Dungeons & Dragons Releases Updated Unearthed Arcana for Arcane Subclasses

Dungeons & Dragons has released an updated set of Unearthed Arcana, incorporating feedback about the Arcane Subclasses released for playtesting earlier this year. Included in the new subclass is the Arcane Archer Fighter, Tattooed Warrior Monk, and the Conjurer, Transmuter, Necromancer, and Enchanter Wizard classes.

The Arcane Archer has several new features, including Magical Ammunition that can be used outside of combat and a new Arcane Burst that pushes creatures away when the Indomitable feature is used. The Tattooed Warrior Monk has also been redesigned, with magical abilities that are no longer spellcasting, along with Beast Tattoos that provide cantrips in addition to enhancing other core Monk features.

Meanwhile, the Conjurer Wizard now emphasizes summoning spells with creatures that are much more durable, the Enchanter has moved back to a subclass similar to the 2014 design, the Necromancer now has ways to summon multiple Undead creatures, and the Transmuter now has shape-shifting ability. With the Transmuter ability, the Durability option of the Transmuter's Stone is now included as a default, as that option was seen as the strongest and other options were considered far inferior.

Three other subclasses from the original playtest - two Warlock subclasses and a Cleric Domain - were not included in the new playtest.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

depends on definition of damage but I think it works)

This is a fairly significant issue. Animate Objects deals damage - indirectly. Dragon Breath gives you a breath weapon, it doesn’t do direct damage. Alter Self enables you to do damage.

 

[Mistwell]

This is a fairly significant issue. Animate Objects deals damage - indirectly. Dragon Breath gives you a breath weapon, it doesn’t do direct damage. Alter Self enables you to do damage.

They name Magic Weapon directly in the ability, which changes the weapon to do an additional point of damage. So I think they intend the indirect damage to be fair game for the spell selections.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They name Magic Weapon directly in the ability, which changes the weapon to do an additional point of damage. So I think they intend the indirect damage to be fair game for the spell selections.

Which means Dragon’s Breath works.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Elemental Bane, Flame Arrows, Tiny Servant

I was limiting the list to PHB 2024; I think they can't design with everything in the ten years previous for consistency -- there's just to much that's potentially OP.

As for Dragon's Breath: I looked at that and I think in plain-language terms, the spell does cause damage. It does require the recipient to use a magic action (unlike magic weapon) and without the spell, the person does not have the ability to cause damage in this way. Yes, it can be argued, and various tables will read it that way, but I think this is a damage-dealing spell.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

It does require the recipient to use a magic action (unlike magic weapon

If you use True Strike with your magic weapon equipped it does the damage with a magic action. So that’s meaningless.

If you have Dragon’s Breath and you choose not to use it, then it does no damage. It’s not the spell that does the damage.

If you cast Dragon’s Breath on an ally, it’s their magic action doing the damage, not the Transmuter’s. It’s not the transmuter who does the damage.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Fair enough; I see room for disagreement, but I've edited the previous post.

 

[DentZilber]

It looks like the Necromancer will be leaning back in to the squad of undead theme instead of being a wizard specializing in necrotic magic. This may be the most discussed subclass in any session zero because of the possible balance and turn stagnation issues for Necromancers with many different minions that need to separate rolls-especially if you have ghouls paralyzing. Heaven help you if it's organized play and the Necro just goes all out army because there is no session zero. That might be a very boring 4 hour session for the other 5-6 players.

Not sure what you're talking about... All of the stagnation issues come from those who don't know how to play the class. Ergo, skill issue. It's meant to be played like a Long Con, as in most of the good stuff comes after level 10. There's no reason to play the undeads turn one at a time. Horde mechanics for anything over 10 undead. I don't use ghouls...
Don't need it with 100 skeletons boosted with Flying/Haste and the equivalent of an impact detonating claymore with adamantine shrapnel...

 

[DentZilber]

It looks like the Necromancer will be leaning back in to the squad of undead theme instead of being a wizard specializing in necrotic magic. This may be the most discussed subclass in any session zero because of the possible balance and turn stagnation issues for Necromancers with many different minions that need to separate rolls-especially if you have ghouls paralyzing. Heaven help you if it's organized play and the Necro just goes all out army because there is no session zero. That might be a very boring 4 hour session for the other 5-6 players.

Not sure what you're talking about... All of the stagnation issues come from those who don't know how to play the class. Ergo, skill issue. It's meant to be played like a Long Con, as in most of the good stuff comes after level 10. There's no reason to play the undeads turn one at a time. Horde mechanics for anything over 10 undead. I don't use ghouls...
Don't need it with 100 skeletons boosted with Flying/Haste and the equivalent of an impact detonating claymore with adamantine shrapnel...

That was, vocally, what people wanted to see: Diablo-themed necromancers.

You could do a lot of that stuff anyway...