Deep dive into the latest playtest subclasses and brand new feat options, the paths of villainy, for D&D 2024.
It’s been a little while since we had our last Unearthed Arcana, and this one’s a little unique. Wizards of the Coast have given us 4 villainous subclasses. It seems these lean on the evil side of the spectrum with clerics that spread pestilence, sorcerers with demonic heritages and fiendish hell knights (that may be a little reminiscent of MCDM’s illrigger class).
On top of that though, are a pair of additional options known as paths to villainy. These give players options to become death knights and liches.
I’ve pulled together a deep dive into these options, including looking at whether these new paths to villainy are a satisfying option for players wanting to head down a fully evil transformation.
What’s included in the playtest?
The playtest comes with 4 brand new subclasses. They are:
- Cleric: Pestilence domain
- Druid: Circle of the titan
- Fighter: Hell knight
- Sorcerer: Demonic sorcery
There are also 2 paths to villainy. These are a series of feats you can take that transform you into either a death knight or a lich.
If you want to check out the full playtest material, you can find it all here. Just remember that this is playtest material and will likely change before we get the final version.
Pestilence domain cleric
What is it?
Pestilence clerics worship deities of plague, rot and poison. For this reason, they can harness powers of pestilence, but with greater precision than the rampant plagues often sent by their deities. While some pestilence clerics will worship these gods to invoke vengeance, others do so to prevent pestilence falling upon their people. Apothecaries, doctors, poisoners and royal tasters are among the adherents of the pestilence domain.
Are they any good?
Decent resilience
Poison damage is the most common in the game and necrotic comes up a fair amount. Resistance to both is a solid amount of resilience. But you may need that for your best feature as the pestilence domain kind of demands being close to enemies. In fact, I’d highly recommend working on your resilience for this domain with things like a shield, the tough feat and more resistances.
Plague blessing is extremely powerful
While the range isn’t large, the 1 level of exhaustion per turn this can cause can be devastating over time. -2 to all d20 tests and -5ft movement per level of exhaustion can be really problematic. Especially as the more levels of exhaustion you have, the less likely you are to pass the saving throw.
Having said that, most encounters last 3-4 turns and most enemies do not last that long. Many tougher creatures are also immune to the effects of exhaustion too and this needs to be delivered on subsequent turns by standing next to the creature which means making a class that only has average resilience, quite vulnerable. It also targets constitution which tends to be one of the higher ability scores on creatures.
Isolated, this is powerful, but maybe not really powerful (it’s probably less problematic than hypnotic pattern for your foes). But if for some reason, a party has 2 pestilence clerics, then this can kill and doubles the speed of exhaustion being applied too. It also can be used in conjunction with concentration spells. Combine it with saving throw reducing effects too like mind sliver or bane and you’ve got quite a nasty tactic for handling tough creatures you need to soften up a bit.
Virulent burst makes killing enemies even better
When an enemy dies, you can make a plague burst from their body and harm nearby enemies. You can either incapacitate for a turn or land some extra damage. It’s a really handy reaction, especially among crowds and works even better if the creature’s had your plague blessing applied to them.
Vermin form grants high level resilience and rewards mobility
It may be high level, but there’s a lot about the pestilence clerics that suggests moving around a lot will really help you out. Vermin form adds to this as you are a swarm that can walk through the space of other creatures (kind of like sleepless in the Cosmere series). Doing so causes a bit of damage once per turn. Combine this with plague blessing and you’re doing a lot of damage.
You may want to consider things like the speedy feat, a fast species like a Wood Elf and even a 2 level dip in rogue for bonus action disengage/dash (though that’s quite a big investment). Layer spirit guardians on to this and enemies will be scrambling to get away from your foul aura.
Verdict
The pestilence domain has some unique powers that play with ideas we’ve not seen much of before in character design. Layering exhaustion effects onto enemies, transforming into swarms and causing effects when enemies die.
Not only is the pestilence domain unique, it’s also potent. Perhaps a little too potent. I’d maybe suggest that plague blessing needs tightening up a little bit, perhaps to prevent abuse cases (like preventing doubling up on exhaustion effects or limiting this feature to 3 levels of exhaustion). Otherwise, I really like this subclass, though it does feel too gross for me to want to play it.
5/5
Circle of the titan druid
What is it?
These druids can transform into creatures of titanic proportions, often doing so to destroy the civilisations that cause great harm on the natural world.
Are they any good?
Titan forms make an excellent alternative to standard wild shape
These titan forms are extremely cool! Live out your favourite Godzilla fantasies by levelling cities and become gargantuan (eventually). There are loads of effects and options layering on here. You’ve got aquatic and flying options, extra reach for some more safety, and improved temporary hit points for the greater resilience you’ll need in close combat.
Titan forms excel at dealing effects
You’ve got a bonus action prone emanation (for advantage on subsequent rend attacks), very powerful breath weapons, emanation healing and even reactionary ink clouds for protection when under threat. Eventually, you can even grapple and swallow enemies (and I like the concentration mechanic giving enemies a way to have you vomit those you swallow and prevent other concentration spell effects). Ironically, while kind of tough, you’re not really tough (especially due to your low AC) so do need to use some protective tactics.
Make a great mount
With swim and fly speeds and at least a large size, you can be ridden by at least one ally at a time, if not more. This can be really handy for getting allies to the right places and they can even benefit from things like the mounted combatant feat.
How does it compare to the moon druid?
That’s a little tricky as there are so many forms to transform into, but this is the other druid circle with enhanced wild shape. However, the moon druid is more resilient. They get 3 x level in temporary hit points (titan druids get 2 x level). Moon druids also have a much better AC (13 + wisdom modifier whereas titan druids get between 8 and 11 + wisdom modifier). Moon druids also deal more damage with their standard attacks, especially from level 14.
This may feel stacked very much in the diminutive moon druid’s favour, but titan druids have a lot of other tricks up their sleeves. They have things like breath weapons (which is similar to a lightning bolt in potency depending on the spell level you expend). There’s also healing, knocking prone, ink clouds and swallowing among other things.
If you want a more classically resilient wild shape specialist, then the moon druid is still a great option. But if you want to play something massive with loads of effects, but that may be a bit vulnerable (comparatively) then the titan druid is the one for you.
I would say though, that I think the balance is off here. The AC is far too low and the damage doesn’t scale enough in my opinion.
Verdict
I think the circle of the titan is mostly brilliant! The druid has badly needed another subclass that properly capitalises on wild shape, but in a completely different way to the moon druid. The wonderful thing is, it manages to accomplish this. There’s so many interesting options here and the fantasy of playing Godzilla is also very real here.
I might quibble that the damage feels a little weak for a titan. This mostly balances with other effects but I think those other effects could afford to be weakened a little and the damage strengthened. I do also think that insectoid has an especially low AC (maximum of 13 is very low), and the rest are quite poor too. But with a few tweaks, I think this is a wonderfully realised subclass I didn’t know I wanted.
4/5
Hell knight fighter
What are they?
Hell knights are the servants of Hell. Serving under Archdevils, cambions and other Hellish commanders, hell knights receive devilish powers and act in the interests of Hell. This might be as a soldier in the blood war or as an agent in the mortal realms.
While this may seem evil (and often means performing evil deeds), there are many reasons one might become a hell knight. This might be for personal gain, but could also be the price of a lost deal or a trade to save a loved one.
Are they any good?
Devil’s sight makes them great in darkness
Hell knights can see in magical darkness. This means having a spellcaster with the darkness spell can allow the hell knight to attack with advantage while others attack with disadvantage while in that magical darkness.
Hellfire weapon is pretty good at level 3
The hellfire weapon is pretty decent at low levels. Changing the damage type of your attacks makes it easier to bypass resistances, especially when you hit level 7 and can ignore fire resistance. On top of this, the extra damage is useful and solid at this level. I’m not sure why they state you have one infernal wound die as this is not expendable. I suspect this was part of an old mechanic where infernal wound dice were expendable like bardic inspiration dice.
But scaling beyond level 3 is poor
Advanced wounds occurs maybe once every other combat on average (assuming 3-4 turns per encounter). This isn’t a lot for something that isn’t that powerful and is random for when it applies. Your level 15 feature layers onto this effect while level 18 makes it twice as likely (so probably occurring once per encounter). This still feels a little underwhelming and too reliant on chance for me.
Hellfire surge causes too little damage
This is kind of a cool feature, but I feel like the damage is too small. 1d6 and then 1d4 on subsequent turns is just a really slow burn (excuse the pun). I know it’s basically a free effect, but it does feel lacking in impact.
Hellfire condemnation is cool, but mechanically meaningless
There’s definitely some roleplay fun to be had here, but mechanically, this is basically meaningless. Still, who doesn’t want to subject their big bad to a future as a lemure in Hell?
Verdict
I think the best way to compare the hell knight is to compare them to a battle master. Battle masters have a similar mechanic, but the extra damage scales with levels and has extra effects that can be chosen and tend to be better than an infernal wound (in my opinion).
Maybe I just prefer reliability and having control over my fate, but I’d rather see the extra effects of infernal wounds be options you can choose to add to your attacks, like the battle master, rather than effects that occur by chance.
The hell knight is OK. It just feels a little on the weak and unpredictable side. A bit better damage scaling and reliability and I think there’s something here.
2/5
Demonic sorcery sorcerer
What is it?
These sorcerers have powers originating from Abyssal, demonic powers. Demons have chaotic powers, making these sorcerers sinister and unpredictable.
Is it any good?
Abyssal rupture is very uneven
Disadvantage on attack rolls is really good to add into an already quite good effect. It’s possibly too good. But then demonic lash is quite poor. 1d4 damage is negligible, but pulling a creature 10ft closer is a poor option for a sorcerer, especially when the range is 20ft. Sorcerers generally want to be staying away from enemies, not getting closer.
But abyssal aura encourages you to get close to enemies
Having said that, abyssal aura is built for you to get close to enemies. The effects are random, but quite good… If you’re a martial. The use case for demonic lash is obviously to pull creatures in closer to be hampered by your abyssal aura.
The main problem here is that you’re not really given the tools to survive making the most of this. Really you want to be wading amongst foes and causing some frustrating effects. Instead, you’ll probably be dead in 2 turns and no one will care about your abyssal aura.
Unpredictable chaos isn’t great for tacticians
But every option is good enough that you still know you’re getting a good option to inflict at least. I think this is the best way to make a chaotic subclass work (and a demonically influenced subclass really does need to be chaotic).
Level 14 does make things better
Your aura becomes larger at this level and you have more choice over what effect it causes. This makes you a bit safer, but still not safe. If you do really want to play this subclass, I think lurking behind your martials is probably your best option.
Verdict
I really like the ideas for this sorcerer, but the implementation I think just doesn’t really work for a sorcerer. Some fragile classes do have tools to survive like the bladesinger or the valor bard, but this sorcerer doesn’t have that.
I think you could do a couple of things (other than rip up the subclass and start again). The first is to build in hit and run mechanics. The subclass makes this impossible as the abyssal aura requires an enemy start their turn in the aura to trigger the effect, but what if it just occurred when they came within range of the aura? This would allow the sorcerer to move in and out of range a little.
Alternatively, you weaken some of these effects, but grant them more range. 20ft to start with or have them be chaotic sphere effects you hurl into the midst of enemies. For now though, I don’t see this sorcerer lasting long on the battlefield.
2/5
Paths of villainy
There has long been discussion over how characters can achieve certain evil transformations. Among those are death knights and liches which this UA tackles. The idea is to integrate this into existing class, species and feat structures rather than making a new species, class or separate type of character option.
You must take 3 feats for your path of villainy. An initiate feat from level 4, an additional feat of your choice that relates to that path of villainy, and then an ascension feat after that. In theory, you could take more villainous feats as there are 3/4 optional ones for each path of villainy so someone like a fighter could become more death knightly than most other classes as they get more ability score improvements (which means more options for feats).
Path of the Death Knigh
To become a death knight, you’ll need to have the weapon mastery feature. This means it’s available to barbarians, fighters, paladins, rangers and rogues. You can also take a one level multiclass dip into one of these classes to gain access to this path. I don’t think the weapon master feat will allow you to qualify here as it says you need the weapon mastery feature and the feat isn’t the weapon mastery feature, it just gives you weapon mastery properties.
How good is it?
Death knight initiate is a slight twist on other spells granting feats
It’s a bit like fey touched or shadow touched. But you lack the 2nd level spell, but do have more castings available. Wrathful smite is also superior as this causes disadvantage on the saving throw.
It’s pretty decent but with one drawback. It requires a decent charisma to be good at it. This makes it ideal for paladins and can be good for some rogues and fighters, but not great for rangers and barbarians that want to become a death knight.
Other death knight feats work in a similar way
You get an enhanced spell you can repeat cast with your death knight points. These are all good options, but while 2 give level 1 spells, one gives a level 2 spell and another a level 3 spell making deathly presence the superior option. They could maybe balance this by making it cost an extra death point to cast fear.
While the higher level spells are gated to level 8, most classes can’t take one of these feats until level 8 anyway. It’s not broken, but it does make it hard to resist always taking deathly presence. In fact the power level there is higher than other similar feats with no other granting a level 3 spell.
Death knight ascension grants the flavour of a death knight
You get the main trappings of a death knight here. You become undead, gain some resistances and get a a fireball equivalent. For most death knight classes, it’ll be nice to have an AoE damage dealers, and this is potentially quite potent, but will eat into your death points quite quickly.
Verdict
The path of the death knight does manage to accomplish the flavour of a death knight with their dread spellcasting. I think what we get is something that’s on the higher end of potency when it comes to feats, but unlike 3rd party options like Grim Hollow’s transformations, doesn’t break the balance of the game either. If I wanted to play a death knight, I think this accomplishes this fantasy within the realms of what should occur in the game from a mechanics perspective.
4/5
Path of the lich
Liches are spellcasting undead that perform dark deeds to gain their powers. To become one, you must have the spellcasting or pact magic feature. This means it’s available to bards, clerics, druids, paladins, rangers, sorcerers, warlocks and wizards. Eldritch knights and arcane tricksters can also get in on the action too.
How good is it?
Lich initiate is kind of weak
Killing a creature gives an extra d6 + spellcasting modifier on your next attack roll, and that’s it. It’s not a lot and pushes you to make an attack roll (many spellcasters might primarily rely on saving throw effects). Yes I know the spirit jar is there, but that’s more of a burden than a boon.
Transfer life also feels a bit weak
But fortunately, arcane restoration and undead grasp have more satisfying effects that I think will be more useful.
Lich ascension is what a death knight can gain from deathly presence at level 8, but worse
Yes, both grant the fear spell and the death knight has a better version. I know you also get to be undead and have some resistances and can reform when you die, but it just feels like the death knight gets a better bunch of feats, despite being the weaker spellcaster, and probably the weaker creature too.
Verdict
Where the death knight feels suitably powerful, I feel like the lich isn’t even as powerful as that, and liches should be extremely powerful beings. Presumably much of that is baked into your class progression, but I just feel like liches get more burdens and less boons.
I think the flavour is kind of there, but not the fantasy of playing a lich. Siphoning souls just feels too inconsequential with this path.
2/5
Summary
I feel like this unearthed arcana has done a lot to try new ideas and nothing falls completely flat which is really positive.
In fact, some options are really strong and exciting (with a few tweaks), like the titan druid or the path of the death knight. Others feel like they need a bit more work like the hell knight and the path of the lich.
The good news is I don’t think anything needs throwing out completely, but I do think the path of the lich is a challenge for the sake of balance and lore. Liches are meant to be really powerful, but getting those levels right both mechanically and for the lore will be challenging. They can definitely turn the dial up a bit here, but it may still be a struggle to get the right levels no matter what they do.
It’s also worth shouting out to the poor monk who can take no path of villainy.
