D&D (2024) To Revise or not to Revise: What to do about the other Subclasses?

[The Myopic Sniper]

Knowledge Domain cleric is missing. It's one of the most common domains for gods.

I think they are just planning for "Light" to be the more general replacement for that domain in DMG and setting books. Though I do expect them to release a revised Knowledge domain at some point. They may not be in a rush to do that though.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Knowledge Domain cleric is missing. It's one of the most common domains for gods.

It is, but I think the new Thaumaturge option goes a long way in letting any cleric ALSO be a knowledge cleric. Getting a +WIS bonus to Arcana and Religion checks is more limited than the old Blessings of Knowledge, but just as distinctive.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Hexblade obviously needs a re-write as it's best-known thing is now an invocation anyone can take. This is a good change for warlocks overall, but obviously the Hexblade needs a look.

You could go a few directions with it: you could lean in on the shadow theme harder and make a true shadow-lock. You could double down on the curse-focused elements, which involves mostly changing the bonus spells and replacing Accursed Spectre. (I'd also increase the uses of Hexblade's curse to make it more central, while adding a ribbon to replace Hex Warrior). Or you can follow the name and make a patron that actually is "a sentient magical weapon is giving you powers" though that needs mechanical support invented.

You could even do all three as three patrons!

I also voted for Purple Dragon Knight / Banneret, though that's needed a re-write for a while now.

 

[Parmandur]

Rush is a strong word, but if there's money to be made, I don't think we'll see many new kits before the old ones get a do-over.

I can see maybe a digital Unearthed Arcana (free? Cheap?) to show how to convert old material, with a few examples in each UA, once a month or so. Could be cool.

Crawford has already confirmed the PHB will have explicit instructions on how to use older Species and Subclasses built in.

In terms of making money...they are still selling all of the old books.

 

[WanderingMystic]

So from what I can tell everything from Tasha's, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, Dragons and Giants should be fine to just plug and play with a few exceptions.

What stands out to me is the Beast Barbarian; with the inclusion of weapon mastery the beasts Natural attacks need to be beefed up to compensate (I'm looking at you claws). Astral Monk also needs a bit of twerking since all monks can now get 3 attacks with flurry of blows. It would be nice to see the rogue subclasses altered to use their new lvl 5 ability butt aht is not necessary just a nice touch.

All of your Xanathar's Archetypes vary widely on their power levels and most if not all of them need to be rebalanced. Sorcerer since they do not get the extra spells known are probably the worst out of all of them.

 

[Parmandur]

So from what I can tell everything from Tasha's, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, Dragons and Giants should be fine to just plug and play with a few exceptions.

What stands out to me is the Beast Barbarian; with the inclusion of weapon mastery the beasts Natural attacks need to be beefed up to compensate (I'm looking at you claws). Astral Monk also needs a bit of twerking since all monks can now get 3 attacks with flurry of blows. It would be nice to see the rogue subclasses altered to use their new lvl 5 ability butt aht is not necessary just a nice touch.

All of your Xanathar's Archetypes vary widely on their power levels and most if not all of them need to be rebalanced. Sorcerer since they do not get the extra spells known are probably the worst out of all of them.

I do think that, insofar as they will approach older Sublcasses for updates, it will be in loosely chronological order: remaining PHB archetypes, followed by SCAG, followed by Xanathar's...and by the time they are rethinking Tasha's, they might be working towards another rules revisions for 2034.

In terms of concrete prediction, next year after the Monster Manual in December, I expect that we will see an Adventure Campaign, an Adventure Anthology...and probably a Setting prodict, probably a new presentation of the Forgotten Realms. Tenth anniversary of Sword Coast Adventurers Guide seems a good time for a Forgoten Realms box set similar to Spelljammer/Planescape. And that would be a good place for those PHB Subclasses and some of those SCAG options to be reworked, with some new stuff as well (particularly Backgrounds).

 

[Atlatl Jones]

To answer the question I'd mostly want to focus on balance patches. So focus on the subclasses that are over or undertuned in their original versions; some stuff like the Rune Knight is already great as it is, and Fighters didn't change any of their subclass levels so it should work out of the box.

That’s what more or less guided my choices: Balance/tuning and compatibility with the new versions of the classes.

For example, I really like the Bladesinger, but it was already revised fairly recently in Tasha's, so I didn’t choose it. The Swashbuckler, OTOH, had features that are now redundant with new Rogue features, so it could use a tune up. Same with the Kensai.

Most of the Sorcerer subclasses also could use the addition of bonus spells known and some tuning.

 

[Vael]

That’s what more or less guided my choices: Balance/tuning and compatibility with the new versions of the classes.

For example, I really like the Bladesinger, but it was already revised fairly recently in Tasha's, so I didn’t choose it. The Swashbuckler, OTOH, had features that are now redundant with new Rogue features, so it could use a tune up. Same with the Kensai.

Most of the Sorcerer subclasses also could use the addition of bonus spells known and some tuning.

This is pretty much my take. Swashbuckler and Kensei really need the attention, as do the XGE Sorcerer subclasses.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'd like to see a bunch of "Warlord-Lite" subclasses. Bard of Eloquence, Purple Dragon Knight, Mastermind Rogue. Heck, give us Helpful versions of other classes - an oath of leadership, a guiding ranger, that sort of thing.