Deep dive into the latest playtest subclasses for D&D 2024.
Wizards of the Coast has revisited a few of the subclasses from Xanthar’s Guide to Everything, in an attempt to update them for 2024 rules.
These come in the form of an Unearthed Arcana; playtest material for the community to try out and supply feedback to Wizards. Let’s see how they stack up against the classic versions.
What’s included in the playtest?
The playtest comes with 5 updated subclasses. They are:
- Path of the Spiritual Guardian (Barbarian)
- Path of the Storm Herald (Barbarian)
- The Cavalier (Fighter)
- Warrior of Intoxication (Monk)
- Oathbreaker (paladin)
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.
Path of the Spiritual Guardian (Barbarian)
Path of the Spiritual Guardian (Barbarian)
What is it?
The Path of the Spiritual Guardian is a reimagined take on the Ancestral Guardian Barbarian from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. In this version, the focus is broadened a bit, these Barbarians no longer channel just their ancestors, but any kind of spirit, including elementals.
The intention looks to be giving players more flexibility in flavour, letting them theme their spiritual allies around the character concept such as using as ghosts, fey, or elemental spirits in battle. Mechanically this version reworks some of the old subclass’s signature features.
Is it any good?
A split decision at level 3
A key change comes at Level 3, where the old Ancestral Protectors feature has been chopped into three smaller effects on hit, Distract, Protect, and Strike.
- Distract – Gives enemies disadvantage on attacks against anyone but you – a classic taunt ability.
- Protect – Causes an enemy’s next attack against another creature to deal only half damage.
- Strike – Adds 1d6 elemental damage (acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder) to your hit.
This feels like a useful upgrade on the original ability, which previously was only applied to one attack per turn. This is now used on every attack, so if your Barbarian dual wields, you are doing 3 or 4 times per turn once you level up and gain more attacks.
This is important as applying the taunt to multiple enemies will be effective in keeping squishier party members safe. With the Speedy feat in place, you could charge between enemies using the Ancestral Protectors and keeping the focus on yourself. If there’s only a few enemies in the encounter, then you could just opt for the bonus d6 damage. Overall for a Barbarian making a lot of attacks, this ability can be devastating to an enemy group.
Spirit shield is still solid
At Level 6, Spirit Shield makes a return, letting your Barbarian use a reaction to reduce damage dealt to an ally within 30ft. This now scales with your rage damage bonus instead of a fixed amount of dice.
Consult the spirits still works well
At Level 10, the Barbarian can still use the spells Augury or Clairvoyance once per rest, gaining spiritual guidance from their guardians. This feature remains unchanged and is still a useful addition to the offensively focussed Barbarian class, something interesting for them to do out of combat.
An OK capstone ability
The Level 14 feature Vengeful Spirits, replaces Vengeful Ancestors from the original version. Instead of redirecting damage through your guardian spirits, you now gain an extra attack when you roll an 18-20 on a melee attack.
Mechanically, this is fine and probably will win your Barbarian more battles in the long run. But there’s now no spiritual tie-in, just a random critical style like bonus attack. It’s an uninspired damage buff that could belong to any subclass.
There are certainly worse capstones across DnD but this doesn’t feel very exciting.
The verdict
The Path of the Spiritual Guardian feels like a step forward for one of the better Barbarian subclasses in 5e.
This changes fragment its core feature, but make it more useful against bigger groups if you Barbarian is geared up to attack as much as possible The endgame ability is less useful and feels more generic. The end result feels a little more functional overall, but not hugely different than the original.
4/5
Path of the Storm Herald (Barbarian)
What is it?
The Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian channels their rage into a storm of elemental power. This subclass offers three distinct storm types; Desert, Sea, and Tundra, each granting different damage types and other effects as the Barbarian rages.
This concept gives players a lot of flavor and flexibility, almost functioning like three subclasses in one.
Is it any good?
Desert storm is a solid option
The desert aura was previously the underperformer of the three, and while the update attempts to fix it, the results are mixed. The aura no longer deals automatic damage, now it requires a Dexterity save, but the damage dice have improved. So it’s got a better ceiling but a lower floor.
That said, the loss of automatic damage slows down combat a bit. If you’re only dealing a handful of fire damage each round, rolling saves for every creature in range feels like something extra to think about. If the effect is not that spectacular, it doesn’t really feel like it’s worth rolling dice for.
A bigger issue remains in that the desert still burns your allies if they’re in the aura. You can pick one ally to automatically succeed on the save. It does feel like for such a low damage ability, we really didn’t need to offset that with risk to allies too.
Sea sails along steadily
The sea aura continues to be a strong choice among the three options. It lets you fire off lightning while raging, dealing solid damage to a single target. Not too complicated, but it does what a Barbarian is hoping for, more damage.
Tundra is harder to keep track of
The tundra aura saw the biggest overhaul, but not really for the better. Previously it granted temporary hit points to allies, which was both simple and useful. However, one weakness of the old approach is that this Temp HP couldn’t stack and you would need to wait until it was used up to add more. Now, it reduces the next damage roll of a creature hit by your aura instead. It’s more complicated to track, but probably saves more of your allies in the long run, however there’s always a chance it doesn’t work at all.
The high level tundra feature is even weaker than before. Its level 14 ability now just deals 2d4 cold damage and halves a creature’s speed. At level 14, 2d4 damage per round is just a bit tepid.
Unchanged mid-tier features still have issues
Levels 6 and 10 abilities (Storm Soul and Shielding Storm) remain virtually untouched. You gain resistances tied to your chosen storm (fire, lightning, or cold), and your allies share that resistance. That’s a nice defensive option on paper, but in practice, grouping everyone into a 10-foot aura to share damage resistance is a bit fiddly. It’s more likely that the frontline attackers who are protected most of the time. Generally speaking it will be useful sometimes, but it’s not an ability to write home about.
Raging storm isn’t really raging
The Raging Storm capstone features are supposed to represent the biggest manifestation of each element, but two of the three just feel very big.
- Desert – Adds 2d4 burning damage over time. It’s a nice bonus on top of the damage already being dealt by the desert aura. It’s a little high maintenance rolling all the extra dice, but the results are likely going to be solid.
- Tundra – Deals 2d4 cold damage and halves speed. Again, this is just too weak for level 14.
- Sea – Chains lightning between targets for extra damage, finally feeling like something worthy of the raging storm name.
All of these upgrades feel like good progression and quite rewarding, with the Desert standing out most. However they are a little busy and will add some additional consideration to your Barbarians combat turns.
The verdict
The Path of the Storm Herald has always been a cool concept but this Unearthed Arcana version still doesn’t quite stick the landing.
While the sea aura is simple, the desert and tundra, while effecttive are bogged down by awkward mechanics, and a lot of dice rolling. Also, the subclass’s highest-level abilities feel tacked on, with 1d4 and 2d4 damage bonuses that don’t feel explosive for a level 14 ability.
2/5
The Cavalier (Fighter)
What is it?
The Cavalier has always been D&D’s answer to the classic mounted knight. Despite the imagery of mounted combat, this subclass isn’t actually dependent on a horse. In fact, nearly all of its features work perfectly well without.
Is it good?
It’s not just about the horse
A lot of players misunderstand the Cavalier as a mounted only subclass, but that’s not really accurate.
The mount-specific part (Born to the Saddle) is just one of three features gained at level three, and it’s mostly about convenience. Everything else the subclass does, from marking foes to protecting allies, works perfectly well without a mount. It’s nice that the design still supports mounted play, but this fighter works just as well storming the battlefield on foot.
Unwavering mark, but not unwaveringly good
The biggest change comes to Unwavering Mark ability. The old version from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything let you mark an enemy and if that enemy attacked anyone but the Cavalier, you could retaliate with a bonus action attack that did extra damage equal to your fighter level. It was a useful ability that acted as a bit of a taunt and let a fighter do more fighting.
The new version now lacks the bonus attack. Instead, you just get advantage on attacks against marked enemies that hit your friends. It feels simpler, but it’s also weaker and far less engaging as a class that likes to hit people. Your Cavalier might be more accurate but less attacks means less opportunity for other attacking synergies.
Warding maneuver can keep allies in the fight
Warding maneuver remains unchanged, it is still solid but not very exciting.
You can roll a d8 as a reaction to boost a nearby ally’s AC against one attack, and if the hit still lands, they get resistance to that attack’s damage. It does provide a good use for your reaction, which often goes to waste on fighters, plus it costs nothing other than the wherewithal to stay near your compatriots.
The charge feels more applicable
At level 15, Ferocious Charger got a big rework; the original allowed you to knock a creature prone after charging 10 feet in a straight line, once per turn.
The new version gives you a speed boost and immunity to opportunity attacks for the first round of combat only, plus when you charge past an opponent you can force a strength saving throw or they are pushed back and knocked prone. While this is a little fiddly, it has a much higher ceiling. A mounted Cavalier already gets into the fight quickly, so you can dash past lots of enemies, forcing saving throws that could result in knocking enemies prone each round, as long as you can keep moving. On a horse, you could dash as far as 120ft to give you lots of options on which enemy is getting tipped over. And this doesn’t even consider all of the attacks a Fighter can do to lay in some damage on top, which are more likely to land on a downed opponent..
Still strong at the top end
The Cavalier’s capstone ability, Vigilant Defender, remains really good. The chance to make an opportunity attack on every creature’s turn (apart from your own) is still really strong and I’m glad to see it’s still here.
The Verdict
The updated Cavalier Fighter has improved in its ability to protect and manage a battlefield. Some of the tweaks simplify the subclass, and with some tweaks could be a really unique fighter option.
This isn’t a bad subclass by any means, it’s still thematically solid, but it’s also a missed opportunity. Designers could have leaned into making the Cavalier more focussed on the mount and while we didn’t lose too much in function, there’s a nagging feeling they could still feel more distinct.
3/5
Warrior of Intoxication (Monk)
What is it?
The Warrior of Intoxication is the new take on the Drunken Master Monk, designed to combine unorthodox movement and magical beverages that enhance the Monk’s abilities.
This subclass is themed around tactical unpredictability, letting the Monk appear clumsy while delivering impactful attacks and defensive maneuvers.
Drunken technique & bonus proficiencies remain the same
At level three, the subclass remains pretty much the same. Drunken technique grants disengage on Flurry of Blows and proficiency in using brewer’s supplies and performance skills. While this preserves the flavour, it’s unchanged from Xanathar’s Guide version.
Redirect attack and mystic brew are more fun than useful
Redirect Attack is one of the most creative abilities added, allowing you to redirect an enemy’s melee attack to another creature within 5 feet. Conceptually, this is really fun and feels like it’s ripped straight from a Jackie Chan movie. The problem is that it’s highly situational, requiring the Monk to be near two targets for it to function, so it’s up to the monk to get stuck into the brawl. However, it’s not always possible, so it can sometimes feel like a wasted ability. This is as it was in the previous iteration.
Mystic brew is the new feature replacing drunkard’s luck, allowing the Monk to create magical beverages for temporary buffs. While flavorful, it is kept in check: you can only create one brew per short or long rest, the brews somehow only work on a monk, and it takes a full minute to consume the beverage. These restrictions make the feature feel a bit awkward
The effects of the drinks themselves are inconsistent, for example, Heavenly Spirit gives resistance to psychic/radiant damage, but considering this takes far too long to drink in battle, you would need to drink it in advance of the fight and somehow anticipate the damage type ahead of time.
Master brewer adds flavour but not battle prowess
At level eleven, the Monk gains additional beverage options and enhanced interactions via Master Brewer. Blue Lightning grants an extra strike on certain reactions, and the updated Drunkard’s Luck gives Heroic Inspiration at initiative. These abilities are decent flavour, and somewhat useful but ultimately won’t greatly impact this Monk in battle at the level you might expect from a high level ability.
Intoxicated fury, but only against multiple foes
Intoxicated Fury grants up to three additional attacks during Flurry of Blows but only against separate creatures. While this sounds great in theory, it is a little situational and requires a little finesse to set up. Not bad but a little specific for a capstone, where you might have expected something that could be used less situationally.
The Verdict
Warrior of intoxication has a distinct sense of identity (although the change in name does dampen that a little) and has improved a bit from the Drunken Master. However, most of the signature abilities tied to the mystic brew system, while conceptually fun, are restricted in ways that make it frustrating to use.
For a player who wants a fun, different take on the class, this is not a bad option. For a player who wants consistent mechanical performance this needs some tweaks before it rivals some of the original set of subclasses from the 2024 players handbook.
3/5
Oathbreaker (Paladin)
What is it?
The Oathbreaker Paladin is what happens when a holy warrior abandons their oath for darker power. Whether through pride, corruption, or a thirst for forbidden strength, these fallen paladins twist their divine gifts into tools of fear and domination.
Is it any good?
A real upgrade for the fallen
Unlike most of the other subclasses in this Unearthed Arcana, the Oathbreaker actually seems to improve on its 2014 version.
The most important fix is to the old Aura of Hate, which previously boosted the damage of all fiends and undead, enemies included. Now it only empowers your allies, making it far less self-sabotaging. That one change alone makes the subclass much more useful. Of course you were not always facing these kinds of enemies, but when you did, it really felt devastating.
Channel divinity finally feels worth it
The reworked Conjure Undead feature replaces the old Control Undead option with something much more satisfying, summoning your own skeletons/zombies to fight under your sway.
It’s great from a thematic point of view and much less awkward than trying to dominate existing undead, which of course are not always there to be used. Meanwhile, Dreadful Aspect lets you terrify your foes after smiting them. This is highly efficient, as you don’t need to spend any kind of action to activate, beyond the initial smite, and you net a 30ft aura of potentially frightened enemies.
Better defense across the board
The old version of the Oathbreaker didn’t have too much in the way of damage resistance. That’s been improved on in this UA version with resistance now applied to all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, magic or not. It’s a small change but it’s a big upgrade for fighting high level threats
The dread lord darkness done right
The final ability, Dread Lord, has gone from interesting in the old version, to powerful. Instead of an aura of dim light, you now shroud yourself in magical darkness that blinds your enemies while leaving you and your allies untouched. Any creature frightened within that aura takes 4d10 psychic damage, and your paladin can lash out with shadowy attacks as a bonus action. It’s powerful, full of flavour and a great capstone ability.
The verdict
The Oathbreaker has seen some fantastic upgrades and now has a toolkit that makes it viable for players, not just as a villain NPC. It’s still a bit edgy by design, but it finally delivers on the theme of a corrupted paladin wielding fear and undeath against its foes.
5/5
Summary
This UA has been a bit of a mixed bag. Most of these playtest subclasses are a bit better but require some tweaking to really hang with what we have from the 2024 players handbook.. The standout here is the Oathbreaker, winning on flavour and effectiveness. There may be more alternations needed for the others to stand out, as they feel a bit stymied by some of the mid to later level abilities being a bit specific or labor intensive to really shine.
Spotlight on the D&D 2024 revision
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