Unearthed Arcana: Wonders of the Multiverse
Unearthed Arcana: Wonders of the Multiverse
The Wonders of the Multiverse continue to grow! The new Unearthed Arcana playtest is here! Stick around as we delve into a new race, the fate domain cleric, backgrounds, feats and more.
What is Unearthed Arcana: Wonders of the Multiverse?
The D&D Multiverse continues to grow! Today we cover the playtest content of the newest Unearthed Arcana: Wonders of the Multiverse released in July 2022. As always, these are subject to change, but we are always excited to delve not only into the mechanics but the underlying lore that could indicate upcoming releases.
The latest UA contains the following content. We will attempt to touch a little bit on each.
Glitchling. These mechanical servants of law seek to experience all the multiverse has to offer.
Cleric Subclass. The Fate Domain subclass allows clerics to influence fortune's ebb and flow.
Backgrounds. The gate warden, giant foundling, planar philosopher, and rune carver backgrounds provide access to specific feats.
Feats. This collection of feats provides options for players who wish to link their characters to giants, primordial magic, and the planes.
Spells. This selection of spells explores the magic of fate and chance.
Glichling
This race option is much akin to a rogue modron. I love this, as we can have a bit of play on the shape the glichling takes. For me, I would love to be a monk that looks like the pentadrone. They basically look like mechanical starfish with legs. I want to just spin my top for my flurry of blows. lol.
The glitching is a construct, which is an absolute blast to play (looking at you warforge). Their core racial traits are as follows.
Armored Plating. Your metal skin is reinforced with armor plates. While you aren’t wearing armor, your base Armor Class is 14 + your Dexterity modifier.
Honestly, this seems a bit powerful to me. I can see nearly every power gamer looking at this as the go-to for monks and rogues. Getting an AC of 19 with little effort. So right out the gate, I see some power creep. Something I would like NOT to see.
Balance Chaos. When you make an attack roll or a saving throw and roll a 9 or lower on the d20, you can balance chaos and treat the roll as a 10. You can balance chaos in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
So, now we are giving out improved 11th-level class features as racial bonuses eh? While I think this is an awesome ability, I do think it is far too strong for a racial bonus. I think if limited to once per long rest, it would probably be better. I do see where they are going, but a simple mechanic similar to the bless spell would be a bit more in line.
Living Construct. You were created to benefit from several spells that preserve life but that normally don’t affect Constructs: cure wounds, healing word, mass cure wounds, mass healing word, and spare the dying.
I love this mechanic, certainly, it is needed as a player option, otherwise, the character would either die quickly, or become immortal with the mending cantrip. lol.
Ordered Mind. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks and on saving throws made to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
Not sure what to say to this accept, HELL YEAH! As someone who hates to be duped by spells like a charm person, I am 100% on board with this. Not as strong as the elvish immunity, but is fantastic nonetheless.
Vestigial Wings. You have vestigial wings that allow limited flight. When you move, you can engage your wings to gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed until the end of the current turn. If you are still aloft at the end of the turn with nothing else supporting you, you fall. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
I feel like this is a nice balanced flight. But seems unnecessary considering all the features the glichling has. This certainly does balance out the full on flight at level 1 that sends so many Dungeon Masters in a tizzy cause they don’t know how to deal with flying characters. Which has always been strange to me. I mean, what good are wings in a 5 foot tall corridor? I’ve really been digging the change to the using proficiency bonus as a frequency of feature usage rather than character modifiers.
What is the Cleric: Fate Domain?
Artwork Compliments of Wizards of the Coast
Clerics who draw power from the forces of fate sometimes receive visions directly from their deity and receive fleeting omens of the future. They share impossible knowledge with their allies and prophesize their enemies' doom.
I’m totally down for this! A diviner cleric? Let’s make it happen. One of my favorite builds is the school of divination wizard with the lucky feat. Now I can heal, tank and predict the future? Let’s do it!
Access to some new spells is certainly always a great start. I’m particularly in love with the access to clairvoyance, death ward (get it, cause you can see it coming) and geas. With geas, what better way to predict the future than to control someone entirely?
OMENS AND PORTENTS
1st-level Fate Domain Feature
You can perceive signs of the future in everyday objects and events, such as flights of birds or ripples made in water by a thrown stone. You can cast the augury spell without expending a spell slot and, when you cast the spell in this way, the spell has no verbal, somatic, or material components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
In addition, until you finish a long rest, when you cast a divination spell that includes a chance the DM gives you no answer or a random reading—such as augury, commune, or divination—reduce that chance by 25 percent.
So I can totally appreciate access to a spell like augury to predict the future. But man, these can be so subjective. I’m not sure how I would feel as a player of an ability that is really up to the DM. But, so long as the DM follows the feature as closely as possible, then this pretty cool. Especially if it reduces the risk of getting a random reading to 0 for the first time. As DM I think reading such as “Weal” is a great time to just auto-succeed on an action without the need of dice. But once again, it's subjective. I can also see poor adversarial DMs using it in a dickish way.
TIES THAT BIND
1st-level Fate Domain Feature
You can temporarily tie your fate to others. As an action, you can touch one object or creature and magically tie a strand of fate from yourself to it for 1 hour or until you use this feature again. An unwilling creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC to resist this effect. While the target is bound to you and on the same plane of existence as you, you can sense the direction to the target’s location, and you know the direction of its movement if it is in motion.
In addition, once per turn when you cast a spell using a spell slot to deal damage or restore hit points to the target, roll a d6, and the target receives extra damage or healing, respectively, equal to the number rolled.
You can use this feature’s action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
This is a fantastic feature. I love that you can tie a thread of fate to an ally or enemy to increase the chance of damage received or healing. This is a fun little bonus and is a great push into the theme of a diviner of the future. As a roleplayer I can see this being so much fun. I love the idea of using short flashback scenes of the cleric informing a character of an action they should take when a circumstance arises, allowing for a deadly blow to an enemy they “saw” in their dreams or reading.
INSIGHTFUL STRIKING
6th-level Fate Domain Feature
As a bonus action, you can choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. Your magic grants you a brief vision of the target’s defenses. Until the end of your next turn, you gain one of the following effects of your choice:
• The next time you make an attack roll against the target, roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the total.
• The next time the target must make a saving throw against a spell you cast, the target must roll a d6 and subtract the number rolled from the saving throw.
You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Haha! Now this is what the True strike cantrip should have been! This will truly make this class and absolute blast to play. Once again tackling the RP in a fun way. I for one, love the idea of seeing short little after images appearing on the character of all actions they will do based on what you’re thinking of doing. This worked so well in the MIstborn series that it will add some serious detail to your character.
POTENT SPELLCASTING
8th-level Fate Domain Feature
You add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.
More damage, pretty typical of level 8 domain ability. I don’t hate it.
VISIONS OF THE FUTURE
17th-level Fate Domain Feature
Your knowledge of the future allows you to guide an individual to achieve their greatest possible success. You can cast the foresight spell once without expending a spell slot; when you cast the spell in this way, the spell’s duration is 1 minute for that casting. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Grant a character advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws for pretty much one full encounter? Yes, yes I will have that. Not to mention, all attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage. Wait…I don’t need to expend my ONLY 9th-level spell slot either? Yes. I think I will take that.
What a fateful end to the class's mechanics. A powerful buff is certainly shorter than normal, but you retain your single 9th level spell slot? What a trade off. This really does bring the fate domain full circle. It’s a shame this spell isn’t added to the cleric spell list. Oh well. Guess we’re limited to god-like powers once a day. Still though, what a detail. Well done team, well done.
BACKGROUNDS
I’m still not a fan of the more mechanical heavy backgrounds. Since Strixhaven, they started giving backgrounds mechanical benefits, specifically special feats. Honestly, I find the more ambiguous background features much more fun and versatile. But that is just me. I know there are some that enjoy them for optimization purposes. Below is an example. You will see it references the Scion of the Outer Planes feat.
PLANAR PHILOSOPHER
You subscribe to a distinct philosophy that seeks to understand the nature of the planes or some hidden truth of the multiverse. You draw strength from your conviction and, perhaps, a network of like-minded believers. In your travels, you seek to deepen the depths of your understanding and spread your philosophy.
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Persuasion
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp comprised of coins from different worlds and planes
FEATURE: CONVICTION
You gain the Scion of the Outer Planes feat (presented later in this document). In addition, members of the organization provide you free, modest lodging and food at any of their holding or the homes of other faction members.
The Scian of the Outer Planes feat grants access to specific resistances and a mating cantrip. In anycase, it seems an unnecessary addition, pushing the game more to mechanical optimization than roleplaying. I’ve always liked that choosing the Sailor background and being something like a Paladin was always a fun concept. With the more mechanical nature, I feel like we will see less of these. But that is just my 2 copper.
FEATS
There are some pretty interesting feats. Many are really starting to require very specific conditions. Not sure yet how I feel about this. I would much prefer the feats to be class agnostic and let the players decide how best to get the most out of them, and tie them in with their character’s flavor.
SPELLS
Inspired by the Deck of Many Things, this section contains new spells that the DM may add to a campaign, making them available to player characters and monster spellcasters alike. The Card Spells table lists the new spells, ordering them by level. The table also notes the school of magic of a spell, whether it requires concentration, whether it bears the ritual tag, and which classes have access to it.
Since we are nearing the publication of our Gambler class, the new spells really tickle our dice. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was sad I didn’t come up with these on my own, specifically the house of cards spell. I mean, how did we not think to include some sort of defensive mechanic with this!? In either case, the new spell options are absolutely a royal flush. You can even easily play a character like Yami Yugi and summon a warrior spirit to fight for you too. I really love what they did here and can’t wait to see how they play out (pun intended).
Unearthed Tips and Tricks
Monster Variant: Cardcaster
Origin: priest
Lost Features: Spell list, Mace, Swap Wisdom and Intelligence, Dex becomes 14.
New Features:
Arcane Cards. As a bonus action the cardcaster can imbue its ranged and melee weapon play card attacks with arcane magic. The next weapon attack it makes deals an extra 10 (3d6) force damage to a target on it.
Playing Cards. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if wielded with two hands.
Channel (Recharge 5-6). The cardcaster uses one of the following channel features.
52 Card Pick Up. The cardcaster releases a burst of spectral cards in a grand flourish. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the end of their next turn.
Royal Flush. The cardcaster throws a barrage of razor sharp cards in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Action:
The cardcaster can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The cardcaster regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Card Manipulation. The cardcaster rolls to charge its channel.
Retreat. The cardcaster uses the Disengage action and moves up to 15 feet.
Encounter: Chest Pains
During their travels, the characters stumble across a town of moderate size. Upon arrival they learn from the local temple two dozen townsfolk have fallen severely ill with torturous chest pains. Unfortunately, the pain is so great they are either unconscious or screaming in agony. So are unable to provide details. No matter what the local priests do, they are unable to treat the disease. They’ve called for healers strong in the healing arts, but they don’t think the victims will last more than a few days. A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Medicine) check notices that several of the victims have several large claw marks. These marks look to be fully healed and appear to be old. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check learns from the priests or townsfolk of a brutal attack by large monsters. Each gives a slightly different description and detail.
A character that spends time in a library, temple or similar location that succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check they learn that the symptoms and some of the townsfolk descriptions describe a terrifying red slaad. These creatures use humanoid hosts to carry their egg to term over a period of three months. The characters have less than 24 hours to either cure everyone, or be ready for the alien-like slaad tadpoles to burst from their chests and begin attacking the townsfolk.
Magic Item: Ring of Crackling Bolts
Ring, uncommon (requires attunement)
This silver ring is engraved with a bolt of lightning and is set with a cluster of small sapphires. While wearing it, you can use an action to cause a barrage of crackling darts to leap from the sapphires toward your foes. Each creature in a 10 foot cube originating from you must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once you have used this feature, you can’t use it again until the next dawn.
Dungeon Master Tip: List of Flaws
Keep a list of the flaws that the players selected when they first created their characters. As a GM you can use this as a powerful tool to remind the players of these faults when situations arise to test them. A great example might be a character with the Folk Hero background might have the flaw, "I'm quick to assume that someone is trying to cheat me." Let the player wrestle with this flaw during negotiations with merchants, nobles and other adventurers. This simple reminder will tug on the roleplay strings of that player and offer an opportunity to showcase this aspect of the character's personality trait.
Player Tip: The One I Seek
In fantasy games such as D&D, when designing characters we spend so much time focused on the immediate friends, family and mentors that may play an important part in their life. We often tend to make them entities of the past. In the past I experimented with the idea of creating an NPC that was tied to my character. This NPC turned out to be skilled at two-weapon fighting. Since I had planned to pick up the feat to let me dual wield two longswords, I decided my character, a fighter, would seek out this potential mentor for training. So instead of putting the NPC just in my past, I put them in my future as a goal. The best part is that I gave the created NPC sheet to my Dungeon Master. Hey then used that as a resource to maximize my story, and saved himself some extra work. Not only did it tie my mechanical feat to the narrative, but it gave us an NPC who became a critical contact later on in the story. I highly recommend giving it a try. If each party member writes something like this, it will help create the story with the DM and have those great moments where you already know the NPC, without ever actually having them been presented in-game before.
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Keep your blades sharp and spells prepared heroes!
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