Horror stories and Dungeons and Dragons are two great tastes being brought together with the latest Unearthed Arcana playtest. Wizards of the Coast has recently announced eight new horrifying and macabre subclasses as part of their latest Unearthed Arcana playtest.
Two of these subclasses are brand-new to D&D in general, while the other six are updated versions of subclasses that previously existed in D&D 5e. Game designer Mackenzie de Armas, along with D&D influencer and content creator Todd Kenreck, go into depth about what each class can do in the video below. It should be noted that, like all UA releases, these are also all in the early stages of development, and players can leave feedback by May 13.
Okay, so before we get into the six updated classes–all of which were first added to 5e in expansion books Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft–let’s take a look at the two new subclasses: Reanimator (Artificer) and Hollow Warden (Ranger).
“[The Reanimator] takes heavy inspiration from classics like Frankenstein. This is your reanimating corpses, this is your raising things from the dead Artificier. This is you stitching together flesh golems Artificer,” de Armas explained. “The sort of crux of the subclass is this reanimated companion you raise from the dead. We wanted to play around with this idea of a companion that is sort of modular and alterable.” De Armas continued by saying you could also make it a walking and living bomb as you level up.
With the Hollow Warden, these Rangers draw power from ancient and terrifying natural forces, playfully dubbed the “Spooky Ranger.”
“This one is so much fun. This is an entirely new subclass that’s built around folk horror archetypes,” she continued. “I had a stint recently where I was really into old folk tales, cryptids…and so this subclass is built on drawing on cryptids, forest terrors, and ancient forest guardians. Look at the Ranger’s relationship with nature at its most bloodthirsty and violent.”
All eight new subclasses are detailed below:
- Reanimators (Artificer, new): Reanimators defy the laws of nature in pursuit of gruesome experiments. These grim Artificers stitch together servants from disparate corpses, use foul magic to strengthen the living, and transform the art of necromancy into a terrifying science.
- Hollow Warden (Ranger, new): Drawing on the might of ancient forest terrors, these rangers can transform themselves into similarly merciless and monstrous guardians that stalk along any rugged or cursed terrains.
- College of Spirits (Bard, update): Originally appearing in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, these Bards are similar to spirit mediums, channeling spirits of the dead to aid in their attack or curse their enemies. However, not every spirit can be completely tamed.
- Grave Domain (Cleric, update): A new version of the subclass that originally appeared in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, these Clerics walk along the veil between life and death. They can curse enemies to become more vulnerable, bolster the healing of fallen allies, and even absorb necromantic energy, becoming a harbinger of death.
- Phantom (Rogue, update): First appearing in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, these Rogues have a mystical connection to death itself. When they allow negative energy to bind to them, it can infuse their strikes with deathly energy. They can even steal knowledge from souls who have passed on, making them an invaluable tool among information gatherers and spies.
- Shadow Sorcery (Sorcerer, update): Also taken from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Shadow Sorcerers wield magic drawn from the Plane of Shadows, and transformed by it. Able to blend invisibility and an expertise in offense with darkness and necrotic energy. They can teleport through shadows, summon undead, and take on an incorporeal form that resists most damage.
- Hexblade Patron (Warlock, update): Another subclass first appearing in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, these Warlocks are bound to a sentient magical weapon and the dark forces within its core. Such a weapon could be the sword sheathed at a Warlock’s side, or it could be an infamous magic weapon stored elsewhere. Should you go along with your weapon’s whims, you’ll have the power to bestow curses on foes and augment your own combat power. In the new subclass, their Hex spell is a central feature, offering a range of options for their offense.
- Undead Patron (Warlock, update): Lastly, also first appearing in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, these Warlocks are bound to a lich, vampire, or other unholy/undead being. Having already crossed over to the other side, these beings eagerly share their dark knowledge, along with other secrets, with those who work their will among the living. Their Form of Dread ability grants temporary hit points and a terrifying presence feature as well.
Again, the options here are experimental and in draft form, usable in your D&D campaign but not refined by final game development. They are not officially part of the game. For these reasons, material in this column is not legal in D&D Adventurers League events, but with players’ feedback, it could help determine whether the company adopts it as official.
