Dungeons & Dragons releases Villainous Options playtest

Wizards of the Coast has released a new playtest featuring four new "villainous" subclasses, along with two more feat paths designed to transform characters into either a lich or a death knight. Today, Wizards released a new "Villainous Options" Unearthed Arcana. The new document contains four subclasses - a Pestilence Domain Cleric, a Circle of the Titan Druid, a Hell Knight Fighter, and a Demonic Sorcerer, alongside feat paths intended to slowly transform a player character into either a lich or a death knight. While previous D&D books have brought back the concept of mini-feat trees, these villainous paths are intended to be used at every opportunity a feat can be taken.

The Pestilence Domain cleric's core ability allows it to confer exhaustion levels on opponents via use of Channel Divinity. Enemies who die while having one or more Exhaustion level can explode and inflict necrotic damage on others. The capstone ability allows the Cleric to transform into a swarm of pestilence-infused pests.

The Circle of the Titan Druid has a Wild Shape ability that transforms them into various kinds of kaiju-esque monsters, which eventually become gargantuan in size.

The Hell Knight Fighter deals extra Infernal damage that varies in type depending on the ability and eventually transforms foes into minor devils upon their death.

The Demonic Sorcerer likewise grants various kinds of sorcerer abilities Abyssal effects, culminating in the ability to summon a demon to the battlefield once per day for free.

The path feats are interesting - both culminate with a feat that can only be taken at Level 12 or higher and requires a player to have at least two other feats from the feat path. Death Knights gain a pool of Death Points that fuel various abilities, while the Lich gains a Soul Jar and eventually gains the mechanical benefits of being a lich.

The playtest is open now, with a playtest survey launching next week.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I like the Druid, but I want the damage of their attacks to go up with size increases. Yes I know they're adding extra damage from their Druid abilities already and get 2 attacks, but it feels like they need something more substantial in size increases other than being able to melee attack more spaces

The big thing here is that the damage doesn't go up - but once you hit level 14 you get a free grab (control isn't damage but is similar) and even a bonus action gobble for more damage. I'd like one to come with huge admittedly.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Some of the coolest subclasses yet, all but confirms Book of Vile Darkness is coming. Which this idea of feat paths had been fleshed out for FR: HoF, the feats would have been better I think.

Which leaves me wondering if Book of Exalted Deeds is coming as well.

The two books have the distinction of being the only D&D books to have been designed specifically for adults only (nudity, adult themes), both also got MtG cards, and Book of Vile Dark got a movie (also nudity and adult themes and least Mindflayer Mindflayer ever).

I hope we also get Exalted Deeds it would fit with theme of Season of Champions.

 

[zero.exe]

I found the options for this playlets interesting (especially cuz I've had these ideas floating in my head for a while). My takeaway has been that while decent all these subclasses need more power in general to be good. I particularly think Hell Knight (as a fighter main) needs some minor adjustments to match its power to preexisting subclasses. I like the D6 die, very in theme with the class, but I think they should generically get more options to deal and receive damage then since they are permanently on a lower die scale than the rest of the subs. I have mainly experimented with giving them cantrips and access to a similar mechanic to war magic (eldritch Knight) at level 7 and have found great taste and results with Hell knights being a cantrip caster that uses CON for its cast. regardless very excited to see what is gonna be the end result, ideally id like a second UA for these particular classes to see the power level and adjustment made.

 

[Parmandur]

Some of the coolest subclasses yet, all but confirms Book of Vile Darkness is coming. Which this idea of feat paths had been fleshed out for FR: HoF, the feats would have been better I think.

Which leaves me wondering if Book of Exalted Deeds is coming as well.

The two books have the distinction of being the only D&D books to have been designed specifically for adults only (nudity, adult themes), both also got MtG cards, and Book of Vile Dark got a movie (also nudity and adult themes and least Mindflayer Mindflayer ever).

I hope we also get Exalted Deeds it would fit with theme of Season of Champions.

Well...no,not necessarily.

If these are the only explicitly "villainous" options, that would not be enough for a full product to he "evil" - themed.

More likely is we are getting a product with a bunch of Paragon Path type options (the Feat chains are both called Paths), other options might be differently themed, with the link being thematic sets of Feats more than the subject matter.

 

[Distracted DM]

How many decades has it been since anyone at TSR or WotC has said they don't want people playing evil characters?

I personally hate DMing "evil" campaigns- being the narrative processor for the PCs actively sowing terror, abusing folk, torture, cannibalism, trying to actively make things worse just to "be the bad guys"... it burned me out when one campaign went in that direction. The worst I can handle is antihero, which I'm doing for one of my games now. But honestly? I'd prefer at least sword and sorcery hero level morality.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I personally hate DMing "evil" campaigns- being the narrative processor for the PCs actively sowing terror, abusing folk, torture, cannibalism, trying to actively make things worse just to "be the bad guys"... it burned me out when one campaign went in that direction. The worst I can handle is antihero, which I'm doing for one of my games now. But honestly? I'd prefer at least sword and sorcery hero level morality.

I think this is something that can be addressed in a Session Zero.

You can have an evil campaign where the goal is to overthrow the king or raise up a temple to an evil god or something without being a bunch of transgressive edgelords. For one thing, being a bunch of obnoxious edgelords is a great way to get heroes on your tail, looking to kill you. If, instead, you seem to be like any other adventurers, but with villainous goals, you can get a lot further.

I wouldn't want to run or play in a game that was all about "ooh, look, I just kicked the head off a peasant," either. But I think with a mature group -- and a group of powerful NPCs heroes on the lookout for edgelord nonsense -- it can be done and everyone can probably have a lot of fun.

I would look at the villain comics by Mark Waid -- a guy who definitely is a big believer in Capital G Good Guys -- for how this might be done.

 

[Chaltab]

I think the best way to handle an evil campaign is that the villain PCs have an end goal that is ostensibly morally neutral or even aligned with something the broader society agrees with and the evil comes from their motivations and methods rather than the adventure scenarios.

 

[Reynard]

I think the best way to handle an evil campaign is that the villain PCs have an end goal that is ostensibly morally neutral or even aligned with something the broader society agrees with and the evil comes from their motivations and methods rather than the adventure scenarios.

I think it is worth noting that the playtest uses the word "villain" -- which kind of precludes the sort of thing you are talking about where the PCs are more "anti heroes."

I don't think running a villain campaign would be especially rewarding, fun or even tolerable. Villains, by definition are not just bad, but THE BAD GUYS.

 

[Parmandur]

I think it is worth noting that the playtest uses the word "villain" -- which kind of precludes the sort of thing you are talking about where the PCs are more "anti heroes."

I don't think running a villain campaign would be especially rewarding, fun or even tolerable. Villains, by definition are not just bad, but THE BAD GUYS.

On the other hand, all the Subclass options can be easily run as anti-heroes, or even pretty morally neutral heroes. The Druid isn't really even partiicularly sinister.