-theme without that requirement. I’m also disappointed by the removal of Cunning Inspiration; in general I want more mechanics for making Heroic Inspiration happen rather than it being DM fiat (one of my DMs is old school and has a hard time remembering that Inspiration exists at all).

College of Valor

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

The changes to Combat Inspiration are good (defense is less wasteful and more exciting), and I’m glad to see it applying to all attacks rather than just weapon attacks. Martial Training has a more thematic name and I like that it allows the user of a weapon as a spellcasting focus. I’d be happy to see this subclass in print as-is.

Cleric

Base Class

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

This is a nice tune-up of an already very solid and fun class. I think it’s pretty close to ready for print.

I especially appreciate the clarification about Channel Divinity and multiclassing, as well as the adjustments to Channel Divinity – it’s better at level 2 (reduces issues from 1-level multiclass dips) and I REALLY like having more uses per long rest and regaining a use on a short rest.

Feature Comments

Divine Order: Dissatisfied.

I love this as a concept, please keep it but tune it up some more. Moving it to level 1 makes sense so that I don’t have to worry about equipment changes if I pick Protector later on, but I worry about it affecting balance with multiclassing. Protector is fine, but the revised Thaumaturge is uninspiring, and I lament the lack of a third option.

Channel Divinity: Divine Spark: Very satisfied.

The damage type flexibility is appreciated, and the scaling feels more appropriate in this revision. Nice work! Please keep this as-is.

Channel Divinity: Turn Undead: Very satisfied.

I like that this now imposes both Frightened and Incapacitated. I prefer this over both the prior UA and 2014 versions, as I find that conditions – and players’ understanding of them – are nicely reusable. Please keep this as-is.

Smite Undead: Satisfied.

I really like that it’s based on the Wisdom modifier instead of the proficiency bonus, and I’m VERY happy that damage from Smite Undead doesn’t end the Turn Undead effects! I’m only rating it as “Satisfied” because it kind of forces me into pushing my Wisdom over 20 in order to achieve the same maximum damage output that it did in the past.

Blessed Strikes: Very satisfied.

I like having to make a choice to double down as a weapon attacker or a spell attacker, which helps me shape my character.

Commune: Satisfied.

This doesn’t excite me, but it’s fine.

Divine Intervention: Very satisfied.

I like that this now provides a clear and reliable benefit, not subject to DM whims. I think the variety of spells available makes up for the loss of having a “freeform” intervention.

Improved Blessed Strikes: Satisfied.

I liked Blessed Strikes; this improves it. I’d maybe prefer it to come online a little sooner, but otherwise seems fine.

Greater Divine Intervention: Very Dissatisfied.

As a player, this seems COOL AS HECK and it could be quite clutch in a tight spot. But as a DM, it’s fabulously broken to allow free – and consequence-free – castings of Wish during downtime. It might be fine since so few games get to level 20 play, but it could be a total mess for games that do.

Life Domain

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

The Domain Spells spell selection seems fine – definitely better than in the previous UA. I appreciate the clarifications in Disciple of Life and Blessed Healer, and I like that Supreme Healing applies to Channel Divinity healing in addition to casting spells.

I have mixed feelings about the Preserve Life changes – that extra pool of healing has come in VERY handy for me and my cleric-playing friends, so it’s sad to see it gone, but it was always a big time sink to figure out which party members could best benefit from it. I think it’ll be hard to get used to the change to “just cast an extra spell in a pinch”, but I do like that it applies to all Abjuration spells without a spell level restriction.

Light Domain

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

The Domain Spells selection is an improvement. Revealing Light is great and very on-brand. I am glad to see that Corona of Light also affects Radiance of the Dawn, as is only proper.

I’m confused about Warding Flare – it now impacts foes that can’t be blinded, who were immune in the 2014 PHB. This seems strange if intentional.

Similarly, I see that Radiance of the Dawn now affects creatures that are in total cover, where it didn’t in the PHB. Is this change intentional? (Perhaps to reduce how much a DM has to adjudicate a creature’s level of cover?)

Trickery Domain

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

I’ve never been very interested in this subclass, but the changes all seem to be positive to me. The Domain Spells list is fine. I like that Blessing of the Trickster can be used at range, as well as on yourself. I really like that Invoke Duplicity now uses a Bonus Action, doesn’t require concentration, and teleports immediately upon casting (meaning we can use it and then immediately cast a spell on the same turn). Trickster’s Magic is a similarly good way to make the action economy more fun. And Improved Duplicity is a HUGE improvement over the 2014 PHB version. I might not be interested in the fantasy of this subclass, but it’s solid and probably ready to print as-is.

War Domain

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

All the changes here seem positive as a player. I like War Priest getting a recharge on a short rest, and getting access to Weapon Mastery seems very thematic (even if it does step on the Fighter’s toes a bit). I like that Guided Strike now triggers on a miss and that it can be used for yourself or any allies. War God’s Blessing is a nice way to encourage using Shield of Faith to help your party. And I like that Avatar of Battle’s damage resistance now applies to magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage as well as the nonmagical kinds. I think this is ready to print as-is.

Druid

Base Class

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

This is a huge improvement over the Druid from the previous UA. The base class still leans too hard into the transform-into-animals angle, and while Wild Shape is better balanced it’s still not quite there.

Also, “Wild Shape uses” is a terrible name for the Druid’s resource pool; call it “Primal Energy points” or something like that, and it’ll feel better for using it to fuel abilities that aren’t Wild Shape transformations.

Feature Comments

Druidic: Satisfied.

I don’t really love “spells as class features”, but this is at least on-brand for Druids.

Primal Order: Dissatisfied.

I REALLY LIKE this as a concept, especially its symmetry with the Cleric’s Divine Order, but like the Cleric’s Thaumaturge option, the Druid’s Magician option needs work to make it more appealing. A third option would also be great.

Wild Companion: Satisfied.

I dislike the removal of Healing Blossoms, but I like that the familiar now persists until the end of a long rest.

Wild Shape: Dissatisfied.

Having Wild Shape as a Bonus Action is VERY GOOD, keep that. Being able to speak while Wild Shaped is good, keep that too. The HP changes seem like a good balance as well (keep them!). Maintaining various features is interesting, but is weird and confusing with some species traits – does a Tortle still have a shell when it Wild Shapes into a bear? I really liked the idea of Wild Shape templates but thought they needed better customization. Preparing a limited set of Wild Shapes daily seems fine to me (it’s especially easier on DMs, thanks!), but it still means that players have to spend a bunch of time reviewing beast statblocks to make that decision. I don’t think DMs will be happy having players spend so much time “behind the curtain”. And it still doesn’t scale well in the middle levels because there aren’t enough good beasts (this is where templates really helped!).

Wild Resurgence: Satisfied.

This gives “I don’t want to Wild Shape” Druids a nice alternative for doing more Primal spellcasting, but is a good reason to call “Wild Shape uses” something else.

Elemental Fury: Very satisfied.

I appreciate that this gives the Druid customizability options (focusing on ranged or melee combat), and it has nice symmetry with the Cleric’s Blessed Strikes.

Commune with Nature: Satisfied.

I don’t love spells-as-features, but this is thematic and certainly better than the dead level in the 2014 PHB.

Improved Elemental Fury: Very satisfied.

Buffing my previous choice is certainly better than the 2014 PHB’s dead level.

Archdruid: Dissatisfied.

I like that it can now create spell slots of higher levels, and that it incorporates the PHB’s Timeless Body. BUT… This should recharge Wild Shape uses regardless of whether there aren’t any left, and it’s by no means as exciting as a Cleric getting free castings of Wish! It seems pretty boring as a level 20 capstone.

Circle of the Land

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

The updated Circle of the Land is more flexible and practical – the new Circle Spells is great! Nature’s Ward is definitely more practical now. Land’s Aid is a cool way to do AoE while also supporting the party (also it emphasizing non-animal aspects of being a Druid), and Nature’s Sanctuary makes you more of a team player at higher levels. Nice!

Circle of the Moon

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

I’m glad to see Circle Forms returned, and the new Improved Circle Forms is very practical. Combat Wild Shape’s is a nice improvement over the 2014 version – it seems especially handy to be able to transform AND cast Moonbeam in a single turn, and the AC and HP options are nice. (Also, permanently having Moonbeam prepared is a good thematic choice.) Moonlight Step is interesting – I see it as like an inverse Misty Step that encourages a Druid to get into the fray instead of escaping from it. And I like that Lunar Form lets me bring a party member along for my Moonlight Step – let’s hear it for making repositioning more frequent and fun in D&D!

Circle of the Sea

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

This subclass is a great way to round out the core Druid offerings, and all of its features are thematic and fun. It seems kind of like a better Storm Sorcery Sorcerer. I haven’t been excited to play a Druid before, but for the right campaign, this subclass would be high on my list. Really well done for a first UA appearance, bravo!

Feature Comments

Circle Spells: Very satisfied.

A really good selection of on-theme spells. Nice job!

Wrath of the Sea: Very satisfied.

I suspect this may be a bit overpowered, but it seems pretty fun and on-brand.

Aquatic Affinity: Very satisfied.

Solid and thematic. Keep it!

Stormborn: Very satisfied.

Love it. Can’t wait to use this.

Oceanic Gift: Very satisfied.

A fun and exciting way to be a team player, though DMs will probably hate having two flying players all of a sudden. I’d perhaps rename this to make it clearer that it taps into Wrath of the Sea (“Gift of the Sea” maybe?).

Monk

Base Class

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

This class shouldn’t have been left for last as it needed (and still needs) the most work. I am grateful for the MANY improvements over the 2014 PHB version, but this still needs love.

It seems very strange that the art for the Monk video showed a Monk wielding an obviously-martial weapon, even though they don’t get access to them.

It also stinks that they’re locked out of all the Fighting Style feats, as well as not being able to apply Martial Arts to (most) weapon attacks.

Feature Comments

Martial Arts: Very dissatisfied.

Bonus Unarmed Strike should be “Bonus Strike” and allow a second attack with a Simple weapon. The Martial Arts Die should be usable with Simple weapons somehow. There should be some kind of “Dextrous Defense” or “Deflect Blows” that allows a Monk to deflect melee attacks (maybe using the Martial Arts Die to deflect the hit, or reduce damage, like a Monk version of Cutting Words). Dextrous Attacks is good and should stay as-is.

Unarmored Defense: Dissatisfied.

Monks should get a d10 for hit points instead of a d8 if they’re going to be so squishy on the armor front, or they should get some kind of ability to deflect melee attacks.

Weapon Mastery: Satisfied.

Okay, but what is going to make Fighters special?

Martial Discipline: Satisfied.

“Discipline Points” are a better name than “Ki Points”, but could still use an improvement. I like the Step of the Wind change to give both Disengage AND Dash as a single Bonus Action.

Unarmored Movement: Satisfied.

Deflect Missiles: Very satisfied.

Thanks for making this easier to use and capable of doing more damage when it happens. This might be a good level for deflecting melee attacks too.

Slow Fall: Satisfied.

Extra Attack: Very satisfied.

Stunning Strike: Dissatisfied.

It’s going to be really disappointing to have a single chance per turn to do something with this and spend a Discipline Point on it, just for it to possibly not work. Meanwhile, Arcane spellcasters get Fireball at this point.

Empowered Strikes: Very satisfied.

Being able to choose Force damage is a very good change. Thank you!

Evasion: Dissatisfied.

The feature itself is fine, but why does the College of Dance Bard get a better version of this a level earlier?

Heightened Metabolism: Very satisfied.

This is great for quickly recovering spent Discipline Points. Thanks!

Acrobatic Movement: Satisfied.

Self-Restoration: Satisfied.

I definitely prefer the newer phrasing here, but I do wonder about how the removal of immunity to disease will impact RP/storytelling at people’s tables.

Deflect Energy: Very satisfied.

This is some proper Jedi stuff, and I am here for it.

Disciplined Survivor: Satisfied.

Seems mechanically equivalent to Diamond Soul.

Perfect Discipline: Very satisfied.

It’s nice getting this 5 levels earlier than in the 2014 PHB.

Superior Defense: Satisfied.

Nerfed a bit, but it’s okay.

Defy Death: Satisfied.

Would be handy at this level, even though I’ll probably never get a chance.

Warrior of Shadow

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

Shadow Arts is all right, though losing Pass Without Trace is disappointing both from a thematic and practical standpoint. Shadow Step and Improved Shadow Step are going to be super annoying for anyone DMing Curse of Strahd. Cloak of Shadows seems like it could be cool in the right situations.

Warrior of the Elements

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I thought the abilities were better and that the subclass was better streamlined. It seems pretty fun – though I was already an adult when “Avatar: The Last Airbender” aired, so I am not wedded to recreating a particular fantasy there.

This was referred to in the UA text as both “the Four Elements” and “the Elements” – which one is it going to be?

Feature Comments

Elemental Attunement: Satisfied.

This seems so much less cumbersome than having to manage a bunch of Elemental Discipline options. The extra reach provided to Unarmed Strikes is great, as is adding elemental damage types. Elementalism sounds like an elemental version of Prestidigitation, which could be fun.

Environmental Burst: Satisfied.

I like being able to customize the damage type of this “Monk Fireball”. Please change the name, though: “Elemental Burst” was right there!

Stride of the Elements: Very satisfied.

Flying and swimming, yay!

Elemental Epitome: Satisfied.

This is all fun, and and improvement over the 2014 offerings for this level, but the name is bad. “Elemental Mastery” would be better!

Warrior of the Hand

Overall Comments

Very dissatisfied.

Wholeness of Body is okay (I like moving it to a Bonus Action). Fleet Step is okay, but comes on too late. I like Quivering Palm doing Force damage instead of Necrotic, and the damage cap seems reasonable. Meanwhile, the Open Hand Technique’s “Addle” option is a less-reliable Shocking Grasp and so a bit disappointing.

My biggest source of dissatisfaction is that there’s no point to giving Weapon Mastery to Monks and then having entire subclasses encourage them to use Unarmed Strikes, where Weapon Mastery doesn’t apply.

I’m just not excited to play this Monk.

Also the UA has it as both “the Open Hand” and “the Hand”. Which one will it be?

Paladin

Base Class

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

Overall very nice tune-ups. The base class is in good shape.

It was a little confusing that Faithful Steed dropped the text that says having Find Steed always prepared doesn’t count against the number of spells that can be prepared, and instead relies on a blanket mention in the Spellcasting text that addresses feature-added spells. It seems like a weird inconsistency.

Feature Comments

Lay on Hands: Very satisfied.

I love, love, love this as a Bonus Action. Yes, please!

Spellcasting: Satisfied.

The changes here make sense to me, and only changing out one spell after a long rest keeps Paladins from stepping on Clerics’ toes too much. I don’t mind losing cantrips because Paladins are getting Weapon Mastery now.

Weapon Mastery: Satisfied.

Okay, but what is going to make Fighters special?

Paladin’s Smite: Satisfied.

If smites are all going to be spells, we might as well have them all be spells and always prepared. I’m glad to see that (almost) all of them are Paladin-exclusive. However, a side effect of these all being spells is that they can now be Counterspelled, which would feel BAD for a player.

Faithful Steed: Very satisfied.

Glad this is a Paladin exclusive.

Aura of Protection: Very satisfied.

I’m glad to see this back at level 6, and I’m glad it’s kept the clearer wording from the prior UA. Ship it!

Abjure Foes: Satisfied.

The light nerf here over the prior UA seems fine. It’s certainly better than the dead level from the 2014 PHB.

Radiant Strikes: Very satisfied.

Having this on unarmed strikes and melee weapons but not ranged weapons is juuuuust right.

Restoring Touch: Very satisfied.

I like that this ties into the overall conditions system, and that it comes online sooner than it did in the prior UA.

Aura Expansion: Very satisfied.

Oath of Devotion

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

This is a nice return to form and fine-tuning of an already solid subclass. It’s not super glamorous, but that was never it’s deal in the first place. Ship it!

The updated Oath Spells list makes sense. Sacred Weapon is solid (I really like choosing to do Radiant damage) and should stay as-is in this UA. I prefer the new wording of Aura of Devotion over the 2014 version, but I’m very glad to see it back at its original 2014 level. Smite of Protection moving to providing half cover is interesting and I think good. I like that Holy Nimbus returns to granting advantage on saving throws and expands it to all saves forced by a Fiend or Undead, the Spirit Guardians-like behavior is nice, and the clarification that its light counts as sunlight is welcome.

Oath of Glory

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I probably shouldn’t have expected big changes to a Tasha subclass. The changes here are good, common sense tweaks. I like that Inspiring Smite just happens without needing a Bonus Action. I like that Aura of Alacrity plugs into the Aura of Protection. And the reformatted Living Legend is much easier to read.

Oath of the Ancients

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I like that Nature’s Wrath moves into area control territory by affecting multiple foes in a wider radius. I’m a little disappointed about Aura of Warding no longer providing defense for elemental damage from spells (hello, Fireball and/or Cone of Cold…). Having Undying Sentinel provide a nice healing bump is great; I’m curious about whether protection from “the drawbacks of old age” includes things like death by natural causes, though. I really like that Elder Champion now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action, and that it extends its benefits to ALL spells, not just Paladin-specific spells.

All that said, I still feel like this subclass has too much overlap with Druids.

Oath of Vengeance

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

I like that Vow of Enmity can be transferred similar to Hunter’s Mark without any action economy cost. I appreciate the clarification in Soul of Vengeance about when it triggers relative to processing an attack. Avenging Angel seemed overpowered in the 2014 version, but is about right here, and I like that it’s invoked with a Bonus Action instead of an action, though I can see folks being sad about the reduced duration and speed (but hovering is good). I mostly like Relentless Avenger, but it doesn’t say how long a target will have a zero speed for, which seems hastily written.

It feels like not much work went into this subclass. None of the tweaks are very compelling, and I’m still not interested in playing one of these.

Ranger

Base Class

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

The base Ranger is in much better shape than the original 2014 PHB version. It seems to be dialed back a little from the previous UA, which it probably needed. I also like the options of starting with a Druidic Focus as well as the option of a Longbow or Shortbow. I didn’t get prompted for it, but Roving is cool too; I’m hopeful that it encourages more battlefield mobility.

I can sense, however, the growing annoyance of Fighters at having to share their one new special thing (Weapon Mastery) with what seems like everybody else.

Feature Comments

Deft Explorer: Dissatisfied.

I’m just barely on the dissatisfied side of this one. I’m glad to see Expertise dialed back as it seemed like they had too much in the prior UA. Selecting a couple terrains and swapping one of them out after a long rest adds some welcome flexibility, but I miss the wilderness survival/travel functionality from Natural Explorer, as it’s come in VERY handy in the Rime of the Frostmaiden game I’m in. It would be nice to have some of that back.

Spellcasting: Satisfied.

There are some cantrips that would have been thematically useful, but I understand losing them to gain Weapon Mastery. Changing out one spell after a long rest is good, as is being able to use a Druidic Focus.

Weapon Mastery: Satisfied.

Okay, but how will Fighters be special?

Favored Enemy: Dissatisfied.

I like that Hunter’s Mark is a Ranger exclusive. I like its free castings being based on the Wisdom modifier. What I don’t like – strongly – is that it requires concentration, putting it at odds with other Ranger abilities that require concentration as well. It feels very limiting.

Conjure Barrage: Dissatisfied.

I don’t love spells-as-features, but it’s better than having this be a dead level. But it’s not at all what I think of when I think “Ranger”.

Deft Explorer Improvement: Satisfied.

Having more terrain types is good.

Tireless: Satisfied.

I prefer this version over the Tasha version. I like having uses based on Wisdom modifier, and that it can provide temporary HP as an Action.

Nature’s Veil: Satisfied.

I prefer this over both the Tasha and prior UA versions. This needed a limit, and I think Wisdom modifier is the right one.

Conjure Volley: Dissatisfied.

I don’t love spells-as-features, but it’s better than having this be a dead level. But it’s not at all what I think of when I think “Ranger”.

Feral Senses: Satisfied.

The wording here is better than in the 2014 PHB. Keep it as-is.

Foe Slayer: Dissatisfied.

I like that this triggers from missing an attack on a Hunter’s Mark target, which is much more flexible than when it depended on attacking a favored enemy. It’s good, but feels lackluster for a capstone, when other classes get free castings of Wish!

Beast Master

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

This is a good hybrid of the original PHB and Tasha versions, but Primal Companion’s interaction with the action economy has GOT to be cleaned up. It says you use a Bonus Action to command it to take an action, which can be one in its stat block, or another action, but the stat block actions are all attacks, which require you to take an Attack action to command the beast to take an Attack action. So is it a Bonus Action to activate or not?

Exceptional Training is good – particularly the choice of Force or regular damage. I love that Bestial Fury lets your animal buddy share in your Hunter’s Mark.

Gloom Stalker

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

Dread Ambusher is definitely more useful now, thank you! I like that Umbral Sight now works better with existing Darkvision. I’m on the fence about Stalker’s Fury; it was previously beneficial in one-on-one situations, but now needs more foes nearby in order to be useful.

Shadowy Dodge needs work. It’s basically a free Misty Step, which is cool for the player, but it’s unclear as written about whether it turns an opponent’s Advantage into Disadvantage, or if the Advantage and Disadvantage cancel. There’s also no limit here, so if you’ve got Reactions to burn, you might as well spam this thing!

Hunter

Overall Comments

Dissatisfied.

This is overall a big improvements from the 2014 PHB version, but it’s not without issues. I am just over the line into dissatisfied.

I like that Hunter’s Lore comes online immediately with the subclass. I also really like the revised options for Defensive Tactics – Hunter’s Leap in particular.

Colossus Slayer should include unarmed strikes. The Horde Breaker change is kind of annoying in its new restriction. Retaliator is basically a better Riposte, and Battle Master Fighters should be upset about it.

Superior Hunter’s Defense is all right, but should either be renamed to “Additional Defensive Tactics” for consistency with Defensive Tactics, or Defensive Tactics should be renamed to “Hunter’s Defense”. But “just pick another one” feels kind of uninspiring as the capstone for a subclass.

Rogue

Base Class

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

This Rogue is so much better than the prior UA (thank you for listening!) and it seems like it has really nice improvements on the 2014 version as well. Cunning Strikes is great – even if it muscles in on the Battle Master’s territory quite a bit – and whoever added it to this UA should get a bonus or a raise.

My ONLY complaint about the base class is that there’s too large of a gap in subclass feature levels. I really liked the standardized subclass progression from the previous UAs and I’m disappointed that it’s been reverted.

Feature Comments

Sneak Attack: Very satisfied.

Thank you for making this possible as a Reaction (via Opportunity Attack) again.

Weapon Mastery: Satisfied.

I think this is going to be fun for Rogues, but I worry about it inspiring some inane multiclass dips, as it feels like there’s a lot happening at level 1 for Rogues.

Steady Aim: Dissatisfied.

This is a fun feature, but it really feels like something a Ranger or other archery-focused class should be able to do.

Cunning Strike: Very satisfied.

Seriously, this is great, easily one of the best things introduced in the playtest process so far. I’d love to see more classes get something that works like this.

Expertise: Satisfied.

Evasion: Satisfied.

I’m glad to see this back at level 7, but the College of Dance Bards get a better version a level earlier, which is frustrating.

Reliable Talent: Satisfied.

I’m glad to see this coming online so much sooner than it did before.

Improved Cunning Strike: Very satisfied.

A nice enhancement to the thing I already loved. Cool!

Devious Strikes: Very satisfied.

More fun things to do with Cunning Strike! Love it. These options all seem more interesting and generally applicable than Blindsense did.

Elusive: Satisfied.

Stroke of Luck: Very satisfied.

I love that this applies to ANY failed d20 test – more than turning a miss into a hit as the PHB says, this now turns a missed attack into a crit. Super cool!

Arcane Trickster

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I like that Spellcasting now uses the Arcane list, and that an Arcane Focus can be used. I like the cleanup of Mage Hand Legerdemain, and that it leans on Sleight of Hand. Magical Ambush’s updated trigger conditions are good. Versatile Trickster seems fun.

Assassin

Overall Comments

Satisfied.

I appreciate that the signature feature, Assassinate, no longer requires a target to be surprised, and that it gives Advantage on Initiative rolls. This feels so much better! Envenom Weapons is cool and is something Assassins should have had from the get-go. And Death Strike’s updated trigger condition is also very good – subtle, but nice.

I noticed that Infiltration Expertise assumes you have a disguise kit, and Envenom Weapons assumes you have a poisoner’s kit… I like that these features give us something to do with these items, but nowhere do we actually GET these items. Seems like something that should get cleared up!

Swashbuckler

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

This version took one of my favorite Rogue subclasses and dialed up the fun with the Cunning Strike mechanic. Master Duelist’s potential nova could be really fun too. I like it a lot and I’m eager to play one!

Thief

Overall Comments

Very satisfied.

I’m very pleased with how Thief has evolved since the prior UA. I like that Fast Hands once again can Use an Object – including magic items. (Does this mean that they can drink potions as a Bonus Action?!) The new Second Story Work is great and seems like it could be a heap of fun. Supreme Sneak is a great option for Cunning Strike too, very cool. Use Magic Device is better here than in the 2014 PHB version, please keep it as-is. And I’m glad to see the return of the 2014 version of Thief’s Reflexes, which I strongly preferred over the prior UA. I think this is just about done!

Spells

Banishing Smite: Satisfied.

Concentration is fair here, and the other changes are solid. But it is weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.

Blinding Smite: Dissatisfied.

It doesn’t make sense that creatures immune to Blindness can be affected by this spell. Also it’s weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.

Divine Smite: Satisfied.

I guess it can be easier to adjudicate smites if they’re all spells… but it’s weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.

Elementalism: Very satisfied.

Elemental Prestidigitation! All righty.

Hunter’s Mark: Very dissatisfied.

I’m glad this is now Ranger-exclusive and that it can be upcast, but I don’t like that it requires concentration. It competes too much with other concentration-based spells and doesn’t scale well, which feels bad if it’s going to be the Ranger’s signature thing.

Power Word Heal: Very satisfied.

What an amazing improvement in range, wow!

Power Word Kill: Very satisfied.

I love that hits now does damage if targets have more than 100 HP.

Searing Smite: Very satisfied.

I like that this does damage at least once before the target gets a saving throw. (But it’s weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.)

Shining Smite: Very satisfied.

The updated mechanic is very nice, and the new name is a big improvement too.

Staggering Smite: Satisfied.

It’s weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.

Thunderous Smite: Satisfied.

It’s weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.

Vicious Mockery: Dissatisfied.

I was ALMOST “Very satisfied” with this. I love the upgraded damage dice here, and that it scales explicitly with Bard levels (reducing the value of multiclass dips). I also love that you can target creatures that you can hear but not necessarily see. Where I have a problem is that the target doesn’t have to hear you for it to be affected. If I unleash a torrent of insults, how does something that can’t see me or hear me going to even notice them? Fix this and then Vicious Mockery is perfect.

Wrathful Smite: Satisfied.

I like that the concentration requirement is removed. it’s weird that a Paladin’s smites can be Counterspelled.

Feats

Ability Score Improvement: Satisfied.

Being able to take an ability score above 20 is cool, but it feels like it will be mandatory to do this at level 19 instead of choosing a more flavorful option.

One thing I don’t like is that where previous class progressions leaned into Feats by calling out “Feat” and suggesting picking ASI, the class progressions now say “Ability Score Improvement” and meekly offer “or another Feat.” It really makes me wish that ASIs and Feats were completely decoupled.

Fighting Style: Protection: Satisfied.

I like that fighting styles have been moved to Feats. Reverting to the previous mechanic is fine.

Additional Comments

I liked the standardized subclass progressions and am disappointed to see them being reverted. I’d rather abandon non-2024 subclasses, or have an appendix that shows how to convert non-core subclasses for use in 2024. It seems like it’d be a lot easier to make new subclasses that way, and it would fix Rogue having huge gaps in its subclass progression.

I preferred the update Exhaustion rules and would like to see them return in some form so that they’d be more usable.

I like Feats a lot and have been excited to see more emphasis on them, so I don’t love having a return to having Ability Score Improvement as the headline here with “or another Feat” buried in the description. Either decouple ASIs and Feats completely, or lean into ASIs BEING Feats! This feels weird after nearly a year of making Feats a core game mechanic.

I also noticed that the notion of Class Groups seems to have been quietly abandoned, which is a shame because I really liked it as an organizing principle.

Weapon Mastery is not looking as special for Fighters any more now that so many other classes get it. Fighters are going to need something REALLY GOOD in the next revision.

There is a LOT of good stuff in this UA, and I remain optimistic about the process and the eventual destination. Thanks for listening to our feedback!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Rules Glossary

No changes at all since the previous UA. Whew!

I am still salty about the Exhaustion rules being rolled back – the new ones from earlier in the UA process were MUCH better, and I intend to use them in the future.

Spells

Arcane Spell List

• Five cantrips have been added to the list: Elementalism (new), Frostbite (Xanathar), Mind Sliver (Tasha), Thunderclap (Xanathar), and Toll the Dead (Xanathar).
• Dancing Lights is now an Illusion spell.
• Dissonant Whispers is back on the list, after being removed to potentially become a Bard exclusive.
• Vicious Mockery has been removed (in the prior UA actually) and is now Bard-exclusive.
• Hex has been removed from the list; it’s now exclusive to Warlocks.
• Blindness/Deafness is now a Transmutation spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Necromancy in the PHB).
• Flaming Sphere is now an Evocation spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Conjuration in the PHB).
• Shatter and Thunderwave are back to being Evocation spells after flirting with being Transmutation in the UA.
• Sending is now Divination (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Stoneskin is now Transmutation (as in the prior UA; it’s Abjuration in the PHB).
• Contingency is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Glibness is now Enchantment (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Transmutation in the PHB).
• Telepathy is now Divination (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).

Divine Spell List

• Two cantrips have been added to the list: Toll the Dead (Xanathar) and Word of Radiance (Xanathar).
• Most Smite spells have been removed from the list as they’re now Paladin exclusives. Only Searing Smite and Wrathful Smite remain open to all Divine casters. (Which now potentially includes Bards!)
• Find Steed has been removed as it’s now Paladin exclusive.
• Cure Wounds is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Divine Favor is now Transmutation (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Healing Word is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Wrathful Smite is now Necromancy (it was Enchantment in the prior UA, and it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Blindness/Deafness is now a Transmutation spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Necromancy in the PHB).
• Prayer of Healing is now an Abjuration spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Crusader’s Mantle is now Transmutation (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Mass Healing Word is now an Abjuration spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Banishment is now Conjuration an Abjuration spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Abjuration in the PHB).
• Hallow is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Mass Cure Wounds is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Heal is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Mass Heal is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Power Word Heal is now Enchantment (it was Abjuration in the prior UA, and Evocation in the PHB).

Primal Spell List

• Three cantrips have been added to the list: Elementalism (new), Frostbite (Xanathar), and Thunderclap (Xanathar).
• Hunter’s Mark has been removed from the list; it’s now exclusive to Rangers.
• Conjure Barrage and Conjure Volley have also been removed for the same reason.
• Produce Flame is now an Evocation spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Conjuration in the PHB).
• Cure Wounds is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Healing Word is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Thunderwave is back to being Evocation after flirting with being Transmutation in the UA.
• Flaming Sphere is now Evocation (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Conjuration in the PHB).
• Mass Healing Word is now an Abjuration spell (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Stoneskin is now Transmutation (as in the prior UA; it’s Abjuration in the PHB).
• Mass Cure Wounds is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Reincarnate is now Necromancy (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Transmutation in the PHB).
• Heal is now Abjuration (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).
• Earthquake is now Transmutation (as it was in the prior UA; it’s Evocation in the PHB).

Spell Descriptions

• All Smite spells now work with melee weapons and unarmed strikes, but don’t work with ranged weapons. I support this change as it’s something I requested in a previous survey.
• Banishing Smite requires Concentration (fair), only allows the initial saving throw (cool), and doesn’t perma-banish Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, or Fiends (rightly so, this is Banishment’s job). As mentioned above, it’s now a Paladin exclusive.
• Blinding Smite automatically blinds its target without a saving throw, allowing follow-up saves to attempt to end it. It’s now Evocation as well (formerly Transmutation). As mentioned above, it’s now a Paladin exclusive. Cool.
• Conjure Barrage now works with any melee weapon (as well as ranged weapon ammo), does more dice of damage, and can be upcast. As mentioned above, it’s now a Ranger exclusive. It’s practically a Ranger Fireball, in a cone!
• Conjure Volley now works with any melee weapon (as well as ranged weapon ammo). As mentioned above, it’s now a Ranger exclusive.
• Divine Smite (new) is Paladin-exclusive, moving over to being a spell from being a standalone feature. Now all of a Paladin’s Smites are spells, making their use easier to understand. I support this cause.
• Elementalism (new) is a cantrip that is basically the elemental version of Prestidigitation. Fine by me.
• Find Steed now only requires an Action (formerly 10 minutes). Its Otherworldly Maul action has been renamed to Otherworldly Slam but is otherwise unchanged. Its only other change is becoming a Paladin-exclusive spell. This is all good in my book.
• Hunter’s Mark now only does extra damage once per turn on the first hit, and is exclusive to Rangers. Its damage now increases when upcast.
• Power Word Heal now has a 60-foot range (formerly touch!). As mentioned above, it’s now an Enchantment spell. Wow!
• Power Word Kill now does damage to targets that have more than 100 HP (instead of having no effect at all). Also wow!!
• Searing Smite now does its ongoing damage before letting its target make a saving throw to end the effect. Yeowch!
• Shining Smite is the new Glimmering Smite, and it both ends invisibility on its target and prevents its target from becoming invisible. Nice (and the name is a lot better). As mentioned above, it’s now exclusive to Paladins.
• Staggering Smite is unchanged, save for becoming Paladin-exclusive.
• Thunderous Smite is now Paladin-exclusive and back to being Evocation.
• Vicious Mockery is now Bard-exclusive, uses d6s instead of d4s, and only scales with your Bard level (too bad, multiclass weenies – myself included here, my one multiclass in 5E was a Bard/Rogue mix). Furthermore, you can now target creatures that you can hear but not see (suck it, invisible annoyances!) and – and I think this last part is weird – your target doesn’t have to be able to hear you. Everything made sense until that part. I mean, as a Bard player, I like it, but it doesn’t make sense.
• Wrathful Smite removes the Concentration requirement, and as mentioned above, is now Necromancy as it does Necrotic damage.

Hot Takes

• The Arcane Spell List is looking pretty good to me. I’m happy to see the cantrips that got ported over, the removal-to-exclusives make great sense, and the school changes all seem like solid choices.
• Ditto the Divine Spell List. I’ve gotten over the Evocation-to-Abjuration changes. Evocation seems to be “do stuff with elements”, and Abjuration seems to be about saying “oh no you don’t” to reality.
• Ditto the Primal Spell List. Everything here makes good sense to me.
• Does anybody else miss “downcasting” spells that was in one of the earlier UA packets? I thought it was a cool idea, but it just quietly disappeared.
• I don’t like slashes in spell names, so I’d prefer Blindness/Deafness to instead be something like “Disrupt Sense”. Likewise Enlarge/Reduce could be “Alter Size”.
• I’m on board with all the spell description changes until Vicious Mockery. Your target not having to hear you in order to take damage from what you have to say about them just doesn’t make sense.

All in all, things are shaping up well here, though many spells from the PHB are probably due for a rebalancing revision.

Weapons

Nothing has changed here since the last UA. It looks like it’s just a reprint of that material. Whew!

Note that now that many classes offer Weapon Mastery, some interesting new builds are possible.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Playtest 6 - Rogue Deep Dive

Base Class

And finally the Rogue, which was a bit of a hot mess in the prior UA, at least according to the internet… Let’s see how it fared this time around.

• Expertise (level 1): Unchanged from the prior UA.
• Sneak Attack (level 1): It’s back, baby! Rogues can once again perform Sneak Attack damage on Reactions outside of their own turns. This was the right choice.
• Thieves’ Cant (level 1): Unchanged from the prior UA. And like the prior UA, there’s no “it takes four times as long” rule on using it to communicate – after all, “thieves can’t” wait that long.
• Weapon Mastery (level 1): Rogues get Mastery of two kinds of weapons, and can change them both after long rests. I know this will be fun fun fun, but level 1 is starting to feel overloaded to me. It’s hard enough for a new player to grasp Sneak Attack, and we want to load them up with Weapon Mastery right away too? And on the power gamer side, all of these heavy level 1s are going to inspire inane multiclass dips.
• Cunning Action (level 2): Unchanged. If it ain’t broke…
• Subclass (level 3): Same as it was before, and just like all other classes now.
• Steady Aim (level 3) has been ported over from the optional Tasha rule by popular demand. Cool, but feels like something Rangers or other archery-focused folks should be able to do. This has caused the removal of Subtle Strikes from the prior UA.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
• Cunning Strike (level 5, new) adds one of several extra effect to a Sneak Attack in exchange for one of the Sneak Attack’s damage dice. This is basically Battle Master Fighter maneuvers for Rogues. It’s super cool for Rogues, but makes the Battle Master less special as they can do two of the same things (Disarm and Trip here use a Dexterity save instead of Strength but have the same effects) without spending anything from a limited resource pool.
• Uncanny Dodge (level 5): Unchanged. If it ain’t broke…
• Expertise (level 6, level 7 in UA, level 6 in PHB): This just moves back to its original level from the PHB and is basically unchanged throughout.
• Evasion (level 7, level 9 in UA, level 7 in PHB): Unchanged and now back at its original level. Getting this at level 7 again is definitely welcome for better survivability.
• Reliable Talent (level 7, level 11 in UA, level 11 in PHB): Unchanged, but arriving four levels earlier than it used to. It seems generous, but I’ll take it!
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or another Feat.
• Subclass Feature (level 9): As it was in the PHB.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 10): Or another Feat. This is more ASI/Feat levels than everybody else except the Fighter!
• Improved Cunning Strike (level 11, new) lets Rogues use two Cunning Strike effects, as long as they pay for them both. Cool!
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or another Feat.
• Subclass Feature (level 13): As it was in the PHB.
• Devious Strikes (level 14, new) adds new, more expensive Cunning Strike options: for 2d6 you can try to impose the Dazed condition; for 3d6 you can try to impose the Blinded condition; and for a whopping 6d6 you can attempt to impose the Unconscious condition. I like all of this, a lot. It replaces Blindsense from the PHB, which is probably fine since these options are more interesting and more generally applicable.
• Slippery Mind (level 15) is unchanged from the prior UA, offering an upgrade over the PHB version as it now applies to Wisdom and Charisma saves.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or another Feat.
• Subclass Feature (level 17): As it was in the PHB.
• Elusive (level 18, level 17 in UA, level 18 in PHB): Unchanged, and now back at level 18.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or another Feat.
• Stroke of Luck (level 20, level 18 in UA, level 20 in PHB) keeps the improvement from the prior UA that turns any failed d20 test into a natural 20 – more than turning a miss into a hit as the PHB says, this now turns a miss into a crit. Super cool!

Arcane Trickster

• Spellcasting (level 3) now uses the Arcane spell list. One cantrip can be replaced on a level up, but you always have to keep Mage Hand. Likewise, one spell can be replaced on a level up. And the Arcane Trickster can now use an Arcane Focus for casting spells.
• Mage Hand Legerdemain (level 3) has been rewritten for clarity, leaning on the Sleight of Hand mechanic to make it more concise. Okay.
• Magical Ambush (level 9) now triggers if you have the Invisible condition when you cast a spell, rather than simply being hidden from its target.
• Versatile Trickster (level 13) has been redesigned to let your Mage Hand share in two of the Cunning Strike effects when you use them. The ability to give yourself Advantage has been moved to Steady Aim.
• Spell Thief (level 17) is unchanged from the PHB. Seems like it’s already good enough!

Assassin

• Bonus Proficiencies (level 3) is unchanged from the PHB.
• Assassinate (level 3) has been upgraded to no longer require a target to be surprised, and gives Advantage on Initiative rolls. Wow!!
• Infiltration Expertise (level 9) combines aspects of Infiltration Expertise and Imposter from the PHB. It grants Advantage on Deception checks while in disguise, and lets you perfectly mimic someone’s speech and/or handwriting if you’ve spent at least an hour studying each one. This loses the guidance around spending time and money to establish a fake identity. This is probably fine as this can now focus on shorter-term wins. It also gives your disguise kit something useful to do – if you happen to have one. The text of the feature says it needs the disguise kit, but you’re never issued one in the class or subclass. It feels like something’s missing here.
• Envenom Weapons (level 13, new) adds Poison damage to the Poison option of Cunning Strike, ignoring damage resistance. Cool! The design notes say this leverages your poisoner’s kit… but you’re never issued such a kit, and the text of the feature doesn’t actually reference one. So, uh… it feels like something is missing here too.
• Death Strike (level 17) has been updated to no longer require the target to be surprised, triggered instead by making a successful Sneak Attack on the first round of combat. This increased flexibility is subtle, but nice.

Swashbuckler

• Fancy Footwork (level 3) is unchanged from Xanathar.
• Rakish Audacity (level 3) is unchanged from Xanathar.
• Panache (level 9) has been redesigned and now adds two new Cunning Strike options that implement the mechanical effects of the original feature.
• Dashing Strikes (level 13, new) adds two more Cunning Strike options – one that buffs your AC, and another that buffs an ally’s attack and saving throw rolls. It replaces Elegant Maneuver, which feels fine to me. It’s more fun to have more tactical options for the Cunning Strike system.
• Master Duelist (level 17) has been redesigned. It now lets you make an additional attack against the same target immediately after using Sneak Attack (with some positioning restrictions). This eliminates a failure-into-success pathway from the original version in exchange for a potential nova, which might be more fun.

Thief

• Fast Hands (level 3) drops the Search option in favor of bringing back Use an Object – and now includes activating a magic item that needs Use an Object. In general, this is a welcome change. Does this mean drinking potions as a Bonus Action?!
• Second Story Work (level 3) iterates on the prior UA’s version by allowing movement on a ceiling without an ability check, provided there are handholds, and refines the jump enhancement by using the 2014 rules but letting you use Dexterity instead of Strength. Yes. Cool. Fun. Good.
• Supreme Sneak (level 9) has been redesigned; it now adds a Cunning Strike option that lets you remain hidden after your attack. Amazing!
• Use Magic Device (level 13) is unchanged from the prior UA, allowing the Thief to attune to an additional magic item, possibly using a charge-based item without expending charges, and the ability to use spell scrolls. I like these mechanics better than the PHB version, so I’m pretty happy to see this stick around.
• Thief’s Reflexes (level 17) has been restored to the 2014 PHB version, giving the Thief an entire second turn during the first round of combat. I like this a lot better than the version in the prior UA, so I’m glad to see it return.

Hot Takes

• The Rogue Base Class is just so much better than it was in the Expert Classes UA, and it seems like it’s gotten some really nice improvements over the PHB version as well. The Cunning Strikes system should be a lot of fun, even if it muscles in on the Battle Master’s territory quite a bit.
• Arcane Trickster seems all right, with mainly some minor tune-ups.
• Assassin is pretty cool but has some weird gaps around the disguise kit and poisoner’s kit. The signature ability has gotten a stellar glow up though!
• Swashbuckler took one of my favorite Rogue subclasses and dialed up the fun by leaning into the Cunning Strike mechanic. I like it a lot and am eager to play one.
• Thief is pretty great! It really turned around nicely from the version in the previous UA packet.

I see lots of good stuff here; it’s clear that WotC was paying attention to survey feedback in implementing changes for the Rogue. I’m jazzed about the Swashbuckler and Thief in particular, and would also be interested in playing an Assassin once the disguise kit and poisoner’s kit stuff gets sorted out.

Lukewarm Takes

This Rogue still seems pretty fun. A little more work and it should be in fine shape for 2024. Or I’m just getting tired.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Playtest 6 - Ranger Deep Dive

Base Class

• Starting Equipment now includes a Druidic Focus, and Rangers have the option of a Longbow or Shortbow. They also now start with 1 less gp – 7 instead of 8.
• Deft Explorer (level 1, new) replaces the level 1 Expertise feature from the prior UA. This new feature gives one Expertise (instead of two) and lets you pick two types of terrain in which you get Advantage on INT:Nature checks and WIS:Survival checks for tracking creatures. One terrain type can be swapped out after a long rest. This confers some of the flavor of the PHB’s Natural Explorer, but loses some of the wilderness survival/travel functionality for new flexibility. I’m glad to see the reduction in Expertise, but I’m neutral on the rest as those now-discarded survival elements are coming in handy for our Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign…
• Spellcasting (level 1): As with other classes, spell prep is no longer tied to spell slot levels. Rangers can change out one spell after a long rest. Rangers can now use a Druidic Focus for spellcasting (actually introduced in Tasha as an optional feature). And they can no longer have cantrips, because now…
• Weapon Mastery (level 1) lets Rangers have Mastery on two weapons, and both can be changed after a long rest. Cool.
• Favored Enemy (level 2, level 1 in UA, level 1 in PHB) gives the Ranger their (now-exclusive) Hunter’s Mark spell as it did in the prior UA. Now it can be cast up to Wisdom modifier times without using a spell slot (which is very cool, and aligned with feedback I gave on the survey), but it once again requires concentration (apparently due to being overpowered in playtesting). I think this is probably a good outcome overall.
• Fighting Style (level 2) drops the bit from the last UA that allowed non-Warrior access to Fighting Style feats at future Feat levels. It looks like this is because the Fighting Style feat prerequisites dropped the Warrior class group restriction.
• Subclass (level 3): Same as it was before, and just like all other classes now.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
• Extra Attack (level 5): If it ain’t broke…
• Roving (level 6, level 7 in UA, level 6 in Tasha) increases speed by 10 while not wearing heavy armor and gives Rangers a climb and swim speed. In the Tasha version, it increased speed by 5 and had no armor restriction. This feels like part of a theme in this UA packet about encouraging mobility on the battlefield.
• Subclass Feature (level 7, level 6 in UA, level 7 in PHB): Just a level switch, back to where it was.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or another Feat.
• Conjure Barrage (level 9, new) permanently adds the newly Ranger-exclusive Conjure Barrage to your prepared spells. This was a dead level in the PHB version.
• Tireless (level 10, level 11 in UA, level 10 in Tasha) returns to its original level, and provides temporary HP as an Action (formerly it did so after a rest), and the uses are based on your Wisdom modifier instead of proficiency bonus. I prefer this version.
• Subclass Feature (level 11, level 10 in UA, level 11 in PHB): Just moved back to the PHB progression.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or another Feat.
• Dead Level (level 13): As it was in the PHB. In the previous UA, this was where Rangers got…
• Nature’s Veil (level 14, level 13 in UA, level 10 in Tasha) uses are now based on your Wisdom modifier instead of your proficiency bonus (Tasha) or unlimited (previous UA). This needed a limit, and I think this is the right one.
• Subclass Feature (level 15, level 14 in UA) is back where it was in the PHB.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or another Feat.
• Conjure Volley (level 17, new) adds the newly Ranger-exclusive Conjure Volley to your prepared spells.
• Feral Senses (level 18, level 15 in UA, level 18 in PHB) is mechanically identical to the prior UA version – 30 feet of Blindsight – but back at the level from the PHB. Okay; I definitely prefer this wording to the PHB.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or another Feat.
• Foe Slayer (level 20, level 18 in UA, level 20 in PHB) replaces the Epic Boon from the previous UA and gets it back to the PHB’s level. It now triggers from missing an attack on a Hunter’s Mark target rather than a favored enemy, so it’s far more flexible and is less likely to be wasted. I like this change even if I’ll probably never actually get to use it.

Beast Master

• Primal Companion (level 3) comes over unchanged from Tasha to replace Ranger’s Companion from the PHB. Good, this is better than the PHB version. Though it’s still a bit weird about how it interacts with the action economy and could use a rewrite to clear things up. Seriously – it says you use a Bonus Action to command it to take an action, which can be one in its stat block, or another action, but the stat block actions are all attacks, which require you to take an Attack action to command the beast to take an Attack action. So is it a Bonus Action to activate or not?
• Exceptional Training (level 7) allows your Primal Companion to take a Bonus Action (of Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help) in addition to their Action. And the Companion now explicitly does your choice of Force or regular damage (which more clearly circumvents resistances to non-magic hits). Good, good.
• Bestial Fury (level 11) removes language about Multiattack, since none of the Primal Companion stat blocks have it. But more importantly, your animal buddy now also gets to benefit from Hunter’s Mark! Nice!
• Share Spells (level 15) is unchanged from the PHB version.

Fey Wanderer

• This is just a pointer to the Fey Wanderer from Tasha.
• I still have zero desire to play it.

Gloom Stalker

• Gloom Stalker Magic (level 3) is unchanged from Xanathar.
• Dread Ambusher (level 3) now does extra damage once per turn instead of just on the first turn, and can impose the Frightened condition on your target. In exchange, its uses are limited by your Wisdom modifier and recharge with a long rest. This is definitely more useful now.
• Umbral Sight (level 3) now increases the Darkvision range if you already have Darkvision. All right.
• Iron Mind (level 7) is unchanged from Xanathar.
• Stalker’s Flurry (level 11) has been completely redesigned, adding new effect options for the Dread Ambusher feature, either making an additional attack against a different, nearby creature, or frightening nearby foes. This is a toss-up for me – it used to be a “did you miss? Try again!” ability that’d be beneficial in one-on-one situations, where this now needs more foes around to be useful.
• Shadowy Dodge (level 15) now works even when attacks against you have Advantage, and if the attack then misses, you can immediately teleport – basically a free Misty Step. Pretty cool, but again not without some issues. It’s unclear as written, though, about whether it turns an opponent’s Advantage into Disadvantage, or if the Advantage and Disadvantage cancel. There’s also no limit here, so if you’ve got Reactions to burn, you might as well spam this thing!

Hunter

• Hunter’s Prey (level 3) reverts to the PHB pattern making you choose a feature to add. The extra damage feature from the previous UA reverts to the Colossus Slayer from the PHB – and notably no longer includes unarmed strikes, BOO! Horde Breaker is mostly the same as the PHB version but now restricts you to using it against creatures you haven’t already attacked in the same turn (meh). Retaliator is an improved version of Giant Killer that works against targets of any size. Basically it’s the Battle Master Fighter’s Riposte but without requiring your foe to miss first and without any resource pool cost – nice! (Though maybe not nice for the Battle Master…)
• Hunter’s Lore (level 3, level 6 in UA) just comes online immediately with the subclass now. Handy.
• Defensive Tactics (level 7) returns from the PHB, but with different options to choose from. The original PHB options (Escape the Horde, Multiattack Defense, Steel Will) are all gone; in their place are Evasion and Uncanny Dodge (from the PHB’s level 15 Superior Hunter’s Defense options) and Hunter’s Leap, a new option that lets you use your reaction to move without inviting Opportunity Attacks when a foe enters an adjacent space. All of these seem good to me! Good work here.
• Superior Hunter’s Prey (level 11) replaces the PHB Multiattack (since Conjure Barrage is part of the base class now) and grants a second Hunter’s Prey option. Cool.
• Superior Hunter’s Defense (level 15) now grants a second Defensive Tactics option. Cool, but the naming should be more consistent – either Defensive Tactics should be renamed to “Hunter’s Defense” or Superior Hunter’s Defense should be renamed to “Superior Defensive Tactics”. This should have been caught in proofreading before publication.

Hot Takes

• The Ranger Base Class is in much better shape than the original PHB version. It’s dialed back a little from the previous UA, which I think it needed. However…
• I can sense Fighters’ growing annoyance at having to share their one new special thing with what seems like everybody. What’s next – are Wizards getting Weapon Mastery at level 1 too?
• Beast Master is a good hybrid of the original PHB and Tasha versions, with a little additional goodness sprinkled on top. It’s solid, but needs some cleanup on how it interacts with the action economy.
• Fey Wanderer is just not doing anything for me. At. All.
• Gloom Stalker looks like it’s got some good changes to its base, questionable changes later on, and some more writing issues that need to be cleaned up. Feels like it’s on a good track, but still needs work.
• Hunter is mostly better but with a couple Hunter’s Prey options that feel “meh” to me now. On the whole, I think it’s a lot better than the PHB version. It’s annoying that it gets a better Riposte than Riposte, though – that seems kind of cheesy and should rightly offend Battle Master Fighter players.

Of these options, I’d probably pick the Hunter, and maybe the Beast Master. The others don’t feel as connected to my wants in the Ranger class.

Lukewarm Takes

I agree with the Upset Reddit People – Hunter’s Mark probably shouldn’t require concentration, especially since other classes get something similar that doesn’t take concentration to do some extra, flavorful damage. But what we have here is more reasonable than that old “Revised Ranger” – as a DM, I found it to be just a bit too much (though I’m sure it was fun for my Revised Ranger player!).

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

Time for everyone’s favorite pal, the Paladin!

• As with the updated Cleric, the Multiclassing rules specify that each class’s Channel Divinity uses can only be used on that class’s Channel Divinity options. Gotta keep ’em separated!
• Lay on Hands (level 1) now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Niiiiiiiiiice.
• Spellcasting (level 1, level 1 in UA, level 2 in PHB) loses cantrips (because Paladins get Weapon Mastery now), no longer ties spell prep to spell slots (good), and allows changing out only one prepared spell after a long rest (in the PHB version you could change out the entire list). This seems fair to me, and it helps keep Paladins and Clerics from stepping on each other’s toes.
• Weapon Mastery (level 1) lets Paladins have Mastery on two weapons, and both can be changed after a long rest. Cool.
• Paladin’s Smite (level 2) is the new Divine Smite, and provides a list of Paladin-exclusive smite spells that are always prepared. This is aligned with feedback I gave in the prior UA for Paladins, so I’m good here.
• Fighting Style (level 2) drops the bit from the last UA that allowed non-Warrior access to Fighting Style feats at future Feat levels. It looks like this is because the Fighting Style feat prerequisites dropped the Warrior class group restriction.
• Channel Divinity (level 3) is unchanged from the prior UA. It grants Divine Sense (level 1 PHB). It’s certainly written much better in the UAs than it was in the PHB, so that’s a win for readability.
• Subclass (level 3): Same as it was before, and just like all other classes now.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
• Extra Attack (level 5): As it was before. If it ain’t broke…
• Faithful Steed (level 5): Curiously, this newest iteration drops the text that says having Find Steed always prepared doesn’t count against the number of spells that can be prepared. Instead, there’s a blanket mention back in the Spellcasting text that addresses this and any other feature-added spells. Still, it’s a strange inconsistency. Sloppy editing? It’s otherwise unchanged from the prior UA.
• Aura of Protection (level 6, level 7 in UA, level 6 in PHB) returns to level 6. It otherwise maintains the same wording as the prior UA, which was much clearer than in the PHB version.
• Subclass Feature (level 7, level 6 in UA, level 7 in PHB): This is back to where it was in the PHB class progression.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or another Feat.
• Abjure Foes (level 9, dead level in PHB) has been lightly nerfed; it now does nothing on a successful save.
• Aura of Courage (level 10, level 13 in UA, level 10 in PHB) just moves back to where it was in the PHB. It retains some clarifying language from the prior UA. Good.
• Radiant Strikes (level 11) now adds Radiant damage to melee weapons and unarmed strikes. I like this; unarmed strikes make good sense, and the switch to melee weapons (instead of all Martial and Simple weapons) means that we aren’t stepping on the Ranger’s toes here.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or another Feat.
• Dead Level (level 13): This was a dead level in the PHB. In the prior UA, this is where Aura of Courage was. Now it’s just where you get your first level 4 spell slot.
• Restoring Touch (level 14, level 15 in UA) is identical to the version in the prior UA, but comes online one level sooner. In the PHB, this was Cleansing Touch, whose uses were based on your Charisma modifier, and which removed a spell’s effects from the recipient, rather than using the Lay on Hands pool to remove conditions from a creature. I prefer this version as it ties into the overall conditions system.
• Subclass Feature (level 15, level 14 in UA, level 15 in PHB): Just moved back to where it was before.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or another Feat.
• Dead Level (level 17): In the prior UA, this was where Aura Expansion arrived. Now it’s back to the PHB version, where it’s where Paladins get their first level 5 spell slot.
• Aura Expansion (level 18, level 17 in UA, level 18 in PHB) is basically identical to the PHB version, and just moves back to where it started in the PHB. This replaces Divine Conduit from the previous UA.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or another Feat.
• Subclass Feature (level 20): As it was in the PHB. This replaces the Epic Boon from the previous UA.

Oath of Devotion

• Oath Spells (level 3) has an updated spell list. The smites are out (granted by the base class), as is Aura of Vitality from the prior UA, and the PHB pairings of Beacon of Hope and Dispel Magic, and Freedom of Movement and Guardian of Faith are back in. Shield of Faith has replaced the PHB version’s Sanctuary.
• Sacred Weapon (level 3) is unchanged from the prior UA, which lets you choose to deal Radiant damage, and which can be turned off with a Bonus Action. Good, this should stay as-is.
• Aura of Devotion (level 7, level 10 in UA, level 7 in PHB) retains the wording from the prior UA, but returns to its original PHB level. This is fine.
• Smite of Protection (level 15, level 6 in UA) has been redesigned to provide half cover to allies within your aura (it formerly provided temporary HP). This replaces Purity of Spirit from the PHB, and I think that’s fine.
• Holy Nimbus (level 20, level 14 in UA, level 20 in PHB) restores the PHB version’s grant of advantage on saving throws and expands it to all saving throws forced by a Fiend or Undead. It retains the prior UA’s tweak to Radiant damage done to enemies in the aura as well as the clarification that the light it creates is actually sunlight (look out, vampires!). The PHB required a long rest to recharge this feature; the previous UA required a long rest or trading in a level 4 spell slot; this version requires a long rest or the use of a level 5 spell slot.

Oath of Glory

• Oath Spells (level 3) is unchanged from the Tasha version. The spell list remains the same.
• Inspiring Smite (level 3) no longer requires a Bonus Action; you can just do it. Nice!
• Peerless Athlete (level 3) is unchanged from the Tasha version.
• Aura of Alacrity (level 7) is based on the Aura of Protection, increasing its range. Good, makes sense.
• Glorious Defense (level 15) is unchanged from the Tasha version.
• Living Legend (level 20) is reformatted for easier reading, but is otherwise identical to the Tasha version.

Oath of the Ancients

• Oath Spells (level 3) is unchanged from the PHB version.
• Nature’s Wrath (level 3) can now affect multiple foes in a wider radius, moving this ability into area control territory. Nice!
• Aura of Warding (level 7) now gets its area from your Aura of Protection. Instead of providing resistance to damage from all spells, it provides resistance to Necrotic, Psychic, and Radiant damage, regardless of their source. So, about that Fireball/Cone of Cold… This change is a bit of a toss-up for me.
• Undying Sentinel (level 15) now heals you (between 45 and 60 HP, scaling with Paladin level) in addition to keeping you from dropping to zero HP. It also protects you from the drawbacks of old age (does that include, y’know, dying?!), and you can’t be aged magically. Good changes here, thank you!
• Elder Champion (level 20) loses the flavor text about your appearance changing, but it extends its benefits to all spells (not just Paladin spells, important because of how spell lists work now), and the whole thing can be invoked using a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Good stuff.
• Turn the Faithless (PHB level 3) has been removed in favor of Abjure Foes in the base class.

Oath of Vengeance

• Oath Spells (level 3) replaces Hunter’s Mark with Compelled Duel – because Hunter’s Mark is now a Ranger exclusive.
• Vow of Enmity (level 3) now lets the vow be moved to a different creature if the previous creature is taken out before the vow ends (much like Hunter’s Mark), without needing to spend any action economy on doing so. Good.
• Relentless Avenger (level 7) optionally reduces the target’s speed to zero, which I like. But it doesn’t say for how long, which seems… hastily written.
• Soul of Vengeance (level 15) is basically unchanged from the PHB version but clarifies that it happens after the affected creature hits or misses with an attack – meaning the attack gets fully processed before the OoV Paladin’s reaction kicks in.
• Avenging Angel (level 20) is now invoked with a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Its duration has been reduced from 60 minutes to 10 minutes. Its fly speed has been (probably) reduced as it now matches your speed; however, you can now officially hover. The Frightful Aura now takes its area from your Aura of Protection (good) but is otherwise unchanged. Finally, it can now be recharged using a level 5 spell slot in addition to a long rest. I’m sure the internet will be mad about the time and speed changes, but realistically none of us will ever play at this level, so these changes seem fine to me as the original version was probably way too overpowered to begin with.

Hot Takes

• The Paladin Base Class seems to have mostly gotten some fine-tuning that’s worked out pretty well. A couple of things are weird though, and might be editing mistakes. I’ll call them out when it’s survey time and see if WotC notices.
• Oath of Devotion is definitely a return to form and fine-tuning of an already solid subclass. It’s not super glamorous, but that wasn’t its deal in the first place.
• Oath of Glory doesn’t have big, splashy changes, but I didn’t expect that for a Tasha subclass. What changes are here are good, common sense tweaks.
• Oath of the Ancients gets a couple of very nice changes but is otherwise pretty consistent with its original presentation. I think Aura of Warding will probably be a lot less useful though. Its best changes are unfortunately at levels most games will never reach, which is a bummer. This subclass has always felt to me like it overlaps too much with Druids, and I think that’s still the case.
• Oath of Vengeance gets just really small and unexciting tweaks, plus a (needed) nerf at level 20, and really feels like not much work got put into it. That’s fine, because I’ve never really wanted to play one, and I probably still don’t.

I really like Paladins, but I haven’t played one in 5E because the subclasses have never excited me very much. Of these options, I’d probably pick Oath of Devotion if I was playing it straight, or Oath of Glory if I wanted to basically riff on The Tick.

Lukewarm Takes

I haven’t seen much drama about Paladins lately, so… Yeah. I stand by the hot takes from when this packet first dropped.

(Oh – smites as spells? I got over that a while ago. It’s probably fine. Whatever. Paladins still get to do cool smacky-smack stuff.)

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

Finally, the new Monk! Let’s see how they did…

• Proficiencies: Monks lose shortsword proficiency.
• Starting Equipment: Monks now start with: artisan’s tools, 5 daggers, an explorer’s pack, a musical instrument, a spear, and 9 gp (or just 65 gp to shop with). They lose the options of a shortsword (due to the change of proficiencies) and dungeoneer’s pack, as well as the 10 darts. This is probably fine, I think.
• Martial Arts (level 1) has been cleaned up for improved readability (thank you), omits two-handed weapons from using your Dexterity instead of Strength, and ups the Martial Arts damage die – it now starts as a d6 instead of a d4, and while it previously topped out at a d10, it now goes up to a d12. We’re off to a promising start…
• Unarmored Defense (level 1) is unchanged. Fine.
• Weapon Mastery (level 1): Monks now get to use the Mastery properties of two kinds of simple weapons, and can change their mastery after a long rest. Cool.
• Martial Discipline (level 2) replaces Ki. Discipline Points are the new Ki Points; this name is better, but still not great. The basic mechanics appear to be identical, as are Flurry of Blows, and Patient Defense. I had to read Step of the Wind a couple of times – now it gives you both Disengage AND Dash, where before it was Disengage OR Dash. Cool.
• Unarmored Movement (level 2) is unchanged from the PHB version.
• Deflect Missiles (level 3) is conceptually the same as the PHB version, but now makes it easier to use (against anybody within 60 feet who isn’t in total cover) and capable of more damage (two rolls of your Martial Arts die). Cool, cool. Reminder to DMs: shoot your Monks!
• Subclass (level 3): Same as before.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
• Slow Fall (level 4): Unchanged from the PHB version.
• Extra Attack (level 5): Unchanged from the PHB version.
• Stunning Strike (level 5) can now be only used once per turn (formerly unlimited), and the effect ends at the start of your next turn (formerly the end of it). Probably necessary, but I can see the internet whining about it.
• Empowered Strikes (level 6) are the new Ki-Empowered Strikes, and they now let you choose whether they do regular or Force damage (which more clearly circumvents resistances to non-magic hits). Good change, I approve.
• Subclass Feature (level 6): Same as in the PHB.
• Evasion (level 7): Just some language tune-ups for better clarity, but mechanically identical.
• Heightened Metabolism (level 7, new): Once per long rest, get a short rest in just one minute! I wish I could do this in real life… This is nice for recharging Discipline Points more often, which should help Monks spend them more freely.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or a Feat.
• Acrobatic Movement (level 9) is the new name for Unarmored Movement’s improvement that lets you walk on vertical surfaces and water. It’s mechanically identical to the 2014 PHB.
• Self-Restoration (level 10) replaces Purity of Body. It’s been rewritten to use a Bonus Action to remove the Charmed, Frightened, or Poisoned condition from yourself (just one condition), and you don’t get Exhaustion from not eating or drinking anything. Immunity from disease has been removed because “disease” was never precisely specified in the rules; going forward, disease-like effects will be applied with the Poisoned condition. I definitely prefer the newer phrasing here, but I do wonder about how the removal of immunity to disease will impact RP/storytelling at people’s tables.
• Subclass Feature (level 11): Same as in the PHB.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or a Feat.
• Deflect Energy (level 13, new) replaces Tongue of the Sun and Moon (bye-bye talking to everybody) with the ability to deflect ranged attacks that do ANY kind of damage. This is some proper Jedi shit, and I am here for it.
• Disciplined Survivor (level 14) is the new name for Diamond Soul from the PHB; it’s otherwise mechanically identical.
• Perfect Discipline (level 15) used to be the level 20 PHB feature, Perfect Self. It’s identical, just comes online 5 levels sooner. Wow! It replaces Timeless Body, which is fine.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or a Feat.
• Subclass Feature (level 17): Same as in the PHB.
• Superior Defense (level 18) is a redesign of Empty Body that removes the Astral Projection part, and doesn’t make you invisible, but which still gives you resistance to all but Force damage. A bit of a nerf, but it’s probably fine.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or a Feat.
• Defy Death (level 20, new!): Drop to 0 HP? Hmm, that’s not what my Discipline Points and these four Martial Arts dice say. I’ll never get to play this, but this is still pretty cool.

Warrior of Mercy

• This is just a pointer to the Way of Mercy from Tasha.

Warrior of Shadow

• Shadow Arts (level 3) has been redesigned; it now costs fewer Discipline Points to cast Darkness in a way that’s moveable, gives the Monk Darkvision, and provides the Minor Illusion cantrip. Pass without Trace and Silence have been removed from the spell offerings. Losing two spells isn’t great, but I think it’s worth it for permanent Darkvision, and moveable Darkness is cool.
• Shadow Step (level 6) appears unchanged from the PHB version.
• Improved Shadow Step (level 11, new) replaces Cloak of Shadows from the PHB. It uses a Discipline Point to let Shadow Step work in bright light, and lets you make an unarmed strike immediately after teleporting. These two features would probably be really annoying for anyone DMing Curse of Strahd.
• Cloak of Shadows (level 17, level 11 in the PHB) now requires Discipline Points to activate, and it has a one-minute time limit. Besides making you invisible, it permits you to move through creatures and objects and to use Flurry of Blows without spending any Discipline Points. Seems like it’d be cool it in the right situations.

Warrior of the Four Elements

• Or maybe it’s Warrior of the Elements? It’s written both ways in the text. Sloppy editing.
• Elemental Attunement (level 3, new) adds (for the cost of a Discipline Point) your choice of four elemental damage types to unarmed strikes and potentially pushes your target, and gives unarmed strikes extra reach. It also provides the Elementalism cantrip, which is sort of an elemental prestidigitation. Sounds pretty cool! It replaces a bunch of basic Elemental Discipline options (Fangs of the Fire Snake, Fist of Four Thunders, Fist of Unbroken Air, Rush of the Gale Spirits, Shape the Flowing River, Sweeping Cinder Strike, and Water Whip) which were apparently not very cool.
• Environmental Burst (level 6, new) is basically a Fireball but with your choice of four elemental damage types in exchange for two Discipline Points. Damage uses your Martial Arts die, and it lets you make an unarmed strike as a Bonus Action. It replaces the level 6 Elemental Discipline options (Clench of the North Wind, Gong of the Summit). Seems like a big improvement to me, but the name is kind of terrible.
• Stride of the Elements (level 11, new) adds a limited-time fly speed and swim speed when you use Step of the Wind. It replaces the level 11 Elemental Discipline options (Flames of the Phoenix, Mist Stance, Ride the Wind). Cool cool cool.
• Elemental Epitome (level 17, new) upgrades Elemental Attunement with resistance to your choice of four elemental damage types, a speedier Step of the Wind that does elemental damage to creatures you move close to, and extra elemental damage on unarmed strikes. It replaces the level 17 Elemental Discipline options (Breath of Winter, Eternal Mountain Defense, River of Hungry Flame, Wave of Rolling Earth). Again, the name is bad, but the new feature seems like a fun improvement.

Warrior of the Open Hand

• Or maybe it’s Warrior of the Hand? Like (Four) Elements, this subclass name is written both ways in the text. I swear WotC should just have me proofread their stuff before they send it out so that they stop doing stuff like this.
• Open Hand Technique (level 3) is reformatted for easier reading, and now requires saving throws for all three effects. Formerly, the one that deprives the target of Reactions didn’t require a save. The internet will be mad about this, but it just makes good sense.
• Wholeness of Body (level 6) has been updated to use a Bonus Action (instead of an Action), can be used WIS modifier times per long rest, and its self-healing uses the Martial Arts die and your Wisdom bonus.
• Fleet Step (level 11, new) lets you use Step of the Wind without spending any Discipline Points. It replaces Tranquility from the PHB version, which apparently no one liked.
• Quivering Palm (level 17) has had its damage capped to 10d12 plus Monk level with half damage on a successful save (instead of just dropping a target to 0 on a failed save or doing 10d10 on a successful save). It now does Force damage instead of Necrotic. This is probably a good change, but I’m sure folks are crying about it online. “How dare they nerf X…” Also, that’s a lot of d12s to have handy.

Hot Takes

• The Monk Base Class has gotten a legit glow-up. Good – it’s about time!
• Like the Circle of the Stars Druid, it’s a little disappointing to not see a revised Warrior of Mercy here. I assume WotC didn’t finish their homework on time again.
• Warrior of Shadow seems pretty good, very sneaky ninja-ish. I can see the teleportation stuff being really annoying for DMs.
• Warrior of the (Four) Elements has better abilities, is better streamlined, and seems pretty fun, but it desperately needs better names for a couple of its new features. Was “Elemental Burst” not available? Or “Elemental Mastery”?
• Warrior of the (Open) Hand has two improvements and two nerfs, barely any flavor text, and like (Four) Elements, it doesn’t know what its name is. It seems undercooked to me, and I’m not the least bit excited to play it.

Overall, this Monk is an improvement over the PHB version, but it still seems like it needs more work. I’d be interested in playing a Warrior of the (Four) Elements or a Warrior of Shadow if I’m feeling particularly edgy. I looked over the Way of Mercy from Tasha and I suppose it’s all right, but I’m not keen to play it.

Lukewarm Takes

I haven’t had a chance to actually test drive this class yet. People on Reddit seem pretty down about it – they particularly seem bent out of shape about the (Open) Hand nerfs (I agree this could use some more love but it’s not the end of the world), that there’s no way to use Weapon Mastery with unarmed strikes (a legit complaint, since pratically everybody else gets to have fun with it), and that the (Four) Elements subclass doesn’t exactly fit their nostalgia for Avatar: The Last Airbender. This last is a problem I don’t have due to being an adult by the time Avatar aired, but I get it – I’ve got Very Strong Opinions about Star Wars! I still think the subclass is pretty close though.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

Hoo, boy – lots of changes since the last time they showed us the Druid! Let’s go!

• Druidic (level 1) adds permanent preparation of Speak with Animals.
• Primal Order (level 1) is the Druid’s take on the Cleric’s Divine Order. You must choose between Magician (extra cantrip, WIS bonus applied to INT:Nature checks) and Warden (proficiency with Martial Weapons and Medium Armor). I like the symmetry here with the Cleric.
• Spellcasting (level 1): As with the Cleric, the number of spells that may be prepared no longer depends on spell slots. Likewise, one cantrip may be changed out on level increases, and as with the 2014 version, the entire leveled spell loadout can be changed after a long rest. This seems good and proper.
• Wild Companion (level 2) emerges from the umbrella of the prior UA’s Nature’s Aid, as Healing Blossoms has been removed. Here come the “WotC hates plant druids” complaints! Wild Companion is fueled by either a Wild Shape use or a spell slot, and the familiar disappears at the end of a long rest (in the Tasha/PHB version it disappeared after a number of hours based on your Druid level).
• Wild Shape (level 2, level 1 in prior UA, level 2 in PHB): The prior UA’s Channel Nature is gone (RIP, I liked the naming symmetry with Clerics), and Wild Shape is back to level 2. It now consumes a Bonus Action instead of an Action. Wild Shape is back to using Beast stat blocks based on CR, but with a twist – you only know a few and will have to pick them in advance. Beasts with swim speeds are now available immediately, and you gain access to beasts with fly speeds at level 8. Noteworthy here is that Druids retain the ability to speak while Wild Shaped! Another big change is that you also retain your HP rather than getting the beast’s HP. But you now do maintain your class features, species traits, languages, and feats, which means you’d keep things like Darkvision or Tremorsense that weren’t possible in the 2014 version. It’s otherwise consistent with the 2014 version. I like the mechanical improvements to Wild Shape overall, but I do hope that they’ll put a few stat blocks in the 2024 PHB so that playing a Druid doesn’t require access to the Monster Manual.
• Subclass (level 3, was level 3 in UA, was level 2 in PHB) arrives at level 3, just like other classes do now. Fine.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
• Wild Resurgence (level 5, level 15 in UA) has been completely redesigned. Druids can now convert a spell slot into a Wild Shape use (once per turn), or convert a Wild Shape use into a level 1 spell slot (once per long rest). This is more of the resource pool exchange market that we’ve seen on other classes, so, sure… It looks like this will be a hallmark of the 2024 release. This was also a dead level in the PHB, so this is better.
• Subclass Feature (level 6): Just as it was in prior iterations.
• Elemental Fury (level 7) lets you pick one of Potent Spellcasting (buffs damage on your Primal cantrips) or Primal Strike (extra elemental damage when in Wild Shape form – the Druid version of the Cleric’s Divine Strike). Again, this is good for customizing your Druid to be ranged or melee oriented, and this fills in another PHB dead level.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or a Feat. Why aren’t you as excited about Feats as we used to be, WotC?
• Commune with Nature (level 9) just gives you permanent preparation of Commune with Nature. I’m not sure how exciting that is, but it’s still better than the dead level this was before.
• Subclass Feature (level 10): Just as in prior iterations.
• Dead Level (level 11): Same as the PHB version. The prior UA had a Wild Shape enhancement here, but the internet hated it, so it’s gone now.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or a Feat.
• Dead Level (level 13): Same as the PHB version. This replaces the prior UA’s Alternating Forms (RIP).
• Subclass Feature (level 14): Same as prior versions.
• Improved Elemental Fury (level 15) Upgrades the Elemental Fury option selected at level 7. This was a dead level in the PHB, so this is definitely better.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or a Feat.
• Dead Level (level 17): Same as the PHB version. The prior UA had Beast Spells here, but that’s been moved to…
• Beast Spells (level 18) has been returned to level 18, and now can’t cast spells whose material components have a cost (in addition to those that consume their material components). This makes sense, and it’s still an improvement over the PHB version.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or a Feat.
• Archdruid (level 20) provides several benefits: regaining an expended Wild Shape if you have none left when rolling initiative, the ability to convert Wild Shape uses into spell slots above level 1, and slowed aging – this last incorporating level 18’s Timeless Body from the PHB. This seems fine, but I was just starting to get used to the idea of Epic Boons…

Circle of the Land

• Circle Spells (level 3, level 3 in PHB) lets Druids now change out which land they get spells from after a long rest, and changes the list of available lands and their spells. Thew new lands are Arid, Polar, Temperate, and Tropical (replacing Arctic, Coast, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, and Underdark from the PHB). I like the increased flexibility here, which will be beneficial for campaigns that feature significant travel, and I like that there’s no overlap in the spell offerings, which makes the options feel more distinct.
• Land’s Aid (level 3, new!) does AoE damage and heals one creature of your choice within its area, and it scales as the Druid levels up. If you’re into plant-oriented Druids, this seems cool.
• Natural Recovery (level 6, level 2 in PHB) has been added back from the PHB and updated to allow casting a Circle Spell without using a spell slot once per long rest. It still does the short rest spell slot recovery once per long rest as well. I like this, but I suspect it kicks in a bit too late.
• Nature’s Ward (level 10, level 10 in PHB) has been redesigned; it now grants immunity to the Poisoned condition (instead of to “poison and disease”) as well as resistance to the damage type associated with your current Circle Spells land choice (formerly preventing being charmed or frightened by elementals and fey). This seems a lot more practical; I like it!
• Nature’s Sanctuary (level 14, level 14 in PHB) has been redesigned; it now lets you spend a Wild Shape use to create an area where you and your allies get half cover, and your allies gain your current resistance from Nature’s Ward. And the area is moveable as a Bonus Action! This is pretty cool; I really like the change from being a selfish feature to one that supports the party.

Circle of the Moon

• Circle Forms (level 3, level 2 in PHB) returns after being removed for the previous UA, giving a max CR of 1 for your Wild Shape forms.
• Combat Wild Shape (level 3, level 3 in UA, level 2 in PHB) has been heavily retooled. It now gives you an AC that’s the max of either the Beast’s or your own (including armor, but minus shields). It also provides temporary HP when transforming into a Wild Shape, lets you cast Abjuration spells (other than those that have material components with a cost or which are consumed), AND it adds Moonbeam to your prepared spells and lets you cast it without material components while in a Wild Shape. This is a very good upgrade over the 2014 version, especially since all Druids can activate Wild Shape as a Bonus Action now.
• Improved Circle Forms (level 6, level 6 in PHB) returns, replacing Elemental Wild Shape from the prior UA. It maintains the improved CR limits for Wild Shape forms, and adds the ability to choose whether a Wild Shape form does its normal damage on a hit or does Radiant instead. Practical!
• Moonlight Step (level 10, new) replaces the prior UA’s Elemental Strike and the PHB’s Elemental Wild Shape. It’s sort of like Misty Step, but also grants advantage on your next attack roll of the turn. It can be used WIS modifer times per long rest, and can be recharged in exchange for spell slots. This is pretty cool IMO, and it’s interesting that it’s sort of an inverse of Misty Step – instead of encouraging escape, it’s encouraging you to get into the fray!
• Lunar Form (level 14, new) replaces Thousand Forms from both the prior UA and PHB. It now enhances the distance that Moonbeam can be moved, and allows Moonlight Step to bring a willing, nearby friend along. Cool – let’s hear it for making repositioning more frequent and fun in D&D!

Circle of the Sea

• Circle Spells (level 3) adds various watery, stormy spells to your repertoire. It’s a pretty good list IMO, and definitely on-theme.
• Wrath of the Sea (level 3) lets you use a Bonus Action to exchange a Wild Shape use for 10 minutes of a 10-foot aura which can cause one selected foe to take Thunder damage and possibly be pushed up to 15 feet away. The damage scales based on your Wisdom modifier. This may be a bit overpowered, but it seems pretty fun; I like it.
• Aquatic Affinity (level 6) adds Water Breathing to your spell repertoire, and gives you a swim speed equal to your normal speed. Plus your non-swimmy Wild Shape forms get your swim speed too! Cue the Tabaxi underwater racing team…
• Stormborn (level 10) upgrades Wrath of the Sea to add a Fly Speed (and thus flight!) as well as resistance to Cold, Lightning, and Thunder damage while your aura is active. Heck. Yeah.
• Oceanic Gift (level 14) lets you put your Wrath of the Sea aura on an ally instead of yourself, or on both yourself AND an ally by spending an additional Wild Shape use.

Circle of the Stars

• For now this is just a pointer to the Tasha version…
• Which is weird because it has Star Map and Starry Form at level 2, but subclasses aren’t acquired until level 3. I guess those just kick in at level 3 instead?

Hot Takes

• The Druid Base Class is looking pretty good to me overall, except for the fact that it still leans into the animal angle (summon animal buddies, become an animal buddy) and other than optionally adding some elemental damage to Wild Shape, relies on subclasses (and I suppose the Primal spell list) for other nature-but-not-animals flavor. If you never want to Wild Shape, you’ll probably still be a little disappointed.
• I kinda dig Circle of the Land now – it’s more flexible, practical, emphasizes the non-animal aspects of being a Druid, and makes you more of a team player at higher levels.
• The new Circle of the Moon looks pretty great if you’re into Wild Shape.
• Circle of the Sea is a really nice way to round out the Druid offerings, and looks like it’s pretty cool. It feels kind of like a better Storm Sorcery Sorcerer.
• Circle of the Stars doesn’t get any tweaks at all? Looks like somebody didn’t get their homework done on time!
• Wild Shape uses is a terrible name for this resource pool and should be changed while it’s still possible. Call it “Primal Energy Points” or something like that, and it’ll feel better for using it to fuel abilities that aren’t Wild Shape transformations.

All in all, this is a huge improvement over the Druid from the previous UA, and the updated subclasses all seem fun to play. I haven’t wanted to play a Druid before, but now I do – probably Circle of the Sea or Circle of the Land depending on the campaign, or Circle of the Moon to go all-in on Wild Shape transformations.

Lukewarm Takes

I do still think it’ll be a bit of a pain to go poring through the Monster Manual to compare different Wild Shape stat blocks, but at least having to prepare them in advance means it won’t slow actual gameplay. But I can also see some DMs not being too happy about players exploring a DM-oriented resource and possibly falling down a metagaming rabbit hole. So, yeah. WotC should probably do something about that.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

• Multiclassing now notes that if you get Channel Divinity from multiple classes, each class has a separate pool of Channel Divinity uses that can only be used for that class’s Channel Divinity abilities. I guess this is for Cleric/Paladin multiclassers?
• Divine Order (level 1, was level 2 in UA) has moved to level 1 and only offers choices of Protector and Thaumaturge, which does in fact combine the benefits of Scholar and Thaumaturge from the previous UA. Protector is unchanged. Thaumaturge still provides one extra cantrip, but no longer grants any skill proficiencies at all, and your WIS modifier only gives you a bonus on INT:Religion checks. The new Thaumaturge option is disappointing compared to the what we saw last time, and it would have been more interesting to provide some kind of third choice.
• Spellcasting (level 1) is back to the traditional “prepared spells” model, where a Cleric can have N spells prepared, and they’re not tied to spell slot levels. I think this is probably fine. One cantrip can now be replaced during level ups. As with the 2014 version, the entire spell loadout can be changed after a long rest. Okay, whatever.
• Channel Divinity (level 2, was level 1 in UA, was level 2 in PHB) is back to level 2. The number of uses scales with your Cleric level. The number of uses starts at 2 (was just 1 in the PHB), grows to 3 at level 6 (was just 2 in the PHB), and 4 at level 18 (was 3 in the PHB). One use is regained following a short rest. These are simple but very positive changes.
• Healing and damage from Divine Spark now starts at 1d8 and has specific level bumps (7, 13, 18) that add another d8 (instead of having the number of dice based on the proficiency bonus). Divine Spark damage can now be either Necrotic or Radiant (your choice). The damage type flexibility is nice — could be flavorful, could be practical. The scaling feels a little more appropriate now too.
• Turn Undead imposes the Frightened and Incapacitated conditions. In the previous UA, it was Dazed, while in the PHB there was no specific condition imposed. This feels minor, but I prefer it since conditions allow good reusability.
• Subclass (level 3, was level 3 in UA, was level 1 in PHB) arrives at level 3, just like everybody else does now. Fine.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): or a Feat. Again, it feels like the language choice here is now slightly leaning away from Feats.
• Smite Undead (level 5, UA level 5, replaces level 5’s Destroy Undead from PHB) now bases the number of d8s used on your Wisdom modifier, and now the damage from Smite Undead doesn’t end the turn effect on undead that take damage here! This is overall very nice, and will grow faster earlier on than it did when damage was based on proficiency bonus. But it’ll also cap out at 5d8 instead of 6d8 (until you can get your WIS above 20, which probably requires an Epic Boon or some similar shenanigans to accomplish). I think I feel good about these changes.
• Subclass Feature (level 6) is unchanged from the previous UA and 2014 version.
• Blessed Strikes (level 7, level 7 in UA, dead level in PHB) now makes you pick either Divine Strike (extra Radiant or Necrotic once per turn on a weapon attack hit) or Potent Spellcasting (add your WIS modifier to damage from all Divine spell list cantrips). I like this change, but it’ll make you choose whether you’re weapon-focused or cantrip-focused for your default attack.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or a Feat.
• Commune (level 9) replaces the second Holy Order from the previous UA, as well as the dead level from the PHB. It permanently adds Commune to your prepared spells list. Okey-dokey — I guess you really have to commit to your Divine Order now.
• Divine Intervention (level 10, level 11 in UA, level 10 in PHB) has been rewritten completely to be more reliable. Instead of asking “DM may I please”, this now allows you to cast a Divine spell of level 5 or below once per long rest without using a spell slot or material components. I’m sure opinions will be divided here — on one hand, this can be seen as a limit on creativity in play, but on the other it means a player can depend on this actually providing a clear benefit. I’m leaning positive on this.
• Dead Level (level 11) used to be Divine Intervention in the prior UA iteration, and was a bump to Destroy Undead in the PHB. Now it’s just the first level 6 spell slot.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or a Feat. Feats are cool.
• Dead Level (level 13): This was a dead level in both the UA and PHB. It’s just the first level 7 spell slot.
• Improved Blessed Strikes (level 14) is a new feature that buffs whatever Blessed Strikes option you picked back at level 7. It replaces a Subclass Feature from the prior UA and a bump to Destroy Undead from the PHB. Okay.
• Dead Level (level 15): This was also a dead level in the UA and PHB. It’s just the first level 8 spell slot.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or a Feat. Remember Feats?
• Subclass Feature (level 17): This was a dead level in the UA (just giving the first level 9 spell slot) and was a subclass feature in the PHB. What’s old is new again!
• Dead Level (level 18): A bump to Divine Spark and the traditional +1 level 5 spell slot. Not very exciting.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or a Feat. Feeeeeats.
• Greater Divine Intervention (level 20) replaces the Epic Boon from the prior UA and replaces Divine Intervention Improvement from the PHB. Now you can use Divine Intervention to cast Wish without suffering from the stress of using it for non-spellcasting. I guess this is okay? Maybe good? I kind of wish (haha) that Wish didn’t exist. I’ll probably never get a character to this level so, like, whatever.

Life Domain

• Domain Spells (level 3, level 3 in UA, level 1 in PHB) has changed out which spells it grants. At level 3, Life Clerics now get Aid, Bless, Cure Wounds, and Lesser Restoration. (This was just Lesser Restoration and Prayer of Healing in the previous UA.) The rest of the spell list is unchanged from the prior UA: Mass Healing Word and Revivify at level 5, Aura of Life and Death Ward at level 7, and Greater Restoration and Mass Cure Wounds at level 9. Seems fine and/or good — certainly better than the previous UA.
• Disciple of Life (level 3, level 3 in UA, level 1 in PHB) just has small language tweaks for clarification. I’m on board with that.
• Preserve Life (level 3, level 6 in UA, level 2 in PHB) is now about exchanging Channel Divinity uses for spell slots to cast Abjuration spells. Gone is the “pool of healing to distribute to your friends but you can’t go past 50%” mechanic. This alleviates the time-sink of figuring out who can get how much healing… and is another “exchange alternate resource pool for spell slot” mechanic that seems to be all the rage in this UA. But I think this change will be hard to get used to, and “just cast an extra spell in a pinch” isn’t prima facie all that inspiring.
• Blessed Healer (level 6, level 10 in UA, level 6 in PHB) just makes a small clarification, similar to that of Disciple of Life. Fine.
• Supreme Healing (level 17, level 14 in UA, level 17 in PHB) now applies to Channel Divinity in addition to casting spells. Good.
• Divine Strike has been removed from the subclass and replaced by Blessed Strikes in the base class.

Light Domain

• Domain Spells (level 3, level 1 in PHB) has changed out which spells it grants: Burning Hands, Faerie Fire, Moonbeam, and See Invisibility at level 3; Daylight and Fireball at level 5; Arcane Eye and Wall of Fire at level 7; Flame Strike and Scrying at level 9.
• Warding Flare (level 3, level 1 in PHB) now has Improved Flare built in, allowing you to use it for yourself or your allies. This change is good, yay! Weirdly, it omits the PHB’s language that foes that can’t be blinded are immune from its effects. This seems… unintentional?
• Radiance of the Dawn (level 3, level 2 in PHB) is mostly unchanged, except that the latest version omits the bit about how “a creature that has total cover from you is not affected“ — which seems unintentional. Sloppy editing, perhaps?
• Revealing Light (level 6, new!): Once per long rest, cast See Invisibility for free, AND nearby friends also benefit from it, AND you also emit light (bright 10, dim 10). It’s certainly on brand for a Light Cleric!
• Corona of Light (level 17, level 17 in PHB) has been updated to also benefit Radiance of the Dawn in addition to spells that do Fire and Radiant, which seems only proper.
• Bonus Cantrip has been replaced by Divine Order in the base class.
• Potent Spellcasting has been replaced by Blessed Strikes in the base class.

Trickery Domain

• Domain Spells (level 3, level 1 in PHB) has changed the spells it provides: Charm Person, Disguise Self, Invisibility, and Pass without Trace at level 3; Hypnotic Pattern and Nondetection at level 5; Confusion and Dimension Door at level 7; Hold Monster and Mislead at level 9. I don’t really have an opinion on the changes.
• Blessing of the Trickster (level 3, level 1 in PHB) can now be used at range, and can now be used on yourself.
• Invoke Duplicity (level 3, level 2 in PHB) now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action, doesn’t require Concentration, and teleports you immediately on casting rather than when the illusion is moved. It’s also reworded to make its benefits easier to read. Seems cool; it means Trickery Clerics can use this ability and immediately cast a spell in the same turn.
• Trickster’s Magic (level 6, new!) lets Trickery Clerics cast Illusion spells as a Bonus Action instead of an Action, up to WIS modifier times per long rest. Go go gadget action economy!
• Improved Duplicity (level 17, level 17 in PHB) was poorly rated and has been completely rewritten, quadrupling Invoke Duplicity’s teleport range, doubling the illusion’s movement range, giving advantage on attacks against creatures close to the illusion, and providing some healing when the effect ends. It now only creates one duplicate rather than four. This is certainly much better than the PHB version!
• Cloak of Shadows has been removed. Buh-bye!

War Domain

• Domain Spells (level 3, level 1 in PHB) swaps out Flame Strike for Destructive Wave.
• War Priest (level 3, level 1 in PHB) opens up Weapon Mastery for one weapon. It still does the extra attack as a Bonus Action, but now recharges on short rests in addition to long rests. Neat!
• Guided Strike (level 3, level 2 in PHB) now only triggers on a miss (reducing the chance that it’s wasted), and can now be used on yourself or nearby allies. Very nice! (I bet DMs will get annoyed by it.)
• War God’s Blessing (level 6, level 6 in PHB): The original version got merged with Guided Strike. WGB now gives you the benefit of Shield of Faith when you cast it on an ally. It also allows the spell to be cast without a spell slot once per rest. Also very nice!
• Avatar of Battle (level 17, level 17 in PHB) now gives resistance to all Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage — even if it’s magical! Nice!
• Bonus Proficiencies has been replaced by Divine Order in the base class.

Hot Takes

• The Cleric Base Class seems reasonably tuned up. It was solid before, and now it’s just that little bit nicer.
• The Life Domain is solid, but then it always was. The tweaks are fine, but not inspiring.
• The Light Domain seems shiny, but it also appears to have some weird issues that might be signs of sloppy work, or which could be problematic exploits.
• I have historically not understood the appeal of the Trickery Domain. But maybe it was just poor branding? Now that I read it closely, it’s almost like it’s taken over from the 2E Illusionist, but on a sturdier chassis. Could be fun for the right character or player.
• The War Domain seems like it’s all improvements to me (though I admit I haven’t dug into the domain spell changes in depth).

My first 5E character was a Life Cleric (from the starter set!) and it was the first time I’d ever seriously played a Cleric of any kind. I was really pleased with the experience, so I’m glad to see that the revised Cleric is looking solid and dependable too. Of the subclasses presented here, I’m probably most interested in playing a War Domain or Light Domain to try something new.

Lukewarm Takes

Does a one-level multiclass dip into Cleric really deserve access to Divine Order? Then again, that’s probably part of why Channel Divinity moved back to level 2.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

• Proficiencies: Still just Simple weapons, so still no rapiers.
• Starting Equipment: In the previous UA, Bards started with 1 dagger, 1 shortsword, and 18 gp. They now start with 2 daggers and 26 gp. Probably because shortswords are back to being Martial weapons?
• Bardic Inspiration: Has mostly reverted to the 2014 form, where it is given as Bonus Action in anticipation of future use. Now it’s used explicitly where the recipient knows they’ve failed a d20 Test, and it can be retained for up to an hour. The healing option from the previous UA apparently backfired and led to resource hoarding. I was a fan of having this be an in-the-moment reaction, so while this version has some improvements, the overall reversion is kind of disappointing.
• Spellcasting (level 1): Bards now choose a primary spell list from one of the Big Three: Arcane, Divine, or Primal, and they have access to the whole list. This is a BIG improvement over the previous UA iteration, yes please and thank you. This list determines which cantrips are available (fine). One cantrip can be replaced during level ups. A big change from the previous UA iteration is that prepared spells can no longer be replaced after long rests; changing spells only happens on level ups, and only one previously prepared spell can be replaced. This is probably fine, but some play testers may see it as a nerf. Curiously, the language is “spells prepared” even though this is now clearly a “spells known” mechanic. I’m guessing this is to make the language consistent from one class to another, but gosh, folks on Reddit are sour about it.
• Expertise (level 2, was level 3 in PHB) remains unchanged. Guess we just get it earlier now, okay.
• Jack of All Trades (level 2, was level 5 in UA, was level 2 in PHB) is back at level 2. Okay, good.
• Song of Rest/Songs of Restoration (removed! Formerly level 2) are just gone entirely now. I guess that’s the cost of getting access to Divine and Primal spell lists!
• Subclass (level 3): Same as it ever was for Bards, but it’s officially the new standard for all classes, which I like.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 4): An ASI or a Feat; curious that the language has reverted to ASI from Feat in the previous UAs. Does this signal leaning away from Feats?
• Font of Inspiration (level 5, was level 7 in UA, was 5 in PHB) is back to level 5 (GOOD!) and now lets you convert a spell slot to a Bardic Inspiration use if you’re all out. That kind of resource exchange seems to be a common theme for many classes now, which is a reasonable choice. The prior UA’s “roll a 1, and it doesn’t use up the Bardic Inspiration Die” rule has been eliminated (kind of a bummer).
• Subclass Feature (level 6): Same as prior UA and PHB. Okay.
• Countercharm (level 7, gone from UA, level 6 in PHB) is back in, though now instead of granting advantage, it lets the Bard use their reaction to cause the save to be re-rolled with advantage. I’m kind of iffy on this — it gives one party member a much better chance to save, but doesn’t do the group buff any more. On the other hand, it only consumes a reaction instead of an entire action, so you could now attack and Countercharm, or cast a spell and Countercharm.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or a Feat, same as on 4.
• Expertise (level 9, level 10 in PHB) stays where it was in the prior UA. Fine.
• Magical Secrets (level 10, level 11 in UA, level 10 in PHB) is back at level 10 and now unlocks all three of the ”Big Three” spell lists. Nice! Note however that you still only gain one spell at this level under the ”spells prepared” model.
• Dead Level (level 11). Back to being a dead level, as it was in the 2014 PHB. +1 spell known, +1st level 6 spell slot.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or a Feat, same as on 4.
• Dead Level (level 13). This was also a dead level in the previous UA. In the PHB, Song of Rest was upgraded here. Now it’s just +1 spell known, +1 level 7 spell slot.
• Subclass Feature (level 14): Same as the prior UA. In the PHB this also had another round of Magical Secrets.
• Dead Level (level 15). Just a Bardic Inspiration Die upgrade as it was in previous iterations, and +1 spell known, +1 level 8 spell slot.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or a Feat, same as on 4.
• Dead Level (level 17). This was also a dead level in the previous UA. In the PHB, Song of Rest was upgraded here. Now it’s just +1 spell known, +1 level 9 spell slot.
• Superior Inspiration (level 18, level 18 in UA, level 20 in PHB) was “Superior Bardic Inspiration” in the prior UA, but is back to the 2014 name. Subtly, it now only refreshes Bardic Inspiration uses if you’ve got none left, instead of always refreshing two uses when rolling initiative. I like neither of these changes, but it’s still better and sooner than in the 2014 PHB.
• Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or a Feat, same as on 4.
• Words of Creation (level 20) replaces the Epic Boon from the prior UA (disappointing since Epic Boons were starting to get cool) but it’s a better capstone than the 2014 PHB’s version of Superior Inspiration. What I struggle with here is that they stated Twinned Spell was overpowered for the Sorcerer, while giving Bards a zero-extra-cost twinned casting of Power Word Kill or Power Word Heal. My grumbles are probably moot as it’s not like anyone will ever get here anyway.

College of Dance

• Dazzling Footwork (level 3) encourages the Bard to not wear armor, giving them AC based on DEX and CHA; letting them make an extra unarmed strike when expending a Bardic Inspiration; and using DEX for unarmed strikes. Sure, I guess?
• Inspiring Movement (level 3) moves the Bard, and helps an ally to move, without provoking Opportunity Attacks, as a reaction, at the cost of a Bardic Inspiration. Maybe cool? I could see this being situationally useful, and something to help make combat positioning more dynamic.
• Leading Evasion (level 6) is basically “Group Evasion”, and one level sooner than the Rogue’s Evasion. Super handy if you’re clustered up and get hit with a Fireball, breath weapon, etc. Could be very cool.
• Tandem Footwork (level 6) uses Bardic Inspiration to give members of your party a bonus to initiative rolls. Nice!
• Irresistible Dance (level 14) permanently adds Otto’s Irresistible Dance to your repertoire, and lets you cast it for free once per long rest. Kind of a weird way to cap off a subclass, but it’s at least on brand.

College of Glamour

• Beguiling Magic (level 3, formerly Enthralling Performance) focuses on Enchantment and Illusion. Charm Person and Mirror Image are always prepared, and once per long rest you can try to charm or frighten a target immediately after casting a spell from these schools. This feels far more practical than the version from Xanathar.
• Mantle of Inspiration (level 3) has been modified to give 2 x a Bardic Inspiration Die roll temp hit points instead of a static number of hit points. There’s definitely risk here from rolling a 1 or 2, but any better than that and the reward is great. Could lead to some fun moments, I guess?
• Mantle of Majesty (level 6) is tweaked to permanently add Command to your repertoire and allows the feature to be recharged in exchange for a level 3 spell slot. If you liked the previous one, this is even better.
• Unbreakable Majesty (level 14) now only triggers when you’re hit for the first time, and completely nullifies the attack if the attacker fails their save. Successful saves no longer give the attacker disadvantage to save against the Bard’s spells. Crawford giveth, and Crawford taketh away.

College of Lore

• Bonus Proficiencies (level 3) have been restored to any three skills. Good.
• Cutting Words (level 3) can once again reduce damage rolls as well as ability checks and attack rolls. It’s back because Bardic Inspiration no longer has healing capabilities. Fine.
• Magical Discoveries (level 6) is the new “Additional Magical Secrets” and now allows replacing one of the additional spells on level ups. Nice!
• Peerless Skill (level 14) now benefits attack rolls as well as ability checks (good!). Like the previous UA, it specifically triggers when you fail one of these rolls, so there’s less chance that you waste it on what would’ve already been a success.

Unfortunately a couple of fun things got removed. Pour one out for Cunning Inspiration (which let users of Bardic Inspiration dice take the better of two rolls) and Improved Cutting Words (which added psychic damage to Cutting Words). I’m particularly sad about Improved Cutting Words, but presumably I will feel better about it in the context of the updated, harder-hitting Vicious Mockery.

College of Valor

• Combat Inspiration (level 3) now triggers its defense on a hit (less wasteful, more exciting), and the offensive option applies to all attacks, not just weapon attacks. These are both good changes.
• Martial Training (level 3) is the new Bonus Proficiencies. In addition to the far better name, it allows the use of a Simple or Martial weapon as a spellcasting focus. Small changes both, but welcome.
• Extra Attack (level 6): same as the 2014 version. If it ain’t broke…
• Battle Magic (level 14) is slightly reworded, but mechanically identical to the 2014 version.

Hot Takes

• The Bard Base Class here is a mixed bag. Some features are definitely better (and I really like the “pick a spell list” thing), but there are a fair number of disappointments where interesting things have been reverted or removed instead of refined.
• The College of Dance makes sense thematically that it should exist, and the Inspiring Movement, Leading Evasion, and Tandem Footwork abilities are useful. I don’t personally find the fantasy of it appealing, but I think the people who like it will really like it.
• The College of Glamour changes seem positive for the most part. I’m fine with it, though I don’t see it changing my interest in actually playing it. (Now, give me a College of Gilmour that focuses on sweet electric guitar solos and I’m in!)
• The College of Lore is a mixed bag. It’s an improvement over the 2014 version, but disappointingly abandons fun ideas from the previous UA.
• The College of Valor changes are pretty minor. While the tweaks are good, they’re just that. Nice, but not super inspiring.

I have enjoyed playing a Bard in the past, and would probably play one of these Bards in the future. Of the offerings here, I’m most likely to play College of Valor or College of Lore.

Lukewarm Takes

I have recently read some discussion about the drawbacks of reaction-based Bardic Inspiration, and I have to admit they’ve got a point. It is kind of a bummer to only be able to use BI to support a single party member in a given turn and it is kind of a bummer to forego other reaction-based abilities and spells.

So, in short, there’s just no winning.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Video

I watched this so that you don’t have to! But in case you do, here it is:

Bard

• Vicious Mockery is now Bard-exclusive and now uses 1d6 instead of 1d4.
• You decide which of the ”big three” spell lists is your character’s primary spell list (Arcane, Divine, or Primal). At level 10, Magical Secrets lets you pick spells from any list.
• “Primal Bard” is a sort of nod to the OG Bard from 1E who had Druid spells as part of their journey.
• At level 20, ”Words of Creation” means Bards always have Power Word Heal and Power Word Kill prepared, and can target TWO creatures.
• Power Word Heal is now ranged to be consistent with the other Power Word spells.
• Brand new subclass: College of Dance!

Cleric

• Cleric had been well-received in previous play tests so is now just getting things dialed in.
• “Holy Order” is renamed to “Divine Order” and moved from level 2 to level 1. The Thaumaturge and Scholar options have merged into just Thaumaturge. Now there’s just Protector and Thaumaturge. These used to be baked into subclasses, but now give players choice.
• Potent Spellcasting and Divine Strikes (formerly on subclasses) are now baked into the core class.
• The main feedback on Divine Intervention has been to make it more reliable/eliminate the “mother may I” aspect of it. Both Divine Intervention and Greater Divine Intervention have been redesigned to be more reliable. Can now use these features to cast, as an action, any Divine spell of 5th level or lower, free of having to prepare it or have material components for it. Todd Kenreck jokes that this will “ruin the diamond market”.
• Greater Divine Intervention is basically like Wish with some careful parameters.
• The Trickery Domain’s duplicate is easier to use.
• Light Domain combined a couple of things to allow the creation of a new feature.
• Subclasses: Life Domain, Light Domain, Trickery Domain, War Domain.
• In some cases the fourth subclass is just a pointer to the Tasha’s version.

Druid

• New features, new version of Wild Shape, a brand-new subclass, and two subclasses completely redesigned.
• Primal Order, at level 1, is like Cleric’s Divine Order. Better armor vs. more magic.
• Circle of the Moon lets you choose, when Wild Shaped, whether to use your AC or the beast’s AC (whichever is better).
• Elemental Fury allows Druids to enhance damage of cantrips or melee attacks — including when Wild Shaped.
• A recurring theme for the Druid is to let the player choose between leaning into casting and leaning into Wild Shape.
• A new mechanic allows Druids to convert Wild Shape uses into spell slots and spell slots into Wild Shape uses — much like Sorcerers and Sorcery Points. They’re also providing ways for Druids to use Wild Shape uses for things that aren’t turning into a beast.
• Wild Shape has been redesigned. Went back to the 2014 version and adjusted it…
• No longer get HP from the forms you turn into, but Circle of the Moon does get temp HP when Wild Shaped.
• Can now stay in Wild Shape form until the Druid’s HP drop to 0 instead of the beast’s HP dropping to 0, which should allow people to stay in Wild Shape longer.
• Activating Wild Shape is now a Bonus Action for all Druids.
• Druids can now talk in Wild Shape form.
• Druids now prepare a number of beast forms per day, starting with three forms. The list can be changed at every long rest.
• Subclasses: Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon, Circle of the Sea, Circle of the Stars (see Tasha for the last)
• Land and Moon have been heavily overhauled and are “almost new subclasses”.
• Circle of the Land can attune to a different land type daily to change out spells.
• Circle of the Land can use Wild Shape to make a burst of foliage that can damage foes or heal friends. Healing Blossoms from the prior UA got moved from the core class into this ability.
• Circle of the Land can call up a protective nature sanctuary.
• Circle of the Moon has a lunar theme running through it all. In beast form, you can call down Moon Beam. Can change beast form’s damage to Radiant. At later levels, your beast form can fly, regardless of form.
• Brand new subclass: Circle of the Sea! Incorporates not only water-themed abilities but also storms.

Monk

• The big goal: make their damage output more in line with other classes.
• Martial Arts Die progression has been bumped up a die across the board. Starting with d6 and eventually becoming a d12.
• Monk now gets Weapon Mastery. Supposed to be interesting combos between this and subclass features.
• Deflect Energy lets high-level Monks bat away things like Fire Bolts. (But not Magic Missile.)
• ”Discipline Points” are the new ”Ki Points”.
• Completely redesigned the Way of the Four Elements subclass, replacing it with Warrior of the Elements.
• Other subclasses: Warrior of Shadow, Warrior of the Hand, Warrior of Mercy (see “Way of Mercy” from Tasha).
• Warrior of Shadow can now move darkness and see in it.
• Warrior of Shadow has less reliance on spells and moves abilities into the subclass.

Paladin

• Like Cleric, the prior UA Paladin was very well-received.
• Paladins gain Weapon Mastery too.
• Lay on Hands is now a Bonus Action!
• Find Steed is now Paladin-exclusive, and just takes an Action to cast.
• All Smite spells have been revised based on feedback. Paladins get all but two as part of the Paladin’s Smite feature. Gives you different Smite spells that are always prepared as you level up.
• Testing here a version of Divine Smite as a spell to make the Smite family feel more consistent, and brought back its extra damage to Fiends and Undead.
• All Paladins can now cast a Smite for free once per day (removing it from the free casting of oath spells).
• All but two of the Smites are Paladin-exclusive, and have been removed from the Divine spell list (listening here to feedback about Clerics potentially smiting better than Paladins).
• Subclasses: Oath of Devotion, Oath of the Ancients, Oath of Vengeance, Oath of Glory

Ranger

• Trying to “keep the momentum going” on the improvements to how the Ranger has been received.
• Deft Explorer replaces the low-level Expertise. It includes Expertise in one skill and some terrain-oriented features as requested by play testers.
• Rangers also get Weapon Mastery.
• Conjure Barrage is now Ranger exclusive, works with melee and ranged weapons, and had its damage increased.
• Hunter’s Mark is now Ranger exclusive, and gets extra damage when upcast, but now limits its extra damage to once per turn. Similar to how Hex was tweaked previously.
• Subclasses: Beast Master, Gloom Stalker, Hunter, and…?
• Beast Master incorporates primal beasts with a few flavors of generic stat blocks.
• Gloom Stalker from Xanathar has been refreshed.
• Hunter has been revised based on feedback, restoring some features from 2014, with a menu of “only the good options”. At high levels, Hunters can pick up additional options.

Rogue

• Rogues get Weapon Mastery too! Some of the properties like Nick were designed with Rogues in mind.
• Steady Aim from Tasha’s is now a level 3 feature for all Rogues.
• Cunning Strike (level 5) lets Rogues trade a Sneak Attack damage die for imposing a condition on their target.
• Devious Strikes (level 14) adds even more trade-in options.
• Subclasses: Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Swashbuckler, Thief
• Assassin now can administer poisons.
• Assassin can now Assassinate without their target being surprised!
• Assassins now have Advantage on initiative rolls!
• Thief “turns up the volume”. Use an Object is back, AND the Thief can use it to activate magic items as a Bonus Action (like quaffing potions, etc.).
• Thief can use Cunning Strike to stay hidden after doing (a little less) damage.
• Arcane Trickster can use Cunning Strike to Trip and Disarm with their Mage Hand!
• Swashbuckler is coming in from Xanathar with some tweaks.

Hot Takes

Having Bards choose a primary spell list is pretty interesting and is a cool way to differentiate different Bard characters.

For Clerics, I’m not a fan of having only two Divine Order options; having a third was more interesting.

At first blush I like the Druid stuff, and Circle of the Sea seems like a good way to round out the offerings.

Monk? Seems all right based on what’s in the video. I look forward to giving it a close read. Could be a nice glow-up over the 2014 version.

I’m happy to see Paladin identity spells becoming Paladin-exclusive; that’s in line with feedback I submitted in the survey.

I’m excited to check out Rangers… but I note that the fourth Ranger subclass seems to be missing?!

Rogue looks like it’s going to be fun and have some interesting options, and I’m happy to see Swashbuckler becoming a PHB subclass.

I’m a little concerned about so many classes having access to Weapon Mastery. They’ll need to do something to make the Fighter still feel special in this regard.

Lukewarm Takes

A detail I’ve finally noticed in reading this UA is that it seems to have quietly dropped explicit Class Groups. Prior UA packets called out a Class Group for each class. While it’s still clearly a thing in the design, it’s no longer explicitly defined or indicated on individual classes.

Also throughout this packet, there’s an emphasis on Ability Score Improvement as the headline for ASI-or-Feat levels, where prior UA packets headlined with Feat and suggested ASI Feats. After almost a year of making Feats a core game mechanic, this feels strange.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

In depth videos are coming that are specific to each class. (Probably one big video that’ll be broken out into shorter ones.)

UA6 is the new biggest UA ever. Seven classes, revised spells, new spells, and new subclasses. Some subclasses are revisions from 2014 and some are entirely new. This UA represents the start of a “new chapter” of the process as they refine things that will be in the 2024 books.

We’ll see the return of some 2014 features that weren’t in earlier playtest material as well as brand new things inspired by survey feedback.

Weapon Mastery was a huge hit in the prior survey and is “here to stay”. It will now appear in additional classes: Rogue, Ranger, Paladin, and Monk!

All seven classes will have their 20th level features back at 20th level (instead of Epic Boons). Feedback indicates that the community is interested in Epic Boons, but not in having them replace 20th level features of the classes. Though they technically didn’t replace them, just move them earlier—folks want 20th level to be class-specific. Epic Boons will be explored more in a future UA. Some 20th level features will be brand new, like the Bard’s “Words of Creation”.

All subclass progressions have been moved back to 2014 setup. Having them all synced up caused “ripple effects”. The one exception is that they’re keeping the start of subclasses to level 3. This was working well in play tests, while the later level changes weren’t delivering the right amount of fun to justify the side effects. Going back to the 2014 progression eases compatibility with previous subclasses and also “opens up space for new design”, which is something we’ll apparently see with the Rogue with a new feature called “Cunning Strike”.

Subclass flavor text is now incorporating more references to the overall setting cosmology to link things to (for example) the Shadowfell, Feywild, Nine Hells, and so forth.

Crawford says this UA is all about really digging in on what brings joy in internal playtests and survey feedback and bringing it all together. Things “snapping into place”. We can see the 2024 books “coming into focus.”

Quick Thoughts

I’m looking forward to seeing so much material — particularly multiple subclasses for each class — so that we have better context for comparison and analysis.

Based on what was mentioned in this video and recent videos, we should be getting:

• Bard (revised)
• Ranger (revised)
• Rogue (revised)
• Cleric (revised)
• Druid (revised)
• Paladin (revised)
• Monk (welcome to the party, pal)

I’m a bit iffy about the Fighter’s special sauce getting added to so many other classes and will be curious to see how Fighter remains special. But it sounds like we finally get to see the Monk, and about time too.

I happened to like the standardized subclass progressions, so I’m hoping they’ll elaborate on the “ripple effects” they mentioned here.

As always, I remain open-minded and cautiously optimistic until I see the actual written materials. (Though I do still have an axe to grind about them reverting the exhaustion changes.)

So, now, this is me saying, “Oh, all right, here you go.”

I’m going to start with a series of posts about the latest Unearthed Arcana packet, Playtest 6, but I’ve got plenty of older notes that I might share as well. (My perfectionist brain is struggling to decide whether or not I should backdate those posts. What do you think?)

I know that there’s plenty of Internet Discourse™ on the topic, and that by saying anything publicly I invite all manner of folks to let me know that I’m wrong, that I didn’t do the math, that I’m smoking copium or simping for WotC, or whatever. Well, nuts to that! I’d rather be having fun than arguing on the Internet, so I’ll instead refer you to the following Very Official Disclaimer:

• I’ve been playing D&D since ~1982. Still have my pink box dice.
• I think it’s cool that so many more people are having fun with RPGs than ever before. The more, the merrier!
• It’s not perfect, but I’ve had a lot of fun with 5E.
• I’m interested in where things are going, and so are my friends.
• I try to keep an open mind. I’ve come to appreciate a lot of things I used to think were dumb or pointless.
• I like doing rigorous diffs of text. Expect a bunch of that.
• I don’t like crunching numbers. Expect none of that.
• I like to like things.
• I might not like the same things you do. That’s okay.

Kind feedback is appreciated via Mastodon; unkind feedback is best kept to yourself; both our souls will benefit from this arrangement. If you have strong feelings about a potential change, I urge you to let WotC know via their survey process.

Speaking of surveys… I’d better start posting before the next one opens!

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

The new books are a “continuation” of the 2014 books. The goal is to “prepare the game for its next decade”. They want to include all the best parts of the 2014 books, new material, and old material that has been refined based on what is resonating with the community. Things that aren’t resonating won’t be carried forward. The UA process so far has been a way to gauge the community’s interest for change and to see what gets people excited. Things got tested even knowing that they might not be work out. Upcoming UAs will feature a return to more familiar things with some new material incorporated.

Gaining subclasses at 3rd level is testing well, but having the subclass progressions in sync has not been testing badly, but isn’t causing “delight”. “If the response to something is ‘meh’, we’re leaving it behind.” In the next UA — Experts and Priests — the old subclass progressions will be back, but without subclasses in levels 1 and 2.

Monk is still “coming soon”.

”Backward compatibility” is much more explicitly defined now — the goal is for the adventures to be compatible with the new books. Curse of Strahd, Princes of the Apocalypse, etc.

Why maintain this adventure compatibility instead of doing a new edition? Fifth edition continues to grow (and sell well) — no reason to stop it. They aim to fix “squeaky wheels”, set up new design spaces to explore, and make the core books the best they can be for the next ten years. The new books will tell you how they work with existing adventures.

What’s with all the “2014” vs. ”2024” in recent discussions? They’ve been using calver internally for three years! They’ve found that it helps them be clear about which versions of the core books they’re discussing.

Changes in capitalization? Started off with many more things capitalized in the early UAs; it’s been dialed back but we should expect the 2024 release to have many more terms capitalized than in the 2014 version. Proper nouns help to distinguish when something is an important game terms instead of just plain English; the text signals whether something can be looked up versus just interpreted by a reader.

My Thoughts

This is a shorter video, restating the approach to and goals of the play test process. It feels a bit repetitive to me, but then again there’s that saying about people having to hear something seven times before it really sinks in.

Personally, I’m glad to see subclass acquisition standardized at level 3, but I’m skeptical about whether a return to 2014 subclass progressions is a good idea. Folks on Reddit are calling this “the worst of both worlds”, but I’ll wait to see how the next UA shapes up before rushing to judgment. I did light into them in the most recent survey about reverting to the 2014 exhaustion rules, which I found really disappointing.

I’m curious about the hold up with the Monk. I wonder if they’re struggling with the process of trying to disconnect it from kung fu stereotypes and related terminology.

I appreciated the acknowledgment that sales of 5E books play a part in refining 5E vs. making a clean break to a new edition. It felt like a bit of genuine honesty — why would they break adventure compatibility if people are still buying Curse of Strahd? That’d be foolish.

My jaw hit the ground when Crawford said they’d been using calver internally for years. I’ve been banging that drum for a while now, and it felt pretty great to have that validated. I expect to see some kind of “2024” label on the new books, and hopefully we can put an end to all the arguments about whether it’s “5.5E” or “6E” or “5.1E” or whatever else people want to argue about to get their flavor of social media points. Folks on Reddit seem to think this means there won’t be new cover art, but the video doesn’t mention that one way or the other, so don’t fall for any nonsense there.

And as for making game rule terms into Proper Nouns with Noticeable Capitalization? I twigged to this early on, and I welcome it wholeheartedly.

I look forward to the next UA revisions with cautious optimism, an open mind, and an eagerness to provide survey feedback.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Weapons

War pick being Versatile makes sense, good call there.

Moving the Net away from being a weapon was a good call. This way all weapons do damage!

I understand why Musket and Pistol appear on the list, but I won’t be allowing them at my tables any time soon.

I didn’t love the rollback of the Light weapon property, as it had been fun in the previous UAs. But it makes sense in the context of the Nick weapons, so I think this is all right.

Love the change to Thrown that allows the weapon to be drawn as part of the ranged attack. THANK YOU!

Weapon Mastery Properties

Reddit seems to not like Flex, but I think it’s probably all right as it frees up a hand – I don’t think most people are considering it in that light.

Cleave is cool, but it seemed very strange that Greatswords didn’t get this property by default.

I don’t know how I feel about Graze being able to do damage even without a hit. Something about that feels wrong. A Fighter with a 20 Strength and three attacks could do 15 damage even if they miss every attack! I guess it’s nice if you’re playing a martial class, as it’d help to keep up with things like Spirit Guardians, but, yeah, feels strange somehow. I’m not sure how to fix this.

Arcane Spell List

OVERALL things are good, but the devil’s in the details…

Things that I am Very Satisfied by:

• Vicious Mockery and Dissonant Whispers being removed to become Bard exclusives
• Eldritch Blast becoming a Warlock exclusive
• Pact Weapon – love that this can now incorporate magic weapons in addition to just conjuring a weapon.
• Sorcerous Vitality – nice, thanks!

Things I am Satisfied with:

• Arcane Eruption – if this was a third level spell, I’d choose it over Fireball probably
• Chaos Bolt
• Hex – nerfed slightly, but it’s okay
• Memorize Spell
• Pact Familiar – should explicitly list the actions permitted to the familiar
• Sorcerous Burst – I think it’ll be fun with Empowered Spell metamagic
• Sorcery Incarnate – seems all right, getting some Sorcery Points back is always good. The flavor is good for sure!

Things I am Dissatisfied with:

• Book of Shadows – it’s a little confusing as written… It’s a cantrip that seems like you’d only cast it once ever since the book goes away if it’s cast again? Really weird.

Things I am Very Dissatisfied with:

• Modify Spell/Create Spell/Scribe Spell – this seems incredibly broken to me. I have grave reservations about being able to remove components and concentration checks, and that upcasting lets you modify multiple attributes of the spell. With the right financial resources, a Wizard in downtime could really mess up the game balance. I think this will be really hard for DMs to cope with.

Barbarian

Base Class

I’ve enjoyed playing a couple of lower-level Barbarians for a few shorter adventures, but this is a great glow-up that would make me want to play one for a full campaign.

I really like the philosophical change about extending Rage to be about what you do, rather than what’s done to you.

I also love that Brutal Critical can apply on ranged attacks. That seems really fun with Thrown weapons!

Path of the Berserker

This seems to basically be the “HULK SMASH” subclass, and I am so here for it!

Frenzy no longer giving a point of Exhaustion? Awesome!

Mindless Rage being easier to manage thanks to ending Charmed and Frightened rather than suspending them? Please and thank you!

Retaliation works with any attack? Great!

Intimidating Presence keying off of Strength instead of Charisma? Definitely on brand for the Barbarian! I like that it can use a Rage for extra uses before a Long Rest too. I don’t even mind not getting this until level 14 – it seems thematically appropriate for that tier of play.

Fighter

Base Class

Persuasion being an option is nice.

Some folks may miss the leather/longbow combo, but I guess that’s more of Ranger’s identity now?

I like how Fighting Style leans into Feats being a core part of the game. Bravo!

Second Wind is fine; seems like the recharge change here is because Long Rests are more predictable than Short Rests?

I noticed Action Surge explicitly limits the available Actions; this is probably fine, and a worthwhile clarification.

Getting an extra Feat at level 5 is nice.

Weapon Expert and Adept are metamagic for Fighters. Cool!!

I love the update to Indomitable! The bonus structure is great!

Selfishly, I want to get Unconquerable at lower levels. I can tell that it’s going to be VERY welcome in this top tier of play!

Champion

I never wanted to play a Champion before, but this looks like it will be a ton of fun!

Adaptable Victor is going to be great for letting Fighters be more useful outside of combat.

I love that Improved Critical and Superior Critical apply to unarmed attacks now.

I wish there were a category above “Very Satisfied” so that I could correctly rate Heroic Warrior. I love, love, love having mechanical ways of getting Inspiration/Heroic Advantage, which the 2014 rules sorely lacked. This is SO GREAT, thank you!!

Sorcerer

Spear seems like a weird choice for a starting weapon.

I LOVE being able to know more spells, thank you, thank you, thank you! With only 15 spells total, Sorcerers felt a little too “one trick” compared to other casters over the course of a campaign.

I also LOVE getting to swap out a metamagic option after a Long Rest. It will be great to sample all of them.

I appreciate that there are many fewer “dead levels” where a Sorcerer would only get a spell slot change, but it’d be better if there weren’t any classes with dead levels.

In general, I love how this leans into Sorcerers being infused with magic – Sorcerous Vitality, Sorcery Incarnate, and Sorcerous Restoration in particular feel good to great.

Arcane Apotheosis seems completely broken, so much so that I can’t even feel selfishly excited for it. It makes sense for Sorcerers to have a special relationship with the most powerful spell in the game, but downtime is going to wreck economies as it’ll be completely safe to crank out 25,000 gp items every few days. What I do like is the 1x/day “cast anything” effect; maybe that’s a direction to explore?

Metamagic Options

In general, everything is GREAT!

Quickened Spell is more precisely specified but still feels too complicated for its own good. Maybe it needs an example?

The new Twinned Spell is bad. Really bad. Casting the same spell two turns in a row isn’t worthy of the “Twinned” part of the name. Crawford keeps harping on the 2014 version being overpowered in videos, and maybe it is in tier 3 and 4 when Sorcery Points are more abundant, but in earlier levels it’s so situational that I don’t get to use it commonly. And on Concentration spells like Haste, it yields outsized player joy as more people get to feel awesome, but also extra risk, because having two party members stalled when Haste breaks early is extra dangerous. This change takes it from being one of the most fun metamagics to one of the least. I can definitely see it being overpowered with the removal of the single-target restriction (otherwise it’s Twinned Fireball city, amiright?) but that restriction never felt like a pain point to me under the 2014 rules. PLEASE rethink this, as it’s a really glaring flaw in what’s otherwise a VERY nice glow-up for this class.

Draconic Sorcery

The name is better, thanks.

I like how Draconic Resilience scales (haha) but not arriving until level 3 makes levels 1-2 squishier than they used to be!

Dragon Speech is weird. The old version let Sorcerers read, write, and speak Draconic, which had some very nice utility. Now they can only communicate with creatures of the Dragon type, most of whom already speak Draconic. I guess we can talk to wyverns now? How many other monsters fit into this weird niche of being Dragons without knowing Draconic?

Elemental Affinity being always on is PERFECT. Keep it!

Draconic Exhalation is way more fun than the old Draconic Presence feature. I do wonder if having to make separate attack and damage rolls will bog down combat though as compared to how something like Burning Hands works.

Dragon Wings: mostly fine, and I love it doing extra damage that ties into the Elemental Affinity, and the spectral nature of the wings means special armor/clothing accommodations aren’t needed. But Crawford was wrong when he said it was nerfed because it arrives sooner–it was a level 14 feature in 2014 too. Most campaigns won’t ever reach level 14, so it still feels out of reach.

Chaos Bolt

The chance for the spell to leap to additional targets is interesting, and I’m glad to see this get moved into the PHB spell list. I wonder if it’s more suited to a Wild Magic Sorcerer than to the general class though? I’d probably choose Chromatic Orb instead if I could since it lets me select the damage type.

Sorcerous Burst

I think this could be really fun in combination with Empowered Spell metamagic. The versatility of being able to choose the damage type is very nice, but in general I might still lean to Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost if I needed a consistent damage type.

Sorcerous Vitality

This is great, ship it! I love being able to self-serve some healing in a pinch, and ending those conditions feels appropriate and helpful.

Arcane Eruption

Overall I like it… a weaker Fireball with selectable damage type and which applies conditions to its targets. The flavor is really good. If this was a third level spell, I’d take it over Fireball any day.

Sorcery Incarnate

In the right situation, this seems really cool and cinematic, and leans into the Sorcerer’s class identity. But there are some other really great fifth level spells that could be cast instead… I think you’re onto something here, but it needs some more work.

Warlock

Base Class

I’m not in love with the sickle as a starting weapon, but okay I guess.

The internet is pretty spicy about all the Pact/Subclass moves, but I like them as it opens up some good storytelling options for committing to a patron.

I also really like getting away from Pact Magic and getting regular casting with a half-caster progression.

The updated Eldritch Invocation progression and new cap is also a nice improvement.

Contact Patron seems like a nice mirror to the Cleric’s Divine Intervention.

Also, I noted that the Warlock progression chart showed an Eldritch Invocation on level 17, but the main text skips from a Feat at level 16 to Hex Master at level 18. Can you please clarify whether or not an Eldritch Invocation is granted at level 17?

Eldritch Invocation Options

In general, the Pact Boon enhancements are great, and I appreciate the small tweaks and clarifications in things like Agonizing Blast, Repelling Blast, and Witch Sight.

Lessons of the First Ones is fine (feats are great!) but feels a little like a cop out creatively. Same with Mystic Arcanum.

Lifedrinker is cool as heck, tapping into the Elric vibe from Michael Moorcock’s books.

I LOVE that Gaze of Two Minds lets you cast from the other creature’s space; this is going to be very fun in tactical situations.

Fiend Patron

Losing Fireball from the patron spell list is kind of a bummer, but there are other ways to do it (via Mystic Arcanum), and the new list is fine.

I’ve never been keen to play a Warlock in the 2014 rules due to the wonky spellcasting, but I’d be interested in trying out this version. It seems a lot more approachable, gives access to better armor, lets you use more spells more often, and has some cool flavor and RP options. I went into this deep dive feeling kind of ambivalent about them, but now I’m eager to see the other subclasses!

Eldritch Blast

I’m glad to see this being moved to a Warlock exclusive spell.

Hex

Looks like it got a small nerf, but it makes sense in the context of other change – especially how it ties in with Pact Weapon.

Pact Weapon

Cool. I really like that this can work with a magic weapon too, so that it’s possible to enjoy some adventure loot while still feeling Warlocky!

Pact Familiar

I like the basic stat block with customization options. (I can have a FLUMPH as my buddy?! Yes please!)

I note that the Combat section says the familiar can Dodge+Move, or use your Reaction to attack. This implicitly does not include having the familiar permanently using Help to grant someone else advantage, which always felt broken to me.You should probably explicitly list all the actions that are permitted to the familiar.

Book of Shadows

Preparing extra spells? Cool.

Adding to damage rolls of cantrips? Cool.

But it’s still confusing as worded. It sounds like it’s meant to only be cast once, because the book goes away if the cantrip is ever cast again? I’m not sure what the point of a one-time-only cantrip is, when cantrips are generally the opposite.

Wizard

Base Class

A Wizard with good financing and sufficient downtime is going to absolutely break the game with Modify Spell/Create Spell/Scribe Spell. The idea of tinkering with spells is cool, but I have grave reservations about being able to remove components and concentration checks, and that upcasting lets you modify multiple attributes of the spell. I think it’s going to be really hard on DMs (and frankly non-Wizard players).

At least the new Sorcerer waits until level 18 to be totally broken; the impatient Wizard ruins things by level 9. And they said Twinned Spell was overpowered… lol! Twinned at least was a fun thing that could happen a few times in the moment, with some important constraints, and not something that could permanently change game rules in a single player’s favor.

As a DM, this makes me not want to allow Wizards in my campaigns. And that feeling SUCKS.

Evoker

I note that Empowered Evocation applies to casting Evocation spells from the Arcane spell list. I think this means that it wouldn’t apply to Evocation spells that have been customized by Modify Spell/Create Spell. Is that intentional, or an oversight?

Scribe Spell

So the scribed spell is basically encrypted when it hits a Wizard’s spellbook. How does this work with a spellbook found in adventure loot? Does a Wizard need to cast Identify on the book to know its contents? On each spell in the book? How does this impact spell scroll creation? Do spell scrolls also have to be created with Scribe Spell? And if so, how does anyone know what they do/how to cast them?

Memorize Spell

Seems fine, and useful in certain situations where time is of the essence.

Modify Spell

I have grave reservations about being able to remove components and concentration checks, and that upcasting lets you modify multiple attributes of the spell. I think it’s going to be really hard on DMs (and frankly non-Wizard players). Assuming it stays, this power comes on WAY too early in the Wizard’s progression too. As a DM, this makes me not want to allow Wizards in my campaigns. And that feeling SUCKS.

Create Spell

It seems like some kind of spell creation system is needed to satisfy this part of the Wizard fantasy, but this isn’t it. Maybe they could get some kind of toolkit that lets them build their own, BALANCED spells, instead of letting them break existing spells with enough time and money.

As it is… as a DM, this makes me not want to allow Wizards in my campaigns. And that feeling SUCKS.

Miscellaneous

Death Saving Throws

Sorry gang, I think this is a big miss here!

As written in this UA, the rule is woefully incomplete. I don’t see any benefit here versus the Dying condition from the Druid & Paladin UA, which was clear, comprehensive, and made a LOT of sense as a Condition. I’d honestly call this a pretty big regression, and would recommend rolling back to the Dying condition as previously presented (and perhaps updating “Rolling a 1 or 20” to be consistent with regaining 1 hp and still being Unconscious and starting a Short Rest).

Additional Comments

Thank you for the edits on the Attack action around equipping and unequipping weapons; the previous ambiguity has been resolved.

The removal of the Exhausted condition and subsequent reversion to the 2014 rules is a huge misstep. After being present in several UAs, its removal here is frankly shocking. In my experience with the 2014 rules, Exhaustion went largely underutilized because it was hard to find, the mechanics were hard to remember, and if used it could escalate WAY too quickly. The Exhausted condition as presented in the previous UAs was the opposite: easy to find, easy to understand, memorable, and with enough leeway to be fun to mix into play without feeling like it’d spiral out of control too easily. Anybody not closely following the UA releases that I explained it to or tested it with said it was a big improvement. So. Please. Please. Please. Bring it back!

I would also strongly recommend that future videos go through some fact-checking prior to release, as it was stated that Dragon Wings were scaled back because they were now coming online at a lower level, which isn’t true at all; both the original and UA versions are granted at the same level (14).

As always, thank you for your hard work and diligent attention to survey feedback. There are some bumps in the road, but I am still very optimistic about the results of this process.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Weapons & Weapon Mastery

• Shortsword as a martial weapon again? Fine. I’m not sure I cared either way.
• Moving the net to adventuring gear makes sense. It changes from an attack roll to hit to a DEX save to avoid (reasonable). Escape conditions are mainly the same, plus some welcome clarifications.
• Trident got buffed? Okay, I wasn’t using them, but sure.
• Lance got its properties tidied up (fine) and its damage slightly nerfed (meh).
• War pick is now versatile? All right, I think that’s a change players can really… grab on to with both hands.
• Musket and pistol moved from the DMG? Glad to see it from the “put all the same things in the same place” perspective, but I still won’t allow them in my games any time soon.
• Light weapon property is back to basically the 2014 mechanic, just moved to the Weapon Properties section now instead of hiding in the Two-Weapon Fighting rules. I’m a little disappointed to see this get rolled back, but not heartbroken.
• Thrown weapons can be drawn and thrown as a single Attack action. Good!
• Melee weapons, when thrown, use Strength for attack and damage roll modifiers. Finesse weapons use Strength or Dexterity. I like this also.
• Cleave (Greataxe, halberd)? Makes sense. Greatsword having Graze instead of Cleave? Doesn’t make sense. Seems like a nonsense way to differentiate Greatsword from Greataxe.
• Flex (Quarterstaff, spear, longsword, war pick, warhammer)? Cool. Rolling bigger dice is tight.
• Graze (Glaive, greatsword)? Is going to be silly when martials get to 20 STR and are doing 5 damage even when they miss. A fighter with three attacks could miss, miss, miss, and still do 15 damage. Cool for martials, I guess, but still kind of weird.
• Nick (Dagger, light hammer, sickle, scimitar) activates the previous UA version of Light weapons getting an additional attack in the main Attack action instead of a Bonus Action. Makes me a little happier about the reversion on the Light property.
• Push (Greatclub, pike, heavy crossbow) seems like it could be “cinematically” fun.
• Sap (Mace, flail, morningstar) imposes disadvantage on the target’s next attack and makes a lot of sense to me. Let’s hear it for blunt force trauma, everybody!
• Slow (Club, javelin, light crossbow, sling, whip, longbow, musket) reduces speed like Ray of Frost. The choices here work for me.
• Topple (Battleaxe, lance, maul, trident) has targets make a CON save or get knocked prone. All righty!
• Vex (Handaxe, dart, shortbow, rapier, shortsword, blowgun, hand crossbow) gives the attacker advantage on their next attack. Maybe a little broken, but seems fun? I imagine this is like Inigo Montoya when he gets going against Count Rugen.
• The Priest’s Pack now costs more (33 gp, formerly 19), loses the 10 candles, loses the alms box, loses the incense and censer, loses the vestments, loses the waterskin (!!), and gains a lamp, some holy water, and 7 days of rations (formerly 2). Those had better be some pretty good rations! I’m fine with this, I think.

Spells

• Vicious Mockery and Dissonant Whispers have been removed from the Arcane list and will be Bard-exclusives in a future UA. Cool.
• Arcane Eruption (Sorcerer). A weaker Fireball (6d6 vs 8d6) at a higher spell slot level (4), but you get to choose the damage type, and it applies conditions on failed saves. I like the flavor, but maybe have this at third level and I’d take it over Fireball.
• Book of Shadows (Warlock, Pact of the Tome). Cantrip that uses an hour to prep 2 additional spells for extra versatility, and it adds to the damage rolls of other cantrips. Cool. But seems like you’d only get to cast this once, since the book goes away if you cast it again? Huh? Weird – I expected this to be the daily “first thing in the morning” ritual for all Warlocks.
• Chaos Bolt (Sorcerer). Moved from Xanathar. Longer range than Chromatic Orb, little less damage, and the damage type is random. Can sometimes chain to multiple targets, which might be the biggest selling point. Seems on brand for the Wild Magic subclass, but I suspect other subclasses will prefer to use Chromatic Orb unless 50gp diamonds are too scarce.
• Eldritch Blast (Warlock). No mechanical differences, just explicitly locked to the Warlock now. This is the way.
• Hex (Warlock). Now only does extra damage once per turn (formerly on every hit). Upcasting to level 5 or higher now also increases that extra damage. Little bit of a nerf, but makes sense in the context of similar changes. Were Warlocks even doing multi-attack in the past (without dips into other classes)?
• Memorize Spell (Wizard). Spend 1 minute and a 3rd-level spell slot to swap a prepared spell for a spell you wish you had prepared. Upcast to swap more! Seems cool to me, though clearly it comes at a price – that’s one less Fireball or Haste than you would otherwise be casting today!
• Pact Familiar (Warlock, Pact of the Chain). I kind of like the stat block and customization options (dude, I can have a flumph as my buddy?!). I note that the Combat section says the familiar can Dodge+Move, or use your Reaction to attack. This implicitly does not include having the familiar permanently using Help to grant someone else advantage, which always felt broken to me. John will probably hate it. I think it’s probably for the best. They should probably explicitly list all the actions that are permitted to the familiar.
• Pact Weapon (Warlock, Pact of the Blade). Can now bond with a magic weapon in addition to just conjuring one. This weapon gets to use your spellcasting modifier for attack and damage rolls instead of STR/DEX (nice). If thrown, it returns to your hand (ala Thor’s hammer). And it gives a second attack at level 5 – so I guess that’s what the Hex adjustment was meant to address. Overall cool, it’s nice to be able to incorporate loot with this core class feature.
• Sorcerous Burst (Sorcerer). The cantrip version of Chromatic Orb, with exploding damage dice. Could be fun if you roll well, and the extra versatility on damage type is nice, but Fire Bolt wins on dependable raw power.
• Sorcerous Vitality (Sorcerer). Physician, heal thyself! (And remove any of a few conditions.) A nice trick to have in the bag when you’re in trouble and you’re out of potions.
• Sorcery Incarnate (Sorcerer). Recharges some Sorcery Points, unlocks stacking of any two metamagics, and gives Advantage on all spell attack rolls for the duration. Seems okay, but situational, and there are some other really great level 5 spells that could be cast instead…
• Modify Spell/Create Spell/Scribe Spell (Wizard). In theory I like some kind of mechanic for Wizards to experiment and come up with personalized spells, and it gives Wizards something to do with money since Create Spell eats a very pricey Arcane Focus (whose cost scales by level of the altered spell), but I have grave reservations about being able to remove components and concentration checks, and that upcasting lets you modify multiple attributes of the spell. That said, I think being able to turn long-casting-time non-ritual spells into rituals is good. The casting time and duration on Create Spell feel out of sync with the description though – probably to prevent using Modify Spell to make Create Spell a ritual! I was feeling like this intruded too much on the Sorcerer’s territory of magic modification, but the financial and time commitments that Sorcerers don’t have tempers that a little bit. It will be up to DMs to keep this from getting out of hand – a rich Wizard with ample downtime could really mess up the game balance!

Feats

• Epic Boon of Dimensional Travel (Expert or Mage). Essentially a free Misty Step immediately after an Attack or Magic action, plus an ASI. Sign me up!
• Epic Boon of Energy Resistance (Export or Mage). Resistance to 2 types of damage, swappable daily? Redirect some damage to a visible target? And an ASI? Pretty neat, and the versatility is cool (as long as you aren’t planning to go to multiple elemental planes in the same day).
• Epic Boon of Irresistable Offense (Expert or Warrior). Ignore a target’s resistance to martial damage types? And a potential shit-ton of extra damage on nat 20s (based on the stat the feat boosted). Fighters and Barbarians should like this! (I know Torinn would.)
• Epic Boon of Recovery. Get a boost to 50% instead of dropping to 0 hp, and it’s harder to double-tap you when you’re down? Nice. If you’re a high-level person in the habit of getting clobbered, this is going to be nice.
• Epic Boon of Speed (Expert or Warrior). Disengage as a Bonus Action – and also get out of being Grappled and Restrained. Also run really fast. We’re going to have to redo all the math on the theoretical max speed of a Tabaxi!
• Epic Boon of the Night Spirit (Expert or Mage). In dim light and darkness, be invisible with an action, and have resistance to almost all damage. Bonkers. The edgelords are gonna love this…
• Weapon Master. Get access to a lighter version of the Weapon Mastery feat from the Warrior group. I’m okay with this - it’s like the Magic Initiate and similar feats that let outsiders get a taste of a different group.

Barbarian

Base Class

• Starting Equipment. Barbs now start with an Explorer’s Pack, 4 Handaxes, either a Greataxe or a Battleaxe/Shield/gp bundle, and 15 gp. Or 75 gp to just buy things. Seems fine.
• Rage (level 1). Definitely reads better as formatted in the UA. Some tweaks to how it ends (being Incapacitated or donning Heavy Armor, which both make sense to me). It’s now extended by what you do (making an attack roll, causing an enemy to make a saving throw, or using a Bonus Action; formerly extended by taking damage which never felt good to me) and can last longer (10 minutes, formerly 1 minute). Seems good!
• Unarmored Defense (level 1). Stays the same. Sure.
• Weapon Mastery (new, level 1). Like the feat, but Barbs get to have two kinds of mastery at once, bumping up to 3 at 4th level, and 4 at 10th level. The masteries can be changed out after a Long Rest. Seems cool, and the flexibility is appreciated!
• Primal Knowledge (new, level 2). Use Strength for various non-STR skill checks while raging. Okay, I guess?
• Reckless Attack (level 2). Mostly the same, but now extends to all STR-based attacks, not just melee attacks. Nice.
• Subclass (level 3). Just like everybody else.
• Feat (level 4). Just like everybody else.
• Extra Attack (level 5). Unchanged.
• Fast Movement (level 5). Unchanged.
• Subclass Feature (level 6). Same.
• Feral Instinct (level 7). Same.
• Feat (level 8). Just like other classes.
• Indomitable Might (level 9, formerly 18!). Exactly the same, just 9 levels sooner! Cool, I think?! This used to be an extra die of Brutal Critical damage, but that’s just auto-scaling with your level now.
• Subclass Feature (level 10). Like other classes do.
• Brutal Critical (level 11, formerly 9). Now includes any STR-based attack, not just melee. (Nice!) Damage is now equal to your Barbarian level (formerly an extra damage die), so this is now a guaranteed +11 to +20, HECK YEAH!
• Feat (level 12). Just like everybody else.
• Persistent Rage (level 13, formerly 15). Rage just lasts for 10 minutes now (formerly indefinite). Probably fine? I’ve never been a tier 3 Barbarian before.
• Subclass Feature (level 14). Like other classes do.
• Relentless Rage (level 15, formerly 13). Conceptually the same, but a successful CON save now gives you 2x your Barbarian level in hp – so a guaranteed 30-40 hp! – instead of a measly 1 hp. I think that’s worth the extra wait, frankly!
• Feat (level 16). Same as other classes.
• Rage Resurgence (new, level 17). Get a Rage back when rolling initiative. Handy! This used to be an extra die of Brutal Critical damage.
• Primal Champion (level 18, formerly 20). STR and CON now get a +2 bump each (formerly +4) to a max of 22 (formerly 24). A little nerfy, but it comes sooner, so… fine?
• Feat (level 19). Same as other classes.
• Epic Boon (new, level 20). +2 bump to STR or CON, to a max of 30, plus an Epic Boon Feat. Sure, cool! Smash! Rarrr!

Barbarian: Path of the Berserker

• Frenzy (level 3). No longer gives +1 Exhaustion (yay!). Extra damage while using Reckless Attack + Rage. Works for me!
• Mindless Rage (level 6). Mostly the same, but now ends being Charmed or Frightened rather than suspending those conditions. Easier to manage, and a nice upgrade!
• Retaliation (level 10, formerly 14). Comes online 4 levels earlier with a nice clarification that it works with any melee attack – with or without a weapon! Cool.
• Intimidating Presence (level 14, formerly 10). Extra range if Rage is active. Now based on STR instead of CHA. Failed saves now cause 1 minute of being Frightened (formerly required an Action to extend it!) The old version allowed 24-hour immunity after a successful save, but that’s now removed too; the new version instead requires a Long Rest to recharge, or it can consume a Rage instead. Overall cool, I think, and is thematically more on brand for the higher level.

Overall: Feels like a decent glow-up, and would be a fun HULK SMASH build. I could see myself wanting to play this.

Fighter

Base Class

• Proficiencies. Persuasion is now an option, for the leader-y Fighters.
• Starting Equipment. Fighters now start with chain mail (removes the leather/longbow/arrows combo), a light crossbow and 20 bolts (goodbye, handaxes), quiver, a Dungeoneer’s Pack, 11 gp, and the choice of either a greatsword or a longsword/shield/25 gp bundle. Or 175 gp to buy whatever. I guess the leather/longbow combo is more explicitly a Ranger thing now? Having to choose 2-handed weapon or sword & board definitely makes character creation a little simpler.
• Fighting Style (level 1). Now just pick a Fighting Style feat. I like this - it leans into feats becoming core rules.
• Second Wind (level 1). Now 2x per Long Rest, with more uses coming online at levels 4 and 10. This is probably fine, since Short Rests are rarely guaranteed.
• Weapon Mastery (new, level 1). Like the Barbarian version but even better! Fighters start with 3 masteries, with a 4th at level 4, and a 5th and level 10.
• Action Surge (level 2). The additional Actions are now limited to Attack, Dash, Disengage, and Dodge.
• Subclass (level 3). Just like all the new classes.
• Feat (level 4). Just like other classes.
• Extra Attack (level 5). If it ain’t broke…
• Feat (level 5). Again?! Okay, cool!
• Subclass Feature (level 6) Just like other classes.
• Weapon Expert (new, level 7). Once per Long Rest, change the Mastery property of a weapon you’ve got Mastery of – eg, change Greatsword from Graze to Cleave. Like metamagic, but for weapons. I like it!
• Feat (level 8). Just like other classes.
• Indomitable (level 9). Uses your Fighter level as the bonus when you reroll a failed save. WOW! So that’s +9 to +20! The tradeoff here is that this is now just 1x/Long Rest. But that’s probably enough?
• Subclass Feature (level 10). Just like other classes.
• Two Extra Attacks (level 11). Same as before. The name and wording changed slightly but it’s mechanically identical – just clearer for new players.
• Feat (level 12). Just like other classes.
• Weapon Adept (new, level 13). More weapon metamagic (metamartial?). Give a weapon two Mastery properties instead of one, and choose which to use when attacking (before you know whether you hit or miss).
• Subclass Feature (level 14). Just like other classes.
• Improved Action Surge (level 15). Same scaling mechanic (now you get 2x/rest), but comes online two levels earlier. Nice.
• Feat (level 16). Just like other classes.
• Unconquerable (new, level 17). Use a Second Wind to trigger Indomitable if it’s already been used. Plus healing from the SW! This is sort of like the way Indomitable scaled before, but comes online later and has a resource pool instead of just a static number of uses per Long Rest. This would let you do Indomitable up to 5x per Long Rest, without losing out on the Second Wind healing. It’s kind of a drag to wait to unlock this, but I can see it being VERY welcome at this level of play.
• Three Extra Attacks (level 18, formerly 20). Same as before, but with clearer wording for new players, and two levels earlier.
• Feat (level 19). Just like other classes.
• Epic Boon (new, level 20). +2 bump to STR or DEX, with a max of 30, plus an Epic Boon feat. Cool.

Fighter: Champion

• Adaptable Victor (new, level 3). Rent a skill proficiency after a Long Rest; pick a new one at the end of your next Long Rest. Seems like a good boost to out-of-combat utility, if you know what to prepare for. (eg, “We make our case to the High Council today; I’d better put on my Persuasion pants!”)
• Improved Critical (level 3). Now includes unarmed strikes in addition to weapon attacks. Nice, thank you.
• Additional Fighting Style (level 6, formerly 10). Grab another Fighting Style feat, 4 levels sooner. Nice!
• Heroic Warrior (new, level 6). Free Heroic Advantage 1x per combat. Whaaat?! Cool! Very glad to see more mechanical ways of getting HA. (I bet this is part of why Crawford is having fun playtesting this subclass!)
• Superior Critical (level 10, formerly 15). Applies to both weapon and unarmed attacks, and comes online FIVE levels sooner. WOW!
• Survivor (level 14, formerly 18). The existing mechanic is folded into the Heroic Rally benefit, and this also grants Advantage on death saves, and makes 18-20 act as natural 20s. All this, and it happens FOUR levels sooner. Very nice!

Overall: This is a very good looking refresh IMO, both to the class and subclass. I’m digging the flexibility of the Weapon Mastery system. I’ve also never wanted to play a Champion before, but now I think it could be pretty fun!

Sorcerer

Base Class

• Proficiencies. Sorcerers now get proficiency in all simple weapons. Good.
• Starting Equipment. Sorcerers now start with an Arcane Focus, two daggers, a Dungeoneer’s Pack, a spear, and 28 gp. Or 50 gp to buy whatever. The spear feels like a weird choice, but it weighs less than a quarterstaff and can be thrown, so… okay, I guess? I think as a DM that I’d let a new Sorcerer swap to a quarterstaff if they wanted to.
• Innate Sorcery (new, level 1). This is how they all get Sorcerous Burst and Chaos Bolt as auto-prepared.
• Spellcasting (level 1). 4 cantrips (unchanged), with some suggestions. One cantrip may be swapped out on level bumps (a Tasha rule, I think?). Additional cantrips at levels 4 and 10 (unchanged from 2014). Spell slot progression is unchanged, but prepared spells gets a very welcome boost from a max of 15 to a max of 22! (This doesn’t count always-prepared things like SB and CB from above.) One spell may be changed out on level bumps (again I think a Tasha rule?). As a Sorcerer player, this part makes me VERY happy.
• Font of Magic (level 2). Sorcery Point progression unchanged (max of 20 points). The table for converting Sorcery Points into spell slots now has a minimum Sorcerer level column (so in case you somehow end up with extra SP, you can’t create a higher-level spell slot too soon).
• Metamagic (level 2). Sorcerers now get 3 metamagic options (formerly 2) and can replace one of them after a Long Rest. NICE!!! This is great for letting players try the whole gamut of options instead of committing to two and possibly having regrets. Huge positive change here IMO.
• Subclass (level 3). Yep.
• Feat (level 4). Yep.
• Sorcerous Vitality (level 5). Formerly a dead level. Now the Sorcerous Vitality spell is permanently prepared. Nice!
• Subclass Feature (level 6). Yep.
• Arcane Eruption (new level 7). Another formerly dead level. Now Arcane Eruption is permanently prepared. I didn’t love this spell, but it’s better than getting nothing.
• Feat (level 8). Yep.
• Sorcery Incarnate (new, level 9). Another formerly dead level. Now Sorcery Incarnate is permanently prepared. Situational, as I said above, but still better than nothing.
• Subclass Feature (level 10). Yep.
• Creative Failure by the Design Team (level 11). Unchanged. Dead level. +1 spell known, +1st level 6 spell slot.
• Feat (level 12). Yep.
• Additional Metamagic (level 13). Formerly a dead level, adds 3 more metamagic options. Yes, please!
• Subclass Feature (level 14). Yep.
• Sorcerous Restoration (level 15, formerly 20). Formerly a dead level. Recharge 4 Sorcery Points when rolling initiative or finishing a Short Rest. Nice, a good incentive to actually use Sorcery Points instead of hoarding them! It comes online FIVE levels early and includes recharge on initiative – NICE!
• Feat (level 16). Yep.
• Enhanced Creative Failure by the Design Team (level 11). A newly dead level! +1 spell known, +1 level 9 spell slot. The 2014 version used to offer an additional metamagic option here.
• Arcane Apotheosis (new, level 18). Wish is now permanently prepared, and you can never lose it through casting stress. And it can be used 1x/Long Rest to cast a spell of level 1-8 by using the replicated spell’s slot level and without consuming a 9th-level slot. Note this does not say an Arcane spell, nor does it say a spell you have prepared. So basically it’s a 1x/day “Cast Anything” card, which is WILD. I daresay this might be OP. I didn’t love it at first, but now that I read it closely, it’s definitely growing on me, and it does speak to the class identity. I almost wish (haha) that instead of auto-preparing Wish, it just gave the “Cast Anything” 1x/LR ability… but then it turns out that I haven’t ever actually read the 2014 version of Wish since it has such a bonkers legacy. And… the prebaked effects are welcome… but it still can do the “carefully word a request that the DM will still find a way to twist against you” thing. I’m really torn here – on one hand, it makes a lot of sense for Sorcerers to have a special relationship with the most hardcore spell in the game, but on the other hand, downtime is now utterly broken as the temptation to turn out a 25,000 gp item every few days is pretty powerful. What an interesting mess!!
• Feat (level 19). Yep.
• Epic Boon (new, level 20). +2 CHA, with a max of 30, plus an Epic Boon feat. Cool.

Metamagic Options

• Careful Spell now acts like an Evocation Wizard’s sculpting, causing up to your CHA modifier’s worth of chosen creatures to avoid all AoE damage, though at a 1 sorcery point cost. VERY NICE, makes this option actually viable.
• Distant Spell increases a spell’s range by 30’ x your Sorcerer level. Would be great on an outdoor battlefield – that’s a Fireball with up to 750 feet of range at level 20!
• Empowered Spell is unchanged. Good.
• Extended Spell adds Advantage on saving throws to maintain Concentration. Nice!
• Heightened Spell now only costs 2 Sorcery Points (formerly 3) plus imposes Disadvantage on all saves against the spell (formerly just the first save). Also nice, definitely makes me interested in trying it out.
• Quickened Spell is the same mechanic, but with some important clarifications to make it easier to understand how it interacts with the action economy.
• Seeking Spell got ported over from Tasha.
• Subtle Spell now doesn’t need Material components unless the spell says they’re consumed. Nice, nice, good, yes…
• Transmuted Spell got ported over from Tasha.
• So far this is all looking pretty great, WotC is finally showing Sorcerer some much-needed love! All the metamagics are looking more fun and interesting! Let’s see about…
• Twinned Spell has been nerfed to shit. Instead of letting a single-target spell have a second target within one turn/casting, it lets you cast the same spell on the next turn using sorcery points instead of a spell slot. Crawford keeps insisting it’s overpowered – and maybe that’s true in tier 3 or tier 4 play, but most campaigns never get there, and because of the single-target limitation in the 2014 version, it was always situational enough that I didn’t find myself using it commonly. While dropping the single-target restriction makes this simpler, this version definitely doesn’t deserve the “Twinned” name, and I kind of hate it a lot, to the point that it went from being one of the more fun metamagics to one of the least fun. Boo. Boo!!

Sorcerer: Draconic Sorcery

• Now has a better name (formerly Draconic Bloodline). I look forward to more improvements along this line for other subclasses.
• Draconic Resilience (level 3, formerly level 1). This used to give an AC of 13 + DEX modifier, now gives 10 + CHA mod + DEX mod, resulting in nice improvements at higher levels. Since it kicks in late, it immediately adds 3 hp instead of 1. I overall like this change, but it means levels 1 and 2 are squishier than they used to be.
• Dragon Speech (level 3). Updated to just be about conversing with Dragon-type creatures. Loses the ability to read and write Draconic, and to speak Draconic itself – so you can talk with Dragons, but not with other speakers of Draconic. And it kicks in two levels later because of when the subclasses get acquired. Overall, this is a disappointment. (Unless there are Dragon-type monsters that don’t speak Draconic? That seems like the only upside here.)
• Elemental Affinity (level 6). Loses the connection to a particular color of dragon in the name of simplicity – just choose a damage type instead. Resistance to that damage type is always on instead of requiring a sorcery point to activate. Good.
• Draconic Exhalation (new, level 10). Turn your Sorcerous Burst into a 15-foot cone ala Burning Hands, but with the damage type from Elemental Affinity. Unlike Burning Hands and similar AoE spells, however, this ability makes separate attack and damage rolls for each creature in the cone, instead of a DEX save and a single damage roll. This will lead to uneven damage (which could be fun, or a bummer if the rolls all suck), but it could bog down combat with extra rolls. Then again, those rolls are only made by the player, not the DM, and there’s less overhead from remembering who saved and who didn’t and then doing the half damage on save calculation. So maybe it is faster? I kind of actually want to call up a friend and measure this.
• Dragon Wings (level 14). Formerly activated and dismissed with Bonus Actions and otherwise persisting indefinitely, Dragon Wings now require Sorcery Incarnate to be active in order to manifest, which means they’ll go away after a minute, or if you lose concentration. Crawford said this nerf is because the spell comes online earlier than in the 2014 version, but that’s simply not true as it’s the level 14 feature in both versions. To make up for the nerf, the wings are now spectral, so they won’t wreck your clothes or armor, and at the end of a turn the wings can unleash magical energy damage of your Elemental Affinity type to every creature within 15 feet. These last two changes are cool. Overall I think this is okay, as leaning into/enhancing Sorcery Incarnate feels to me like it ties into the class identity. It still stinks waiting until level 14 for this – most campaigns, even long ones like Frostmaiden or Princes of the Apocalypse, will never get here.

Overall: This is mostly a great glow-up over the 2014 edition. The Twinned Spell nerf sucks immensely, Arcane Apotheosis is probably broken AF, I’m mixed on most of the Draconic features, and I’m really disappointed that there are dead levels at all – though two dead levels is fewer than the six dead levels in the 2014 version, so it’s an improvement at least. By comparison, the One D&D Cleric has 3 dead levels, Bard has 2, and Ranger has 1, while Rogue, Druid, and Paladin have some kind of new feature at every level.

Warlock

Base Class

• Armor Training. Warlocks now get Medium Armor in addition to Light Armor training. Less squishy is good, right?
• Starting Equipment. Warlocks now start with an Arcane Focus (Orb), a book of occult lore, two daggers, leather armor, a Scholar’s Pack, a sickle, and 15 gp. Or 100 gp to buy whatever. Say goodbye to the options for light crossbow (you get Eldritch Blast, it’s fine) and the Dungeoneer’s Pack. Seems a reasonable simplification, though the sickle doesn’t excite me too much, as it’s basically just a dagger that does slashing instead of piercing, and that difference rarely seems to matter. Whatever.
• Pact Boon (level 1, formerly 3). Pact Boons and Subclasses switch places, allowing for low-level warlocks to dabble with lesser entities before signing up for a full-time patron, a mechanic that seems sort of like rushing a fraternity. The Pact determines which attribute you use for spellcasting and gives you an exclusive pact spell. Regardless of Pact, the Pact is how you get Eldritch Blast and Hex. The internet seems kind of spicy about this overall but I think it’s fine, plus it can open up some fun narrative of how your Warlock arrives at their choice of subclass.
• Spellcasting (new, level 1). Another big change that the internet is fussy about – Warlocks now get proper Spellcasting instead of Pact Magic. This provides 2 cantrips (with more at level 4 and 10). Warlocks now get a half-caster progression of spell slots, identical to the playtest Ranger and Paladin. Like the Sorcerer, Warlocks can replace a cantrip and/or a spell on level bumps.
• Eldritch Invocations (level 2). Warlocks start with 2 invocations, just like before, but the progression has been updated to add more invocations, sooner, topping out at 9 at level 17 (formerly topping out at 8 at level 18). Seems like positive news to me!
• Subclass (level 3). Yep. Just like the other classes.
• Feat (level 4). Yep.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 5). Pick one you’re eligible for.
• Subclass Feature (level 6). Yep.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 7). Pick another one you’re eligible for.
• Feat (level 8). Yep.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 9). Pick another one you’re eligible for.
• Subclass Feature (level 10). Yep.
• Contact Patron (new, level 11). Contact Other Plane is now permanently prepared, and it can be cast once per Long Rest without using a spell slot if you’re phoning home, and when doing so you auto-succeed on the saving throw. Seems pretty similar to the Cleric getting Divine Intervention at level 11, so, okay, sure.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 11). Pick another one you’re eligible for.
• Feat (level 12). Yep.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 13). Pick another one you’re eligible for.
• Subclass Feature (level 14). Yep.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 15). Pick another one you’re eligible for.
• Feat (level 16). Yep.
• Eldritch Invocation (level 17). Pick another one you’re eligible for. I assume this is here, since it’s in the chart, but they forgot to copy-paste it in the main text, lol.
• Hex Master (new, level 18). Cast Hex without using a spell slot. Okay, I guess, if Hex is your jam? This used to be a dead level for Warlocks. As a bonus, you can imagine Donkey from Shrek saying “I’m the Hex Master, I’ve mastered the Hex!” You’re welcome.
• Feat (level 19). Yep.
• Epic Boon (new, level 20). +2 to whichever stat you ended up with as your spellcasting stat, with a new max of 30, plus an Epic Boon feat. Party on.

Eldritch Invocation Options

• Lots of the old ones (no pun intended) have been either rewritten or replaced in some way (typically with Mystic Arcanum, but sometimes by being combined with other things; pour one out for Beguiling Influence, Bewitching Whispers, Book of Ancient Secrets, Chains of Carceri, Dreadful Word, Minions of Chaos, Mire the Mind, Sculptor of Flesh, Sign of Ill Omen, Thief of Five Fates, Thirsting Blade, and Voice of the Chain Master). Level-based prerequisites now clearly state they require Warlock levels (good). And good gracious, there are a lot of these things, aren’t there… - Agonizing Blast now uses whatever your spellcasting modifier is (formerly rooted in CHA).
• Armor of Shadows is slightly reworded but effectively unchanged.
• Ascendant Step is effectively unchanged.
• Beast Speech is effectively unchanged.
• Devil’s Sight is effectively unchanged.
• Eldritch Sight is effectively unchanged.
• Eldritch Spear is effectively unchanged.
• Eyes of the Rune Keeper adds some clarification about not decoding secret messages, but is otherwise unchanged.
• Favor of the Chain Master (new, level 9+) enhances the Pact of the Chain by adding effects when the Pact Familiar hits with Eldritch Strike. The effect is determined by the familiar’s creature type. Seems like some fun customization to me?
• Fiendish Vigor is effectively unchanged.
• Gaze of Two Minds (level 5+, formerly no prerequisite) now uses Bonus Actions instead of Actions, no longer causes you to be blinded and deafened, and it lets you cast spells from either your space or the other creature’s space. This is pretty cool and I could see this last bit being tactically pretty fun in play.
• Gift of the Protectors (new, level 9+) enhances the Pact of the Tome lets you basically Death Ward by writing your BFFs’ names in a special page in your Book of Shadows. Aww, cute!
• Hexer (new)?! I don’t even know ’er! If you like Hex, great – its range is now bonkers and you have advantage when maintaining concentration.
• Lessons of the First Ones (new, replaces Beguiling Influence) adds any level 1+ feat that has no prerequisites. On one hand, feats are cool. On the other, this is very, “I dunno, why don’t you just pick another feat?”
• Lifedrinker (level 9+, formerly 12+) enhances Pact of the Blade, adding a die roll of necrotic damage (formerly your CHA modifier), and the first time you hit with it in your turn, it restores hp based on the damage it did. Blood and souls for my lord Arioch!! (I like this change.)
• Mask of Many Faces is effectively unchanged.
• Master of Myriad Forms (level 15+) is effectively unchanged.
• Misty Visions is effectively unchanged, remaining both a hazardous road condition and an excellent porn name.
• Mystic Arcanum (new, level 5+, repeatable) is what everybody on Reddit is upset about. It lets you add an Arcane spell and you can cast it once per Long Rest without expending a spell slot. Doesn’t seem to have any provisions for changing it, so I guess you’d better like the spell you pick out. I think it’s… fine? It provides a lot more choices, and is available at earlier levels, so that seems good to me.
• One with Shadows (level 5+) adds the use of a Bonus Action to ways the invisibility can be ended. Seems like a good clarification to me.
• Otherworldly Leap (level 9+) is effectively unchanged.
• Repelling Blast now requires the target to be Large or smaller. Makes sense (though it would be hilarious pushing gargantuan things back 10 feet with the 2014 version, as if that tarrasque isn’t going to squish you anyway).
• Visions of Distant Realms (level 15+) is effectively unchanged.
• Whispers of the Grave (level 9+) is effectively unchanged.
• Witch Sight (level 15+) gives 30 feet of Truesight instead of specifically calling out shapechangers and creatures “concealed by illusion or transmutation magic”. This is a welcome simplification.

Warlock: Fiend Patron

• Patron Spells (level 3, formerly 1). Replaces the Expanded Spell List, giving spells that you will always have prepared, and lets you cast any one of them without a spell slot once per Long Rest. The spell list is now Burning Hands, Command, Scorching Ray, Suggestion (replaces Blindness/Deafness), Fear (replaces Fireball), Stinking Cloud, Blight (replaces Fire Shield), Wall of Fire, Flame Strike, and Insect Plague (replaces Hallow). It’s never fun to lose out on Fireball, but there are enough other ways to do that if you want (via Mystic Arcanum or just playing a different class).
• Dark One’s Blessing (level 3, formerly 1) now also activates when an enemy dies near you and uses your spellcasting ability modifier instead of just the CHA modifier. I like it!
• Dark One’s Own Luck (level 6) can now be used spellcasting modifier per Long Rest times (formerly once per Long Rest).
• Fiendish Resilience (level 10) is no longer bypassed by magic or silvered weapons. Nice. This would be great in the late game of Princes of the Apocalypse!
• Hurl Through Hell (level 14) now gives its target a saving throw for an opportunity at half damage (formerly, fiends were completely unaffected, and everyone else just took the full damage). Normally once per Long Rest, it can be used again in combination with a level 4 spell slot! Seems fine to me.

Overall: I think I feel pretty positively about the changes to the Warlock. I’ve never been keen to play one in the 2014 rules due to the wonky spellcasting, but I’d be interested in trying out this version. It seems a lot more approachable, gives access to better armor, lets you use more spells more often, and has some cool flavor and RP options. I went into this deep dive feeling kind of ambivalent about them, but now I’m eager to see the other subclasses!

Wizard

Base Class

• Proficiencies. Wizards now have proficiency in all simple weapons (formerly limited to daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows).
• Starting Equipment. Wizards now start with an Arcane Focus (quarterstaff), two daggers, a robe, a Scholar’s Pack, and 5 gp. Or 55 gp to buy whatever.
• Spellcasting (level 1). This is pretty much unchanged from 2014, with one exception – a Wizard can now use their spellbook as an Arcane Focus. (Okay…)
• Wizard’s Spellbook (new, level 1). This puts all the spellbook rules in one place (YAY). A single spellbook is limited 100 spells total, the first of which is Scribe Spell. Casting Scribe Spell is now necessary for copying spells into a spellbook, though it’s not necessary for acquiring spells during level bumps. As before, a Wizard can have more than one spellbook, but it seems like only one is active at a time.
• Academic (new, level 2). Gives advantage on INT checks when using the Study action.
• Arcane Recovery (level 2, formerly 1). Effectively unchanged.
• Subclass (level 3, formerly 2). Just like all the other classes.
• Feat (level 4). You know the drill.
• Memorize Spell (new, level 5). Adds Memorize Spell to your spellbook. This used to be a dead level, only adding level 3 spells.
• Subclass Feature (level 6). Yep.
• Modify Spell (new, level 7). Adds Modify Spell to your spellbook. This used to be a dead level, only adding level 4 spells.
• Feat (level 8). Yep.
• Create Spell (new, level 9). Adds Create Spell to your spellbook. With enough access to resources –perhaps the friendship of a level 18 Sorcerer? – the game is now broken.
• Subclass Feature (level 10). Yep.
• Absolutely Nothing (level 11). This was a dead level before, and is a dead level now. Access to level 6 spells is all you get.
• Feat (level 12). Yep.
• More Nothing (level 13). This was also a dead level in 2014. Level 7 spells are now available.
• Subclass Feature (level 14). Yep.
• Spell Mastery (level 15, formerly 18). Effectively unchanged, this now comes online three levels sooner. Cool for Wizards, I guess!
• Feat (level 16). Yep.
• NOTHING (level 17). This was also a dead level in 2014, but at least you can now cast level 9 spells.
• Signature Spells (level 18, formerly 20). Effectively unchanged, just arriving two levels sooner. Cool.
• Feat (level 19). Did you expect something else?
• Epic Boon (new, level 20). +2 to INT, with a max of 30, plus an Epic Boon feat. Epic!

Wizard: Evoker

• Formerly the School of Evocation. The revised name is part of a pattern of naming the type of Wizard rather than the type or school of magic. I like it.
• Evocation Savant (level 3, formerly 2). Now also adds two level 1-2 spells to your spellbook. Bonus!
• Sculpt Spells (level 3, formerly 2). Effectively unchanged. I don’t feel like waiting for this is too terrible – it’s not like level 2 lasts very long.
• Potent Cantrip (level 6). Effectively unchanged.
• Empowered Evocation (level 10). Now only applies when casting an Evocation spell from the Arcane spell list… which means you don’t get a damage bonus when casting one of your customized Wizard spells! This might be an oversight, or it might be a deliberate nerf to those customized spells (which as I’ve ranted about above, feel pretty broken to me).
• Overchannel (level 14). Effectively unchanged.

Overall: The Wizard has far fewer dead levels (3; previously 8!) and a ridiculous new subsystem for the permanent creation of overpowered spells. When reviewing the notes above, it doesn’t seem like that much change, but the spell creation stuff is a lot. If I were playing a Wizard, I’m sure I’d like it, but from an outside POV it seems like too much.

Rules Glossary

• Artisan’s Tools has been removed from the glossary. Not sure why – maybe the uniform gp cost made this entry rate poorly?
• The Dying condition from the previous UA has been removed and replaced with Death Saving Throws, which as written is quite incomplete. This should get rolled back to what was in the Druid & Paladin UA since it actually, and clearly, explained all the rules.
• The Attack action has had some edits to clarify equipping and unequipping weapons. Finally! The word “either” shows up in two very important places to make sure that you can’t do equip-attack-unequip – you must instead either equip-attack, unequip-attack (if unequipping a weapon not used for the attack), attack-unequip, or attack-equip (if equipping a weapon not used for the attack).
• The Exhausted condition from the previous UA has been removed; exhaustion rules fall back to the 2014 edition. THIS SUCKS. The new exhaustion system was much better and more usable than what was in 2014. I’m shocked that this is gone after making it through several other rounds of UAs. Boo! BOO!!
• Gaming Set has been removed from the glossary. Not sure why. Maybe the uniform gp cost?
• The Influence action has been revised to make it clear that the DM determines when it’s available as well as the DC. GOOD.
• Knocking Out a Creature is the new Knocking a Creature Out. It’s otherwise unchanged.
• Long Rest references “the Exhaustion condition” which makes me think it’s the victim of a slapdash find-and-replace from the removal of the Exhausted condition. I haven’t noticed lazy editing like this in previous UAs.
• Musical Instrument has been removed from the glossary. Not sure why. Maybe the uniform gp cost?
• Priest’s Pack has been removed from the glossary. I guess it’s just equipment now.
• Shortsword has been removed from the glossary. It’s back to the equipment section and is a martial weapon again.
• Truesight clarifies the rules around visual illusions. Seems good.

Overall: Most of these changes make sense (administrative things like removing equipment) or are positive (language clarifications). Reverting the tool stuff to 2014 is weird since it didn’t get an explanation in any of the videos, but, like, whatever. The Death Saving Throws section is now woefully incomplete – IMO this change should get rolled back to how Dying appeared in the Druid & Paladin UA. Reverting exhaustion to the 2014 rules is stupid as hell, easily on par with the most offensive parts of the Sorcerer and Wizard changes.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Paladin

Quantitatively, the Paladin overall did extremely well in satisfaction. Every feature in the class and subclass scored 70% or better. Divine Smite was the lowest at 72%. Some features scored even 90%!

Qualitatively, people seemed to like Divine Smite on unarmed strikes, but didn’t like Paladins smiting on ranged attacks as it intruded too far into another class’s identity. Feedback on Smite spells suggested ways to integrate them more deeply into the class, perhaps as Paladin exclusive features.

Druid

Knew that Druid feedback would be spicy. Wild Shape feedback fell into basically two camps — one that thinks it’s their favorite version ever, and another that says they never want to see it in print, and the latter group outnumbered the former (in a simple but not overwhelming majority). Interesting — even folks who liked the 2014 version are open to Wild Shape being easier to use. The design goal here, ultimately, is to avoid having players have to go consider a hundred stat blocks before deciding what their character should Wild Shape into. The next iteration will attempt to address this.

People liked the promise of Channel Nature, but want to see more of it. Stay tuned!

Circle of the Moon subclass feedback was both expected and surprising. One surprise — turning into an elemental wasn’t requested, but wanted to lean into the lunar theme. And wanted CotM Wild Shapes to be more resilient so that they can continue to be in melee. But also not wanting to bring back the high-level overpoweredness of the CotM Wild Shape and its effectively infinite hit point regeneration; DMs found it hard to make CotM druids feel credibly threatened. This will be reined in.

General

A few things need to have power adjusted (down). Here they offer another explicit mention that Sorcerer’s Twinned Spell metamagic needed to be nerfed (I look forward to filing some VERY harsh feedback on this, btw, as I think they are absolutely as wrong as it gets on this point). But most changes will be about making things more fun or easier to use.

What about subclasses like Arcane Archer that could be seen as letting the Fighter “eat the lunch” of another class? Subclasses are meant to either give you a taste of something that no other class has, or a taste of something another class has — as in the case of Arcane Archer. The main idea is to not have the base classes overlap too much. And where they do overlap, give the base classes something distinctive. Similar examples: Eldritch Knight and Blade Singer.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Warlock

Consistent feedback about too few spell slots and short rest recharge mechanic not being in sync with parties. Tried to get them in sync with the party’s recharge schedule. Designers try to optimize actual power, not potential power. They expect this will take a few iterations to get right for the Warlock’s spell casting ability. This version is the first round of those iterations. They want to maintain the class’s core identity, fix the resource constraints, and still not make the class overpowered. Getting spell slots back at the start of combat is off the table.

Considered giving Warlock the same spell slot progression as Wizard, but that would mean needing to cut back on Eldritch Invocations, so that’s why they didn’t lead with that option. Another idea would be to have something similar but bumping up at a different rate (sort of like a Paladin or Ranger). Warlock is a hybrid caster very similar (under the hood) to Paladin and Ranger.

Still open to going in many directions here.

Sorcerer

Examined each metamagic option to make sure it delivered the right amount of power for its cost, and to react to feedback. This is why some things got “juicier”, some had point costs changed, and why they ”updated” Twinned Spell. Wanted things to be better balanced and more fun, like Careful Spell — it was useful but not enough.

JC proceeds to make light of why Twinned Spell had to be nerfed. TK laughs politely because it’s his job. My ire grows. To defend the new design, JC talks about how the new version gets rid of the conditions about which spells can and can’t be twinned.

Sorcerous Burst damage vs. Eldritch Blast… tbd. In this version they put Sorcerous Blast where their internal models say is approximately right, but this may change after play testing. Then a word of caution about comparing classes too directly… Classes are designed asymmetrically, and they get power from different places, so now that some spells are class-exclusive, they can tune them to be the right power level for the class. Eldritch Blast is the best damage cantrip because it’s tuned for the Warlock having few spell slots and different sources of power. Sorcerer has more spell slots and can more spells and higher level spells sooner than a Warlock can, so Eldritch Blast needs to make up for that.

Class-Exclusive Spells

Allows the designers to create spells specifically to a class’s identity and balance, lets them be more generous than if it were on a shared list. It also means that spells can refer to and interact with class features, which general spells can’t.

Epic Boons

Excited about getting them out of the DMG, making them more epic, and easier for players to acquire. What feels fun to JC varies with his mood day to day.

Many groups didn’t know they were really available because they were locked away in the DMG. They want people to be able to have fun continuing to play at 20th level. Putting them in the PHB will be a preview to get players excited — “oh, there’s more!” This was a key reason for feats to be included with backgrounds — to give a taste of what feats are like. Less than half of groups use feats, but many are feat-curious.

Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers

Wings aren’t permanent because the feature that gives the wings is lower level than 2014 PHB. In a future iteration it might be at a higher level and would be more powerful there. Also experimenting with connecting it with Sorcery Incarnate to see how people like it as a concept. Expect to see one or two other versions in future play tests.

The Old Great Weapon Master/Pole Arm Master

Why’d we lose the -5/+10 feats? The satisfaction scores were solid, but online conversations seemed to indicate that certain classes relied on those feats to be viable. And since most tables don’t use feats, lots of groups both missed out and also had fun without them. But they say they’re taking feedback about this seriously from folks who did use them. They will appear in future UAs. JC encourages us to think of classes separately from feats.

Weapon Mastery

Balancing combat flow with Weapon Mastery has been a major focus of internal play testing. That’s why some options are absent or are different — they either slowed things down too much or were too powerful. Tried to also deliver a mix of tactically rich options as well as straightforward options. Want to represent not only different levels of tactical options, but also different levels of complexity and different play styles. The designers think about Weapon Mastery options similarly to cantrips.

Wizards & Create Spell

Create spell went through several iterations internally before what was presented. An early version was “off the hook” over powered. They’ll continue to iterate on it. Excited to see people tapping into the idea of the Wizard as the “magical scientist”. But will also continue to balance it, and questions about its nuances will be addressed in future versions.

My Thoughts

So this is mainly to get folks grounded and thinking rationally before the survey opens later in the week. Which, sure, fine. It gives us a sense that they’re listening, and trying to get ahead of some of the more knee-jerk reactions.

Speaking of knee-jerk reactions, I maintain that they ruined Twinned Spell. If I had to re-spec my current Sorcerer under this new design, I absolutely would not take it, and would probably pick up Careful Spell instead and just go nuts with Careful Fireballs (which tbh would be in character for her, but that’s beside the point).

Also I sure as hell hope that the Wizard stuff gets dialed in better because what they have here is just ridiculous.

I look forward to delivering my feedback — but why does the survey have to happen the week I also need to be prepping for Curse of Strahd??

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Introduction

Goals overall for classes:

1. Address concerns expressed over the years, in particularly the big survey in 2021
2. Satisfying level progression
3. Clarifications
4. Fix overpowered & underpowered things

Special goal for Warlock & Sorcerer – give each class more of its own identity. Not narrative identity, but mechanical identity. In the 2014 edition, subclass identity basically replaced class identity.

Warlock

For the Warlock, Pact Boon at level 1 shapes how your Warlock is going to play. And Pact Magic has been replaced by Spellcasting. The biggest consequence is having a lot more spell slots. Complaints about spell slots and needing short rests to recharge were the most frequently received feedback. At 20th level a Warlock now has 15 spell slots instead of 4! Due to hoarding, 4 slots felt like zero. The spellcasting progression goes up to 5th level – much like a Paladin.

Warlocks still have Eldritch Invocations, topping out at 9 (previously 8). Mystic Arcanum, now an EI, can be picked up sooner and can access lower level spells as well as higher level spells, and lets you decide how much you lean into spellcasting vs. other options, like new and redesigned invocations. Gaze of Two Minds (one of the previous lower-rated ones) lets you cast spells originating in the space of the person whose mind you’re sharing. At 11th level, Warlocks can Contact Patron.

Warlocks now get Hex and Eldritch Blast for free. They’re considered core to the class.

Warlocks make a Pact at first level, but make the Pact with their Patron at third. These can be with the same entity, or with different ones – which opens up fun story possibilities.

Highlights for the Fiend Patron:

• Dark One’s Blessing now triggers when a creature within range dies, even if you didn’t land the killing blow.
• The Expanded Spell List feature has been replaced with Patron Spells. Get spells that are always prepared, and once per day, one can be cast without a spell slot. Very similar to Paladins.

Sorcerer

Like other classes, the subclass choice now comes at level 3. At level 1, a Sorcerer gets Innate Sorcery, which lets them have two class-exclusive spells:

• Sorcerous Burst: a cantrip with damage type selection and exploding die mechanic (roll a six? keep rolling!). Motivated by trying to better tie the mechanics to the class flavor text (magic “roiling” within you). Also wanted to give more control over damage type since some subclasses like Draconic Bloodline care a lot about that.
• Chaos Bolt: a spell from Xanathar.

Metamagic now arrives sooner at level 2, and offers more options than before – start with 3 types instead of 2, and you can change them after long rests! Want to give players more flexibility and opportunities to try them all out.

Other new features include:

• Sorcerous Vitality
• Arcane Eruption ("you’re an arcane eruption," says my teenager)
• Sorcery Incarnate
• Arcane Apotheosis at level 18

These are about the Sorcerer embodying magic itself. They manifest as spells they get for free and are class exclusives. Warlocks and Wizards also have class exclusive spells – all meant to tie into the class’s identity and to manipulate its core mechanic. The focus is on spells is because they play to the class’s core concept and resource (spell slots). For example, Sorcery Incarnate refreshes a random number of sorcery points, and while it’s active – like a Sorcerer version of a Barb’s rage – you can use more than one metamagic option at a time and have advantage on spell attack rolls.

All metamagic options have been revisited. In particular, Careful Spell now acts more like the Evoker’s Sculpt Spell.

Draconic Sorcerer has quality of life improvements like:

• You don’t need to spend a sorcery point to gain resistance to your damage type;
• Instead of learning Draconic, you can communicate with any creature that has the Dragon creature type.

A new feature, Draconic Exhalation, lets you Sorcerous Burst in a cone instead of hitting a single target. It replaces Draconic Presence, which has been low-rated for years.

Another common piece of feedback was that Draconic Sorcerers didn’t have enough interesting things to do based on their damage type. They’re addressing this with Draconic Exhalation, Elemental Affinity, and the revised Dragon Wings.

Dragon Wings are no longer always on, as this was considered OP, but now activates with Sorcery Incarnate, and can do damage of that type to foes around you.

Wizard

Not as drastic because Wizards were already in a solid place and well-appreciated in surveys. Changes here are intended to lean into the Wizard’s identity as a planner and scholar.

A new 2nd level feature, Academic, makes them good at int-based checks.

New 1st level feature, Wizard’s Spellbook, unifies the various spellbook rules. It provides the Wizard’s special ritual casting, and it can be used as a casting focus. There’s a sequence of spells about interacting with the spellbook:

• Scribe Spell
• Memorize Spell
• Modify Spell - tweak a spell (only one modified spell at a time can be prepared).
• Create Spell - take a modified spell and turn it into a prepare-able spell in the spell book. Leans into the fantasy of Wizards as creators of spells. (The new DMG will also have advice on spell creation for your campaign world.)

The contrast of these two magic hackers is that Wizards have to plan, while Sorcerers get to improvise.

The Evoker Wizard mostly gets QoL improvements. The Evocation Savant starting feature now actually grants Evocation spells. Potent Cantrip now also works with attack roll cantrips.

Fighter

Fighters get the new Weapon Mastery system and related features. Maneuvers are cool, but Weapon Mastery is always on.

Fighters can now Second Wind more than once between rests, and the number of times it can be used also grows with levels.

Unconquerable gives extra use of Indomitable while simultaneously using Second Wind.

Champion is great for new players as well as veterans who want a break but still want to have fun. Keeps Improved Critical.

Remarkable Athlete (historically low-rated) has been replaced with two features:

• Adaptable Victor: lets Champions change around skill proficiencies (“all about winning”)
• Heroic Warrior: lets Champions give themselves Heroic Advantage if they don’t already have it – gives them more of a chance to get improved criticals

Survivor provides advantage on Death Saving Throws, and adds “improved critical” on Death Saving Throws.

Barbarian

Barbarians get Weapon Mastery at level 1.

Barbarians can now keep rage going by spending a bonus action. Trying to avoid premature rage ends. Can still keep it going by making an attack action, and can now keep it going by making an enemy roll a saving throw. Eliminated keeping it going from taking damage. Rage also now lasts up to 10 minutes.

Danger Sense and Feral Instinct have merged into a single feature.

Brutal Critical has been moved to a higher level but stronger and scales with levels.

Berserker gets QoL updates. For example, Frenzy is completely redesigned. No longer costs exhaustion to use it. It now gives extra damage to Reckless Attack.

Miscellaneous Topics

Some classes are more bursty than they used to be. Some are less. They’re trying to align this to class identity.

Sorcererous Vitality gives Sorcerers a way to self heal and improve survivability.

Warlocks get training with medium armor to improve survivability in melee.

New epic boon feats that are iteratively more epic than last time.

PHB play testing is supposed to conclude this year, with DMG and Monster Manual play testing to follow.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

It’s the biggest UA ever! 50 pages long, 5 classes, new spells, new feats, revised rules glossary, and the new Weapon Mastery system!

The WMS is a response to feedback around the giving martial characters more tactical options, as well as differentiating weapons from one another. Want weapon choice to be meaningful. Has been testing well internally. This release covers WM rules for Fighter & Barbarian, with Monk coming in a future UA.

All weapons From 2014 now have a “Mastery Property” that can be unlocked with class features or feats that allow “something extra”, like:

• Topple: knock a person prone
• Cleave: swipe from one target to another
• Graze: do a little damage even if the attack missed
• Slow: reduces speed of target (cool for ranged control of battlefield)
• Flex: use a versatile weapon to do the versatile damage when wielded one-handed (good for sword & boards)
• Push: hurl the target back
• Vex

Some are only on melee weapons, some are available on ranged.

Fighter goes even further — at higher level they can change the property on weapons, and at a still-higher level they can put 2 of these properties on a weapon and decide which one to use in an attack. Leans into the Fighter’s history as a master of all weapons.

Crawford has been playing a fighter in internal play testing and claims it’s the most fun he’s ever had playing a fighter in D&D. Described as feeling very “cinematic”, “transforms how the Fighter and Barbarian feel from round to round.” Might pursue a particular weapon because of the Mastery Property it has.

Non-warriors can dip into this system with a feat; Weapon Master will be sort of like Magical Initiate.

Some weapons have been re-tuned. Tridents have damage adjusted to be different from spears. Lance has been adjusted, war pick, short sword is back to a martial weapon. And more.

The UA will feature design notes that summarize the most important bits, not only for weapons but for the entire UA. (OMG FINALLY, THANK YOU!) These notes are even proving helpful within the design team.

Whatever ends up getting adopted from play test for 2024 PHB will go through compatibility checks to ensure that new material works with existing 5E (adventure) books. Adventures have been designed such that they don’t need to know how classes work on the inside. Not focused on compatibility in current conversations because the focus is on what new options are bringing delight and make it into new rule books. Down the road, they’ll get into compatibility and how things fit together in future videos.

My Thoughts

Based on timing of this video, I think we should see the new UA later this week — Wednesday or Thursday maybe?

The Weapon Mastery stuff sounds promising. I love that we’ll get more design notes (it was something I specifically asked for in feedback in the last surveys). Glad to see them messaging about compatibility - hopefully this quiets some of the wasteful online discourse around the topic.

The 5 classes and discussion about the Monk implies Monk didn’t get done in time for this UA, so they’ll be in a following one.

I’m personally excited to see an updated Sorcerer since I’m playing one right now.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Venger is a key figure for an upcoming adventure. Has “unresolved issues” with Tiamat. Also to be included: Kelek and Warduke (who have cameos in Witchlight) and more. Want to bring them back and tie them into Venger’s story.

Called out the red color scheme of both the Red Wizards of Thay and Venger. Is he a wizard? Is he a sorcerer? TBD. Noted that with the “success of the recent feature film” there’s high interest in the Red Wizards, so in addition to the Venger story they are planning a Red Wizard story. They’re in an outlining stage now, for a 2025 release. The first Forgotten Realms adventure to release after the new 2024 core rule books. “What can we do that’s fun with the Forgotten Realms, and prepare you for that adventure?”

A big Vecna-centric adventure is coming for the 50th anniversary in 2024. Title not disclosed but it just cleared trademark search so it’s locked. “Vecna’s scary comeback.” BIG story, drive home the core point of the 5E setting “which is the multiverse in all of its gigantic splendor”. Will go “to many worlds”. Some which only got touched on briefly, plus some new locations. Led by Amanda Hamon

Love adventures; they become individual groups’ stories but the common elements provide points of connection for the community.

Quick Thoughts

Not much detail here, but I’m glad to see them talking more about their upcoming products.

It sounds like these are three separate books (Venger, RWoT, Vecna). I assume we’ll get some Greyhawk and maybe Krynn in the “previously visited but only briefly” category of locations; Greyhawk in particular since we have just loose material there in this edition and no “overworld map” sort of thing.

I’m glad to see the movie described as a “success”. I’m hoping that’s not just PR spin.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

They’re looking to produce a “cooler”, “more user-friendly” DMG. “Everything is on the table” in terms of better presentation and new things that can be added. Making the early parts of the book the basics. Understand how the game and the group social dynamic works before campaign creation. Regroup all the info in a more natural way.

The chapters will be:

1. The basics
2. Common things that happen during play
3. Alphabetized rules compendium
4. Adventure building
5. Campaign building
6. Cosmology
7. Magic items
8. SURPRISE ?!
9. Appendices: with maps, lore, and a poster map (of what? Also a surprise!)

Various DM advice. Advice for rolling with player shenanigans/surprises. How to let players contribute but also still get to the campaign plot. Incorporating material from Xanathar & Tasha that is now considered integral, like Session Zero. Also incorporating and expanding the common magic items material from Xanathar.

The most common 2014 DMG feedback: “Oh, I didn’t know that was in there.” Second most common: “I know it’s there but I can’t find it.”

All the “stray bits” of rules are being collected into the rules glossary/cyclopedia.

In the adventure building material, they’re planning specific examples to do more “show don’t tell”. Want to make it easy for DMs to put something together quickly that can be one or more sessions of material, hoping that this helps address the shortage of DMs.

Lore glossary defines, in alphabetical order, historically significant characters, locations, etc. to provide a quick reference for newer DMs who might not know all the history/significance.

Increasingly common for DMs to learn from watching other DMs. “I can do that, but I don’t think I can do that as well” is a source of DM anxiety. New DMG emphasizes that every DM is different, has their own style, embrace what makes you & your group unique.

The next section of the video riffs on what’s exciting and fun about DMing. Not going to recap this since I’m sure most of us are already keyed into this from our own experiences, but it was enjoyable viewing.

Discussion about new DMs/players from the D&D movie. Reminiscing about “my first DMG”. New DMG won’t have 8pt type, lol.

Reiterating that it’s still “fifth edition”, just “better”.

2014 missteps? Small team, releasing a lot at the same time, ambitious timeline, tight budgetary resources. Most effort focused on PHB and MM. DMG “had to wait in line”. Immediately after shipping it to the printer they started talking about how to do it better next time. Wish they could’ve added more (reusable) maps — one of many wishes.

Monster Manual info! More monsters will be added — new ones to fill gaps, particularly at higher CRs. Reorg to make it easier to find things. Breaking up the families so that Gelatinous Cube is under “G”. Keeping CRs as they are but fine-tuning them all to actually meet the CRs correctly. Trying to support higher level play. Lots of new art across all 2024 books (PHB, DMG, MM), including art for many more monsters in the MM than in the 2014 edition. Biggest MM ever?

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Paladin

• Classic features, new things, tune-ups…
• Divine Smite now works with unarmed strikes and ranged weapons.
• Divine Smite can now be used no more than 1x/turn.
• All Smite spells have been revised to be more immediate - hit, use a bonus action immediately to cast the spell. Easier to make a decision on the fly.
• Can’t do Divine Smite on the same turn as casting a spell.
• Additional Lay on Hands options at high levels — can now remove more conditions.
• At 9th level, a new Channel Divinity option called Abjure Foes
• Channel Divinity starts with 2 uses, recharges on a Short Rest, and scales with leveling.
• Resource pools have been combined to reduce the amount of separate things you have to track.
• There’s now a single Aura in the base class, with additional functions and customizations added on with levels and subclass features.
• A ”more epic” Epic Boon at 20th level — with the first few revisions in this UA and others coming in future revisions. The ASI one is +2 ASI and can go over 20! Epic Boon feats also come with +1 ASI and can take an attribute over 20.
• High CR monsters for the new Monster Manual are being beefed up to maintain balance.
• Faithful Steed at level 5 - basically an updated Find Steed as an Action, which can scale if upcast, and which have special planar-influenced abilities.
• Find Familiar has a similar update, with familiars getting different abilities based on whether they’re celestial, fiend, or fay. This is going to be infrastructure for the forthcoming Warlock class revision!

Oath of Devotion

• Cast an oath spell 1x/day without using a spell slot to make it easier to use oath spells without competing so much with smites
• Channel Divinity: Sacred Weapon (which is like the Holy Weapon spell) is now a Bonus Action to invoke rather than an Action
• Aura of Devotion is now an enhancement of Aura of Protection from the base class
• Subclass gets its capstone feature, Holy Nimbus, at level 14 and will scale with levels

Bonus spoiler: Necromancer Wizard will be in an upcoming UA, and “easier to be a necromancer”.

Druid

• Wild Shape now available at 1st level!
• It’s one part of a feature called Channel Nature — similar to Channel Divinity in Clerics and Paladins.
• Channel Nature at 2nd level lets you summon a familiar. Later on can do healing with Channel Nature. Want to appeal to the “nature magician” players, not just shape shifters.
• Weird fact: Druid is actually least-played 5E class, due in large part to complexity of Wild Shape. So…
• Wild Shape forms and assumed stat blocks are provided in the class: Animal of the Land, Sky, or Sea. Similar to Beast Master from Tasha’s.
• Wild Shape stat blocks scale with the character, and are impacted by your stats (like Wisdom).
• Can choose the appearance of your Wild Shape (bear, panther, etc)
• Various enhancements to Wild Shape as you level, like choosing to be Tiny, or being able to transform without additional uses of Wild Shape, getting multiattack, perform healing while transforming, etc.
• “You can look like an owlbear now.” Take that, movie trailer nitpickers!

Circle of the Moon

• Can pop into Wild Shape form as a bonus action.
• While in Wild Shape form, can cast prepared Abjuration spells.
• Dropped the ability to turn into elementals in the Monster Manual; want this subclass to be all about enhancing the Wild Shape…
• Can now imbue your Wild Shape with elemental powers — like being a fire wolf, thunder owl, etc. and have resistance to and do damage of that type with the Bestial Strike.
• As a capstone, Alter Self to change form at will.

Spell List Changes

Spell list comparisons

Druids gain:

• Message
• Spare the Dying
• Ensnaring Strike
• Hail of Thorns
• Hunter’s Mark
• Augury
• Cordon of Arrows
• Enlarge/Reduce
• Gentle Repose
• Conjure Barrage
• Elemental Weapon
• Lightning Arrow
• Mass Healing Word
• Nondetection
• Revivify
• Conjure Volley
• Swift Quiver
• Wall of Ice
• Power Word Heal

Druids lose:

• Charm Person
• Hold Person
• Blight
• Confusion
• Hallucinatory Terrain
• Contagion
• Geas
• Planar Binding
• Heroes’ Feast
• Mirage Arcane
• Plane Shift
• Antipathy/Sympathy
• Feeblemind
• Foresight

These changes make sense to me, they’re more on-brand as nature casters.

Paladins gain:

• CANTRIPS AT ALL
• Guidance
• Light
• Resistance
• Sacred Flame
• Spare the Dying
• Thaumaturgy
• Bane
• Guiding Bolt
• Healing Word
• Inflict Wounds
• Sanctuary
• Augury
• Blindness/Deafness
• Calm Emotions
• Find Traps
• Gentle Repose
• Glimmering Smite?
• Hold Person
• Silence
• Spiritual Weapon
• Warding Bond?
• Beacon of Hope
• Clairvoyance
• Feign Death
• Glyph of Warding
• Mass Healing Word
• Speak with Dead
• Spirit Guardians (oh NOOOO)
• Tongues
• Divination
• Freedom of Movement
• Guardian of Faith
• Commune
• Contagion
• Flame Strike
• Greater Restoration
• Hallow
• Legend Lore
• Mass Cure Wounds
• Planar Binding
• Scrying

Paladins lose:

• Elemental Weapon

Holy (haha) shit, that is a LOT more spell options for the pally. Damn. Really not looking forward to DMing and having two players drop Spirit Guardians simultaneously. I guess this is what happens when a class gets access to the Divine spell list without any restrictions. Seems unfair to Bards and Rangers! Also seems like a lot of Divine spells don’t fit right with Paladins.

Spells changed:

• Spare the Dying - now: target gets 1 hp; was: target stable at 0 hp
• Searing Smite - now: immediate effect, was: cast in advance
• Thunderous Smite - now: immediate effect, was: cast in advance
• Wrathful Smite - now: immediate effect, was: cast in advance
• Find Familiar - now uses generic stat block, can come back without having to re-cast using Extradimensional Escape
• Find Steed - now uses generic stat block, has fancy fey/fiend/celestial options
• Glimmering Smite - now: immediate effect, gives advantage; was: cast in advance
• Blinding Smite - now: immediate effect, was: cast in advance
• Staggering Smite - now: immediate effect, was: cast in advance
• Banishing Smite - now: immediate effect, was: cast in advance

Smite changes are good, in line with how Bardic Inspiration is now an insta-fix.

Find Familiar changes fine, nice for not having to re-cast.

Find Steed - wow, very cool if you can do this.

Rules Glossary

New:

• Dying – eliminated “stable at 0 hp”, fine
• Knocking a Creature Out – make unconscious at 1hp instead of dying at 0. Fine.
• Short Rest – adds “dozing, standing watch”, removes “tending to wounds”. Clarifies requirements to start. Interruptions consistent with Long Rest changes.
• Telepathy – fine, glad to see it boosted out of the weird spot in the MM
• Unconscious – fine, good.

Revised:

• D20 Test – no more auto-inspiration on 1s or 20s. A little disappointing, I wanted some mechanical way of getting this during gameplay that isn’t DM fiat or being a human.
  • “Inspiration” is now “Heroic Advantage” – good, gets away from Bardic Inspiration terminology.
• Difficult Terrain – allies no longer Difficult Terrain (omg lol), furniture is now Difficult Terrain (size dependent)
• Equipping Weapons – slightly vague… but I think it means we can:
  • attack with equipped weapon A
  • unequip weapon A after attack
  • equip weapon B before attack
  • attack with equipped weapon B
  • an additional attack would have to still use weapon B, or nothing (would have to unequip first)
  • Probably needs some examples to clarify, especially when a combatant has 3 or more attacks!
• Fly Speed – cause to fall changed
• Grappled (Movable and Escape sections), fine
• Help – now works with tool profs, cool
• Incapacitated – clarified, fine
• Long Rest – special feature recharge, interruptions clarified (good)
• Move (“Moving Around Other Creatures”, “Changes to Your Speeds”) – fine, WOW that allies aren’t difficult terrain any more!
• Unarmed Strike – grapple & shove no longer delivered by attack roll

Removed:

• Ability Check
• Attack Roll
• Climbing and Swimming (Move)
• Dash
• Hidden
• Jump
• Slowed
• Special Speeds (Move)

Yeah, the removals are fine.

Class Changes

No terribly specific notes, but in general things are fine to pretty good.

Druid:

• Wild Shape is a little meh, needs tuning to make it flavorful/more interesting, but still simpler than it is now. Maybe a curated list of stat blocks, or generic but more customizable stat blocks?

Paladin:

• Maybe Find Steed should be a class feature instead of a spell?
• Spell selection seems a little ridiculous

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Key findings:

• Cleric: overall high score
• Goliath: really popular, 80+% satisfaction
• Dragonborn: most improved satisfaction, from 60s to 80s
• Ardling: ”isn’t going to make it”, moving out of the playtest for now, need to introduce when it makes sense with story context. Won’t be in PHB, might be in a future iteration.

Druid & Paladin coming next!

Next UA will see revisions based on “deep digging” into comments to investigate where scores and written feedback aren’t aligned. For example, the Jump action scored decently, but had largely “meh” written feedback. The Jump action is now out. A more explicit list of things that were tested but which should be used in their 2014 version during playtesting is also coming in the next UA.

More videos being added to the cycle — they want to do one when the survey opens in addition to the “new stuff” and “survey results” videos we get today.

Schedule changing — new UA content will be “every few months”. The next one “in the next few days”, then around April for the subsequent installment (which is described as “chonky”). Todd Kendrick says “moving from monthly cadence to chonkier bits bimonthly” (but this is kinda BS IMO because they were already struggling to be bimonthly). This schedule change is due in part to feedback — players wanting more time to test, and wanting releases to be bigger/more substantial.

“Evergreen” design process videos are coming too. Showing people what’s going on under the hood, “Master Class” style.

The pain of death is the joy of rebirth.

– End of Evangelion

I’ve been meaning to do something here for a long time, but I haven’t known what. I’d been using a static site generator that never made the jump to Python 3, and the hosting provider I’d used for years went horribly sideways. In a panic, I took the most recent build, uploaded it to Netlify, and trusted that eventually I would find enough motivation to do something with it.

Time, as it does, passed, and this place lay stagnant, un-updated and un-updateable, a lingering vestige of a different era, ghost of a web that used to be.

And then, one day, a very rich person decided to ruin the Bird Site. When I couldn’t take it any more, I resolved to retire my account there. I had mixed feelings about deleting everything I’d ever tweeted, but ultimately found some acceptance. And yet.

And yet. Doing that would mean wrecking some blog posts that embedded tweeted content, and that didn’t feel great either, and fixing them would mean migrating the site – with posts going back twenty years! That seemed like a lot of work, and frankly “do a lot of computer work for free” isn’t nearly as much fun as it used to be. Moreover, I strongly doubt that the stuff I posted on LiveJournal in 2002 is really adding all that much value to the world.

The hardest decision was also the easiest decision.

I burned down my blog so that I could burn down my Twitter account.

And now, here we are: a blank slate, tabula rasa. A new beginning.

I might eventually bring over a curated set of old posts. I might not, and just move forward.

I don’t know what this will be yet.

But at least now it can be something, and that’s not nothing.

These may be a bit spotty as they’re compiled from me just blasting my thoughts into Slack as I read the material for the first time.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Statement on “species”: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1393-moving-on-from-race-in-one-d-d

The survey for this UA will open on December 21.

Notes from the Video

Clerics now don’t get their subclass until level 3! Sounds like for the whole play test they’re going to do subclasses at 3.

Subclasses at level 1 or 2 have a couple issues… 1 - they’re a blocker for brand new players (either to D&D itself or to the class). 2 - multiclassing; they want players to commit to a class to get the subclass (instead of getting subclass features from a 1-2 level dip).

A benefit: the Cleric now gets unique features at level 1, 2, and 3 instead of level 3 being just getting some spells.

Clerics now get Channel Divinity at level 1 (yay Turn Undead sooner). Also a second CD option called “Divine Spark” which lets them hurt or heal, independent of spell choice.

Subclass will add a third CD option when the character hits level 3. (I like how this builds, frankly.)

At 2nd level, Clerics get a Holy Order — a sort of job or role within their faith. These used to be baked into subclasses but have been separated for the UA. The main examples are:

• Protector: training with heavy armor & martial weapon proficiency (used to be locked into particular subclasses, now enables mix & match)
• Scholar: gets more skill proficiencies
• Thaumaturge: gets more magic

At 9th level, you can add a second one.

This UA comes with the Life Domain subclass. Mostly what you already know and love, but will have some tweaks and clarifications.

Divine Strike and Potent Spellcasting have also been extracted from subclasses. Blessed Strike is now in the base class, enhances weapon attacks and cantrips. Now happens at level 7 instead of 8.

Divine Intervention moves from level 10 to 11 to make room for a subclass feature at 10. It now has a dice-based variable recharge rate.

The improved Divine Intervention moves from 20 to 18. Level 20 gets an Epic Boon — and there are some new Epic Boons available for Clerics.

There’s a suggested list of prepared spells, and some spells have updates in the UA. (Which I guess I’ll read later.)

Disciple of Life has had language clarified to be only when you cast healing magic on a creature to make it match the intent. Sounds like there are similar small language clarifications throughout.

Aardlings

Ardlings are now leaning into the beast folk aspect. They lose the angelic flight option entirely, and are now categorized into Climber (gets a climb speed + bonus unarmed strike damage), Flyer (vestigial wings, gets a glide and advantage on the jump action), Racer (dash speed increased by PB x10), or Swimmer (hold breath, swim speed, resistance to cold), each with suggested animals to be based on. This is definitely the “all purpose furry” species now, which is probably overall better than “Aasimar with animal head”.

There’s no more Celestial Legacy stuff at all. Everybody gets Thaumaturgy–but can swap it to another “0-level spell” from the Divine list after a long rest. Damage Resistance is gone, but Keen Senses is in — granting proficiency with the Perception skill.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn get to choose cone or line for their breath weapon, which is COOL, and it’s back to being in place of one attack instead of an entire action (YES). Draconic Flight at 5th level gives a flight speed for up to 10 min, 1x/long rest. Uses a bonus action to deploy/deactivate. And it keeps the Darkvision from the previous UA.All in all, I think Dragonborn kinda rules now?? I had fun playing my fighter, Torinn Bluescales, from the PHB version, and also enjoyed him respecced from Fizban’s, but at first glance this seems like it’d be my preferred version. 

Goliaths

Speed is bumped from 30 to 35 feet. (Cool.)

Goliaths pick a Giant Ancestry — similar to the Draconic Ancestry of the Dragonborn. You can use it PB per long rest. Options:

• Cloud Giant: bonus action to teleport up to 30'
• Fire Giant: 1d10 fire damage when you hit with an attack roll
• Frost Giant: 1d6 cold damage + reduce speed by 10’ until your next turn when you hit with an attack roll (basically add Ray of Frost to an attack)
• Hill Giant: knock a large or smaller creature prone when you hit
• Stone Giant: Use reaction to reduce damage by 1d12+con modifier when you are hit (this option was baked into all Goliaths previously)
• Storm Giant: Use reaction to deal 1d8 thunder damage to the creature that damaged you, within 60'

At 5th level, Goliaths can become Large for 10 minutes. Advantage on Strength checks, speed +10’. Bonus action to activate/deactivate. 1x/long rest. So that’s like half a duergar, sort of.

Goliaths also get advantage on any saving throw to break out of a grapple, and count as one size larger when determining carrying capacity etc.

Looks like they lose the Athletics proficiency, resistance to cold damage, and natural acclimation to high altitudes.

In general that all seems cool, even with the things removed… But I’ve never played a Goliath, so I’d welcome other thoughts on them.

Feats

There are three new Epic Boons, which are exclusively for the Priest Group classes (Epic Boon of Truesight) or Mage + Priest Groups (Epic Boon of Fate, Epic Boon of Spell Recall). EBoFate = roll a d10 to add/subtract from someone else’s d20 roll. EBoSpell = cast a prepared spell of up to 5th level without using a spell slot.

Rules Glossary

New in this UA is a Change Log listing entries that are new or updated in this UA (omg thank you):

• Aid [Spell]
• Attack [Action] (“Equipping Weapons” section)
• Banishment [Spell]
• Grappled [Condition]
• Guidance [Spell]
• Influence [Action]
• Light [Weapon Property]
• Long Rest
• Magic [Action]
• Prayer of Healing [Spell]
• Priest’s Pack [Equipment]
• Resistance [Spell]
• Spiritual Weapon [Spell]
• Truesight

It looks like (most of) the other updated-for-One-DnD rules are reprinted so you don’t have to layer the PDFs together manually (also, omg, thank you).

Aid moves from 8-hour duration to being instantaneous. Looks like you just give 5 temp HP and it doesn’t expire after the 8 hours, just whenever temp HP would normally roll off. Seems reasonable (less tracking hassle).

Attack Action does not actually look like it’s changed from the previous UA.

Banishment drops the range from 60’ to 30’. Targets are always banished to a harmless demiplane, and can willingly fail their save. Banished targets now get to repeat the save at the end of each of their turns — so they can come back earlier! They’ve also reworded the “stays banished after 1 minute” part to be a little clearer.

Dazed is a new condition that got skipped from the change list! While dazed, you can only move or take one action, not both. And you can’t take a bonus action or reaction.

Grappled gets a trivial wording adjustment not worth covering. It’s mechanically identical to the previous UA.

Guidance drops the range from 30’ to 10’ (ruh roh), but loses the restriction that would prevent the same target from receiving guidance more than 1x/long rest (nice).

Influence adds some explicit guidance about which skill to use in making the ability check and drops the previous “Influence Responses” table in favor of some guidance on DC and outcome.

Invisibility adds some clarification in the “Attacks Affected” subsection.

Light weapon property gets a small wording change to make it more obvious. It’s mechanically identical.

Long Rests now explicitly include reducing exhaustion by 1 point. And you must now wait at least 16 hours before starting another one. (Though the 1hp-at-start rule is now gone.) The rules around interrupting a long rest have been clarified, and they can now be resumed after an interruption (requiring 1 additional hour per interruption).

The Magic action does not seem to have actually changed since the last UA.

Prayer of Healing is now Abjuration (formerly Evocation) and the number of targets is capped by your spellcasting ability modifier. Recipients can only be affected by the spell 1x/long rest.

The Priest’s Pack now costs 33 gp (up from 19) and has different contents.

Resistance is now cast in a reaction instead of an action, and it’s in response to you or an ally within 10’ failing a saving throw. Much like the revised Bardic Inspiration!

Oh boy, this one’s gonna be spicy… Spiritual Weapon now requires concentration!The rest of the language is revised for clarity, making it obvious that it can immediately attack after being cast.

Truesight seems to be boosted out of the monster rules to make it easier to find now that non-monsters can get it (eg via Epic Boon of Truesight). The mechanics appear to be identical, but written more clearly to address the various situations that Truesight affects.

AHA — I see why Dazed exists, now… it’s what happens to successfully Turned undead! If taking an action, a turned undead can only choose Dash, and any movement must end farther away from the cleric than where it started.

Cleric

Since we’re getting into Cleric details… Divine Spark (the new Channel Divinity option) uses an action to do PB d8 of healing or radiant damage (save for half) to a target within 30'.

Clerics now come with a suggested set of prepared spells to help new players, but allow that to be changed at creation and also swapped out after a long rest.

Holy Orders… Protector was well-described in the video. Scholar gets 2 skill profs from a short list, and you get to use your wis modifier (looks like in addition to your PB, cool). Thaumaturge gets an extra 0-level spell, and gets 1x Channel Divinity back after a short rest. Also you get PB per long rest uses — so 2/day right away instead of 1/day, with bumps at level 5, 9, 13, and 17 as the PB goes up.

Smite Undead is the new 5th-level Channel Divinity upgrade, replacing Destroy Undead. Smite Undead does PB d8 of radiant to any undead that fails the save.

Blessed Strikes (level 7) adds 1d8 radiant to a hit from a 0-level spell or weapon, once per turn. This used to be Divine Strike, the Life Domain 8th level feature. It gains the bonus to 0-level spell damage, but loses the d8 scaling.

Divine Intervention (now level 11) explicitly uses an effect from the Divine spell list. It recharges after 2d6 (formerly 7) days.

Greater Divine Intervention (now level 18) still auto-succeeds, but now recharges after 2d4 days.

The auto-prepared Life Domain spells have been changed out:

• Level 1: nothing (since you don’t get the subclass until level 3)
• Level 3: Lesser Restoration, Prayer of Healing (replaces Spiritual Weapon)
• Level 5: Mass Healing Word (replaces Beacon of Hope), Revivify
• Level 7: Aura of Life (replaces Guardian of Faith), Death Ward
• Level 9: Greater Restoration (replaces Raise Dead), Mass Cure Wounds

Disciple of Life kicks in at level 3 instead of 1 (again because the subclass is gained at 3).

The Channel Divinity: Preserve Life feature arrives at level 6 (formerly 2). Looks like it can now be used on undead and constructs (formerly couldn’t).

Blessed Healer is now gained at level 10 (formerly 6).

Supreme Healing is now gained at level 14 (formerly 17) and has clearer wording (but is mechanically identical).

These may be a bit spotty as they’re compiled from me just blasting my thoughts into Slack as I encountered the material for the first time.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Introduction

There’s a good explanation of the score ranges and how they interpret them.

The highest satisfaction score was 1st level feat with your background.

They were unsurprised that the initial d20 test mechanic tested lowest. They are intentionally A/B testing this mechanic.

The other 2 things that tested low (in the 60-70 range, or “salvageable but it needs a lot of love” category) are Ardlings and Dragonborn.

New versions of both races are coming in the next UA.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn scored lower than Ardling — this was a surprise to them!

Sounds like the breath weapon was what was most disliked about the new Dragonborn. They say they’re addressing that head-on. Also clarifying that the PHB2024 Dragonborn is the “universal” version but you can still play the specialized options that were in Fizban.

They tease a new 5th level ability for Dragonborn coming in the next UA.

Ardling

Ardling got a lot of feedback that it was doing too much — sort of replacing the Aasimar (Crawford: “they’re not”) and also filling the “beast person” role. Expect the revised version to clarify this better and attempt to improve their fit.

Everything Else

Everything else scored high enough that it’s either “you’re on the right track” or “this is very close to the right thing, be careful not to mess with it too much”.

They had over 39,000 people complete the survey, so Crawford calls the community scores “very persuasive”.

Pleasantly surprised by the reaction to the new human. Dwarf, Orc, Tiefling, Elf scored just below the human, and Gnome and Halfling scored just below those.

Besides the new Ardling and Dragonborn, the next UA will have an additional race (not yet disclosed).

Next UA will have a new Cleric class.

The next UA will be smaller, then the ones after that will be larger again. Sounds like Druid & Paladin after that, then Warrior Group, then Mage Group.

Warrior Group UA will “dig deep” on new ways to use weapons.

New rules coming for managing your party’s home base, incorporating NPCs and downtime… calling it “the Bastion system”.

But core classes coming first. 48 subclasses - 4 for each of 12 core classes.

For DMs: new encounter planning rules to make it easier to prep, monster customization options. Want to make it easier to DM.

Crawford encourages folks who read the UA material but didn’t get a chance to play to still submit feedback — it’s all helpful.

The question of Eldritch Blast is promised to be addressed in the Mage UA “with the Warlock” (I assume this means it’s becoming a class ability instead of a generally available spell).

Some actions haven’t appeared in the UA rules — that means they’re still using it as it appears in the 2014 PHB. Material in the UA is only things that have changed or didn’t previously appear in the PHB.

Use an Object was removed intentionally from the Thief’s Cunning Action. They wanted to make mechanics more dependable rather than having it depend on the DM (often causing dissatisfaction and slowing down the game)

Crawford: “If something is going to be removed from the game, we will say so.”

They note wild magic is in the same sort of place — players have to ask the DM if they can please surge. That’ll get addressed when the Mage UA comes out.

Ranger had some similar issues that they say got addressed in the Expert Classes UA. “If you’ve got a class feature, you should be able to use it the way you expect.”

On the changes to Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter feats…

1. Especially at higher levels, the -5 penalty to hit doesn’t balance the damage bonus; too easy to overcome the penalty.
2. Want warriors to be able to rely on their class features for their main damage output. Don’t want people to feel like they have to take certain feats to do a satisfying amount of damage.

Light Weapon changes were about making sure light weapon users could still enjoy doing bonus actions that came from their class or other feats.

With spell lists, they’re focused first on getting players used to the 3 big lists of where magic comes from. They’re interested in finding ways to make spell selection easier/summarized per class. Sounds like some classes might have specific lists, while others (like Wizard) will just have access to an entire big list.

They conclude on re-emphasizing the importance of using the survey to send feedback.

These may be a bit spotty as they’re compiled from me just blasting my thoughts into Slack as I encountered the material for the first time.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Notes on the Video(s)

Oh snap! ASIs at level-ups are Feats now.

Has Arcane, Divine, and Primal spell lists up through level 9.

The intention of each UA is to fully replace the rules glossary from the prior ones, but otherwise layer the materials together… In this iteration of the rules glossary, crits are back to the PHB2014 version.

d20 tests are back to mostly PHB2014, where 1/20 aren’t auto-fail/success, but adding in that rolling a nat 1 gives inspiration!

Some more in-depth videos are apparently coming. Also sounds like it’s taking them a while to process feedback as they’ve had over 40,000 responses to the first one.

New “framing” for classes — with groups of classes. These three are presented as “Experts”. (Tying into the sidekick rules?)

Some feats will have class group prerequisites, allowing future classes to plug into all the feats available across that class group.

They’re talking about Warrior, Mage, and Priest groups too, but no details yet.

To make life easier for trying a new spellcasting class, they’re providing lists of suggested prepared spells, all the way up to level 20.

Ritual casting for everybody without the ritual caster feat!

20th level features now at 18. 20th level lets you pick an Epic Boon as a feat.

And a fun fact: there are apparently 48 total subclasses in the works. Some are revisions to existing subclasses, while others are new.

In depth videos dropped: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfS8QgUdeGYpjKukxCBPTRJErLC5NMEWR

And the materials themselves: http://spr.ly/6010MwKNp

From the spoken description, I like the tweaks to Bardic Inspiration a lot. And so far it seems like rangers are awesome again!

The reactive support things for Bard and Ranger are interesting, and I think could be really fun.

Class groups seem to have shaken out about how I expected (Monk in the Warrior group, Paladin in Priest).

Ooo, they ARE syncing up the levels where subclass features kick in. I expected they might.

An interesting small change: “0-level spells” instead of “cantrips”.

Weird: Bard has 0-level spells, Ranger has cantrips.

I will say calling the 10th level Ranger:Hunter feature “multiattack” but having it be different from what that means in monster stat blocks is a strange choice.

Just when I thought a lot of things were pretty similar to 2014PHB, Great Weapon Master is changed significantly.

Eldritch Blast is still not in the spell lists — so looks like that’ll most likely become a class feature for Warlocks. Toll the Dead is missing too, so that might become a (sub?)class feature for Clerics.

Bards and Rangers are going to be able to swap out prepared spells after a long rest, just like other prepared spell casters. Seems like the way everything’s going to be going. They call this out in both class videos: they want characters to be able to try out more flavorful spells in addition to the combat essentials.

It looks like every 4th-level Feat comes with a +1 ASI to help you feel less bad about the ASI vs uniqueness decision.

Based on how much better the Ranger is now (and I love how they called out how dual-wielding was an iconic Ranger feature! Yes!), I’m really excited to see what the basic Sorcerer is like. I’m playing a (created pre-Tasha) Sorcerer now and while she’s a fun character, the new subclasses got so much of a boost that it makes the OG one a little lackluster in comparison.

Someone diffed the spell lists for Bards; I know my last Bard would be sad about losing some of their favorites: https://www.reddit.com/r/onednd/comments/xru2fd/heres_the_differences_in_the_bards_spell_list/

People on Reddit are, as you might expect, having a series of giant tantrums about all of it.

Exhaustion is different! It’s a condition. It now takes 10 levels of exhaustion to die. Rather than giving disadvantage, exhaustion is a debuff on d20 rolls and spell saves: -1 per level of exhaustion. Interesting that movement is not affected.

Inspiration is now “Heroic Inspiration”, presumably to make it easier to differentiate from Bardic Inspiration. And as maybe mentioned above, rolling a 1 gives it now instead of a 20.

Long rests now recover ALL hit dice, restore a reduced max hp, and restore a reduced ability score. The last 2 were pretty common before but were in individual spells or monster abilities, rather than standard.

The Search action is new, I think? I appreciate the guidance on which skill goes with what thing a player is trying to do.

Shortswords are now simple weapons (formerly martial).

The Study action I think is also new, again with good guidance about which skill goes with what kind of lore (including which creature types are covered by particular skills).

Interesting nuance: Blindsight counts for “can you see it” requirements, but Tremorsense doesn’t.

Bard

Going to dig into some side-by-side stuff to call out notable changes in classes, starting with the Bard…

First up: Formerly proficient with simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, and shortswords, the Bard now only gets simple weapons. Again, shortsword is now Simple, so they’ll still have that. I don’t think I will miss longsword for a Bard, but rapier felt on-brand for them. Starting equipment now replaces rapier/longsword/any-simple with shortsword.

Bardic Inspiration is now a reaction when another party member fails a d20 test or takes damage, and can be used to boost the d20 roll (in which case it’s rolled by the other party member) or heal (in which case it’s rolled by the bard). I personally like this — it means that BI is always going to be impactful and timely.

The number of Bardic Inspiration dice available now scales with proficiency bonus instead of CHA bonus, which means it’ll likely grow more slowly than it did before, but will cap out at 6 instead of 5.

See above for the full diff on spells available to Bards but the short version is they can only prepare Arcane spells, and are restricted to Divination, Enchantment, Illusion, Transmutation. Under these rules, my tabaxi bard, Chase, would lose: Bane, Faerie Fire, Healing Word (lost from the spell list, but regained from Songs of Restoration), Heat Metal (which was so clutch in several big encounters), Leomund’s Tiny Hut, and Counterspell (RIP Additional Magical Secrets)

Bards get Expertise at level 2 (previously 3), and Jack of All Trades at level 5 (previously 2). Interesting that they “go deep” before they “go broad” but whatever.

Song of Rest (bonus healing when the party short rests) is replaced by Songs of Restoration (healing spells that are always prepared — Healing Word @ level 2, Lesser Restoration @ 4, Mass Healing Word @ 6, Freedom of Movement @ 8, Greater Restoration @ 10). I’m mixed on this — I can see additional access to LR, MHW, and especially GR being handy, but all of that’s at the cost of a spell slot where Song of Rest was just a thing you could do.

Bards now have to wait until level 7 for Font of Bardic Inspiration (previously 5th level). This is a bummer, seems like a long time to wait for being able to recharge it. On the other hand, when FoBI kicks in, rolling a 1 on a BI die no longer expends the die, reducing the likelihood that you’ll feel like it was wasted.

Countercharm is just gone. I forget if Chase ever used it, but I know Berwin made good use of it late in our Phandelver/Dragon Queen campaign.

Another round of Expertise kicks in at 9 (previously 10).

Magical Secrets is now at 11 (previously 10). Instead of “pick 2 spells” it’s now “pick Arcane, Divine, or Primal, and prepare up to 2 spells from that list with no restriction on school”. By moving this from spells known to spells prepared, this means you can use it to sample a lot more offerings.

Another round of Magical Secrets happens at 15 (previously 14). The 18th level version is just gone, so you definitely have to forgo access to a chunk of spells.

Superior Inspiration moves from level 20 to 18, and is buffed — Bards now regain 2 expended BI dice instead of 1, and always get to do this instead of only when they’re all out.

Cutting Words is still a reaction that subtracts from a creature’s d20 roll, but it’s now reserved for when that creature has succeeded on an ability check or attack roll, instead of before success/failure is determined. The immunity rule is gone too — if you can see it, you can Cutting Words it! Even if it can’t hear you or is immune to being charmed.

The level 6 College of Lore feature, Additional Magical Secrets, is replaced with Cunning Inspiration — basically giving “advantage” on Bardic Inspiration die rolls.

College of Lore now gives a 10th level feature, Improved Cutting Words, which adds psychic damage to the d20 roll penalty from Cutting Words.

College of Lore still gets Peerless Skill at 14, and it’s mostly the same — but now if the check still fails after the BI roll, the BI die isn’t expended.

Ranger

Rangers now start with studded leather armor (AC12) instead of the choice of leather (AC11) or scale mail (AC14). They also now start with a scimitar and shortsword instead of “two shortswords or two simple melee weapons”. Dungeoneer’s pack is no longer an option — just the explorer’s pack.

Rangers now get spellcasting at level 1! Not only do they get 2 level 1 spell slots right away, they also now get 2 cantrips (3 cantrips starting at level 10). This is a big change from PHB2014 where the base Ranger class got no cantrips at all.

Rangers pick from the Primal spell list, and can use any school except Evocation. Like Bards, they are now prepared casters, so they can swap out spells after a long rest.

Rangers get Expertise at level 1 (dang, really?).

Rangers get a totally revamped Favored Enemy at level 1. tldr: you always have Hunter’s Mark prepared, and don’t have to concentrate on it when cast. I guess this gets away from the “problematic” undertones of the 2014 version, where you hate all of a particular type of creature so much that you’re extra good at hunting and killing them.

A spellcasting detail I missed before — Rangers can now use a Druidic Focus as a spellcasting focus.

Rangers still get a Fighting Style at level 2, but can no longer choose Dueling. They do, however, gain access to Fighting Style feats at later levels.

Land’s Stride, the level 8 feature, is gone. It appears to be replaced by Roving at level 7, which increases movement speed and gives Rangers both climb and swim speeds.

Rangers get more Expertise at level 9.

Hide in Plain Sight, their level 10 feature, appears to be gone from the base class.

At level 11, Rangers get Tireless, which gives temp hp after a rest, and removes 1 level of exhaustion following a short rest.

Vanish, the level 14 feature, is gone. It has been replaced at level 13 with Nature’s Veil, which lets you use a bonus action and a spell slot (of any level?) to become Invisible until the end of your next turn.

Feral Senses moves from level 18 to level 15, and is now simply 30 feet of blindsight.

Foe Slayer moves from level 20 to level 18. Instead of incorporating your wis modifier into favored enemy damage, it buffs Hunter’s Mark from a d6 to a d10 of damage. I haven’t played a Ranger at this level but it definitely feels like a downgrade to me.

Speculation: A lot of things seem to suggest that player damage output is being reined in a bit, which might mean that as a DM I won’t have to buff monster HP so much any more.

The Hunter subclass gets a revised Hunter’s Prey at level 3 that does an extra 1d8 if the target is missing any hp, 1x per turn. This is basically the Colossus Slayer option. Giant Killer & Horde Breaker are gone (sorry, Sariel).

Defensive Tactics, the 7th level Hunter feature, is gone. In its place we have Hunter’s Lore at level 6, which adds pokedex info (immunities, resistances, vulnerabilities) to Hunter’s Mark.

Multiattack (whose name has surely never caused any confusion) moves from level 11 to level 10, and instead of letting you choose Volley (the Legolas option) or Whirlwind Attack (the Aragorn option), you get the Conjure Barrage spell (a 60’ Cone of Ouchie Things, 3d8 damage or half on save) permanently prepared. Interestingly, this may be down-cast by Hunters to use a lower level spell slot for less damage.

Superior Hunter’s Defense moves from level 15 to 14. Instead of having options here, it acts mostly like  Uncanny Dodge did — using a reaction to halve the damage — but also allowing the other half to be optionally redirected to another creature. I kinda love this, but I know some folks will miss Evasion. Interesting nuance here: you don’t have to see the attacker who hit you to use this, but you do have to see the target that you redirect damage to.

Rogue

Rogues lose Performance as a skill option.

Rogues now get proficiency in simple weapons, and martial weapons with the finesse property. Formerly this was simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, and shortswords. This change is very similar to the Bard.

Rogues now start with a shortsword (formerly a rapier or shortsword) and a shortbow + quiver + 20 arrows (formerly bow/quiver/ammo OR a shortsword).All Rogues now start with a Burglar’s Pack (bye bye Dungeoneer & Explorer packs).

Rogues still get Expertise at level 1, but can only choose skill proficiencies to improve — not thieves’ tools.

Rogues still get Thieves’ Cant at level 1, but it it now grants TC plus an additional language.

The level 6 Expertise moves now to level 7 and is again restricted to skill proficiencies.

Evasion has been moved from level 7 to level 9 but appears otherwise unchanged. I think this was moved mostly to keep subclass feature and feat levels consistent across classes.

Reliable Talent at level 11 is mostly unchanged, just updating the wording to focus on Skill and Tool proficiencies.

Blindsense, from level 14, is gone. Looks like it’s replaced with Subtle Strikes at level 13, which gives flanking-style advantage whenever you have an ally within 5 feet of your target.

Slippery Mind stays at level 15, buffed to include CHA saves in addition to WIS.

Elusive moves from level 18 to level 17 but is otherwise unchanged.

Stroke of Luck moves from level 20 to level 18, and is buffed to turn any failed d20 test into a nat20 — so instead of turning a miss into a hit, it turns a miss into a crit!

For the Thief subclass changes level 3’s Fast Hands to add Search to Cunning Action options, but removes Use an Object. People on Reddit are salty about this. One thing I do like is that Sleight of Hand is now explicitly used (under this rule at least) for picking locks and disarming traps.

Second-Story Work remains a 3rd level feature. The climb stuff is slightly reworded (gives a climb speed instead of saying that climbing doesn’t cost extra movement). Jumping now uses DEX checks instead of STR checks; previously the DEX modifier was added to the regularly calculated jump distance.

Supreme Sneak moves from level 9 to level 6. Instead of requiring using half or less of your movement to get advantage on Stealth, it now requires that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor. Nice!

Use Magic Device moves from level 13 to level 10 and is totally rewritten. It now boosts the maximum number of items a Thief may be attuned to, gives a 1:6 chance of not using any charges when using a magic item with charges, and lets the Thief attempt to use any spell scroll using an arcana check (DC 10+spell’s level), with cantrips and 1st-level scrolls being automatic successes. Previously this would have let the Thief ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items. (So I hope you brought some Clerics and Paladins with you to Barovia…)

Thief’s Reflexes moves from level 17 to level 14 and is totally rewritten. Instead of taking a second turn at initiative roll minus 10, the Thief now gets a second bonus action on their turn, and this bonus action must be one of the Cunning Action options. Additionally this is a PB-per-long-rest ability — it can only be used on N turns up to your proficiency bonus — where previously it could be used in the first round of any combat.