CR/4 is typically used to determine what monsters to throw at a party. Player characters themselves do not have challenge ratings.
Also, that's for a Medium encounter. Presumably a party of PCs vs an equal level party of PCs would be a coin-flip fight, not a 'consume 15-20% of daily resources' fight. If you actually stat up PC classes as NPCs, they wind up total glass cannons, but overall CR is probably around level/2 for martial classes, more like 2/3 for caster classes that might as well go nova because they aren't dealing with 6 encounters per day.
I. Freakin'. LOVE this UA! Flavorwise, everything is just *chef's kiss*. I'm glad to see WotC re-approaching the idea of having two creature types, and it's something I'd love to see be applied to certain other races... *glares at Satyr*
Dhampir is pretty nifty. I can see the climbing being retuned slightly to bring it's more powerful effect online at 5th level rather than 3rd, but that said it's still less problematic than races with flight speed. I can also see the bite attack being reworded to tone down it's effectiveness (definitely limit the healing potential, and perhaps change the ability/attack bonus to advantage?); there's also a part of me that's temped to see what it'd be like if it were changed from being a weapon attack to something more cantriplike...
Hexblood is solid. It can stand to have some of the wording cleaned up, but honestly I can see it being released as-is. Fey Resilience is just a weaker version of what elves get. Hex Magic can be argued to be beefier than other innate magics other races get, but in my honest opinion I think it's a good direction for WotC to start going in. And oh my god, I freakin' *love* the Magic Token feature. It's perfect. Perfect. I could ask for more, but it's already perfect. Why futz with perfect?
Reborn is...again, I love it. Most of it's features are fairly standard other than the advantage on death saving throws, and even that I think is balanced by the drawbacks that come from having an Undead creature type (Construct may be a different story; correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not really able to find much in the way that affects them). I think what really sells me on this though is Knowledge from a Past Life. It was my favorite aspect of the old Revived Rogue UA, and I'm super stoked to see it make a comeback, albeit in a slightly different form.
I have...at least two character ideas for each of these options, and I can probably continue coming up with more if I sat down and let my brain have at it. I just...I love it.
Innistrad is coming back to mtg just as Theros did in January 2020. I’m just saying that Soria might fight Nahiri in D&D too. Also Nahiri kind of sucks, so she will probably be the villain
I Totally get where you're coming from as far as the bite goes, but it seems you're misinterpreting a little. It doesn't add both STR and CON, but just CON. Still a strong attack of course, especially since it can easily heal you a limited number of times per long rest. Additionally, ADV only applies once you're below half health, not all the time. I think the d4 damage die offsets it's useability well enough.
Edit: I was wrong. Now that it's officially out, I see that it is indeed both STR and CON. And yeah, that's super dumb, I hope it's a mistake.
I think it's pretty clear that it uses strength & con as a trade off (it says adds con, not replaces strength) for being effected by almost every spell in the game. Good lord, friendly fire is going to screw you up if you're a Dhampir.
I think RAI, Con is supposed to be used instead of Str, but by RAW, Con is absolutely added on top of Str.
Similar to how RAW lets you stack Smite, Hunter's Mark, Hex, Sharpshooter, and GWM to your bite, but I'm 90% sure that wasn't what they were going for RAI.
I think the feature was just really poorly worded.
Worth noting as well is that Dhampir and Reborn are humanoids and undead (or constructs), which means they can't benefit from the effects of Cure Wounds and the like(?)
Or am I misinterpreting something?
Nothing in the features suggests that so I would say they are treated as any other PC for those spells.
From the text of Cure Wounds: This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
Worth noting as well is that Dhampir and Reborn are humanoids and undead (or constructs), which means they can't benefit from the effects of Cure Wounds and the like(?)
Or am I misinterpreting something?
Nothing in the features suggests that so I would say they are treated as any other PC for those spells.
From the text of Cure Wounds: This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
But they do affect Humanoids, which all of these Lineages are as well.
Worth noting as well is that Dhampir and Reborn are humanoids and undead (or constructs), which means they can't benefit from the effects of Cure Wounds and the like(?)
Or am I misinterpreting something?
Nothing in the features suggests that so I would say they are treated as any other PC for those spells.
From the text of Cure Wounds: This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
The UA says that if a spell effects one of the two types the character it is, the spell effects them.
I think it's pretty clear that it uses strength & con as a trade off (it says adds con, not replaces strength) for being effected by almost every spell in the game. Good lord, friendly fire is going to screw you up if you're a Dhampir.
(new Unearthed Arcana comes out)
"Ooh, look at this!"
"...hooboy...what is THIS gonna be..."
"I LOVE this...I can't wait to use this on my character...!"
"This seems a bit overpowered...I'm sure it'll get tweaked in the final version."
"Those mad bas*rds! What were they thinking?!"
"If you take this feature, multiclass three times and knock over a goat, you can churn out roughly eight billion damage."
"I expect the creators of this content to commit seppuku for their failure to provide balanced content."
"...what's Unearthed Arcana? Is that a Wizard subclass?"
(crying in the corner)
"Where the hell's my Mystic, MAN?!"
"The Lore Wizard was actually pretty balanced, when you think about it."
(releases) "When's it coming out on D&D Beyond?"
"Well...you don't HAVE to use it at your table..."
"What do you MEAN, I can't use it at the table?!"
(...just a light bit of fun) ; )
Also, that's for a Medium encounter. Presumably a party of PCs vs an equal level party of PCs would be a coin-flip fight, not a 'consume 15-20% of daily resources' fight. If you actually stat up PC classes as NPCs, they wind up total glass cannons, but overall CR is probably around level/2 for martial classes, more like 2/3 for caster classes that might as well go nova because they aren't dealing with 6 encounters per day.
Did everyone fill out the Survey today?
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Okay, finally getting to this...
I. Freakin'. LOVE this UA! Flavorwise, everything is just *chef's kiss*. I'm glad to see WotC re-approaching the idea of having two creature types, and it's something I'd love to see be applied to certain other races... *glares at Satyr*
Dhampir is pretty nifty. I can see the climbing being retuned slightly to bring it's more powerful effect online at 5th level rather than 3rd, but that said it's still less problematic than races with flight speed. I can also see the bite attack being reworded to tone down it's effectiveness (definitely limit the healing potential, and perhaps change the ability/attack bonus to advantage?); there's also a part of me that's temped to see what it'd be like if it were changed from being a weapon attack to something more cantriplike...
Hexblood is solid. It can stand to have some of the wording cleaned up, but honestly I can see it being released as-is. Fey Resilience is just a weaker version of what elves get. Hex Magic can be argued to be beefier than other innate magics other races get, but in my honest opinion I think it's a good direction for WotC to start going in. And oh my god, I freakin' *love* the Magic Token feature. It's perfect. Perfect. I could ask for more, but it's already perfect. Why futz with perfect?
Reborn is...again, I love it. Most of it's features are fairly standard other than the advantage on death saving throws, and even that I think is balanced by the drawbacks that come from having an Undead creature type (Construct may be a different story; correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not really able to find much in the way that affects them). I think what really sells me on this though is Knowledge from a Past Life. It was my favorite aspect of the old Revived Rogue UA, and I'm super stoked to see it make a comeback, albeit in a slightly different form.
I have...at least two character ideas for each of these options, and I can probably continue coming up with more if I sat down and let my brain have at it. I just...I love it.
The survey was today? That seems awfully quick, but I'm gonna head right over!
EDIT: If it's out, I can't seem to find it...
D&D Facebook Link
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Danke, danke!
I filled out the survey. I'm super pleased with this Unearthed Arcana.
Hah! We can just cut and paste this in every new UA thread. It will save us all a ton of time.
Innistrad is coming back to mtg just as Theros did in January 2020. I’m just saying that Soria might fight Nahiri in D&D too. Also Nahiri kind of sucks, so she will probably be the villain
Hmm.....
Playable ghosts and ephemeral fiends. Possessed.
Need more lineage for them.
I Totally get where you're coming from as far as the bite goes, but it seems you're misinterpreting a little. It doesn't add both STR and CON, but just CON. Still a strong attack of course, especially since it can easily heal you a limited number of times per long rest. Additionally, ADV only applies once you're below half health, not all the time. I think the d4 damage die offsets it's useability well enough.
Edit: I was wrong. Now that it's officially out, I see that it is indeed both STR and CON. And yeah, that's super dumb, I hope it's a mistake.
I think it's pretty clear that it uses strength & con as a trade off (it says adds con, not replaces strength) for being effected by almost every spell in the game. Good lord, friendly fire is going to screw you up if you're a Dhampir.
Really only "Turn the Dead" will be an issue for friendly fire.....unless you mean the other way around?
I think RAI, Con is supposed to be used instead of Str, but by RAW, Con is absolutely added on top of Str.
Similar to how RAW lets you stack Smite, Hunter's Mark, Hex, Sharpshooter, and GWM to your bite, but I'm 90% sure that wasn't what they were going for RAI.
I think the feature was just really poorly worded.
From the text of Cure Wounds: This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
But they do affect Humanoids, which all of these Lineages are as well.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
The UA says that if a spell effects one of the two types the character it is, the spell effects them.
According to the character I made it is only CON
Yeah, I assumed that was what was intended, and that it was just goofy wording in the UA document.