Unearthed Arcana 2020: SUBCLASSES, PART 1

There are 4 Unearthed Arcana released in the first 3 months of 2020 (Q1).
I wont get into everything, just impressions and expectations. Like most UA material, I don’t expect 1/10th to make it into official rules.

Unearthed Arcana 2020: SUBCLASSES, PART 1
By Ben Petrisor, Dan Dillon, Bill Benham, Jeremy Crawford, F. Wesley Schneider – 01/14/2020
Barbarian: Path of the Beast
Monk: Way of Mercy
Paladin: Oath of the Watchers
Warlock: The Noble Genie

Unearthed Arcana 2020: SUBCLASSES, PART 1

Barbarian: Path of the Beast

A lot of the features I see in Path of the Beast could have been additions to Totem Warrior. I actually would like to see the Totem Warrior redone and expanded using elements presented for Path of the Beast.

Monk: Way of Mercy

Implements of Mercy (3rd level): I like the choice between Insight or Medicine skills, and I’d like to see Healer’s kit added to the list of potential kits, allowing the choice of 2 kits out of the three (herbalism kit and the poisoner’s kit being the other two).

Hands of Healing (3rd level): Flurry of Healing… Move over cleric!

Noxious Aura (6th level): I would like to see something more in line with the theme of this subclass. Removing the “toxic miasma” for something that shields those under your protection.

Change to Shielding Aura: As a bonus action, you spend 1 ki point to turn
your ki into a shield protecting you and those within 5 feet of you from ranged attacks. The aura extends 5 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover. It lasts for 1 minute, until you’re incapacitated, or you dismiss it (no action required).

While your aura is active, ranged attacks have disadvantage against you and any alley within 5 feet.

I’m disappointed that Way of Mercy doesn’t allow the Monk to use key to cast Lesser and Greater Restoration – or at least have similar effects to end such as:
Hand of the Clemency (6th level): As an action, you spend 3 ki points to cast Lesser Restoration.
Hand of Benevolence (17th level): As an action, you spend 6 ki points to cast Greater Restoration.

The Way of Mercy also has:
Healing Technique (11th level) increases your healing abilities.
Hand of Mercy (17th level) lets you put someone into suspended animation.

Paladin: Oath of the Watchers

A nice additional Oath. Good and steady but nothing really amazing about it.
The Channel Divinities, Watcher’s Will, and Abjure the Extraplanar are original and work well with the flavour of this Oath.
Aura of the Sentinel at 7th level allowing allies to add your charisma modifier to initiative rolls.
Vigilant Rebuke at 15th level is pretty good in fact. Being able to deal damage to spell casters when anyone succeeds a saving throw within 30 feet of you.
Mortal Bulwark at 20th level – some great stuff at 20th level. If you find some games that play 20th level – awesome!

Warlock: The Noble Genie

I created something similar based on the Forgotten Realms: Al-Qadim campaign setting. The Sha’ir of D&D 2nd Edition. This is a nice homage and update to it.
Hopefully we see some Al-Qadim materials in the future.
Collector’s Vessel at 1st level. Basically allowing you to have willing vassal of likely another PC for an hour. Could also work on a familiar if you’re Pact of the Chain.
Elemental Resistance at 6th level. Similar to The Fiend‘s 10th level ability Fiendish Resilience, just limited to what the Warlock back resistant to.
Protective Wish at 10th level, allowing you to reactively swap places with your vassal and have either of you take the damage.
Genie’s Entertainment at 10th level, is also similar to The Fiend‘s 14th level ability Hurl Through Hell, however the subject remains in the patrons court for 1 minute or the make their save.
Collector’s Call at 14th level has an off requirement of making a check against your Own DC! I disagree with this as no other warlock has to make a check to have an ability work. If you’re going to introduce a mechanic like that, it should be to keep another use of a power – not to get the power to work. There is a mechanic at the end to add another use of the ability.
Otherwise, its pretty good with healing, lesser restoration, combat or RP abilities