Show Posts
1
D&D 5e / Strixhaven UA - Independent Subclasses
« on: June 11, 2021, 01:38:28 PM »
https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/strixhaven
Five subclasses for the following classes
Lorehold
Bard, Warlock, and Wizard
Prismari
Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard
Quandrix
Sorcerer and Wizard
Silverquill
Bard, Warlock, or Wizard
Witherbloom
Druid and Warlock
my thoughts
Lorehold
Bard, Warlock, and Wizard
Is that a statue in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
Instead of portent, or hexblade's gishiness, or cutting words would you like to cast Summon Undead Construct at 1st level except the duration is permanent and it doesn't require concentration? Maybe? Yes. Maybe. It's probably as strong as the stronger subclass options, especially when you consider the flexibility as the construct can be one of three forms (like the Summon X spells), and the construct has options like... give a target 1d8+PB temp HP as an action. Which is 10 thp per party member at level 1 if you sit around and prepare long enough. Doubling your party's HP at level 1 is nice, or you could go sage and +2 to int and wisdom checks... which at low level is like party wide expertise. flexible. or warrior for some protectiony stuff. The worst part about this is that if the statue dies, it's inert and you need to short rest to wake it up.... or carry it. Or the fact you need a statue at level 1 to begin with. Put in your backstory that you animated the town's local statue of the local folk hero for fun. If you lose it... carve a statue out of a light wood I guess.
Only Warlocks get this at level 1, wizards wait for 2, bards wait for 3. Very strong on a warlock, still pretty solid for the other two.
At level 6 (everyone gets this at 6), your companion becomes companionier. Healer means you're harder to kill with more hp max and more hp regained. sage makes you wizardier, with advantage on knowledge and +1d8 on spell damage. Warrior gets tankier... honestly warrior is for the bard who wants to fight side by side with a magic statue or something. Maybe for a warlock with pact of the blade that doesn't want to be a hexblade... or possibly a wizard/fighter multiclass? I think healer and sage are the better options. but personal preference.
at level 10 (14 for bards) the warlock and wizard get war echoes - which is like the grave cleric's fun time ability except as a reaction, which is better, against one damage type, which is slightly worse, until the end of the target's next turn, which is slightly worse. "oh the paladin crit? Vulnerability to radiant."
at level 14, we get the capstone, which is kinda cool, but it's not really a class defining capstone... does that matter? not really we got all the cool stuff already (except bards, they get this at the same time as war echoes). It's a defensive option that makes you disengage or prevents damage or helps with saves, and you can pick which but not the same effect twice in a row. Not useless, but then maybe not as fun as some options. Still not the worst.
Overall it's a strong option.
Prismari
Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard
Artists! but not Bards apparently.
Level 1 Sorc, Level 2 Druid/Wizard - You can dash as a bonus action, that's pretty cool. Also there is a rider, and it's flexible. You can do this PB times per long rest. Okay. kinda nice.
Level 6 all, Flexible (long rest) Resistance to a damage type, and when you cast a spell of that type you can give it to your allies? I don't love it. Maybe you're in a volcano so you make yourself resistant to fire, but for your allies to benefit you need to cast a fire damage spell? everything will resist that but you are doing it as a half damage but buffs my allies... then everyone has to group up to be vulnerable to AOE but resistant to 1 damage type? Sure the flaming boulder hits you all for half fire damage and full bludgeoning... thanks for grouping. Situational.
Level 10 Druid/Wizard, Level 14 Sorcerer, You can deal bonus effects based on your damage type chosen when you deal damage... but it doesn't have to be when you deal your chosen type's damage, it's all damage. So, that's weird, also has the choosing fire to resist fire in a volcano issue, where then the rider is fire... in a volcano... but still. It does mean you can cone of cold your enemies and then also add a fire rider... which is weird. All the riders are kinda weak but they're all free little boosts. basically a free cantrip. meh.
Level 14 all, free save proficiency that none of the classes have normally unless multiclassed or feat spent. Plus the reliable talent... pretty good... kinda late in the game to get it but it's a useful save.
Overall I'm not a huge fan. It's an elementalist artist... Elementartist. meh. All the elementalists are a little weak imo.
Quandrix
Sorcerer and Wizard
I do math!
Level 1 Sorc, Level 2 Wizard - Free spells - I mean, it's extra spells known on a sorc, that's strong. and there's some good ones. On a wizard... its free money, less good, but still spells and a couple of non wizard ones like aura of vitality.
Also functions of probability. Your spells get a rider that is actually pretty cool, kind of a cutting words on top of a spell.
Level 6 both, this is amazing, you just teleport people around if they fail a charisma save as a reaction. Put your allies into safe spaces, throw your enemies off a cliff or into a wall of fire. Love it.
Level 10 Wizard, Level 14 Sorc - a debuff on top of your damage spell? nice.
Level 14 both, you have resistance to B/S/P and also you can walk through walls? That's pretty badass.
I'd say this is a strong option, maybe it isn't the best "equation wizard" that could ever be written, but you have some decent spells, you can move people around like a chessmaster, debuff foes and walk through walls. It's hard to really see the theme they were going for but it's a solid spellcaster who solves problems with magic.
Silverquill
Bard, Warlock, or Wizard
This is like playing a bard, earlier than a bard, except for the bard.
Level 1 warlock, level 2 wizard, level 3 bard. You get a pseudo cutting words and portent, and access to viscous mockery as a wizard. The reaction to give an enemy disadvantage on an attack roll is solid on its own but if it succeeds then it grants an ally advantage? Pretty great. Rechargable by expending a spell slot is nice too.
Level 6 all, everyone gets to do the warlock thing. See in magical darkness. Neat. Less useful for spellcasters than for gishes... but the darkness also deals psychic damage. This is pretty great.
Level 10 Warlock, Wizard, Level 14 Bard. Charm or Frighten a creature damaged by your spell? I'm not a huge fan but then again frightening a bunch of people with a fireball is a solid use of a spell. Also the spell becomes psychic or radiant... so you can fireball a fire elemental with psychic fire and have it be afraid of you. Okay. I'm not sure how the charm is supposed to work when you've just hit them with radiant damage but that is also a decent crowd control option.
Level 14 all, words of power, force vulnerability? sure, not the best way to do it but okay. Selflessly take damage? Okay if it keeps someone else up then why not. There's not much of a limit to these options and they're ok.
Overall this is a strong warlock (that isn't a hexblade) or an okay wizard or kinda weaker than average bard.
Witherbloom
Druid and Warlock
Better alchemist than the alchemist.
They should have made this an Artificer option tbh.
Level 1 Warlock, Level 2 Druid. Free spells on a warlock? Sure! Wow. Always prepared spells on a druid.... sure... I mean always having revivify prepared is not bad at all.
Also heal yourself with hit dice whenever you want and make all your damage necrotic and bypass resistance? Sure. Never worry about bringing the right kind of damage again just wither it.
Level 6, both. Magical brews. You're making potions you can use or give to your allies. The three options are solid. You can resist damage, heal damage (and a condition) or deal damage. What else do you want? Better than an alchemist.
Level 10 both, once per turn do more necrotic damage, equal to PB. You can always do necrotic damage... neat little always on damage buff but not exciting.
Level 14 both, your spells that do necrotic damage (which can be any of them) also heal you and an ally for that amount of damage split between you. PB number of times per day.
So this is a warlock nature life witch or hedge druid that brews potions and messes around with life/blood/necrotic magic. Thematic, simple, decent.
My final thoughts.
Warlock is the big winner, they get options that compete with the hexblade in power (imo) whilst not doing the same thing (gishing it up). They also lose their best roleplaying feature, a clearly defined patron but you can refluff that back easily enough. A witherbloom warlock has their powers gifted by baba yaga. done.
The options overall are strong. some are kinda boring, but then I don't see anything that breaks the game.
Five subclasses for the following classes
Lorehold
Bard, Warlock, and Wizard
Prismari
Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard
Quandrix
Sorcerer and Wizard
Silverquill
Bard, Warlock, or Wizard
Witherbloom
Druid and Warlock
my thoughts
Lorehold
Bard, Warlock, and Wizard
Is that a statue in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
Instead of portent, or hexblade's gishiness, or cutting words would you like to cast Summon Undead Construct at 1st level except the duration is permanent and it doesn't require concentration? Maybe? Yes. Maybe. It's probably as strong as the stronger subclass options, especially when you consider the flexibility as the construct can be one of three forms (like the Summon X spells), and the construct has options like... give a target 1d8+PB temp HP as an action. Which is 10 thp per party member at level 1 if you sit around and prepare long enough. Doubling your party's HP at level 1 is nice, or you could go sage and +2 to int and wisdom checks... which at low level is like party wide expertise. flexible. or warrior for some protectiony stuff. The worst part about this is that if the statue dies, it's inert and you need to short rest to wake it up.... or carry it. Or the fact you need a statue at level 1 to begin with. Put in your backstory that you animated the town's local statue of the local folk hero for fun. If you lose it... carve a statue out of a light wood I guess.
Only Warlocks get this at level 1, wizards wait for 2, bards wait for 3. Very strong on a warlock, still pretty solid for the other two.
At level 6 (everyone gets this at 6), your companion becomes companionier. Healer means you're harder to kill with more hp max and more hp regained. sage makes you wizardier, with advantage on knowledge and +1d8 on spell damage. Warrior gets tankier... honestly warrior is for the bard who wants to fight side by side with a magic statue or something. Maybe for a warlock with pact of the blade that doesn't want to be a hexblade... or possibly a wizard/fighter multiclass? I think healer and sage are the better options. but personal preference.
at level 10 (14 for bards) the warlock and wizard get war echoes - which is like the grave cleric's fun time ability except as a reaction, which is better, against one damage type, which is slightly worse, until the end of the target's next turn, which is slightly worse. "oh the paladin crit? Vulnerability to radiant."
at level 14, we get the capstone, which is kinda cool, but it's not really a class defining capstone... does that matter? not really we got all the cool stuff already (except bards, they get this at the same time as war echoes). It's a defensive option that makes you disengage or prevents damage or helps with saves, and you can pick which but not the same effect twice in a row. Not useless, but then maybe not as fun as some options. Still not the worst.
Overall it's a strong option.
Prismari
Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard
Artists! but not Bards apparently.
Level 1 Sorc, Level 2 Druid/Wizard - You can dash as a bonus action, that's pretty cool. Also there is a rider, and it's flexible. You can do this PB times per long rest. Okay. kinda nice.
Level 6 all, Flexible (long rest) Resistance to a damage type, and when you cast a spell of that type you can give it to your allies? I don't love it. Maybe you're in a volcano so you make yourself resistant to fire, but for your allies to benefit you need to cast a fire damage spell? everything will resist that but you are doing it as a half damage but buffs my allies... then everyone has to group up to be vulnerable to AOE but resistant to 1 damage type? Sure the flaming boulder hits you all for half fire damage and full bludgeoning... thanks for grouping. Situational.
Level 10 Druid/Wizard, Level 14 Sorcerer, You can deal bonus effects based on your damage type chosen when you deal damage... but it doesn't have to be when you deal your chosen type's damage, it's all damage. So, that's weird, also has the choosing fire to resist fire in a volcano issue, where then the rider is fire... in a volcano... but still. It does mean you can cone of cold your enemies and then also add a fire rider... which is weird. All the riders are kinda weak but they're all free little boosts. basically a free cantrip. meh.
Level 14 all, free save proficiency that none of the classes have normally unless multiclassed or feat spent. Plus the reliable talent... pretty good... kinda late in the game to get it but it's a useful save.
Overall I'm not a huge fan. It's an elementalist artist... Elementartist. meh. All the elementalists are a little weak imo.
Quandrix
Sorcerer and Wizard
I do math!
Level 1 Sorc, Level 2 Wizard - Free spells - I mean, it's extra spells known on a sorc, that's strong. and there's some good ones. On a wizard... its free money, less good, but still spells and a couple of non wizard ones like aura of vitality.
Also functions of probability. Your spells get a rider that is actually pretty cool, kind of a cutting words on top of a spell.
Level 6 both, this is amazing, you just teleport people around if they fail a charisma save as a reaction. Put your allies into safe spaces, throw your enemies off a cliff or into a wall of fire. Love it.
Level 10 Wizard, Level 14 Sorc - a debuff on top of your damage spell? nice.
Level 14 both, you have resistance to B/S/P and also you can walk through walls? That's pretty badass.
I'd say this is a strong option, maybe it isn't the best "equation wizard" that could ever be written, but you have some decent spells, you can move people around like a chessmaster, debuff foes and walk through walls. It's hard to really see the theme they were going for but it's a solid spellcaster who solves problems with magic.
Silverquill
Bard, Warlock, or Wizard
This is like playing a bard, earlier than a bard, except for the bard.
Level 1 warlock, level 2 wizard, level 3 bard. You get a pseudo cutting words and portent, and access to viscous mockery as a wizard. The reaction to give an enemy disadvantage on an attack roll is solid on its own but if it succeeds then it grants an ally advantage? Pretty great. Rechargable by expending a spell slot is nice too.
Level 6 all, everyone gets to do the warlock thing. See in magical darkness. Neat. Less useful for spellcasters than for gishes... but the darkness also deals psychic damage. This is pretty great.
Level 10 Warlock, Wizard, Level 14 Bard. Charm or Frighten a creature damaged by your spell? I'm not a huge fan but then again frightening a bunch of people with a fireball is a solid use of a spell. Also the spell becomes psychic or radiant... so you can fireball a fire elemental with psychic fire and have it be afraid of you. Okay. I'm not sure how the charm is supposed to work when you've just hit them with radiant damage but that is also a decent crowd control option.
Level 14 all, words of power, force vulnerability? sure, not the best way to do it but okay. Selflessly take damage? Okay if it keeps someone else up then why not. There's not much of a limit to these options and they're ok.
Overall this is a strong warlock (that isn't a hexblade) or an okay wizard or kinda weaker than average bard.
Witherbloom
Druid and Warlock
Better alchemist than the alchemist.
They should have made this an Artificer option tbh.
Level 1 Warlock, Level 2 Druid. Free spells on a warlock? Sure! Wow. Always prepared spells on a druid.... sure... I mean always having revivify prepared is not bad at all.
Also heal yourself with hit dice whenever you want and make all your damage necrotic and bypass resistance? Sure. Never worry about bringing the right kind of damage again just wither it.
Level 6, both. Magical brews. You're making potions you can use or give to your allies. The three options are solid. You can resist damage, heal damage (and a condition) or deal damage. What else do you want? Better than an alchemist.
Level 10 both, once per turn do more necrotic damage, equal to PB. You can always do necrotic damage... neat little always on damage buff but not exciting.
Level 14 both, your spells that do necrotic damage (which can be any of them) also heal you and an ally for that amount of damage split between you. PB number of times per day.
So this is a warlock nature life witch or hedge druid that brews potions and messes around with life/blood/necrotic magic. Thematic, simple, decent.
My final thoughts.
Warlock is the big winner, they get options that compete with the hexblade in power (imo) whilst not doing the same thing (gishing it up). They also lose their best roleplaying feature, a clearly defined patron but you can refluff that back easily enough. A witherbloom warlock has their powers gifted by baba yaga. done.
The options overall are strong. some are kinda boring, but then I don't see anything that breaks the game.