The latest Unearthed Arcana article for Dungeons & Dragons has introduced the glitching race to the game, which has the ability to ignore nat 1s, though there are some limits and restrictions involved. The glitching might sound like a D&D version of MissingNo, the glitch Pokémon, but it’s actually a lot closer to the modron race, and it might be a new D&D 5e equivalent for them. The glitchlings are winged humanoid constructs that were created on the lawful planes, being a living merger between magic and machine.
The glitchlings start with a rudimentary personality that becomes more fleshed out over time, as they spend more time in contact with other beings. They are classed as Constructs, but they possess the Living Construct trait, which means that healing spells work on them. Glitchlings possess several other abilities, including Armored Plating, granting them an AC of 14 when not wearing armor; Ordered Mind, which gives advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks and saving throws to end the charmed condition; and Vestigial Wings, which lets them fly until the end of their turn, but it can only be used a number of times equal to proficiency bonus.
The “Wonders of the Multiverse” Unearthed Arcana features a lot of material that appears to be pointing toward the Planescape campaign setting returning to D&D, as it’s full of references to the planes and to the conflict between law and chaos. The glitching race is a living manifestation of law and it can use its connection to the lawful planes in order to protect itself. It does this through its amazing Balance Chaos ability.
Glitchlings Have Power Over Low Numbers
The best glitchling ability is Balance Chaos, which can be used whenever the character rolls a 9 or less when making an attack roll or saving throw. If Balance Chaos is used, then the roll is treated as 10, which might be enough to succeed and will save them from a critical failure in D&D games that use that rule. Notably, Balance Chaos doesn’t work on skill checks, and it can only be used a number of times equal to proficiency bonus (replenishing on a long rest). It’s similar to the halfling’s Lucky ability, except that only kicks in when the player rolls a 1, but it doesn’t have limited charges.
It feels like the glitchlings are an attempt to make a more player-friendly version of the modron. The rogue modrons were a playable race in the old Planescape books, but they notably possessed an alien mindset, due to their strong connection to law and order. The glitchlings feel closer to Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation than the classic modrons in D&D, but that just means they’re easier to play, and Balance of Chaos means that plenty of Dungeons & Dragons players will give them a try.
