Dungeons & Dragons Announces Horror Subclasses Unearthed Arcana

Dungeons & Dragons has announced a new Unearthed Arcana focused on horror subclasses. The new UA, available now on D&D Beyond, introduces a mix of new subclasses and thematic subclasses from 2014 5th Edition. The full list of subclasses are as follows:

• College of Spirits Bard
• Grave Domain Cletic
• Phantom Rogue
• Shadow Sorcerer
• Heblade Patron Warlock
• Undead Patron Warlock
• Reanimator Artificer
• Hollow Warden Ranger

The Reanimator Artificer is built around creating a reanimated companion that can act in combat and explodes when it dies. The Hollow Warden Ranger adds a Wrath of the Wild feature that activates when casting Hunter's Mark and adds various emanation effects while active.

No word on what this UA is related to, but there is a mystery product coming out in October and these horror subclasses could tie into a potential Ravenloft book.

You can check out the full Unearthed Arcana here.

 

[Remathilis]

Gisa and Geralf's Guide to Innistrad.

I say this as an Innistrad lover: there is almost nothing in Innistrad that doesn't have an equivalent in Ravenloft. I would be surprised if they went that route.

 

[Vishy fishy]

I say this as an Innistrad lover: there is almost nothing in Innistrad that doesn't have an equivalent in Ravenloft. I would be surprised if they went that route.

did they do a strixhaven thing once? I love strixhaven.

 

[Remathilis]

did they do a strixhaven thing once? I love strixhaven.

They did. It was ok. Too much module, not enough setting.

 

[WanderingMystic]

I say this as an Innistrad lover: there is almost nothing in Innistrad that doesn't have an equivalent in Ravenloft. I would be surprised if they went that route.

I view Innistrad as a domain in Ravenloft

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Innistrad has got a lot of gothic horror vibes but they aren't exactly the same. Innistrad is more a continent or even a complete world, and this allows enough space for international conflicts or confrontations among different factions. The dark domains are too small for vampire clans and like this. Even a noble house (for example Zarovich family) shouldn't be more one hundred people. And in Innistrad the church of Avacyn hasn't to hide but it has power and authority to hunt monsters.

A new dark domain could be created with people from Innistrad but that is different. Other dark domain with people from Duskmourn is possible. What would happen if an Eldrazi wanted to conquer the plane of Duskmourn? Even if Valgavoth won the wear could be too great to face possible infernal rivals. Maybe Valgavoth can't face the rebellion of the overlords and this would affect the plane, allowing the creation of "outdoor zones" (but this doesn't mean to be safer) ruled by the overlords.

Other idea is a Duskmourn spin-off where survivors to escape created demiplanes to hide but the reality wrapper powers by Valgavoth did the magic items used to become something like cursed board or videogames, style Jumanji.

Or the cult of Valgavorth suffered a schism because a member was too crazy and this created a second unit to perfom a ritual to summon a second infernal power, enough to challenge Valgavorth. This would create a second layer in Duskmourn, but more focused into zombies and mutants post-apocalypse.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Innistrad is more a continent or even a complete world, and this allows enough space for international conflicts or confrontations among different factions

They tried to do a bit of that with the core in 2nd edition Ravenloft but it didn’t really work with nightmare-like gothic horror narratives.

And “tone” is why these subclasses don’t say Ravenloft to me. Ravenloft focuses on victims - even the villains are victims, their dark powers trapping them. These subclasses seem to revel in their dark powers - they have no downsides and can be freely used for good. Ethos would be another word to describe the difference.

More horror-flavoured superheroes than actual horror.

 

[Older Beholder]

I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but I'm excited by the possibility of some Ravenloft content coming out for 5E24.
I've always loved horror in DnD.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

They did. It was ok. Too much module, not enough setting.

That was because outside of Strixhaven itself, there was very little Setting to Arcavios, hopefully that changes next year when the next Strixhaven/Arcavios set comes out.

 

[wicked cool]

Why not do another Ravenloft book with one or 2 of the main bad things like dr Erika, the body taker, tsien chiang and harkon Lukas

 

[Remathilis]

They tried to do a bit of that with the core in 2nd edition Ravenloft but it didn’t really work with nightmare-like gothic horror narratives.

And “tone” is why these subclasses don’t say Ravenloft to me. Ravenloft focuses on victims - even the villains are victims, their dark powers trapping them. These subclasses seem to revel in their dark powers - they have no downsides and can be freely used for good. Ethos would be another word to describe the difference.

More horror-flavoured superheroes than actual horror.

Well, two of them are Ravenloft sourced, so there's that.

If you look at Van Richten's Guide, the character options in it are basically "monsters fighting monsters". There are three species/lineages that are essentially a PC-playable vampire, hag, and undead. While optional, the game assumes most PCs will have a Dark Gift. These options are absolutely in the vein of 5e's Ravenloft options so far. It has a very Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vibe. Very in line with modern supernatural horror.

(You can make an argument it's not in line with classic 2e Ravenloft. I can see that but have zero desire to discuss that further.)