Dungeons & Dragons Announces Horror Subclasses Unearthed Arcana

Dungeons & Dragons has announced a new Unearthed Arcana focused on horror subclasses. The new UA, available now on D&D Beyond, introduces a mix of new subclasses and thematic subclasses from 2014 5th Edition. The full list of subclasses are as follows:

• College of Spirits Bard
• Grave Domain Cletic
• Phantom Rogue
• Shadow Sorcerer
• Heblade Patron Warlock
• Undead Patron Warlock
• Reanimator Artificer
• Hollow Warden Ranger

The Reanimator Artificer is built around creating a reanimated companion that can act in combat and explodes when it dies. The Hollow Warden Ranger adds a Wrath of the Wild feature that activates when casting Hunter's Mark and adds various emanation effects while active.

No word on what this UA is related to, but there is a mystery product coming out in October and these horror subclasses could tie into a potential Ravenloft book.

You can check out the full Unearthed Arcana here.

 

[TravDoc42]

I love the Reanimator!

And I love that one of the options for Improved Reanimation is "Moist". That feels appropriately icky!

 

[bedir than]

So disappointed there is no Wizard (Necromancer) subclass announced for this. Wizard had, I think, the most number of subclasses removed between the 2014 and 2024 PHB, and when given the opportunity to finally put one of them back in they put two Warlock subclasses in instead, AND an Artificer subclass (a class which hasn't even official come out yet)? Disappointing.

I hope, as @FitzTheRuke mentioned, it's going to be in the release and they're not playtesting it because they're satisfied their internal playtesting was good enough.

Death domain and spores druid also didn't get in the mix. I guess we're going to have to wait for yet another spooky subclass book.

A June test would get this into the October book without any trouble.

Also, they may feel they aren't making enough changes to these that they need external feedback. They still have a stable of internal testers.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

My thoughts on this:

• It's really questionable why there isn't the Necromancy Wizard in this article, they must be saving it for something else

Reanimator Artificer

• The Reanimator does fit in with the concept of a Frankenstein inspired Artificer that I was constantly trying to push, they finally did it
• I like that there's some lightning damage spell to the Reanimator's bonus spells
• Jolt of Life is more of a flavour ability so I'm fine with it not being used to much, useful I guess if the Fighter goes down and the Reanimated Companion that's right beside them is low on HP.
• I'm not too big on the Reanimated Companion starting out as small
• I feel that at some level the based damage of the Reanimated Companion should be increased to 1d6+2
• I feel the Reanimated Companion is quite expendable and but a very good usage of 1st level spell slots

College of Spirits Bard

• It's a trade-off with Empowered Channeling. Might be less relevant now that there's changes to magical secrets, but it's a loss of versatility. Still adding 1d6 to damage or heals, or getting Spirit Guardians for free is a good tradeoff
• Spirits for Beyond is a lot more streamlined in that it's bonus action, roll for the effect and then choose the target. The old one was too much to setup

Grave Cleric

• Grave Cleric much like the other Clerics has subclass abilities that's more support-focused than before
• I like that they're using the bloodied condition for the Grave Cleric
• I guess they figured inflicting vulnerability might be too much with the right combo. Still Path to the Grave can setup some powerful combos with a coordinated spells and an attack to finish it off
• Sentinel at Death's Door will see a lot more uses now
• Divine Reaper could Raise Dead or Revivify twice with one casting, but I think the Cleric is also solely lacking Necromancy spells.

Hollow Warden Ranger

• Hollow Warden once again is another subclass that does extra things with Hunter's Mark, Ancient Armor can boost AC quite a lot if it's +WIS bonus in addition to wearing armor.
• I like that there's an aura with Wrath of the Wild with a pseudo slow effect
• Healing with Hungering Might I like
• Ancient Endurance, I feel could be without the need to have Wrath of the Wild active, but that's probably something they'd have up almost all the time.

Phantom Rogue

• I like that they start with soul trinkets after a long rest, it makes the resource management aspect of that easier
• I'm guessing they're doing away with the prof bonus per long rest thing for subclass abilities and keeping that only for species and feats
• Voice of Death seems like an obvious thing a Phantom Rogue should do

Shadow Sorcerer

• Blindsight is always useful, and makes Eyes of the Dark more appealing than just "improved darkvision"
• I think it's standard now that all Sorcerers get bonus spells (except for the Wild Mage), I think they get the theme done well though I'd have Evard's Black Tentacles on the list instead
• I liked that Hound of Ill Omen had some uses like impose saving throw disadvantages, Spirits of Ill Omen seems too generic in comparison

Hexblade Patron Warlock

• Hexlbade is almost like a new subclass, and at least it's useful for non Pact of the Blade Warlocks
• Hexblade Manifest certainly expands on Hex, I like that it's a lot of options once per turn
• A lot Hexblade Curse's ability got moved around, it's now 14th level for some of them or the loss of +prof bonus damage. I feel the Hexblade's Maneuvers make up for that loss

Undead Patron Warlock

• Ignoring Necrotic damage resistance is really useful for a subclass that does a lot of necrotic damage
• Necrotic Husk's revive ability now gets a lot more uses
• Superior Dread might be less powerful than Spirit Projection, but certainly would be used more often.

 

[GarrettKP]

I don't think there is enough time for October. I'm guessing 2026 early.

Although if they want to put it out in October, I'm not going to complain.

My guess is these are either getting small tweaks or cut, and the October surprise is Ravenloft getting a player focused book like Eberron is with Forge.

 

[Leatherhead]

Reanimator Artificer with modular Construct companion is the core of what I wanted... for the Necromancer Wizard subclass.

 

[Yaarel]

The Vampire concept is so big, it merits an entire class with subclasses.

 

[GarrettKP]

Yes, but we had the Forgotten Realms subclasses tested months ago and that's for a book in November. It's May already and they need to have the book done sooner for October. Cutting it awfully close. Hence why I thought 2026.

I'll be happy to be wrong if it comes out sooner.

Main difference is probably the amount of actually “new” options here. People liked the Grave, Spirits, Undead, Hexblade, and Phantom enough already so those are just updating. So maybe they feel like 2 new subclasses is easier to test in the shorter time vs the 5 new ones in FR.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I played a "reanimator artificer" in a Deadlands (Savage Worlds) game once - the reaction from other players when I first got to yell "IT'S ALIIIIVE!" was worth the investment.

 

[R_J_K75]

Curse of Strahd re-release? I think they can keep going back to that well.

It's already been released 3 times, the original, a Beadle & Grimms version and then the deluxe one shaped like a coffin. Do we really need a fourth? I would really hope they do not use a release in what's already limited yearly product schedule on this. There's plenty of other material they could put out.

 

[Yaarel]

Probably Druid gets Circle of Spores as-is?