New One D&D UA Video Dropped: 9/28/22 - Expert Classes

Quote from Mephista >>

Quote from The_Leviathan_of_Levistus>>

What does everyone think that the unifying theme amongst the class groups will be? We already know that all Experts (probably excluding Artificers) will get Expertise, but what will the other class groups get?

Earlier, I posted my guess.  It was

~ Each warrior (barb, fighter, monk) have some kind of "stamina" effect - ki, rage, superiority/psi/arrow/etc dice

~ Each priest (pally, cleric, druid) has a divine channel effect and are healer-casters.

~ Each mage (warlock, wizard, sorcerer) got access to unique spells like Counterspell and some version of meta-magic effects (wizard as subclass features, sorcerer as base class picks, warlock as invocations)

Fighting Styles were held by the Fighter (warrior), Paladin (priest), and Ranger (expert) - just missing a mage Fighting Style type, and we will have one of each. I feel that's more likely than all warriors getting fighting styles, given how spread out it is.

They also could lean into the Ability Scores that these class groups typically focus on. Experts typically focus on Dexterity, Warriors typically focus on Strength, Priests typically focus on Wisdom, and both Warlocks and Sorcerers focus on Charisma. 

 Bards are an expert and they're Charisma, Monk is a warrior and they're Dexterity, Paladins are priests with Strength/Charisma, and Wizards are Intelligence versus Charisma (and there may be an option for Sorcerers or Warlocks to go Intelligence too, given the presence of bookish and psionic types in both).  The stats are just too everywhere for this to make sense for me. Sorry

If they want a fighting style in each group mages could have magical combat fighting styles. Basically instead of enhancing a style of physical combat it enhances a style of spell casting.

As for halflings (depending on the wording tomorrow), they may get inspiration and still get their re-roll on a nat 1.  this seems like a reasonable approach to giving full benefit to Hafling luck while getting the same advantages as everyone else.

Quote from Roscoeivan >>

As for halflings (depending on the wording tomorrow), they may get inspiration and still get their re-roll on a nat 1.  this seems like a reasonable approach to giving full benefit to Hafling luck while getting the same advantages as everyone else.

It would make it a lot stronger, roll get a 1, gain inspiration, re-roll but now you have inspiration so you can use it for advantage all on the same action.

Yeah, I'd be totally fine with bringing the other classes into closer parity.

Quote from Barefoot_Halibut >>

Yeah, I'd be totally fine with bringing the other classes into closer parity.

It makes them easier to balance, and thus easier to design new classes (which is how 4e had so many classes). 

Alright, now that I’ve actually had 20 minutes to sit down and watch the video I agree with everyone who says Paladins will be part of the Priest classes.

I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow.  If all 3 of those classes have 4 subclasses, it’s reasonable, though perhaps not certain, that such can be expected for the others

Quote from Fhaolan >>

Quote from The_Leviathan_of_Levistus >>

What does everyone think that the unifying theme amongst the class groups will be? We already know that all Experts (probably excluding Artificers) will get Expertise, but what will the other class groups get? Here's my current best guess:

• Warriors - Fighting Styles and/or Battlemaster Maneuvers. I hope both, but knowing Wizards of the Coast, they'll probably just give them Fighting Styles. However, Barbarians and Monks getting Fighting Styles and maybe Battlemaster Maneuvers will be interesting to see, if it happens. 
• Priests - Channel Divinity. This one is obvious, as Paladins and Clerics already get Channel Divinity, and Druids get a really similar ability (Wildshape). They could also make it so all Druid, Cleric, and Paladin subclassses get automatically prepared spells based on their subclass (which is true for all Cleric and Paladin subclasses, but isn't true for a few Druid subclasses). 
• Mage - Maybe something like the Warlock Pact Boons could work? So Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards all get to choose between being a Gish (Pact of the Blade), Spellcaster+ (Pact of the Tome), Support Spellcaster (Pact of the Talisman), or Pokemon Master (Pact of the Chain)? Or Eldritch Invocations/Metamagic could be what they use to unite the Mages? Or they could say that spellcasting is the thing that all Mages have in common, which would be just bland enough for WotC to do it. 

They also could lean into the Ability Scores that these class groups typically focus on. Experts typically focus on Dexterity, Warriors typically focus on Strength, Priests typically focus on Wisdom, and both Warlocks and Sorcerers focus on Charisma. 

 Well, since Experts will get Expertise, by extension Warriors will get Warriorise, Priests will get Priestise, and Mages will get Mageise. ;)

Silliness aside, yes Warriors will likely share an enhanced version Fighting Styles (hopefully with a bit more oomph than the current ones) and Priests will get variations on the 'Channel Divinity' theme.  

Mages is the weird one as you say, because there really isn't anything in 5e right now that extends between the various Arcane casters beyond Arcane spells themselves... My first thought is to use School Specializations, and then give Wizards more flavourful subclasses similar to War Magic and Bladesinger.

I always wanted bladesinger to be a bard thing.  Not that I think it will be.  I just wanted it to be.

I mean, sword bards are a thing still too. So imagine it.  Elves sword bards with singing blades grumbling the wizard knights get to be called blade singers.

I'm not going to watch the actor pretending to be Todd and JC talk to himself again, so did they say one of the groupings will be Priests?

I could see Cleric/Druid/Paladin being more aptly grouped under "Devout" or "Devoted", Priests just connotes a sort of theism that isn't necessarily Druidic and doesn't seem to be fit how the Oaths have been interpreted either.

A paladin without divinity is just a fighter who made a promise.

Quote from TexasDevin >>

A paladin without divinity is just a fighter who made a promise.

 
Wow. What a turn of phrase. Well done.

to lower the number of Wizard subclasses -- instead of each school having its own subclass.   Have a subclass called Specialist and select a school at level 1 and at certain levels get their subclass features based on the school.  (Like Warlocks pick a patron)

Quote from Marc_Ducorsky >>

to lower the number of Wizard subclasses -- instead of each school having its own subclass.   Have a subclass called Specialist and select a school at level 1 and at certain levels get their subclass features based on the school.  (Like Warlocks pick a patron)

 
Warlock Patrons are subclasses.

Quote from The_Leviathan_of_Levistus >>

What does everyone think that the unifying theme amongst the class groups will be? We already know that all Experts (probably excluding Artificers) will get Expertise, but what will the other class groups get? Here's my current best guess:

• Warriors - Fighting Styles and/or Battlemaster Maneuvers. I hope both, but knowing Wizards of the Coast, they'll probably just give them Fighting Styles. However, Barbarians and Monks getting Fighting Styles and maybe Battlemaster Maneuvers will be interesting to see, if it happens. 
• Priests - Channel Divinity. This one is obvious, as Paladins and Clerics already get Channel Divinity, and Druids get a really similar ability (Wildshape). They could also make it so all Druid, Cleric, and Paladin subclassses get automatically prepared spells based on their subclass (which is true for all Cleric and Paladin subclasses, but isn't true for a few Druid subclasses). 
• Mage - Maybe something like the Warlock Pact Boons could work? So Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards all get to choose between being a Gish (Pact of the Blade), Spellcaster+ (Pact of the Tome), Support Spellcaster (Pact of the Talisman), or Pokemon Master (Pact of the Chain)? Or Eldritch Invocations/Metamagic could be what they use to unite the Mages? Or they could say that spellcasting is the thing that all Mages have in common, which would be just bland enough for WotC to do it. 

They also could lean into the Ability Scores that these class groups typically focus on. Experts typically focus on Dexterity, Warriors typically focus on Strength, Priests typically focus on Wisdom, and both Warlocks and Sorcerers focus on Charisma. 

My guess:
Warrior: Fighting style.
Priest: Channel divinity.
Mage: Magic school affinity / speciality.

One thing mentioned was experts take features from other types. Bardic inspiration is like a channel divinity, rangers get fighting styles, rogues get specialized abilities(stretch for comparison but maybe)

Quote from Roscoeivan >>

One thing mentioned was experts take features from other types. Bardic inspiration is like a channel divinity

 I mean kinda? But isn't Magical Secrets the more obvious feature here? They're literally stealing spells from other classes.

So, I really do not understand why some people are panicking about the Artificer not being included, when the class was specifically mentioned in the video. Sure it won't be included in this UA document, but there will be plenty more coming out and it seems ridiculous to think they will be dropped from the game. The very worst that could happen is that they are not included in the Player's Handbook, but are then put in a supplement released nearly immediately afterwards. I could also envision special supplements for each of the categories (Expert, Priest, Mage, and Warrior) coming out along with or soon after the Player's Handbook and containing additional subclasses (a little like the 2e class supplements). As for the question that someone above posed, as to which skills Artificers will get expertise in, it seems pretty likely that they will get their expertise in tools/kits.

Also, I do not think that every class will be limited to being in one single category of Expert, Priest, Mage, and Warrior. They even hinted at this, with some classes having access to items (and possibly abilities) of multiple categories. Due to this, I expect that to some extent a class like the Paladin will count as both Warrior and Priest, Rangers will be Warriors and Experts, Artificers will be Experts and Mages, or something along those lines. In addition, certain subclasses such as Arcane Trickster, Divine Sorcerer, etc. may open up a kind of cross-category classification.

I have also heard people talking about how quickly they reacted to folks not liking the critical hit rules from the previous UA, and so due to that they have already backtracked. I think this is untrue, as it seemed that they knew in the first video they were going out on a limb in the first place with that change, and they will probably have a playtest of various "controversial" rules changes (not just with critical hits) that get rotated through (such as with Inspiration on a 20 or on a 1). I wouldn't necessarily say that some rule that has been changed from the first to the second playtest has been entirely abandoned. 

The reason there are so few Artificer subclasses is because the base class is not in the SRD or PHB, and WotC has a rule that you will never need anything but the core three books to use any supplement. So if they print the Artificer in Book X, they can’t publish a subclass for it in Book Y without reprinting the entire base class again. That eats up pages and WotC is getting stingy AF with those lately. However, if the base class is included in the new PHB, then they can print subclasses for it wherever just like they do for the other 12 classes. That’s why people are anxious about it, we want it in the PHB so it can get more official support by way of subclasses.

Quote from The_Leviathan_of_Levistus >>

What does everyone think that the unifying theme amongst the class groups will be? We already know that all Experts (probably excluding Artificers) will get Expertise, but what will the other class groups get? Here's my current best guess:

• Warriors - Fighting Styles and/or Battlemaster Maneuvers. I hope both, but knowing Wizards of the Coast, they'll probably just give them Fighting Styles. However, Barbarians and Monks getting Fighting Styles and maybe Battlemaster Maneuvers will be interesting to see, if it happens. 
• Priests - Channel Divinity. This one is obvious, as Paladins and Clerics already get Channel Divinity, and Druids get a really similar ability (Wildshape). They could also make it so all Druid, Cleric, and Paladin subclassses get automatically prepared spells based on their subclass (which is true for all Cleric and Paladin subclasses, but isn't true for a few Druid subclasses). 
• Mage - Maybe something like the Warlock Pact Boons could work? So Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards all get to choose between being a Gish (Pact of the Blade), Spellcaster+ (Pact of the Tome), Support Spellcaster (Pact of the Talisman), or Pokemon Master (Pact of the Chain)? Or Eldritch Invocations/Metamagic could be what they use to unite the Mages? Or they could say that spellcasting is the thing that all Mages have in common, which would be just bland enough for WotC to do it.  

 
My Predictions:

Warriors (Barb, Fighter, Monk) will be Fighting Style at level 1, and hopefully extra feats/ASIs (Barbarian & Monks would really really appreciate that).
Mages (Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock) will be Arcane Spell List + Arcane Recovery, and possibly a Ritual book (a la Pact of the Tome / Spellbook) 
Priests (Paladin, Druid, Cleric) will be Divine Spell List + Channel Divinity, with WS being subsumed into CD.

Paladin & Ranger will get a class feature making them count as Warriors for items & feats and gain a Fighting Style at level 2, Gish subclasses - Swords Bard, Bladesinger, Pact of the Blade - will get this feature when that subclass is taken.

Bonus predictions:
All spellcasters are now preparation casters, just as they are now all ritual casters.
All spellcasting classes will get 2 bonus spells that are "always prepared", for Bards these will be of their choice from any spell list, for everyone else they will be subclass specific and locked (Ranger may have 1/2 class specific an 1/2 subclass specific).