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.

 

[GarrettKP]

I think Animate Dead is a problematic spell based on the sheer number of actions someone with a high number of minions using a high level slot will take. The spell should have been fixed when they changed all of the Conjure spells. Sure the making the undead more expendable features of the subclass might reduce those 10+ actions taken more regularly, but it's still a problem with a high level Necromancers turn being really long.

As a DM, if your high level Necromancer is taking too long a turn that is the DMs fault. Just talk to the Necromancer and tell them they need to use the mob rules.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Better than an arcane huffer!

Better than an arcane fluffer. Wait...

This Subclass is 100% a Maui/Moana thing.

It goes back before that. Tattoo (Marvel)

RE: the document, I like the Conjurer and Necromancer, but I think the Illusionist still has the best feature of any wizard subclass. Bonus action minor illusion that does sound and visual, and make illusionary objects real? That's OP.

 

[PoD]

That format didn't sell well because it leads to player confusion.
On the other hand the [name] of Everything books sold extremely well.

It didn't sell well because 4e rules changed/revised/fixed every darn month along the way, and they were introducing missing classes not in original player handbook. Especially with the essentials line throwing a monkeywrench into class options. 5e had all core classes in the beginning, and the everything books just were supplemental rule class variation and new subclasses. I think the everything book causes more confusion but it's intentional to confuse new players that it doesn't come off as a required player's book to get into DND. If coming late into the edition at end of life cycle, it can be intimidating to new players to get into knowing that there's 3 or 4 player handbook of options to buy into. 5e doesn't come off that way on purpose. 1 core book, everything else just adds new house rule flavor to add to existing rules and classes.

 

[Juomari Veren]

Psionics were part of D&D years before Dark Sun. There is no way they are going to say “you must buy this setting in order to play a psion”. That goes for the artificer too - that needs to be added to the core rules asap.

But most of all, it goes for the necromancer. There is no way that’s not going to be a core rules archetype.

They can and they should. It worked to buy microfiction with some Eberron character options slapped on (at least with Forge of the Artificer we're also getting some meaty DM content this time too), there's no reason to repeat the formula since it was so successful.

Also, with all due respect; Can you name a setting besides Dark Sun where psionics is as important or more prevalent than magic? Why wouldn't they package it with the setting that needs it the most to help boost sales and give players and DMs alike a complete package? Sure, it'll get reprinted, but if they want a Dark Sun splatbook to sell it needs more legs to stand on than a very out of date setting.

 

[bedir than]

It didn't sell well because 4e rules changed/revised/fixed every darn month along the way, and they were introducing missing classes not in original player handbook. Especially with the essentials line throwing a monkeywrench into class options. 5e had all core classes in the beginning, and the everything books just were supplemental rule class variation and new subclasses. I think the everything book causes more confusion but it's intentional to confuse new players that it doesn't come off as a required player's book to get into DND. If coming late into the edition at end of life cycle, it can be intimidating to new players to get into knowing that there's 3 or 4 player handbook of options to buy into. 5e doesn't come off that way on purpose. 1 core book, everything else just adds new house rule flavor to add to existing rules and classes.

One of the lead designers of 2014 posted in this thread.

M

Post in thread 'Dungeons & Dragons Releases Updated Unearthed Arcana for Arcane Subclasses'

Today at 4:24 AM

Pretty sure @mearls talked about it explicitly on Twitter and Twitch, in addition to list early 5E website articles. Hard to find, but it was quite specific on the problems.

Yes! Think of any other game product where the largest number isn't the latest, greatest, and the one you should buy if you are just getting into a game. It makes sense for novels, but in gaming it's a weird outlier.

• mearls

• 

 

[Parmandur]

They will release more than one book in a year. We saw both Forgotten Realms and Eberron playtests back to back for products this year. It isn’t unreasonable to think the Psion and Apocalyptic Subclasses are for Dark Sun while the Arcane Subclasses are for something else.

These are not necessarily mutually exclusive product possibilities: the May 2019-May 2020 UA tests that made the city all ended up in Tasha's, but some also were in Theros and Eberron.

All we know ow for sure is that from May to September this year they have already tested juat as many Class and Subclass options as they did in the entire lead-up to Tasha's across 12 months till 6 months before that book was releases.

 

[Parmandur]

I think, realistically, we can expect around 4-5 books a year.

This year, the plan was one book a quarter before Eberron was delayed. So one book a quarter makes sense.

We already know a Lorwyn Setting Book is coming, and since that Magic set releases in the first quarter of next year I assume that will be the first book from D&D in 2026.

We can also safely assume an adventure or an adventure anthology will come out.

That least 2 or 3 books to be decided on. It makes sense for their big end of the year books going forward to be big setting books or book bundles, so a Dark Sun combo pack to end the year would be a safe bet.

That leaves a Q3 mystery book. Which makes plenty of sense for our first big player focused book of the 2024 era.

By 2026, a new Monster book seems plausible, 10 years since Volo's

 

[Paul Farquhar]

These are not necessarily mutually exclusive product possibilities: the May 2019-May 2020 UA tests that made the city all ended up in Tasha's, but some also were in Theros and Eberron

Indeed. It seems certain that there will be both a general book focused on player options, and a Dark Sun product. Its just unclear which is first. Psion in both.

No Ravenloft product is needed to explain all the evidence though. And personally I think its unlikely as there isn’t much in VGR that needs updating.

My personal feeling is the Dark Sun product will be a boxed set, and aimed at the Christmas market - so Autumn 2026. Which would make the general book earlier. But that’s just a hunch.

 

[Juomari Veren]

We already know a Lorwyn Setting Book is coming, and since that Magic set releases in the first quarter of next year I assume that will be the first book from D&D in 2026.

I appreciate the vote of confidence for market synergy, but historically the sourcebooks that coincide with Magic sets (Ravnica, Theros, Strixhaven) have taken 6 months minimum from the associated set release to come out. Lorwyn is probably the Q3 book you're pondering over.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

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.

Different thing. Those books were controversial, and killing them made it so that when people look for a monster book they don’t end up reading a first printing of Volo’s and wondering what sort of game they had got themselves into.