One D&D Playtest Materials Propose Rule Changes For Fighters, Wizards, And More

thegamer.com:

Wizards of the Coast's efforts to refine the next generatrion of Dungeons & Dragons is stilll underway, as the publisher has released a new set of playtest materials, specifically focusing on the 2024 Player's Handbook this time around. It's been revealed that these materials will propose changes to several core character classes, including Fighters, Wizards, Barbarians, Sorcerers, and Warlocks, the latter of which will see the most changes of the group.

In the latest Unearthed Arcana (thanks Polygon), lead rules designer Jeremy Crawford breaks down the changes to each class, starting with the mages. He begins by explaining that one of the main goals of the 2024 Player's Handbook is to give both the Warlock and Sorcerer classes much more of a "mechanical identity", allowing players to have a few levels as a standard Warlock or Sorcerer before choosing their subclass. This has allowed the designers to rearrange certain elements and add new options, with Warlock getting their Pact Boon at the first level as an example.

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Crawford also explains that Warlocks have had their Pact Magic removed and replaced with Spellcasting, giving the class a whole lot more spell slots when they hit 20th level. Warlocks' spellcasting progression will be similar to Paladins and Rangers while still keeping their Eldritch Invocations, capping out at 9 now instead of 8. The class will also get Mystic Arcana as an Eldritch Invocation, allowing you to access more powerful spells sooner, and will also now get the Hex spell and Eldritch Blast for free.

Sorcerer changes are very similar to Warlocks, in that players will get to experience being a Sorcerer for a little while before picking