All Unearthed Arcana Playtests in 2025 (An Updated List)
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Over the past few years, the Dungeons & Dragons rules have seen some fairly significant changes, culminating in the new DnD 2024 core books. A key part of this transformation, however, has been Unearthed Arcana (also known as “UA”), a collection of playtest materials Wizards of the Coast publishes online and opens up to user feedback. These playtest packages have introduced new classes, species and games mechanics such as Bastions and Weapon Mastery. In many cases, player feedback has also directly changed how certain rules appear in their final published form. For example, Wizards of the Coast removed the Ardling species after poor reception following a 2022 playtest.
With new UA coming out all the time (and Wizards of the Coast often removing older content), we thought it might be a good idea to start keeping track of these updates. For ease of reference, we’ve also saved PDF copies directly onto our website, which you can download below. We’ll also be updating this page regularly as new UA is released.
What 2025 Unearthed Arcana Playtests have been published so far?
Below is the complete list of all UA published to date in 2025.
Horror Subclasses
Published: May 6th, 2025
Feedback End: May 13th, 2025
What was in the UA: This playtest contains eight new Horror-themed subclasses, six of which are updates of existing versions and two of which are brand new.
Returning subclasses include the College of Spirits Bard, Grave Domain Cleric, Phantom Rogue, Shadow Sorcerer, Hexblade Warlock’s and Undead Patron Warlock. All of the subclasses have been rebalanced or expanded with new features. For example, the Grave Domain Cleric gains improved healing for the dying and a damage boost against weakened foes, while the Phantom Rogue gets more access to soul trinkets and spectral powers.
Two entirely new subclasses also appear in the UA: the Reanimator Artificer and the Hollow Warden Ranger. The Reanimator uses a combination of science and magic to creates an undead companion that grows in power as they advance in levels. The Hollow Warden Ranger taps into ancient wild horrors, transforming during combat to become a terrifying predator with mutated traits.
It’s not clear what official publication the books will appear in, with some speculating that a new Ravenloft sourcebook may in fact be in the works with an October 2025 release date.
Eberron Updates
Published: Feb. 27th, 2025
Feedback End: Mar. 18th, 2025
What was in the UA: This Unearthed Arcana playtest introduces the Artificer Cartographer, a brand-new subclass that combines magic and map making to help link party members together and utilize a range of effects, including battlefield teleportation.
The playtest also features substantial quality-of-life improvements to the base Artificer DnD 5e class, bringing it in line with the updated rules from the 2024 Player’s Handbook. This includes changes to features like Replicate Magic Item, Tinker’s Magic and the Soul of Artifice ability. Notably, these changes were made following player feedback to the Artificer UA playtest which was released in December 2024 (see below).
Additionally, this UA includes a new suite of Dragonmark feats for Eberron campaigns, which now allows characters to take on Dragonmarks regardless of their species (something that wasn’t possible in the 2014 rules). Each feat is thematically tied to a Dragonmarked House and grants a range of spells and powers, including “Greater” and “Potent” versions for higher-level characters.
Finally, the playtest includes a handful of new magic items and Artificer-compatible spells which will likely be appearing in the new Eberron: Forge of the Artificer sourcebook slated for release in August 2025.
Forgotten Realms Subclasses
Published: Jan. 28th, 2025
Feedback End: Feb. 17th, 2025
What was in the UA: This Unearthed Arcana playtest introduces eight subclasses rooted in Forgotten Realms lore, with three being revised versions of existing 2014 DnD subclasses and five being entirely new.
The updated subclasses include the Knowledge Domain Cleric, Purple Dragon Knight Fighter and Bladesinger Wizard. Each has received significant mechanical and thematic revisions. The Knowledge Cleric now features a telepathy-based Unfettered Mind ability and more powerful spellcasting via Mind Magic. The Purple Dragon Knight gains a psionically bonded amethyst dragon hatchling companion, which grows in size and power over time. The Bladesinger gains access to improved weapon casting abilities, using Intelligence for attack rolls and a reworked Bladesong feature that includes mobility, defense and offensive boosts.
The five new subclasses features in this UA are the College of the Moon Bard, Oath of the Noble Genies Paladin, Winter Walker Ranger, Scion of the Three Rogue and Spellfire Sorcery Sorcerer. These subclasses draw from iconic Forgotten Realms settings such as Icewind Dale, the Moonshae Isles and Baldur’s Gate. Highlights include the Spellfire Sorcerer’s radiant burst abilities and magic absorption, the Scion of the Three Rogue’s connection to the Dead Three gods, and the Winter Walker’s cold-based defenses and ice form. All eight of the subclasses will appear in the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, which is slated for release in November 2025.
What Unearthed Arcana playtests were published in 2024?
2024 was a pretty slow year for UA, with only one playtest package published over the course of the year. This is because much of the focus during this time period was on the new DnD 2024 rules, which had been developed extensively over the previous few years as part of the larger One D&D Playtest.
The Artificer
Published: Dec. 17th, 2024
Feedback End: Jan. 5th, 2025
What was in the UA: This Unearthed Arcana playtest presents a first pass a new Artificer class for DnD 5e, aligning it with the revised 2024 Player’s Handbook rules and reworking both core features and all four original subclasses: Alchemist, Armorer, Artillerist and Battle Smith.
Key class updates include a redesigned Replicate Magic Item system, which now allows Artificers to choose from a growing list of actual magic items as they level up. Other changes include improved Magical Tinkering, the ability to swap cantrips after a long rest and a buffed Soul of Artifice feature. Flash of Genius is also now triggered after a failed roll and Spell-Storing Item can now hold 3rd-level spells.
Each subclass has also been revamped. The Alchemist creates more and stronger elixirs and gains access to a new spell, Tasha’s Bubbling Cauldron. The Armorer adds a new “Dreadnought” armor model, while Guardian and Infiltrator receive upgrades to damage and utility. Artillerists can aso now wield two eldritch cannons and can detonate them as reactions, while Battle Smiths gain a sturdier Steel Defender, improved healing and a more powerful Arcane Jolt.
The UA also introduces new magic items and spell options, including Homunculus Servant as a full spell rather than an infusion. Collectively, the content from this UA will form the backbone of the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer book.
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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).
