New Unearthed Arcana Brings Back Five Subclasses

Five existing D&D subclasses are getting a rework in a newly released Unearthed Arcana. Four of the subclasses come from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, while the fifth is the Oathbreaker subclass for Paladins from the 2014 Player’s Handbook.

The revised subclasses are:

• Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian (previously Path of the Ancestral Guardian)
• Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian
• Cavalier Fighter
• Warrior of Intoxication Monk (formerly Way of the Drunken Master)
• Oathbreaker Paladin

The Path of the Spiritual Guardian has received a revamped Spiritual Protectors ability with a choice of effects. The Storm Herald’s Storm Aura now scales with Rage damage and the Raging Storm now has redesigned environments. The Cavalier’s Unwavering Mark no longer has limited uses. The Warrior of Intoxication now has the ability to create potent drinks that grant abilities when drank. The Oathbreaker has received some updates bringing its abilities in line with the revamped Paladin’s ability.

The survey for the new subclasses opens on November 6th.

 

[Parmandur]

I wonder at what new books this hints at?

At this point, since May, they have tested way more new or updated Subclasses for next year than they did for Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.

It seems to be a mix of replacements for the remaining PHB (and now DMG!) Subclasses from 2014, replacing those from Xanathar's, and some new ideas. So a new Everything book that brings 2017 and earlier options into the 20s along with a bunch of new stuff, including a whole new Class.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Changing the name of the Drunken Master is odd, unless they're expecting both the 2014 and 2024 versions to coexist at the same table. But in that case, why not rename all of these subclasses?

If you're interested in the drunken master, you almost certainly have heard of drunken masters in various media over the years.

In any case, it does feel like we're getting an idea of what the next Everything-style book is going to have on the player-facing side.

 

[renbot]

The I-can-stop-anytime-I-want-to monk

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Drunken style kung fu was about imitating drunkenness not actually being drunk. While the subclass has been about actually being drunk, so intoxication was probably a clarification on that

 

[Juomari Veren]

Changing the name of the Drunken Master is odd, unless they're expecting both the 2014 and 2024 versions to coexist at the same table. But in that case, why not rename all of these subclasses?

If you're interested in the drunken master, you almost certainly have heard of drunken masters in various media over the years.

In any case, it does feel like we're getting an idea of what the next Everything-style book is going to have on the player-facing side.

It's almost certainly a matter of sensitivity; Martial arts that mimic drunken swaying are often a little over-stylized in media and it often reduces the character in question to an alcoholic, which some tables do not want to have that vibe if anybody in the group has traumatic correlations to people who drink excessively.

Besides, of all the things a D&D character can be personality-wise, alcoholic is by far towards the top of the list and usually one of the worst offenders for clichés. Unmarrying it slightly from explicitly being drunk (you're legally intoxicated if you've had small amounts of alcohol so it's at a least a little more realistic than being rip-roaring drunk) is a good move to alleviate that without completely stripping away its identity.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's almost certainly a matter of sensitivity; Martial arts that mimic drunken swaying are often a little over-stylized in media and it often reduces the character in question to an alcoholic, which some tables do not want to have that vibe if anybody in the group has traumatic correlations to people who drink excessively.

Besides, of all the things a D&D character can be personality-wise, alcoholic is by far towards the top of the list and usually one of the worst offenders for clichés. Unmarrying it slightly from explicitly being drunk (you're legally intoxicated if you've had small amounts of alcohol so it's at a least a little more realistic than being rip-roaring drunk) is a good move to alleviate that without completely stripping away its identity.

Does "intoxication" really suggest, to the average person, significantly less inebriation than "drunken?" Certainly, if I told a cop that I wasn't "drunk," I was "intoxicated," I'd expect I'd be getting a free ride to the station house in the back of a patrol vehicle.

I can understand not wanting to sell a book that says "hey, kid, now your character gets wasted before fighting the dragon," but I'm not sure this change really achieves that goal.

 

[Alzrius]

Besides, of all the things a D&D character can be personality-wise, alcoholic is by far towards the top of the list and usually one of the worst offenders for clichés.

"I'm a murderhobo, but at least I'm a sober murderhobo!"

 

[Charlaquin]

Drunken style kung fu was about imitating drunkenness not actually being drunk. While the subclass has been about actually being drunk, so intoxication was probably a clarification on that

The subclass has never been about actually being drunk, and still isn’t in this UA. If you read the description, it’s still about imitating the movements of someone who’s “intoxicated.” They just… decided to also give it magical potions for some reason. None of which are required for the movement and redirection abilities like “tipsy sway,” nor do any of them seem to have any effects related to intoxication. It’s… a mess. Feels like someone had an idea for a mutagenic potion focused subclass and someone else was like “hey, drunken monks drink things! Let’s combine this potion-drinking subclass idea with the drunken monk!” Absolute thematic failure there.

 

[doctorhook]

“Warrior of Intoxication” is such a weird name, it sounds clinical

 

[Staffan]

I don't know how you think "Intoxication Monk" sounds better unless you've already been drinking heavily.

Ash a matta o pincipel, I don think a clash should have a name itsh membesh can't ponounsh.