Summary
The spooky season has come early forDungeons & Dragonsfans, since a new Unearthed Arcana has been released with eight horror-themed subclasses to test out. Most of them are updated versions that can now fit with the 2024 ruleset, but there are some new faces to meet as well.
Here, we will rank these subclasses based on what new things they bring to the table, how well they are updated if they aren’t new, and, of course, how fun they are to play. Get your playtesting sheets ready, gather your friends for a one-shot, and let’s explore these horror-themed subclasses.
8Grave Domain Cleric
A Light Update
There is nothing inherently wrong with the updated version of grave domain for this Unearthed Arcana, but it doesn’t bring a lot new to the table. What made the subclass shine in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is still here, albeit with a bit more focus on combat.
Still, the update is appreciated, particularly for clerics who want to useolder subclasseswith the 2024 rules. This way, the early levels are perfectly balanced for adventures or campaigns that start as early as level one, without players needing to adjust anything.
7College Of Spirits Bard
A Better Channeler Of The Dead
The college of spirits for bards was already an interesting take on the class, first seen in Van Richten’s Guide to Raveloft. However, it needed a few adjustments to gofrom good to great, and this Unearthed Arcana does that and more, while also bringing the subclass up to date with the 2024 rules.
The biggest update is to its central feature, Spirits from Beyond, where nearly every spirit has been either replaced or updated to be of greater use. You no longer learn a spell from any class at level six (instead gaining Spirit Guardians), which helps differentiate this subclass from the college of lore.
6Phantom Rogue
Easy Access To Soul Trinkets
Phantom rogues have a clear theming of ghostly assassins, but the way they functioned made themsomewhat cumbersome: they need Soul Trinkets for some of their most fun mechanics, but gaining them requires someone to die around them.
In certain adventures, that isn’t a problem, but it can make the player either unwilling to spend their Trinkets, or too eager to slay all NPCs. With this updated version, Soul Trinkets are gained with a long rest, letting players use and experiment with them, as well as not rely solely on the dead to replenish them.
Better At Later Levels
Warlocks get two subclasses to test in this edition of Unearthed Arcana, with the undead patron being the softest of the updates. However, it still adds significant changes that come with the 2024 rules, like gaining the initial features at level three and having the new spells always prepared.
While the whole subclass has been improved, the biggest change has to be the final feature, Superior Dread. It replaces the old ability to have your spirit leave your body, and instead makes your Form of Dread grant flight, improved damage, and life stealing.
4Shadow Sorcery Sorcerer
Now With A Proper Spell List
The shadow sorcery subclass is the one that improves the most when compared with its previous iteration in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. One of these significant changes is a list of always-prepared spells that fit the shadow fantasy perfectly, something sorely lacking in the older version.
However, the one change players will enjoy the most is to Hound of Ill Omen, now known as Spirits of Ill Omen. This is because, instead of gaining a very limited wolf summon at level six, you instead gain the ability to cast Summon Undead without spending a spell slot.
3Hexblade Patron Warlock
A New Subclass
Since many features of the old hexblade patron from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything are now baseline in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, the designers of Unearthed Arcana decided to take a different approach with the subclass: instead of focusing on the blade, they are focusing on the hex.
This means that you are no longer expected to be a melee warlock when choosing this subclass, since it focuses on casting Hex for free, maintaining concentration on it and healing with the extra damage done. Some players might not be into these changes, but the old hexblade will always be there; this can be considered a whole new kind of warlock.
2Hollow Warden Ranger
The Terror Of The Woods
As one of the two new subclasses introduced in this Unearthed Arcana, the hollow warden ranger is all about representing its theme. It is a dread stalker that can frighten any foe, and it excels at being in the front lines of any confrontation.
Due to the focus on Hunter’s Mark the 2024 rangers have, the hollow warden is using the spell to its full extent. The subclass has a special form you can access, but to enter it, you need your Hunter’s Mark to be active. While the flow of play isn’t all that new to experienced rangers, a subclass that focuses on melee fighting certainly is.
1Reanimator Artificer
It’s Alive!
Artificers very rarely get any new toys to play with, and in fact, they haven’t been officially included yet into the 2024 updated rules. However, that hasn’t stopped this Unearthed Arcana to include one of the most fun subclasses the game has seen yet.
The core of the class is the Reanimated Companion, a small creature you can create to fight on your behalf. Among its special features, Lighting Absorption and Death Burst stand out to make this a completely different Companion from the ones available to other classes.
