Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Subclasses Part III: Artificer, Druid, and Ranger

The third in the recent spate of D&D subclasses from WotC! "Continuing our series of new D&D subclasses in 2020, Unearthed Arcana presents three more for you to playtest: the Armorer for the artificer, the Circle of the Stars for the druid, and the Fey Wanderer for the ranger. Today’s article also includes some new infusions for the artificer."

https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/UA2020-Subclasses03_0224.pdf

 

[Minigiant]

I was thinking the Mandarin - stereotype and enemy of the Armorer

I can see the Ringbearer having 10 rings with various beams and spell like effects.

Now we just need the guy with the utility belt.

 

[RSIxidor]

I'm sure similar things have already been said but I love the trend of having alternative uses for Wild Shape. I wish the Land Druid had something like that as well. Maybe if we ever get a revised PHB that could be something they tackle. Could even have slightly different versions for each of the lands.

 

[rohathel]

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[Paul Farquhar]

The two more infusions is +2 to your maximum number of infusions. A regular level 9 artificer can have a maximum of 3 infused items at any one time. The Armordude can have 5, so long as at least two of them are on his armour.

 

[Horwath]

Yes. Let me clarify. I would make each subclass inspired by the chosen favoured enemy but not necessarily have powers that are only active against them like in 3rd edition.

For example take this fey ranger. They get advantage vs charm and proficiency in a social skill along with some other mind affecting powers. These powers are useful against fey but not restricted to fey, they can be used in other scenarios. The bonus spell list further solidifies this: banishment and dispel magic for dealing with fey, charm person and mislead as fey-like inherited powers.

For a dragon slaying ranger I would give them powers and bonus spells that grant resistance to energy damage types, bonuses to area of effect saving throws, maybe a feature to counter fear. Maybe add in a feature that gives bonuses to attacks when made a certain distance away from your target. These are things that are undeniably useful against dragons, but also generally useful in fighting other things as well.

that SHOULD have been default base class ability of the Ranger.

 

[Stoutstien]

The two more infusions is +2 to your maximum number of infusions. A regular level 9 artificer can have a maximum of 3 infused items at any one time. The Armordude can have 5, so long as at least two of them are on his armour.

It doesn't increase the number of infusions known though. So realistically the armor Smith is getting + 1 AC and weapons at lv 9.
the best part is probably the fact it's the only way to infuse already magical armor.

the real point that bugs me is it doesn't have a subclass feature that I can spend spell slots on to enhance something. Maybe they took the bonus action temporary hit points increase the value but only allow it once per long rest for free and it cost a spell slot to repeat.

 

[RSIxidor]

I don't like Fey Wanderer's Dreadful Strikes requiring a bonus action (even with the caveat for two-weapon fighting). Also, if Shield Master works as based on the Crawford tweet, you wouldn't be able to use the bonus action to get the psychic damage on all attacks, only on the bonus action attack. Once you get extra attack, that's very limiting. (EDIT: I did forget about some other tweets related to this, and the fact that Shield Master and two-weapon fighting have slightly different wordings. It still means that with Extra Attack, you would have to make one attack with your attack action without the psychic bonus, then use your bonus action attack with the bonus damage, then use your second attack from the attack action with the bonus. And before you have Extra Attack, it's only on your bonus action attack. Poor wording and probably not their intent). Also not sure how I feel about them getting a better smite that also works on ranged attacks (if using a level 1 or 2 slot, the best slots to smite with). Love the top level feature.

I'm not fussed with the artificer build. It's full of fun and I'd consider playing it just to pretend to be Iron Man or Doctor Doom or Rocket Red or Lex Luthor or Blue Beetle or Guardian or Master Chief or S.T.R.I.P.E. or Black Manta or someone from MOSPEADA or a Space Marine or a T'au Fire Warrior. I think both forms of the armor should get both a melee attack and a ranged attack, just make the melee weak for the ranged armor, and the ranged weak for the melee armor.

 

[OB1]

Cannot say how pleased I am with this year's batch of UAs. Can't wait to hear what type of book these concepts will come out with (please let it be a guide to the planes).

Looking forward to playing the Star Druid once it releases as my first Druid. Don't care what the powers end up being, this druid subclass just speaks to me for some reason.

May have to allow one of my players to use the Iron Man Artificer even if it's just in UA form (which I normally don't), as it seems unlikely that this book will be out before summer, but this is 100% their jam.

They Fey Ranger is also cool. Including last fall's batch of UAs, it seems like we are getting close to having a Fey subclass for just about every class. If the new player option book was to have 3 new subclasses for each class (similar to XGTE) I wonder if they are looking to offer 1 Fey/Shadowfell, 1 Outer Plane, and 1 Psionic/Far Realm for each.

 

[Leatherhead]

I suppose the power armor itself is not explicitly a magic item. So you could put ONE infusion on it prior to level 9. You could infuse the weapons or the armour, but not both.

It might not be explicitly magical, but infusions can only be put on "mundane" items, which this is most certainly not.

 

[rohathel]

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