Many subclasses in Dungeons and Dragons bring a cool theme and powerful mechanics to a character. Others … not so much. Today, I present my revisions of three such subclasses. Some needed only a bit of polishing, while others needed to be gutted and rebuilt. I hope these new versions will offer fun and powerful – but not overpowered – options for players apprehensive about the originals, which I will link to in the subheads.
Note: After some excellent feedback, I’ve made some improvements to my original designs, which I’m quite happy with.
Wizard: College of War Magic
Let’s start with an easy one. Half of this college’s features are outstanding, while the others manage to be both over-complicated and useless. We’re going to modify and spread out the good stuff and introduce a couple simple but effective abilities consistent with the college’s theme. Simple!
War mages see their magic as armor, superior to any piece of steel. War mages speed into battle, using their spells to seize tactical control of a situation. The war mage’s motto: “What good is being able to throw a mighty Fireball if I die before I can cast it?”
Tactical Wit
Starting at 2nd level, your keen ability to assess tactical situations allows you to act quickly in battle. You add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative rolls. In addition, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher on the first turn of combat, you cast it as one spell slot higher.
Durable Magic
Beginning at 6th level, the magic you channel helps ward off harm. While you maintain concentration on a spell, you have a +2 bonus to AC and all saving throws.
Arcane Rally
At 10th level, you respond with arcane fury when an ally is struck down. As a reaction when an ally becomes incapacitated, you can cast a spell with a casting time of an action or bonus action.
Adaptable Magic
Beginning at 14th level, you are a master of thinking your way out of danger. When you make a Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom or Charisma saving throw or ability check, you can choose to use Intelligence instead. Explain to the DM how you are using your powers of deduction, battle experience or extensive arcane knowledge to do so. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier and you regain all uses after a long rest.
Warlock: The Unicorn
At early levels, the Celestial can hand out an impressive amount of healing. But its later focus on radiant and fire damage fails to provide a meaningful alternative to the Warlock’s staple cantrip, Agonizing Blast. The few new spells also don’t make the Warlock a true Cleric replacement – a niche the Divine Soul Sorcerer has cornered. So let’s instead lean into the Warlock’s relationship with their patron – specifically the unicorn mentioned in the original flavor text.
Your patron is a unicorn – a powerful being of the Upper Planes. Your pact allows you to experience the barest touch of the holy light that illuminates the multiverse. You might find yourself driven to annihilate the undead, to defeat fiends, and to protect the innocent. Your appearance may also change – growing long, white hair or a sparkling ivory horn from your forehead. Your heart may long to share paradise with your patron for the rest of your days, but you know that your pact binds you to bring light to the dark places of the world.
Expanded Spell List
The Unicorn lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you. In addition, you learn the Druidcraft cantrip and can cast Entangle once per day without expending a spell slot and without needing spell components.
| Unicorn Expanded Spells | |
|---|---|
| Spell Level | Spells |
| 1st | Protection from Evil and Good, Shield of Faith |
| 2nd | Lesser Restoration, Protection from Poison |
| 3rd | Remove Curse, Revivify |
| 4th | Banishment, Find Greater Steed |
| 5th | Greater Restoration, Dispel Evil and Good |
Celestial Telepathy
At 1st level, you can speak telepathically to any creature within 30 feet. You have advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and Wisdom (Insight) checks when you communicate this way.
In addition, you learn Celestial, Elvish and Sylvan.
Celestial Resilience
Starting at 6th level, your connection to your Unicorn patron makes you immune to poison damage and the Charmed, Paralyzed and Poisoned conditions.
Shimmering Shield
At 11th level, the Unicorn’s blessing empowers your spellcasting. When you cast Shield of Faith or Protection from Evil and Good, they do not require concentration or spell components and you can cast them as actions or bonus actions.
Teleport
Like the noble Unicorn, you can rescue others from danger – or bring them where they are needed most. Starting at 14th level, as an action you can magically teleport yourself and up to four willing creatures you can see within 5 feet, along with any Equipment they are wearing or carrying, to a Location you are familiar with, up to 1 mile away. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Ranger: Woodland Archer
The Arcane Archer is a fighter subclass and features several Arcane Shot options with special effects. But you don’t get many uses – maybe one or two per fight – and they depend on your Intelligence modifier for their DC, which is a hard sell for the fighter. So instead, let’s look to the Arcane Archer in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, which lets you imbue arrows with spells. And since the 5e ranger already has spell slots, lets make it a ranger subclass and re-theme it around nature magic.
Many rangers make their name as expert sharpshooters. But some go further, drawing on their connection to nature to imbue their arrows with spells that both damage and hinder their foes. These rangers understand that survival means keeping your enemies where you want them.
Woodland Magic
At 3rd level, you learn two new spells. These spells are ranger spells for you. They don’t count against the number of ranger spells you know. You learn more spells as you gain levels as shown in the Woodland Magic table.
You cast these spells differently than normal. When you take the Attack action while wielding a shortbow or longbow, you can choose to imbue the arrow with a spell from this list. If the arrow hits the target, you expend the appropriate spell slot and the target becomes the point of origin for the spell, or its target, depending on the spell.
If arrow misses, the spell does not trigger and you do not expend a spell slot.
If the spell calls for a saving throw, the DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. If the spell calls for a melee or ranged spell attack, make the spell attack using your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.
In addition, all of your attacks with shortbows and longbows are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3 | Entangle, Faerie Fire, Thunderwave |
| 5 | Spike Growth, Moonbeam, Shatter |
| 9 | Erupting Earth, Sleet Storm, Fireball |
| 13 | Banishment, Wall of Fire, Vitriolic Sphere |
| 17 | Contagion, Maelstrom, Cone of Cold |
Accurate Woodland Magic
At 7th level, you gain the ability to further infuse arrows with magic. When you make a weapon attack using an imbued arrow, you have advantage on the attack roll.
Empowered Woodland Magic
At 11th level, your imbued arrows are more powerful. You add your Dexterity modifier to one damage roll of any Woodland Magic spell.
Woodland Stealth
At 15th level, your connection to the natural world is without equal. When you cast Pass Without Trace, those under its effect gain a +15 bonus to their Dexterity (Stealth) checks instead of +10.
Into the Fray 