New D&D Unearthed Arcana Reveals Two New Subclasses for Monk and Sorcerer, Plus Revamps For Seven More

Wizards of the Coast has a new Unearthed Arcana playtest for Dungeons & Dragons, featuring revamps of seven existing Arcane-themed subclasses, plus two new subclasses. Today, Wizards of the Coast unveiled a new Arcane Subclass Unearthed Arcana, featuring the following subclasses:

• Arcana Domain Cleric
• Arcane Archer Fighter
• Hexblade Patron Warlock
• Conjurer Wizard
• Enchanter Wizard
• Necromancer Wizard
• Transmuter Wizard
• Tattooed Warrior Monk
• Ancestral Sorcery Sorcerer

Notably, the Hexblade Patron and Necromancer Wizard were both relatively high on the wishlist of many D&D players.

That Tattooed Warrior grants the Monk access to several magic tattoos with specific effects that enhance various monk abilities. The Ancestral Sorcery plays off the idea of having a powerful magical ancestor that grants them guidance and direction from beyond. Notably, the ancestral spirit has an spectral haze form and can even Frighten those around the sorcerer at higher levels.

Some of the notable changes in the UA include a revised Arcane Shot ability that comes with an Arcane Shot die used to deal extra damage that ramps up in size, the Conjurer Wizard's benign transposition starts at an earlier level as does Durable Summons, the Enchanter Wizard has some more versatile low-level options that replace Hypnotic Gaze, and the Necromancer has been wholly redesigned with an emphasis on generating temporary hit points for the wizard, their party members, and undead thralls.

 

[bergec]

Given that the two UAs have been themed (Forgotten Realms, Horror, and now Arcane), I'm leaning against an single book updating Tasha's and Xanathar's. Instead, I think they will update sub-classes in new books with lots of new content so they don't just feel like re-purchasing something you already bought. This is what they are doing with the updated Eberron and Forgotten Realms books, they are updating mechanical stuff to 2024 while providing a bunch of fresh material about those settings. Suggesting a new Ravenloft book containing the Horror UA stuff seems like a solid guess (particularly given the release of the novel), or its inclusion in the Magic setting they've announced. Similarly, I suspect the Arcane UA is for an unannounced book.

 

[humble minion]

If they legit are updating old subclasses in a systematic way, it’s the rogue ones I’ll be holding out for. The Inquisitive and Mastermind were SUCH missed opportunities.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think the trouble with Conjurer, and this is shared by the Necromancer, is that conceptually they want to be summoning/animating large numbers of minions, but 2024 D&D wants to move away from having a single player control several creatures at once. With the conjure X spells being redesigned, the conjurer has to rely on the summon X spells instead, which don’t satisfy the concept as well. Likewise, the necromancer’s shift in focus from animate dead to summon undead feels like a miss.

Mage Hand Press's Necromancer class from Valda's Spire of Secrets is a better take on the concept IMO. Seen two in actual play so far. It's on DDB from what I understand, but I know they fiddled with a lot of stuff to "update" the book to 5.5 so I do t know if it's still good.

 

[Parmandur]

Given that the two UAs have been themed (Forgotten Realms, Horror, and now Arcane), I'm leaning against an single book updating Tasha's and Xanathar's. Instead, I think they will update sub-classes in new books with lots of new content so they don't just feel like re-purchasing something you already bought. This is what they are doing with the updated Eberron and Forgotten Realms books, they are updating mechanical stuff to 2024 while providing a bunch of fresh material about those settings. Suggesting a new Ravenloft book containing the Horror UA stuff seems like a solid guess (particularly given the release of the novel), or its inclusion in the Magic setting they've announced. Similarly, I suspect the Arcane UA is for an unannounced book.

This is what I'm thinking: Forge of the Artificer seems to be the model moving forwards.

 

[pukunui]

The tattoo monk looks like a revamp of the old four elements.

Also makes me think of Prisoner 13 from the Golden Vault anthology. She’s a monk with magical tattoos.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

If they legit are updating old subclasses in a systematic way, it’s the rogue ones I’ll be holding out for. The Inquisitive and Mastermind were SUCH missed opportunities.

Any Rogue subclass update needs to contend with Thief Rogue with a wand. I would be ecstatic for them to hit that level, but I'm not expecting them to get that bold ever again.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

On Arcane Archer...

On the face of it, it looks like a death sentence for a subclass to require you to max Int when the main class has absolutely no use for Intelligence. And they are not even trying to invent any, so it only exists here as a punitive tax. But I would be curious to see what playing along and going for Dex16/Int20 would feel like - more uses lets you feel more arcane, and better save DC lets your once-per-turn feature actually do something.

There's really only two always-good options here:
Piercing Shot looks like an absolute early game winner, a multi-target auto-hitter for more damage than your normal attack. That's just damage though, so it falls off as you go up in levels, but you only need one of your arrows to hit to do your control effect (which, let's be honest, is almost always Banishing, because Cha save action removal).

Just to be clear, I do think it's an incredibly screw-you-in-particular move to base everything in a subclass on a stat that has no synergy with any other features, and whose skills are better covered by a random Wizard who now gets Expertise in them just because. But, it's better than the original version's utterly baffling 2 shots ever, and only if using shortbow/longbow (and which basically existed as a 3-level dip for Int8 people, because that got you 2 shots + Grasping that automatically always did something before its save DC ever became relevant).

 

[Kobold Avenger]

My initial thoughts on these subclasses:

Arcana Domain Cleric

• They seem to be all about undoing and countering magic, even more so with the free castings on dispel magic. Though I'll note it it's with Cure Wounds and not Healing Word that it can be used with.
• They don't get fireball, but being able to learn any Wizard cantrip is quite a bonus when combined with Potent Spellcasting
• Being able to cast a 6th, 7th, 7th and 9th level spell from the Wizard spell list I guess is the big payoff for this subclass. It'll probably be Meteor Swarm, since Clerics sort of have Wish covered.

Arcane Archer Fighter

• With the choice between Prestidigitation and Druidcraft as cantrips, I think I'd most certainly pick Prestidigitation in all cases.
• Arcane Archers can now their abilities with guns, that's a big plus
• They can use Arcane Shot more often, though that makes intelligence more important now.
• Overall, I feel like they'll be using their magic more often unlike the previous one that had only 2 uses.

Tattooed Warrior Monk

• Horse tattoo, even more speed for the Monk!
• Crane, well I guess I have to think of using Flurry of Blows first.
• Celestial Tattoos aren't as impressive though a Monk with Misty Step or invisibility is something to watch out for
• Nature Tattoos, I feel these could be always on (pick at long rest), because they take magic action to use to cast, cost 3 points and only last 1 minute, which I feel it means they're not getting used.
• Beholder tattoo I feel it needs to be more about blasting and less about the big eye
• Blink Dog tattoo I feel should be 2 points since you're already using a focus point to use patient defense.

Ancestral Sorcerer

• I guess it makes sense a Sorcerer decedent of a Wizard might be good at Arcana
• Free usage of Dispel Magic and Counterspell is good for those Innate Sorcery moments
• This subclass is very much dependent on Innate Sorcery though, they'll probably be spending sorcery points to invoke Innate Sorcery
• Not losing concentration to damage though, that's a big draw to this subclass.
• Manifesting one's ancestor through the Visage of the Ancestors and some spells like the Spirit Guardians, I guess is evocative for a subclass that was once the default assumption of a Sorcerer.

Hexblade Warlock

• Curse can be combined with certain spells like Hex or Bestow Curse, what other spells count as a curse though?
• Unyielding Will potentially gets a Hexblade into melee
• They're still very much about the Pact of the Blade, though some of those do work with something like Eldritch Blase

Conjurer Wizard

• I see that the emphasis is on Benign Transposition, but is recharging it the same as just casting Misty Step?
• Overall while the changes aren't significant, I feel there's been a lot of changes to conjuration spells that changes this subclass in practice a lot. Unbreakable Conjure Minor Elementals for one thing.

Enchanter Wizard

• I feel that Enchanters should be good at using skills like Deception, Diplomacy or Intimidation, good thing they can add INT to those checks now
• So Enchanters are good at getting out of the way now...
• Damage reduction with the chance of doing some damage instead of charming them to hit someone else, not completely sold on that change
• Bolstering Belief, Power Word Fortify is a fairly good spell that Wizards don't get so I feel this is a good big one to pull out before a big fight.

Necromancer Wizard

• No more having to just kill a creature with necromancy to gain temp HP
• Of course I think Necromancers should get resistance to necrotic damage (though less useful for certain species like Chthonic Tieflings)
• Ignoring Necrotic resistance is also a plus for necromancers
• Undead Thralls, it at least addresses the big problem I had with the earlier Necromancer and the dependence on Animate Dead. That spell is still broken, but at least the Necromancer is more playable now
• Undead Secrets, cheating death if you put aside a level 4+ spell everyday. But I do like the bloodied teleport thing out of those 2 features.
• Bolster Undead though can be really broken with the 9th level casting of Animate Dead, which is something they need to avoid.

Transmuter Wizard

• Transmuter's stone gives a lot of versatility, especially when you can change it's benefits any time you use a spell slot
• Split Transmutation is part of the new trend of a free higher level slot if it's number of targets
• Overall I like the changes to this one.

 

[Kurotowa]

There's really only two always-good options here:
Piercing Shot looks like an absolute early game winner, a multi-target auto-hitter for more damage than your normal attack. That's just damage though, so it falls off as you go up in levels, but you only need one of your arrows to hit to do your control effect (which, let's be honest, is almost always Banishing, because Cha save action removal).

Banishing Shot is tricky because the target is also immune to attacks while banished. So the value fluctuates wildly depending on the initiative order. Ideally you want the AA to banish the foe right before their turn, so they lose their action but none of the other PC's miss out on attacking it. It might even be worthwhile for the AA to use Readied Action to delay their shots to achieve that.

Another useful consideration (in a world where AA is worth taking) is Shadow Shot. Obviously not Restraining Shot; way too many monsters have good Str saves. But a Wis save that applies an entire round of Disadvantage on attacks and Advantage to attackers, plus blocking a great deal of spell use? That's useful in a lot of situations.

 

[Stalker0]

This Arcane Archer is similar to Battle Master, but with a huge downside. The BM's number of Superiority Dice scales with level and the DC scales with their main stat, while the AA's number of Arcane Shot uses and their DC scales with Int. That means the AA has to dump a bunch of ASI into raising Int to get close to the level of effectiveness of a BM. Which is a huge MAD penalty.

I'm unhappy with a lot of what I see here. This version of the Hexblade is a hot mess, mixing good with terrible.

Hungering Hex and Accursed Shield are great; finally, and way to have melee level AC and sustain without needing a multiclass dip. But getting Hexblade's Curse instead of free Hex casts is terrible because Hexblade's Curse can't be freely reapplied during its duration. Since everything in the subclass revolves around HC being active, it either needs to be unlimited application or switched back to the stronger Hex spell.

Similarly, Inescapable Hex is good, and Armor of Hexes being unlimited use is great. But Harrowing Hex and Hindering Curse are terrible because they encourage mixed spell-weapon use, only a Warlock doesn't get enough spell slots to make that viable. Not to mention that a lot of the spells you want to cast are Bonus Action buffs that don't benefit from either feature. And then there's the complete joke of Explosive Hex, which costs a 5th level spell slot to do a tiny 3d6 AoE.

I want to like this Hexblade. There's some good bits here. But this is two steps forward, three steps back.

Funny enough accursed shield was one of my least favorite things about this class. No armor....so I have to have the mage armor invocation (and lets be honest I'm already using pact of the blade if I'm going this route, so that's two invocations committed for the concept)...and I have to have cursed the target, AND I have to be within 10 feet. Thats not a feature that's a gimmick.

Just say "you get a +1 AC when not using a shield" and call it a day or something.

Unyielding Will is a very cool ability probably my favorite of the class.

The hexblade's curse is too gimmicky and clunky. They already have hex on their spell list, and they already put in that clause so you could use the two together. So just....put them together. Have the class add in some bonuses to the hex spell, and maybe give them a few free uses for day, and call it a day.