Dungeons & Dragons Releases New Unearthed Arcana Subclasses, Strongly Hinting at Dark Sun

Wizards of the Coast has released four new D&D subclasses for playtesting, all of which have heavy thematic ties to the post-apocalyptic Dark Sun setting. The four subclasses, released as "Apocalyptic Subclasses," include the Circle of Preservation Druid, the Gladiator Fighter, the Defiled Sorcerer, and the Sorcerer-King Patron Warlock. Although not stated outright, the Gladiator and Sorcerer-King Patron are explicit nods to the Dark Sun setting, set in a ruined world ruled by Sorcerer-Kings where gladiatorial fights were common.

The Circle of Preservation Druid creates areas of preserved land that grants buffs to those who stand upon it. The Gladiator adds secondary Weapon Mastery properties to their attacks, with bonus abilities. Notably, the Gladiator uses Charisma as its secondary stat. The Defiled Sorcerer can expend its hit dice to amp up damage to its attacks and can also steal the life of its targets to deal additional damage. The Sorcerer-King Patron gains a number of abilities tying into tyranny and oppression, with the ability to cast Command as a Bonus Action without expending a spell slot, causing targets to gain the Frightened Condition, and forcing those who attack them to re-roll successful attacks.

The survey for the subclasses goes live on August 28th.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

If a player wanted to start like a templar who only to be wanted to be honest defender of law and order and later he opens the eyes and rebels against the system the DM should allow it.

Why a SK-patron warlock who rebels against her previous patron doesn't lose her spells? Maybe this warlock rebels against the tyrant or "crown-wearer" although the true patron isn't this but the "puppeteer who moves the strings from the shadow". Other reason is tha rebellion is allowed because the rebel doesn't know she is a sleeping agent and if her patron activated certain keyword then the rebel would lose her free-will and she would be the mindcontrol. Maybe that was the original plan but something happen and the keyword can't work, or the rebel has learnt to become inmune thanks to forget certain things of the cerebral reprogramation. Or maybe the true patron is Rajaat and this wants the death of all those traitors.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I do have a question how is this going to interact with Warlock being effectively a non-entity in 2024 rules. It kinda kills the whole vibe dead on the spot.

What?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It isn't?

Huh. I guess a lot of people on the internet have been lying lol.

Just as many people say it’s terrible. In reality it’s mid.

Yeah that's a good way to put it, I see where you're coming from.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

What?

RAW in 2024 Warlcok does not and cannot know who their patron is before level 3 and DM is not allowed to have them directly interact with the patron before level 10, because level ten feature specifies that before Warlock reaches this level, patron can only communicate through agents, never directly. Taking into account most games end around level 10, this pretty much removes patron from the game and turning Warlock into set of mechanical benefits, with no roleplaying consequences or expectations the patron carried with them in 2014 version.

 

[Dire Bare]

RAW in 2024 Warlcok does not and cannot know who their patron is before level 3 and DM is not allowed to have them directly interact with the patron before level 10, because level ten feature specifies that before Warlock reaches this level, patron can only communicate through agents, never directly. Taking into account most games end around level 10, this pretty much removes patron from the game and turning Warlock into set of mechanical benefits, with no roleplaying consequences or expectations the patron carried with them in 2014 version.

That's a close reading of the 2024 warlock, too close IMO. And far from making the warlock a "non-entity".

The DM is "not allowed"? That concept does not exist in D&D of any edition.

The 2024 warlock design is imperfect IMO also, for the reasons you mention. But it's hardly game-breaking. I'm not worried about the new Dark Sun templar being a warlock pact, it works fine.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

In the past, you usually contacted your patron through intermediaries.

Sounds like you can for sure talk to them before that. The feature just gives you a direct link that you can use at any time.
Also Warlock's probably know who their patron is before level 3.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

Also Warlock's probably know who their patron is before level 3.

The rules literally tell you you don't, it's just some whispers in your head or eyes in the dark, but generally you cannot know before you select your patron as subclass on level 3

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The rules literally tell you you don't, it's just some whispers in your head or eyes in the dark, but generally you cannot know before you select your patron as subclass on level 3

The rules also tell you you can ignore or change them at will.

 

[Zardnaar]

The Judges are Evil. Period. “Cops but 1000x worse” is unambiguously evil. Dredd is a character who would have been a good man in a different environment, and is a great inspiration for characters that want to turn against evil power structures and wrestle with the fact that their power comes from that which they seek to destroy.

“Nazgûl Jr” is a distinction of intensity, at most, but mostly one of genre.


Why less power? The Warlock isn’t a powerful class anyway.

I’d rather have two classes, and fold the patron warlock and Cleric together into a class called Herald that serves a greater power while the Warlock is the taboo/transgressive rituals to gain forbidden magic class, more like the 3.5 or WoW warlock.

5.5 one is plenty good and front loaded where people actually play.
Its ahead of the wizard imho easily at levels that matter.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

The rules also tell you you can ignore or change them at will.

That doesn't mean it's a bad rule and as designed and thus intended by the designers, the Patron is a non-entity who bears nominal effect of the plot if at all, not an NPC Warlock could interact with (tbh best part of being a Warlock).