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.

 

[Remathilis]

So... here's my considered take:

Preserver Druids are likely going to represent the entirety of the Preservers. No more difficult decision on whether to Preserve or Defile for Arcane Spellcasters. No. That would be too much power and consideration. Too many moral quandries. DRUIDS are now the Preservers.

Defiler Sorcerers are likely going to represent the entirety of the Defilers. See above.

Gladiator Fighter is a touch weak and needs some improvements.

Sorcerer King Patrons? chef's kiss Amazing theme. Fantastic. 10/10. Exactly what I'd do with the Warlock on Athas.

But this also all points to the "No Accountability" structure where the Sorcerer Kings get away with everything they've done and the players and NPCs are all unknowing rubes who cannot recognize the SKs for exactly how terrible they truly are. Just like 4e.

As I said, I suspect a fear chain that will allow defilers of other classes to exist. There may also be preserver feats that augment healing and growth so that characters not druids can preserve. Something like a feat that can allow a wizard (for example) to defile vegetation to gain a bonus to magic.

What I think might change is the notion that magic is either preserver or defiler with no middle ground. They may (and I am absolutely spitballing) set it that magic harms the land slowly, but defiling does it quickly in exchange for power and preserving is actively trying to undo the damage (well, like trying to bail water out of a sinking boat with a solo cup). Thus setting up magic to have three moralities:

Normal: "yeah, I know magic harms the land, but it's already harmed and there is nothing I can do about that." (Apathy)
Preserver: "it might not be much, but I am doing what I can to undo the damage, or at least erase the damage I would otherwise do" (actively helping)
Defiler: "screw it. My personal power is worth the damage I do. We're all doomed anyway, so I'll get mine before I die." (Actively harming)

Any similarities between these opinions and current voter attitudes are completely coincidental.

What it would do though is make make preserving an active choice rather than be what you do when you don't defile. But that's just my wild idea. We'll see if it happens.

 

[overgeeked]

Take an existing IP with long-time fans, change it into something nearly opposite to the original, then wonder why long-time fans think the thing they love is being taken away.

That's certainly a take.

 

[Gradine]

Nobody is forced to like or dislike anything. But other people have different tastes, different expectations, different wants. And critically, those people get to have stuff made for them too.

 

[bedir than]

Take an existing IP with long-time fans, change it into something nearly opposite to the original, then wonder why long-time fans think the thing they love is being taken away.

That's certainly a take.

It's also a take not founded in anything but fear.

Nothing about this UA says that Dark Sun is now Brith Sun.

 

[Gradine]

I mean, I imagine if people weren't so obsessively possessive of their beloved IPs such that these are the only things that make money anymore, maybe we could have new different things. But then again, this wouldn't be a problem at all in such a world.

 

[overgeeked]

It's obvious that you don't, and that's absolutely your prerogative. Nobody is forced to like or dislike anything. But other people have different tastes, different expectations, different wants. And critically, those people get to have stuff made for them too.

Yes, of course. No one's arguing against that. What they're responding negatively to is an existing thing being taken and radically changed to make something completely different for people who don't like the original. Make something original for the people with different tastes.

 

[darjr]

Todd going over them and discussing them.

 

[Scribe]

Help me understand, because I feel like I'm missing something. How does refining Dark Sun take away anything from you? I'm an old school fan, started in '81, and I've never felt that something was taken away from me when it changed down the road. If something went a direction I didn't really like, I just kept playing the version I did like.

"What's dark sun?"

The answer is different today, then i you ask that question after a hypothetical hopepunk retcon is unleashed on the world.

 

[mamba]

I mean, I imagine if people weren't so obsessively possessive of their beloved IPs such that these are the only things that make money anymore, maybe we could have new different things.

we did get Radiant Citadel. Did it sell? no idea, but you cannot say that WotC does not try new things.

Also, given how many complaints there are about how the setting by the same name is so drastically different, you cannot even say that they always just recycle the same stuff. They just reuse the name for nostalgia (however important that is when 95% of players have never played anything but 5e…) and name recognition reasons

 

[darjr]

I really really like Radiant Citadel.