Arcana Unleashed’s 2 Brand-New D&D Subclasses, Explained

If you love to play casters in Dungeons & Dragons, the upcoming Arcana Unleashed sourcebook will be quite the playground. It offers a ton of new magic items, arcane backgrounds, and, of course, 8 new subclasses for D&D 5.5e. Of the new additions, five are revised versions of previous subclasses from older D&D editions. But two of them are brand-new, outside of appearances in Unearthed Arcana playtest materials. That means that players and DMs alike will be digging into these character options for the very first time when Arcana Unleashed arrives on September 15th.

There are new magical options for several classes in Arcana Unleashed, including a few that might surprise you. In all, the Cleric, Fighter, Monk, Warlock, and Wizard have new subclass options for D&D 5.5e. But for those who love to see something truly fresh for their D&D character builds, you’ll want to pay attention to the new Monk and Warlock subclass options. These are the two brand-new entries for Arcana Unleashed, and they deliver some compelling new options for character builds.

The Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk Finally Delivers a True Spellcasting Monk

Monks have always been an interesting class that toes the line between magic and martial, thanks to their Ki Points / Focus Points and related abilities. Now, however, we have a Monk that can truly cast spells alongside their martial abilities. This new Monk subclass unlocks spellcasting at level 3, gaining the ability to use cantrips and spells from the Sorcerer spell list. You’ll be able to prepare new spells when gaining Monk levels, including the ability to swap out one option on your previously selected list. Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monks cast using Wisdom, so this stat will be important when building your Monk if you plan to use this subclass option.

Traditionally, the Monk uses Focus Points for their class abilities. With this Subclass, you gain the ability to convert Spell Slots into Focus Points and vice versa starting at Level 6. This lets you easily move between the Monk’s martial prowess and this subclass’s unique magical abilities as the situation demands. Along those same lines, the Mystic Fighting Style feat lets you alternate between the Unarmed Strike and casting spells. In general, this versatile new subclass is a true hybrid between the traditional martial Monk class and a caster. If you like to make use of magic but also enjoy getting into the fray in battle, the Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk will be an interesting new option for you to try with your next character build.

Tie Yourself to a Dead or Dying God as a Vestige Patron Warlock

The Wizard might have the most newly revised subclass options in Arcana Unleashed, but the Warlock gets a shiny, brand-new one. The Vestige Patron Warlock is a fresh option never before seen in D&D, and it’s pretty fun. With this subclass, your Patron is a dead or dying god. In exchange for your help regaining their former glory, the vestige grants you access to a fraction of their power. At level 3, this power becomes embodied in the form of a Vestige Companion of your choice, a supernatural being that aids you in combat. They come complete with their own stat block and everything. Also at level 3, you will unlock Vestige Spells linked to the Cleric domain of your choosing.

This Warlock subclass has a lot of flavor potential for storytelling, depending on the dead god you pick. But its powers are nothing to sneeze at, either. The Vestige Patron Warlock gains access to powerful spells, but also has the aid of its Vestige Companion. As you level up, your Vestige Companion gets stronger and recovers its abilities more quickly, making it an even more powerful ally in battle. And of course, you’ll continue to get more powerful as well, unlocking new spell slots as you level in true Warlock fashion. As someone who loves a good summoned creature, this may be my top-tier pick for the first new subclass I need to try from Arcana Unleashed.

These new subclasses will be outlined in detail in Arcana Unleashed, which releases on September 15th. Alongside the new subclass options, spells, and magical items in this book, we’re getting a brand-new high-level adventure via Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall. Sounds like a perfect excuse to dig into what these new subclasses can do at higher levels to me.

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