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.

 

[sevenbastard]

This feels more solid overall. I love that it applies to any weapon with the ammunition property (Hello, blowgun!).

So instead on an Arcan Archer I can be a Arcane........uh..... Puffer?

 

[Merlecory]

So instead on an Arcan Archer I can be a Arcane........uh..... Puffer?

Better than an arcane huffer!


Very glad to see subclasses get to do things that aren't spells. I hope that this design trend continues.

 

[Kurotowa]

In particular, there hasn't been any testing of Tasha's content: so far we have post-Tasha's content revisited (from Van Richten's Guide), entirely new content, SCAG content revisited, 2014 PHB content revisited, and some Xanathar's content revisited.

Huh. I hadn't put that together, but you're exactly right. A bunch of Tasha subclasses got promoted to the PHB'24, but none of the UA releases since then have had anything from it. Which would explain why I keep being frustrated in my hope of an updated Beast Barbarian.

I wonder what the reasoning for that is. It can't be accidental.

 

[Parmandur]

Huh. I hadn't put that together, but you're exactly right. A bunch of Tasha subclasses got promoted to the PHB'24, but none of the UA releases since then have had anything from it. Which would explain why I keep being frustrated in my hope of an updated Beast Barbarian.

I wonder what the reasoning for that is. It can't be accidental.

Well, they did states during the 2024 UAs when they said they would be bringing over the Tasha's Aubclasses that they didn't want to test them because they were already in line with their designs for 2024. All of the 2024 Tasha's "promoted" Subclasses didn't go through any UA, though they tweaked a few small things IIRC.

Stuff from Xanathar's or earlier however, may be due for an update to current design standards and methods.

 

[Reynard]

I mean, I don’t think they want to “kill” their own product. I imagine the goal will be not to fully reproduce the content of either of those books, so there’s reason to want all three.

They absolutely killed 2 monster books for a new one. I can't see any reason they would not "re-issue" the splats as a new book.

 

[Hussar]

Is it really that shocking that they're going to update/recycle older material? I mean, good grief, Tasha's is already 5 years old now. A new "complete Player book" every 5 years is not exactly a big ask.

 

[bedir than]

Is it really that shocking that they're going to update/recycle older material? I mean, good grief, Tasha's is already 5 years old now. A new "complete Player book" every 5 years is not exactly a big ask.

And they're doing Xanathar's rather than Tasha's, so it'll be 8 years old when it releases

 

[Parmandur]

They absolutely killed 2 monster books for a new one. I can't see any reason they would not "re-issue" the splats as a new book.

Well, if the old ones still work with the new rules (which they do, particularly Tasha's: again, they didn'tchange the Tasha's Subcclasses they promoted to the PHB), and are still selling...

 

[Azzy]

So instead on an Arcan Archer I can be a Arcane........uh..... Puffer?

A Puffer or a Blowfish.

 

[Reynard]

Well, if the old ones still work with the new rules (which they do, particularly Tasha's: again, they didn'tchange the Tasha's Subcclasses they promoted to the PHB), and are still selling...

This is such a strange take. Do you actually think a new book would not sell more than the OLD two books?