Dungeons & Dragonshas been playing around with a lot of new subclasses recently, and the newest Unearthed Arcana playtest includes four off-the-wall additions. In January, D&D debuted a number of Unearthed Arcana subclasses focusing on the Forgotten Realms, and May brought eight horror options into the mix.
The latest Unearthed Arcana features four “Apocalyptic” subclasses, which can be viewed in a PDF available on D&D Beyond. These include the Circle of Preservation Druid, Gladiator Fighter, Defiled Sorcery Sorcerer, and Sorcerer-King Patron Warlock. These subclasses all fit a campaign setting with a struggling, post-apocalyptic world, although they could still be used in other contexts.
D&D’s New Subclasses Embrace The Apocalypse
Not Your Average Heroes
The Circle of Preservation Druid focuses on conserving and restoring nature, making it a natural fit for worlds ruined by apocalyptic events. A Druid of this subclass can preserve small areas of land to offer buffs and eventually cast restoration spells without slots or components.
The Gladiator Fighter might be the subclass most likely to fit into the average campaign, and it’s basically what it says on the tin. Gladiators can use Brutality options as special weapon mastery properties to give them extra prowess in melee combat.
Defiled Sorcery is a darker take than the usual Sorcerer subclass, with an innate power that “siphons life essence from the surrounding world.” Defiled Sorcerers defile their environment to gain access to dark spells, and they can also attempt to steal life from other creatures.
A Warlock with a Sorcerer-King patron gets psionic power from a “monstrous, tyrannical force.” As they gain levels, this power allows them additional control over other creatures, ranging from boosts to intimidation to a buff to the command spell.
Apocalyptic D&D Subclasses Are An Interesting Surprise
Dark Times Are Ahead
D&D‘s recent Unearthed Arcana subclasses have felt like the first indications of where the TTRPG is heading next, with this year’s horror additions raising questions of a return to Ravenloft or another gothic campaign concept. The pivot toward the apocalypse could be the sign of a new take on the Dark Sun campaign setting, but either way, it seems like an ominous first look at a grim campaign or sourcebook in the future.
D&D has been playing with a lot of different possibilities since the 2024 rules revision, and fans of darker D&D material will likely be excited about this one. Of course, not everything that’s cool on paper is always fun to play, but feedback for the newest Dungeons & DragonsUnearthed Arcana subclasses will be open on August 28 if you have any criticism to share.
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Publisher
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TSR Inc., Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
- Player Count
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2-7 Players
