The 2024 rules forDungeons and Dragonshave introduced two new Unearthed Arcana playtest documents, with each including a myriad of new and reworked subclasses for players to integrate into their games. While brand-new subclasses have been invented, the UA also brought back subclasses from the 2014 original 5th edition rules. With more UA planned to release in the future, more subclasses could return with the same refinement as others.
The firstUnearthed Arcana for 2024D&Dsimply added a new subclass for each of the 12 classes in the game. Some of these were never-before-seen archetypes, like the Winter Walker Ranger, while others were older subclasses that came back reworked, like the Knowledge Domain Cleric. Similarly, follow-up UA added both new and old horror-themed subclasses and even a new 13th class - the Psion.
10Circle of Wildfire (Druid)
Summon Spirits Of Fire To Burn Down Enemies
TheCircle of WildfireDruid is one of the subclasses thatcould appear in the next UA due to how different it is compared to other archetypes in the class. Most of the time, Druids are thought to be caretakers of growth and creation surrounding nature. Wildfire Druids are on the opposite side of that expectation, summoning powerful Wildfire Spirits who seek to destroy landscapes and enemies alike.
This subclass has strong themes tied to scorched earth behind controlled flames to balance and prepare environments for life to grow once again. This is one of the few Druid subclasses that harnesses fire magic, with spells like Scorching Ray and Fire Shield pairing with Revivify for a unique selection. Thebalance behind restoration and destruction with fire could fit perfectly into 2024 5e rules, with some interesting reworks emphasizing this subclass' themes further.
9Samurai (Fighter)
Disciplined Resolve Of A Warrior In Desperate Need Of A Rework
The Fighter has a variety of interesting subclasses that could return, but theSamuraihas always been a popular choice. This Fighter harnesses a deep, spiritual fighting spirit to make their attacks strike true, sometimes even staving off death at later levels for one last stand. However,this honorable warrior subclass has often been considered underpowered, with other Fighter archetypes having stronger features than it.
One of the weaknesses of the Samurai Fighter is that most of their interesting abilities only arrive at much higher Levels, Level 15 and 18 to be exact. While their Fighting Spirit is unique at Level 3, a Samurai usually has to be patient before becoming truly strong.
With thenerfs to some older subclasses in 2024 UA, the Samurai could be more potent than ever if it returns.A simple rework for the subclass could give the Samurai more ways to utilize their Fighting Spirit, similar to the Battle Master’s fighting maneuvers. Since Samurai specialize in Swift Strikes for additional strikes and excel in social situations more than other Fighters, there is a lot of unique skills that can be expanded upon.
8Mastermind (Rogue)
The Ultimate Spy Has Endless Potential In Social Campaigns
One of the most underrated Rogue subclasses is theMastermind, an archetype designed around espionage and political intrigue outside of combat scenarios. Many of the 2024 UA subclasses are focused on combat abilities, butadding the Mastermind could offer an interesting option for campaigns with less battlesand more roleplaying.
The Mastermind Rogue is a smooth tactician, speaking and imitating languages while being a master of disguise or forgery. Eventually, this subclass has the insight to learn about an enemy’s strengths, from individual Ability Scores to what Level their foes are. If they do have to fight,a Mastermind is as smooth on the battlefield as they are off it, misdirecting attacks and aiding allies with tactical foresight.
At later levels, a Mastermind can even conjure false thoughts to fool creatures who can peer into their mind.This subclass could create a large variety of characters, from seasoned spymasters, to political figures looking to gain power, to even smaller schemers gaining a foothold in unique worlds.
7Oath of the Watchers (Paladin)
Protect The Planes From Otherworldly Forces
Championing the Tenets of Loyalty, Discipline, and Vigilance, theOath of the WatchersPaladin guards the Material Plane from external evils that most people never perceive. Holy warriors against evil elementals, aberrations, demons, devils, and other extraplanar forces,these Paladins are distinct compared to others in their class. Using unorthodox spells like Detect Magic, Scrying, Banishment, and even the infamous Counterspell, Watcher Paladins follow a much different code.
This would be a subclass that receives minimal changesgoing into2024D&Drules, as it has very interesting abilities most Paladins don’t tend to have. From giving allies a bonus to Initiative rolls at Level 7 to rebuking an enemy’s manipulations through Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throws, this subclass has all the makings of inspired character choices already.
6Fathomless (Warlock)
Fear The Patron That Lurks From Deep Waters
TheFathomlessWarlock arespellcasters who’ve made pacts with horrors of the deep, usually entities that live underwater in the unexplored reaches of vast oceans. This is a subclass that might clash with the Great Old One pact in 2024 rules, but has varied enough features to make it worth playtesting. For example, just picking this subclass gives a character a swimming speed and the ability to breathe underwater.
As a more recent subclass added to theexpanded 2014 rulebookTasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Fathomless Warlock has many useful features that would require little tweaking when integrated into 2024 mechanics.
Warlocks with a Fathomless Patron gain resistance to Cold damage and can summon tentacles from the deep to both injure enemies and aid allies in fights. From teleporting allies to gaining a free use of the Evard’s Black Tentacles spell, these Warlocks have very different gifts compared to other Patrons.The flexibility in how Fathomless features can be used make them a great addition to the game, especially if their abilities are updated.
5Divine Soul (Sorcerer)
Magical Ancestry From The Heavens Themselves
Most Sorcerer subclasses available in 2024D&DUnearthed Arcana and core rules tie the class to magic clearly defined by destructive power, cunning utility, or unpredictable surges. As of this time of writing,there are no Sorcerer archetypes that specialize in supporting parties, making theDivine Soula possible path to include. Although the recent Spellfire Sorcerer in recent UA has healing magic, they aren’t dedicated to it like the Divine Soul.
Divine Soul Sorcerers can pick spells from the Cleric spell list, giving them a much wider variety of healing or buffing magic for their allies. With Empowered Healing, these Sorcerers can even make sure their allies always receive the max possible Hit Points from restorative spells or features. When combined with Sorcerer Metamagic to bolster the properties of already strong support spells,this is one subclass that might come back in 2024 with some nerfs.
4Swashbuckler (Rogue)
Charismatic And Elegant Duelists With Fan-Favorite Status
One of the subclasses that is surprisingly still not in 2024D&DUA is theSwashbuckler, a fan-favorite type of Rogue. Thisarchetype uses fancy footwork and dueling mastery to turn the battlefield into a performative stageagainst their enemies. From beguiling Panache disrupting foes to unwavering confidence giving Swashbucklers unique bonuses, this subclass seems like a no-brainer to update into new rules.
Even without considering the popularity of Swashbucklers,the theme around pirates or dueling already make the subclass a strong contender to updatein the next Unearthed Arcana. The recent inclusion of this subclass inBaldur’s Gate 3’s Patch 8 updatehas put it into public eye even more for fans ofD&Dcontent. With all that being said, the Swashbuckler could benefit from a new feature or two, or some rework to its more underpowered features.
3Oathbreaker (Paladin)
Another popular subclass missing from 2024 UA is theOathbreaker, a type of Paladin who has forsaken their holy Tenets in pursuit of personal direction. The Oathbreaker is an incredibly interesting character path inD&D, representing a"failed"Paladin who chooses to walk a darker path than other divine warriors.The fact that any Paladin can turn into an Oathbreaker makes for compelling charactersno matter what rules you use for the game.
Dungeon Masters have jurisdiction in their games to determine whether a Paladin’s actions go against their Oath. In some situations, this can lead to interesting character choices to create Oathbreakers, but there should be an agreement between DM and the player to go down that route.
As an Oathbreaker, these Paladins can raise the dead, create an Aura of Hate to boost their damage, and unleash dark emotions to terrify their enemies. While it is a mystery why the horror-themed UA did not include the Oathbreaker, it is almost an assured subclass for future playtest documents.As the only"evil"themed Paladin subclass, not having the Oathbreaker would feel strangefor long-time players ofD&D5e games.
2Path Of The Totem Warrior (Barbarian)
Connect With A Spirit Animal To Inspire Supernatural Rage
ThePath of the Totem Warrioris one of the few Barbarian subclasses from the 2014 Player’s Handbook that was not included in the 2024 version of the rulebook. Even in UA, this formerly core archetype has been left out, likely for one reason. Thissubclass is infamous for how Barbarian characters can choose a spirit animal that grants them several featuresas they level up, including the ability to resist nearly all damage in the game.
Out of the five Totems Barbarian players can choose with this subclass, they include:
Despite the incredible amount of replayability and flexibility through each Totem’s path, most Barbarian players will always choose the Bear Totem for its first feature. The Bear Totem’s first ability allows Barbarians to resist all damage except Psychic when raging, making them nearly indestructible at all levels of play. This has always been one of the strongest features inD&D5e, soif this subclass did come back, it would likely be nerfed significantly.
1College of Necromancy (Wizard)
By far the most left out subclass in any 2024 UA is theCollege of NecromancyWizard, whose absence was felt in the horror-themed playtest content.The idea of a Necromancer is integral to many fantasy games, with a Wizard being able to summon armies of undead being appealing toD&Dplayers across multiple editions. Similar to the Oathbreaker, this subclass will absolutely be added in the future, with the question being where or when.
InD&D5e’s 2014 rules,the College of Necromancy has been arguably one of the weakest of the Wizard subclass options. Unlike the powerful Evocation, Abjuration, Divination, or War Magic schools, Necromancy takes some time to get going. Most Necromancy Wizards have to wait until Level 6 to start summoning undead, with only slight boosts to health upon killing foes through specific magical conditions sustaining them until that point.
Some features of the Necromancy Wizard that will likely remain in a 2024 rules update is the ability to conjure more undead than a spell states and resistance to necrotic damage from enemy attacks or magic.
In all likelihood, the creators of the new playtest material understand the importance of the Necromancy school and how popular it is with many players. Although it might take more than one Unearthed Arcana to release for the Necromancy school to be included, the 2024 update to this subclass inDungeons and Dragonswill likely overhaul the archetype, making it far stronger than it was before.
