D&D World of Warcraft subclasses will swap out classic class features for new abilities

The new Dungeon Masters series has previewed some upcoming subclass mechanics for the upcoming World of Warcraft D&D book. Last night, the first two episodes of Dungeon Masters premiered on D&D’s YouTube channel. This season focuses on the upcoming World of Warcraft book, with players using character options from that book and playing through an adventure inspired by the book. The first episodes revealed some teases as to how the upcoming WoW inspired subclasses will work, with Neil Newbon playing as an Oath of the Ebon Blade Death Knight. The Death Knight is a WoW class and appears to use the Paladin class as a base. Notably, the Oath of Ebon Blade has two features that replace core paladin features. Death Coil is a replacement for Lay on Hands and creates a dice pool of necrotic energy that players can inflict on foes. The size of the pool is based on a player’s Charisma modifier, with players spending an Action to force a creature within range to make a saving throw or be hit by necrotic energy. The Death Knight will also get a new spell called Rune Strike that acts as a counterpart to Divine Smite, with the spell dealing necrotic damage and dealing bonus damage to celestials.

Another new feature in the World of Warcraft book is a revamped pet system. This was partially shown off in the episode, with a Beast Master Ranger gaining the ability to assign weapon mastery features to their animal companion. This means that, when the animal companion makes a successful attack, they can inflict one of the weapon mastery effects chosen by the Ranger. The weapon mastery ability can also be swapped out with every long rest.

A video from the Insight Check YouTube channel confirmed that the Death Knight, Demon Hunter, and Evoker classes are “hero classes,” which are available to Level 3 characters and higher. These Hero Classes require players to choose a specific subclass that alters certain base features of their class. Only the Death Knight and Demon Hunter classes feature changes to their respective classes, while the Evoker changes the Draconic Sorcery subclass.

The new subclasses in the World of Warcraft were not publicly playtested before release. Instead, a secret playtest was held, with testers held by an NDA. The new World of Warcraft book comes out on November 17th.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Edit: it would be funny if it results in Early Hearthstone SMOrc Hunter Ranger to be a top build in D&D.

Hearthstone hunters would be an absolute nightmare in an RPG generally. Fun for the ranger player, though.

 

[Vael]

I wonder how they'll stat those big crescent swords that the Warcraft 3 Demon Hunter wields

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wonder how they'll stat those big crescent swords that the Warcraft 3 Demon Hunter wields

Warglaives are tied really closely to the class, so they'll definitely have them in some fashion. I'd probably just make them comparable to long swords, myself.

 

[Minigiant]

Hearthstone hunters would be an absolute nightmare in an RPG generally. Fun for the ranger player, though.

SMORC Ranger: I cast Kill Command and my ferocity primal companion attacks the vampire 4 times. Then I use my bonus action to command my primal companion to attack the vampire 2 more times.

Vampire:

Wizard:

DM:

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

SMORC Ranger: I cast Kill Command and my ferocity primal companion attacks the vampire 4 times. Then I use my bonus action to command my primal companion to attack the vampire 2 more times.

Vampire:

Wizard:

DM:

Early Hearthstone also had a card (I think it was summoning wild dogs) that summoned a beast for every opponent on the screen. Couple that with an already summoned beast (a hyena, maybe?) that grew stronger every time a beast was summoned and suddenly you had a massively overpowered card on turn two or three, depending on what your opponent did.

Punishment for the DM who trots out seven opponents for the party to deal with -- ranger trots out seven more things to keep track of in combat.

 

[Minigiant]

Early Hearthstone also had a card (I think it was summoning wild dogs) that summoned a beast for every opponent on the screen. Couple that with an already summoned beast (a hyena, maybe?) that great stronger every time a beast was summoned and suddenly you had a massively overpowered card on turn two or three, depending on what your opponent did.

Punishment for the DM who trots out seven opponents for the party to deal with -- ranger trots out seven more things to keep track of in combat.

Unleash the Hounds with Leokk.

Yeah all those 20 fodder goblins become a liability as you cast a spell and summon 20 dogs. Make 5.0e Conjure Animals weak.

5.5e designers would NEVER publish that spell though. Makes 9th level spells look weak.

 

[Milli Rabbit]

They outright say in the DMG that the PCs shouldn't be level 1 or level 2 longer than 1 game session for each of those levels.

Where do they say that? There is a possible progress they suggest for session-based advancement but it doesn't say "they shouldn't be level 1 or level 2 longer than 1 game session for each of those levels." The entire subchapter of chapter 2 you are referencing basically is a series of suggestions for progression. None of it, except maybe XP-based since XP values are defined, has a strict leveling rate. You can absolutely run level 1 for 5 or 10 or 20 sessions. You might not want to, but someone could. I've expanded level 1-5 before to create a low power campaign. Ive done the same for higher levels.

Do what works for your table and campaign premise.

 

[Milli Rabbit]

Well DnD 5.5 does have it as recommended starting level. Different editions had different designs. DnD 4e had its level 1 pretty much the same as dnd 3.5/5 its level 3/4.


I do think it makes sense to have starting level at 1, but I dont think having it at any other level being a big thing, unless people are stubborn, which in RPGs they often are. They remember some old outdates games and want to do things the same way 30+ years later.

Level 3 is recommended for experienced players but it comes with the caveat in other parts of the PHB and DMG that you can adjust it as your table desires. You can always stay at low levels longer to create a grittier game. Ive done campaigns that are Tier locked before which can be really fun to explore how low or high level players handle various situations and grow despite no longer having level ups.

 

[Milli Rabbit]

that is still two sessions longer than they recommend, if I even agree with the campaign length that WotC implies.

I am with @Steampunkette, design your game in a way that your recommendations do not have to go against your design, and starting at level 3 or rushing through levels definitely does that

I disagree. Its much better to have a broad swath of levels to allow for a variety of power levels in play. If you ever get a chance, its a whole new game when you do tier-locked campaigns.

 

[Milli Rabbit]

Maybe they should make lower levels interesting with cool stuff? Then start at level one?

There are interesting and cool things to do at lower levels. You basically get your standard OSR game at those levels.