Designer Insights from Unearthed Arcana: Subclasses Update (Survey Now Open)

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Familiar faces emerge with this latest Unearthed Arcana! This collection revisits five iconic subclasses, each updated with fresh design and new flexibility for use with the latest Player's Handbook. Inside, you'll find the Barbarian (Path of the Ancestral Guardian and Path of the Storm Herald), the Fighter (Cavalier), the Monk (Warrior of Intoxication), and the Paladin (Oathbreaker).

You can read the full playtest packet yourself or click below for highlights from the subclasses, which include designer insights from Ben Petrisor.

Alex BrockA Oathbreaker Paladin commanding a legion of Undead

Updated Subclasses

This Unearthed Arcana features subclasses from the past that we thought could use a touch-up. Each of these subclasses has new designs and quality of life updates to bring them in line with the updated Player’s Handbook.

As a side note, we saw comments about the Necromancer using an Arcane Focus along with their spellbook for their features, so we wanted to use this space to point to the Spellcasting Focus in the Wizard that states your spellbook can be used as a Spellcasting Focus for your Wizard spells. This means every Wizard has a Spellcasting Focus as long as they have their spellbook!

Path of the Spiritual Guardian (Barbarian)

Formerly Path of the Ancestral Guardian, we broadened the kinds of spirits that aid the Barbarian. They can still be your ancestors, but now could include spirits of animals and spirits of nature.

Spiritual Protectors (formerly Ancestral Protectors) has been broken up into multiple effects that can be chosen when the Barbarian hits with a weapon or Unarmed Strike. This feature now scales with the number of attacks the Barbarian makes, letting them replicate the 2014 effect with two attacks on the same target, or choosing different combinations as the situation calls for it.

Vengeful Spirits (formerly Vengeful Ancestors) continues this design emphasis of rewarding multiple attacks by letting the Barbarian make an additional attack when they roll 18-20 on the D20 on an attack roll. These features play well with Two-Weapon Fighting, Reckless Attack, and feats like Sentinel that let you make attacks as a Reaction more consistently.

Path of the Storm Herald (Barbarian)

Storm Aura has been redesigned to scale with the Barbarian’s Rage Damage bonus, and Desert and Tundra now use d4s instead of flat numbers.

Furthermore, Tundra has been redesigned from applying Temporary Hit Points to reducing the damage a creature can deal.

Each effect of Raging Storm has been redesigned. Desert now causes creatures to start burning; Sea can now cause a bolt of lightning to leap off the first target towards another; Tundra now deals Cold damage and halves the creature’s Speed in addition to the damage reduction.

Cavalier (Fighter)

Unwavering Mark no longer has limited uses. Ferocious Charger has been redesigned. It now gives the Fighter, and its mount, extra Speed, and moving doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks. In addition, during this movement, you can give a creature the Prone condition just by moving next to them.

Warrior of Intoxication (Monk)

Formerly the Way of the Drunken Master, the Warrior of Intoxication maintains its elusive nature and the ability to redirect attacks. New in this UA is the ability to create magical brews that the Monk can drink to gain various benefits. Drunkard’s Luck has been folded into a magical brew option and has been redesigned to grant Heroic Inspiration whenever you roll Initiative without it.

Oathbreaker (Paladin)

Like before, the Oathbreaker can replace a Paladin’s original subclass. In addition, the Oathbreaker can also be taken at level 3, without replacing another subclass.

Many of the Oathbreaker’s features have been adjusted or redesigned. Conjure Undead replaces Control Undead, allowing the Paladin to briefly summon Undead under its control; Dreadful Aspect now loops through Divine Smite; Aura of Hate now enhances Aura of Protection and clarifies only Undead and Fiends that are allies benefit from it; Finally, Dread Lord is a Bonus Action that imbues the Paladin’s Aura of Protection with each benefit broken up for readability.

Like similar features, Dread Lord can be recharged by expending a level 5 spell slot.

Your Feedback Matters

Once you’ve read or played with these playtest materials, be sure to fill out the survey on D&D Beyond, coming on November 6, and let us know what you think.

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