One D&D Playtest 5: Classes

Here follow my notes for the One D&D Playtest 5 classes video released by Wizards of the Coast in April 2023.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Introduction

Goals overall for classes:

  1. Address concerns expressed over the years, in particularly the big survey in 2021
  2. Satisfying level progression
  3. Clarifications
  4. Fix overpowered & underpowered things

Special goal for Warlock & Sorcerer – give each class more of its own identity. Not narrative identity, but mechanical identity. In the 2014 edition, subclass identity basically replaced class identity.

Warlock

For the Warlock, Pact Boon at level 1 shapes how your Warlock is going to play. And Pact Magic has been replaced by Spellcasting. The biggest consequence is having a lot more spell slots. Complaints about spell slots and needing short rests to recharge were the most frequently received feedback. At 20th level a Warlock now has 15 spell slots instead of 4! Due to hoarding, 4 slots felt like zero. The spellcasting progression goes up to 5th level – much like a Paladin.

Warlocks still have Eldritch Invocations, topping out at 9 (previously 8). Mystic Arcanum, now an EI, can be picked up sooner and can access lower level spells as well as higher level spells, and lets you decide how much you lean into spellcasting vs. other options, like new and redesigned invocations. Gaze of Two Minds (one of the previous lower-rated ones) lets you cast spells originating in the space of the person whose mind you’re sharing. At 11th level, Warlocks can Contact Patron.

Warlocks now get Hex and Eldritch Blast for free. They’re considered core to the class.

Warlocks make a Pact at first level, but make the Pact with their Patron at third. These can be with the same entity, or with different ones – which opens up fun story possibilities.

Highlights for the Fiend Patron:

  • Dark One’s Blessing now triggers when a creature within range dies, even if you didn’t land the killing blow.
  • The Expanded Spell List feature has been replaced with Patron Spells. Get spells that are always prepared, and once per day, one can be cast without a spell slot. Very similar to Paladins.

Sorcerer

Like other classes, the subclass choice now comes at level 3. At level 1, a Sorcerer gets Innate Sorcery, which lets them have two class-exclusive spells:

  • Sorcerous Burst: a cantrip with damage type selection and exploding die mechanic (roll a six? keep rolling!). Motivated by trying to better tie the mechanics to the class flavor text (magic “roiling” within you). Also wanted to give more control over damage type since some subclasses like Draconic Bloodline care a lot about that.
  • Chaos Bolt: a spell from Xanathar.

Metamagic now arrives sooner at level 2, and offers more options than before – start with 3 types instead of 2, and you can change them after long rests! Want to give players more flexibility and opportunities to try them all out.

Other new features include:

  • Sorcerous Vitality
  • Arcane Eruption ("you’re an arcane eruption," says my teenager)
  • Sorcery Incarnate
  • Arcane Apotheosis at level 18

These are about the Sorcerer embodying magic itself. They manifest as spells they get for free and are class exclusives. Warlocks and Wizards also have class exclusive spells – all meant to tie into the class’s identity and to manipulate its core mechanic. The focus is on spells is because they play to the class’s core concept and resource (spell slots). For example, Sorcery Incarnate refreshes a random number of sorcery points, and while it’s active – like a Sorcerer version of a Barb’s rage – you can use more than one metamagic option at a time and have advantage on spell attack rolls.

All metamagic options have been revisited. In particular, Careful Spell now acts more like the Evoker’s Sculpt Spell.

Draconic Sorcerer has quality of life improvements like:

  • You don’t need to spend a sorcery point to gain resistance to your damage type;
  • Instead of learning Draconic, you can communicate with any creature that has the Dragon creature type.

A new feature, Draconic Exhalation, lets you Sorcerous Burst in a cone instead of hitting a single target. It replaces Draconic Presence, which has been low-rated for years.

Another common piece of feedback was that Draconic Sorcerers didn’t have enough interesting things to do based on their damage type. They’re addressing this with Draconic Exhalation, Elemental Affinity, and the revised Dragon Wings.

Dragon Wings are no longer always on, as this was considered OP, but now activates with Sorcery Incarnate, and can do damage of that type to foes around you.

Wizard

Not as drastic because Wizards were already in a solid place and well-appreciated in surveys. Changes here are intended to lean into the Wizard’s identity as a planner and scholar.

A new 2nd level feature, Academic, makes them good at int-based checks.

New 1st level feature, Wizard’s Spellbook, unifies the various spellbook rules. It provides the Wizard’s special ritual casting, and it can be used as a casting focus. There’s a sequence of spells about interacting with the spellbook:

  • Scribe Spell
  • Memorize Spell
  • Modify Spell - tweak a spell (only one modified spell at a time can be prepared).
  • Create Spell - take a modified spell and turn it into a prepare-able spell in the spell book. Leans into the fantasy of Wizards as creators of spells. (The new DMG will also have advice on spell creation for your campaign world.)

The contrast of these two magic hackers is that Wizards have to plan, while Sorcerers get to improvise.

The Evoker Wizard mostly gets QoL improvements. The Evocation Savant starting feature now actually grants Evocation spells. Potent Cantrip now also works with attack roll cantrips.

Fighter

Fighters get the new Weapon Mastery system and related features. Maneuvers are cool, but Weapon Mastery is always on.

Fighters can now Second Wind more than once between rests, and the number of times it can be used also grows with levels.

Unconquerable gives extra use of Indomitable while simultaneously using Second Wind.

Champion is great for new players as well as veterans who want a break but still want to have fun. Keeps Improved Critical.

Remarkable Athlete (historically low-rated) has been replaced with two features:

  • Adaptable Victor: lets Champions change around skill proficiencies (“all about winning”)
  • Heroic Warrior: lets Champions give themselves Heroic Advantage if they don’t already have it – gives them more of a chance to get improved criticals

Survivor provides advantage on Death Saving Throws, and adds “improved critical” on Death Saving Throws.

Barbarian

Barbarians get Weapon Mastery at level 1.

Barbarians can now keep rage going by spending a bonus action. Trying to avoid premature rage ends. Can still keep it going by making an attack action, and can now keep it going by making an enemy roll a saving throw. Eliminated keeping it going from taking damage. Rage also now lasts up to 10 minutes.

Danger Sense and Feral Instinct have merged into a single feature.

Brutal Critical has been moved to a higher level but stronger and scales with levels.

Berserker gets QoL updates. For example, Frenzy is completely redesigned. No longer costs exhaustion to use it. It now gives extra damage to Reckless Attack.

Miscellaneous Topics

Some classes are more bursty than they used to be. Some are less. They’re trying to align this to class identity.

Sorcererous Vitality gives Sorcerers a way to self heal and improve survivability.

Warlocks get training with medium armor to improve survivability in melee.

New epic boon feats that are iteratively more epic than last time.

PHB play testing is supposed to conclude this year, with DMG and Monster Manual play testing to follow.