D&D (2024) 48 subclasses in the 2024 PHB: What are they?

[Baron Opal II]

Do we need an Eldritch Knight and a Bladesinger? Does a 2/3 - 1/3 balance both ways add enough to take up two subclass "slots?"

 

[Weiley31]

Do we need an Eldritch Knight and a Bladesinger? Does a 2/3 - 1/3 balance both ways add enough to take up two subclass "slots?"

Well, I'm not expecting Bladesinger in PHB 2024 since it wasn't in PHB 2014. So Eldritch Knight is probably a shoe-in.

 

[Bladesinger]

If they do 4 subclasses for Wizard, I'd prefer something along the lines of how Level Up did it - Specialist ( you choose which ), Generalist, Bladesinger and Elementalist. I think this would cover all the ground necessary.

Also, I don't think Hexblade is necessary for Warlock. Pact of the Blade should be the go to Warrior Warlock and the Hexblade should be folded into the Blade Pact.

 

[Mephista]

12 classes x 4 subclasses each = 48.

Barbarian - zealot / berserker, beast / totem, storm / wild, ancestral guardian
Bard - lore, valor / sword, glamour / eloquence, whispers
Cleric - life, light, knowledge, war
Druid - land, moon, shepherd/fire, healer
Fighter - Samurai/Champion hybrid, Battlemaster, Rune Knight (or otherwise pseudo-blacksmith type), Psi knight/eldritch knight/arcane arrow
Monk - open palm, elemental / dragon, ninja, kensei
Paladin - holy knight, fear-based dark knight, oathbreaker, pacifist/redemption
Ranger - hunter, beastmaster, fey wanderer / horizon walker, gloomstalker
Rogue - thief, assassin, swashbuckler, arcane trickser/soul knife
Sorcerer - dragon, abberant mind, wild, divine soul
Warlock - fiend, abberation, fae, undead
Wizard - evoker, bladesinger, necromancer, illusionist

No 1/3 classes, use other other methods similar to psi points; more dragon monk than elemental monk.
"Simple" subclass option listed first.
I'd love to see a warlord fighter option, but doubt it'll happen, or just get folded into battlemaster again.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

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!

I think what they could and should and might do with the Wizards PHB is merge them into a single subclass that is designed simularly to the Circle of the Land Druid, doing a subclass for ever School of Magic sucked up soooo much space.

Anyways I expect Divine Soul because the changes effect that subclass far more then most others and it's one of the most popular subclasses.

There is also the interesting possibility of adding other Psionic subclasses besides Great Old One like Psionic Soul, Soul Knife, etc...

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

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.

Wildly over-represented by how many subclasses they have? Why is this a problem? Are you saying having more subclasses lends some sort of advantage?

 

[Vael]

I'll agree, consolidating into a single subclass all the specialist schools for the Wizard would be a good idea. So, here's my pitch for the Wizard:
1. School of Specialization
2. School of Hedge Wizardry (This is the Witch subclass. Gains a limited ability to scribe Primal spells and lay down curses)
3. School of Bladesinging
4. School of the Theurge (adds some access to Divine Spells)

 

[Blue Orange]

Wildly over-represented by how many subclasses they have? Why is this a problem? Are you saying having more subclasses lends some sort of advantage?

Not really. If anything it divides more abilities among subclasses. Thing is, the 8 schools don't make that much sense--some are by spell effect, like Divination, some are by spell purpose, like Abjuration, and some are by theme, like Necromancy. If I make a rotating fire column that shields me from incoming projectiles, is that Evocation (creating energy) or Abjuration (protection)? D&D players have been arguing this sort of thing for 30 years and I doubt I'm going to make any new points. Also with the larger number of schools there's less space to make each individual school flavorful. Of course, Warhammer has 8 winds of magic, many with the same issues, so it's not that outrageous an idea, though notice they have applications like healing and plants and animals that get assigned to clerics and druids in D&D.

 

[Neonchameleon]

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

Sounds good

Druid: Circle of Dreams

I'm hoping for the Circle of Wildfire - far more evocative and means you don't have to shapeshift

Monk: Way of the Drunken Master

Love the theme but you don't need it with refluffing the open hand.

Ranger: Gloom Stalker

Horizon Walker. Possibly both if they are going to reach four.

Rogue: Swashbuckler

Almost certainly

Sorcerer: Divine Soul

Definitely. Also room for a second - I'm hoping they fix Storm.

Warlock: Hexblade

Unlikely IMO. The Hexblade is only really a thing because they messed up the Pact of the Blade and is a seriously OP multiclass. Probably Celestial

Also Way of the Beast Barbarian - we need more shapeshifters.

 

[Kobold Stew]

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

This would be such a great solution.