D&D (2024) D&D24 Spellcaster Subclasses: Thematic Unity

[Charlaquin]

And Archfey vs Great Old Ones subclasses play on the creepy nature outsider vs creepy out-of-nature outsider

Aliens are in many ways the modern expression of the same ideas fae folklore explores. Visitors from another world with completely inscrutable minds and unfamiliar morality, who occasionally abduct people for mysterious reasons. We just updated the same fears to account for the larger view of the universe telescopes afforded us.

 

[Parmandur]

Aliens are in many ways the modern expression of the same ideas fae folklore explores. Visitors from another world with completely inscrutable minds and unfamiliar morality, who occasionally abduct people for mysterious reasons. We just updated the same fears to account for the larger view of the universe telescopes afforded us.

Well, that and the Faeries started pretending to be space aliens.

 

[Charlaquin]

Well, that and the Faeries started pretending to be space aliens.

Well, yeah, but that’s a chicken/egg situation

 

[DavyGreenwind]

thematic rhyming mad acrostic.

I dig this phrase

 

[DavyGreenwind]

Not to mention warlock has both Fiend and Celestial, complementing the Sorcerer's law/chaos axis with good/evil axis.

Yes! I hadn't thought of that

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Great find.
So they are not just throwing random stuff at us to see what sticks.

 

[Vael]

Yeah, as I said before, these aren't the ones I would have chosen, but looking at the list as a whole this is a solid list that covers a lot of themes and variety.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I think there is hardly anything more boring than symmetry.

Symmetry is one of the foundations of beauty. That doesn't mean it can't be overdone. But to complain about symmetry purely because it is symmetric is to throw out the vast majority of poetry (rhymes are symmetric sounds; meter is symmetric timing), music (ditto, but also chords and rhythms), prose/rhetoric (analogies are symmetric concepts, parallelism is symmetric argumentation), dance, sculpture, portraiture.

Even Nature is highly symmetric, between fractal patterns underlying most natural complexity and crystalline or organic patterns pervading existence.

It is the artful application of symmetry that makes it valuable. To dismiss it out of hand is to say that it cannot be used artfully.

 

[Charlaquin]

Symmetry is one of the foundations of beauty. That doesn't mean it can't be overdone. But to complain about symmetry purely because it is symmetric is to throw out the vast majority of poetry (rhymes are symmetric sounds; meter is symmetric timing), music (ditto, but also chords and rhythms), prose/rhetoric (analogies are symmetric concepts, parallelism is symmetric argumentation), dance, sculpture, portraiture.

Even Nature is highly symmetric, between fractal patterns underlying most natural complexity and crystalline or organic patterns pervading existence.

It is the artful application of symmetry that makes it valuable. To dismiss it out of hand is to say that it cannot be used artfully.

Yeah, symmetry is not a bad thing, and is in fact very aesthetically pleasing, as well as having great utility in a lot of cases. Forcing symmetry in cases where asymmetry would have greater utility can be a problem, and has often been so in D&D design. But, I don’t think this is one of those cases. It’s not even particularly symmetrical TBH, except for the fact that each class has 4 subclasses, but I think that’s a very good use of symmetry. The subclass concepts feel pretty cohesive together, which is also a good thing, but isn’t really an example of symmetry.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I noticed that the subclasses choices for Spellcasters in the 2024 PHB follow certain patterns and themes, and that may explain some of the odd choices.

Druid is obvious: Land, Sea, Moon, and Stars.

Clockwork Soul sorcery is the counterpoint to Wild Magic sorcery--chaos and order (probably why Clockwork Soul was chosen, even though it seems rather niche).

Wizards have offensive magic, defensive magic, truth magic, and deceit magic, to make for a neat symmetry of subclasses.

Cleric has a dynamic similar to the Wizard's.

Fey Wanderer and Gloomstalker are also in opposition.

I think it's neat.

How did I miss Fey Wanderer is the fourth Ranger Class, it's my Favourite Ranger subclass.

What is especially interesting about that is that everyone thought Tasha's summoning spells were confirmed in Packet 7, but with Fey Wanderer confirmed, it heavily uses Summon Fey, confirming those spells back in packet 6, but flew under the radar. Wish Fey Wanderer was in BG3.