If you just take Summon Undead as a spell with the updated UA version it’s better than the version given in the first. It has more hp and hits harder. All you lost is a free casting.
Yeah, I know. The free cast would be nice to have though. My main issue with the new rework is the Level 10 and Level 14 features. The ones from the first rework are definitely better for survivability and potentially better (or atleast equal) for damage output and you don't have to sacrifice your minions to do so.
The old UA level ten is essentially death ward and a teleport. The death ward was cool since it’s not a spell on the wizard list, but the teleport doesn’t match the theme/troupe of the subclass. The new version allows for far more hp to be restored. You could be bloodied multiple times in one combat and keep restoring yourself above half by destroying your own minions. Let’s be honest by 10th your “horde” is there to absorb damage, block paths and give your allies advantage. Destroying them to keep giving yourself hp is a good use of them and helps the DM control the player who like to have hundreds of zombies. So much better when the player destroys them. Also remember it will be you fodder zombies you destroy with this and you Summon Undead creature could still be active in combat. As for the updated 14th level ability not offering as much damage as the old UA version I would say it’s because your updated 6th level ability already increased your undead’s damage output. Instead of waiting until 14th to have undead that are actually improved you get it at 6th level with the updated version.
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If you just take Summon Undead as a spell with the updated UA version it’s better than the version given in the first. It has more hp and hits harder. All you lost is a free casting.
Yeah, I know. The free cast would be nice to have though. My main issue with the new rework is the Level 10 and Level 14 features. The ones from the first rework are definitely better for survivability and potentially better (or atleast equal) for damage output and you don't have to sacrifice your minions to do so.
The old UA level ten is essentially death ward and a teleport. The death ward was cool since it’s not a spell on the wizard list, but the teleport doesn’t match the theme/troupe of the subclass. The new version allows for far more hp to be restored. You could be bloodied multiple times in one combat and keep restoring yourself above half by destroying your own minions. Let’s be honest by 10th your “horde” is there to absorb damage, block paths and give your allies advantage. Destroying them to keep giving yourself hp is a good use of them and helps the DM control the player who like to have hundreds of zombies. So much better when the player destroys them. Also remember it will be you fodder zombies you destroy with this and you Summon Undead creature could still be active in combat. As for the updated 14th level ability not offering as much damage as the old UA version I would say it’s because your updated 6th level ability already increased your undead’s damage output. Instead of waiting until 14th to have undead that are actually improved you get it at 6th level with the updated version.