48 subclasses in the 2024 PHB: What are they?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In the video introducing the newest UA, the hosts said there would be 48 subclasses in the 2024 PHB.

Assuming that all of the 2014 subclasses reappear (which I don't think we can necessarily assume), we're a little light.

In the 2014 PHB, we have the following:

• Barbarian: Path of the Berserker, Path of the Totem Warrior
• Bard: College of Lore, College of Valor
• Cleric: Knowledge Domain, Life Domain, Light Domain, Nature Domain, Tempest Domain, Trickery Domain, War Domain
• Druid: Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon
• Fighter: Champion, Battle Master, Eldritch Knight
• Monk: Way of the Open Hand, Way of Shadow, Way of the Four Elements
• Paladin: Oath of Devotion, Oath of the Ancients, Oath of Vengeance
• Ranger: Hunter, Beast Master
• Rogue: Thief, Assassin, Arcane Trickster
• Sorcerer: Draconic Bloodline, Wild Magic
• Warlock: The Archfey, The Fiend, The Great Old One
• Wizard: School of Abjuration, School of Conjuration, School of Divination, School of Enchantment, School of Evocation, School of Illusion, School of Necromancy, School of Transmutation

That's 41 subclasses. If they all are planned to appear in the 2024 PHB, there are currently seven more waiting to join them. Any guesses?

Assuming some or all of them are from Xanathar's or Tasha's, I'd guess we'll see the following:

1. Bard: College of Glamour
2. Druid: Circle of Dreams
3. Monk: Way of the Drunken Master
4. Ranger: Gloom Stalker
5. Rogue: Swashbuckler
6. Sorcerer: Divine Soul
7. Warlock: Hexblade

Not only are these some of the most popular subclasses, but the some of the core classes in the 2014 PHB only got two subclasses, which looked weird even at the time, and which would be really strange to see in 2024, after 10 years of iteration and play.

Which do you think we'll see? Will all the 2014 subclasses reappear in the 2024 PHB? Is 48 subclasses too few? Too many?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Well, they said that there'd be 48 subclasses in the 1D&D playtest.

They didn't, AFAICT actually say for sure that they'd all wind up in the 2024 PHB. It's probably the INTENT, but I doubt anyone can be fully sure about that. Even if they wind up with 48, they might not be the same 48 from the playtest.

But... that shouldn't stop us from speculating!

My first comment would be to ask: To be "fair" that ought to be 4 subclasses per class (though 5e is not known for it's symmetry, for good or ill).

So... what Wizard subclasses should we cut to make room?

Or perhaps "School Specialist" should just be one subclass? Then we can actually fit 3 more!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, clerics and wizards are wildly over-represented in the 2014 PHB. That said, I think a single specialist subclass for wizard would end up being a cheat, and effectively be nine subclasses anyway.

 

[FarBeyondC]

It (almost certainly) won't happen, but I think it'd be neat to see each class get at least 2 exclusive subclasses and then have the other subclasses be group subclasses.

 

[darjr]

The amount of content they intend to release for free is astonishing.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It (almost certainly) won't happen, but I think it'd be neat to see each class get at least 2 exclusive subclasses and then have the other subclasses be group subclasses.

People last year blasted WotC for trying that with the Strixhaven UA, so I think that's unlikely. I thought it was a pretty interesting idea, but it was loudly rejected.

 

[cbwjm]

Yeah, clerics and wizards are wildly over-represented in the 2014 PHB. That said, I think a single specialist subclass for wizard would end up being a cheat, and effectively be nine subclasses anyway.

Maybe they'll change the way clerics work so that instead of your subclass being a domain, it's something a little more evocative like war priest or avenger or something.

 

[cbwjm]

People last year blasted WotC for trying that with the Strixhaven UA, so I think that's unlikely. I thought it was a pretty interesting idea, but it was loudly rejected.

Not sure the idea was blasted, more the implementation wasn't very good due to everyone having a different subclass schedule. If all of the other classes follow the experts and gain subclass abilities at 3, 6, 10 and 14 then it would work very well and will hopefully make a comeback officially.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

People last year blasted WotC for trying that with the Strixhaven UA, so I think that's unlikely. I thought it was a pretty interesting idea, but it was loudly rejected.

It might work a bit better now that they're unifying when Subclasses get their features across class. They could try out these "multi-class subclasses" again and they might get better reception due to them being less confusing. However, I doubt that would happen.

Edit: Ninja'ed by @cbwjm!

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I hope they merge some subclasses together, College of Valor and College of Swords definitely comes to mind. Especially if it was a subclass that was like a less effective subclass except it's unofficially version 2.0 of it.

 

[JEB]

Didn't they also indicate some of these subclasses would be brand-new subclasses?

 

[Li Shenron]

From a story/setting perspective, the only character concepts I felt were missing from the PHB were the Swashbuckler Rogue and the Grave Cleric, plus the still missing "generic" Wizard.

From a game balance (of choices) perspective, I think each class needs at least 3 subclasses, which wasn't provided by the PHB but Xanathar covered it for me.

The Sorcerer is perhaps a special case because even the two PHB subclasses are a bit too strong concepts (Draconic) or mechanics (Wild Mage), so I think it needs more than one extra subclass.

 

[King Babar]

Ideally, each class will have 4 subclasses available to them during the playtest, with Cleric and Wizard both receiving reworked subclass concepts (they don't really need so many).

I doubt it will happen, though.

 

[Krachek]

12 classes X 4 sub classes = 48.
I guess that there will be no more a sub classes for each school of magic, and no more a sub class for every cleric domain we can imagine.

Sub classes may be designed for a concrete function rather than an abstract concept.

if they want to continue into the Group concept, they can make at subclasse oriented toward each group.

 

[Blue Orange]

Probably the easiest way to cut down numbers is consolidate some of the 8 schools. They could have 6 and tie them to the ability scores, or 4 and tie them to the elements.

You have Abjuration (protection), Conjuration (creating or summoning something), Divination (getting info), Enchantment (mind-affecting magic), Evocation (making fireballs) Illusion (making illusions), Necromancy (working with death or the undead), and Transmutation (changing things into things).

So which ones to collapse?
2e's Netheril supplement had creating, altering, and mentalism--three might be enough if you want to even things out between the classes as far as number of classes.

They own the IP for Magic: the Gathering, so you could put Abjuration under White, Divination, Enchantment, and Illusion under Blue, Evocation under Red, Necromancy under Black, and Conjuration under Green (which always had the best monsters if I remember right); Transmutation's a bit of a wildcard.

If you're going for thematic, the most popular subclasses in the last survey I saw were Bladesinger, War Magic, and Evocation, all of which are offensive in nature. So they'd have to have some kind of war mage who's able to throw fireballs. Necromancy and Illusion were the only ones I know of that were broken out on their own at one point (Necromancy was a 2e splatbook for villains, Illusion was its own class in 1e) and are also richly thematic. I might guess Enchantment might be popular for people wanting to play mind-manipulating mages. The others could be left to a supplement (always make more money with those!).

 

[Baron Opal II]

For wizards I would expect some sort of guild. Perhaps Guild of Iconic Wizard, Guild of Necromancers (née Hollowfaust; grim, not evil), Guild of Illusionists, Lone Wolf / Self-Taught Wild Mages? The last one might be better as a sorcerer, now that I think about it.

Iconic Wizards major in Evocation, Conjuration, Alteration
Necromancers major in Necromancy, Divination, Conjuration
Illusionists major in Illusion, Enchantment, Alteration

 

[Aldarc]

Yeah, clerics and wizards are wildly over-represented in the 2014 PHB. That said, I think a single specialist subclass for wizard would end up being a cheat, and effectively be nine subclasses anyway.

Maybe, but look at the Genie Warlock. It's basically four different subclasses in one depending on which Genie type you pick.

 

[Yaarel]

Reducing a Wizard to four subclasses is remarkable. (And needed.)

I expect Bladesinger to be one of the Wizard subclasses.

With some tweaking of specific spells, the Wizard can lose access to the Abjuration, Divination, and Necromancy schools. Then the Cleric becomes the go-to for these schools.

Evocation is an iconic Wizard school. Illusion too.

 

[Weiley31]

Death Domain and Oathbreaker seem like they would be added to that 41 since they were in the DMG. Unless they plan on having the 2024 DMG have subclasses in it again.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Barbarian: Berserker, Totemist, Storm, Spirit Guardian
Bard: Lore, Valor, Blade, Eloquence
Cleric: Life, War, Knowledge, Fury
Druid: Moon, Land, Shepherd, Wild Fire
Fighter: Champion, Knight, Psi Warrior, Eldritch Knight
Monk: Open Hand, 4E, Shadow, Sun Soul
Paladin: Conquest, Devotion, Ancient, Glory
Ranger: Hunter, Beast Master, Stalker, Fey Warden
Rogue: Thief, Assassin, Arcane Trickster, Swashbuckler
Sorcerer: Wild, Dragon, Storm, Lunar
Warlock: Fiend, Fey, Undead, Fathomless
Wizard: War Mage, Beguiler, Conjurer, Necromancer