The new Dungeons and Dragons books, Heroes of Faerun and Adventures in Faerun, are just around the corner. These new books, which are part of the tabletop role-playing game's ongoing Fifth Edition rule update, bring with them eight new subclasses. While these new Dungeons and Dragons subclasses are strong additions to the game that players will certainly enjoy experimenting with, the distribution does show clear favoritism towards one specific play style.
Dungeons and Dragons' New Subclasses Clearly Lean Towards Magic
Eight of Dungeons and Dragons' twelve classes will be receiving a new subclass in Heroes of Faerun: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard. Right off the bat, the dominance of magic is clear; two of the game's melee-focused classes, Barbarian and Monk, were passed over entirely. Yes, Druid and Warlock, the other two neglected classes, do use magic, but the distribution still feels uneven .
While the final versions of the abilities, spells, and skills the new subclasses will have access to have not yet been revealed, early playtest versions accessed via the Unearthed Arcana system give an idea of what's in store. Notably, several classes which are often not focused on magic are given heavily magic-based subclasses in the new books:
- The Winter Walker Ranger gains several ice-based spells, a Wisdom-based healing ability, and a transformation ability tied to the Hunter's Mark spell.
- The Scion of the Three Rogue gains cantrips based on whether they swear allegiance to Bane, Bhaal, or Myrkul, fear-causing abilities based on Wisdom saves, and a supernatural aura.
Adding magic-based Rogue and Ranger subclasses is an odd choice, especially as Rogue already had two magical subclasses in Arcane Trickster and Soulknife. While Scion of the Three is not as overtly magical as the previous two, it still prioritizes magic over stealth. The Swashbuckler, a popular Rogue subclass recently introduced as part of Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8, is still notably missing from the 2024 rule update in non-Unearthed Arcana form, which has disappointed some fans.
The addition of Bladesinger, which gives a Wizard some melee abilities, does somewhat mitigate the magical focus of the new subclasses. However, it still stands that, of the eight, Banneret Fighter is the only class that is not fully or partially centered around magic.
Banneret Is A Disappointing Replacement For Purple Dragon Knight
Initially, the Fighter subclass fans believed would be included in Heroes of Faerun was the Purple Dragon Knight, a rider who shares a powerful bond with an amethyst dragon. The subclass was a unique one, granting the user a dragon companion that they could deploy in combat. It was a particular favorite of Baldur's Gate 3 fans, as it reminded them of companion Lae'zel, who wishes to become a dragon rider (albeit with a red mount rather than amethyst) and can potentially fulfill that dream.
However, when the eight subclasses were finally announced, Purple Dragon Knight was replaced with Banneret. Banneret is a far more generic subclass focused on defense and support, with abilities including:
- Proficiency in Persuasion
- Ability to heal nearby allies using the Second Wind feature
- Inspire allies nearby to make additional attacks.
Between the absence of Barbarian and Monk, the magic focus of Ranger and Rogue, and the fairly generic nature of Banneret, the Heroes of Faerun subclass seem to tell a clear story: magic is king, and melee is secondary. Adding to the lack of Baldur's Gate 3 tie-ins despite Wizards of the Coast frequently advertising the connection, the result is a somewhat disappointing set of subclasses that appeal primarily to players interested in making magic-based characters. While the books are still exciting new content, the included subclasses could have offered greater variety rather than relying on magic so heavily at every opportunity.
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- 1974
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson