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.

 

[Marandahir]

I hope they rework the College of Whispers Bard for the Athasian Minstrel; maybe lean into Weapon Masteries or something to capture more of the Roguish/less magical flavour of the class.

I also hope the Eladrin, Tiefling, Dragonborn, and Goliath lore carries over from 4e, as these were great new additions to the setting.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The unabashedly evil ones are probably more likely to be something I use for NPCs, but I can definitely imagine using all of them for something at some point.

Am I the only one that has no issue imagining non-evil characters with all four subclasses?

I mean, the sorcerer isn’t any more “unabashedly evil” than people born with demon traits, and the warlock is a warlock. Like…the fiend warlock isn’t necessarily evil and it’s a literal deal with a fiend.

 

[SableWyvern]

Am I the only one that has no issue imagining non-evil characters with all four subclasses?

I mean, the sorcerer isn’t any more “unabashedly evil” than people born with demon traits, and the warlock is a warlock. Like…the fiend warlock isn’t necessarily evil and it’s a literal deal with a fiend.

There is definitely room for redemption arcs and the like. One of the main characters from the books is a Templar who helps overthrow their Sorcerer King, although there is then the question within the game about what happens if you lose access to your source of power.

Redemption arcs for defilers would be much, much easier if they weren't stuck using only defiling magic, but there is still potential there.

 

[Sulicius]

I playtested the subclasses last sunday. They’re pretty alright, apart from the druid.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I hope they rework the College of Whispers Bard for the Athasian Minstrel; maybe lean into Weapon Masteries or something to capture more of the Roguish/less magical flavour of the class.

There's a perfectly fine class with a subclass an Athasian Bard, it's called the Rogue with the Assassin subclass. I think they really messed up trying to get the Bard to fit into that archetype back in 2e.

The College of Whispers Bard doesn't in that it's a spellcaster, and they'd probably need to explain it's spellcasting is something else like Psionics (which the subclass could get some psionic re-flavouring)

 

[pukunui]

I playtested the subclasses last sunday. They’re pretty alright, apart from the druid.

What made the druid not all right?

 

[Scribe]

Am I the only one that has no issue imagining non-evil characters with all four subclasses?

I mean, the sorcerer isn’t any more “unabashedly evil” than people born with demon traits, and the warlock is a warlock. Like…the fiend warlock isn’t necessarily evil and it’s a literal deal with a fiend.

I certainly hope they lean into evil options being evil.

The lack of any weight for evil Patrons is one of the worst aspects of any class.

You made a deal with Satan.

"No no, I'm just misunderstood!"

 

[humble minion]

The lack of any weight for evil Patrons is one of the worst aspects of any class.

The lack of obligations in return for power in more general terms is one of the worst aspects for warlocks, clerics, and paladins together. I get that the idea was to refrain from giving bad DMs a fig leaf of rules cover for stripping a paladin pc of all their powers for frivolous reasons or after a contrived no-win ‘baby orc’ scenario. But it really undermines the fundamental meaning of what these classes ARE, in my opinion.

 

[Scribe]

The lack of obligations in return for power in more general terms is one of the worst aspects for warlocks, clerics, and paladins together. I get that the idea was to refrain from giving bad DMs a fig leaf of rules cover for stripping a paladin pc of all their powers for frivolous reasons or after a contrived no-win ‘baby orc’ scenario. But it really undermines the fundamental meaning of what these classes ARE, in my opinion.

Yeah, couldn't agree more.

 

[Zardnaar]

There is definitely room for redemption arcs and the like. One of the main characters from the books is a Templar who helps overthrow their Sorcerer King, although there is then the question within the game about what happens if you lose access to your source of power.

Redemption arcs for defilers would be much, much easier if they weren't stuck using only defiling magic, but there is still potential there.

That Templar didn't get a redemption arc.

1 did just plain Pavek. He wasn't evil to begin with though.

1 SK got one of screen, of the original 7 1 got a redemption arc of sorts.