D&D Releases “Villainous Options” Unearthed Arcana Playtest

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Wizards of the Coast has just released its newest Unearthed Arcana D&D playtest. Entitled Villainous Options, it features four never before released subclasses that lean into chaos and evil, along with new rules that provide the ability for characters to transform into either a lich or death knight.

It’s not entirely clear what new sourcebook the materials will be appearing in but it seems unlikely they’ll be released anytime soon, given the current D&D release schedule. It’s also not clear if they’ll tie in to the recently announced D&D Seasons and there isn’t an obvious connection to any other recent Unearthed Arcana playtests.

The concept of playing evil characters, however, is very much a radical departure from D&D 5E materials, most which have tended to lean into heroic high fantasy rather than allowing players to indulge their inner chaotic evil urges. Below, we take a closer look at these nefarious new options.

What’s included in the new Villainous Options playtest?

The new UA is a fair bit bigger than other past playtest packages, containing both brand new subclasses and new “Villainous Paths.”

New Villainous Subclasses

There are four new subclasses which have not appeared in any previous D&D 5E materials. They are as follows:

• Pestilence Domain (Cleric): This subclass allows Clerics to harness supernatural decay and plague to battle their enemies. The Blight Weaver feature provides resistance to necrotic and poison damage while allowing your Cleric’s spells to ignore those same resistances. Similarly, with the Plague Blessing feature you can expend Channel Divinity to create an emanation that inflicts levels of exhaustion on nearby enemies. At higher levels, you can also tap into the Virulent Burst feature to incapacitate foes when an enemy dies and eventually even gain the ability to shape-shift into a swarm of pests with the Vermin Form feature.
• Circle of the Titan (Druid): These Druids assume towering, monstrous forms to enact cataclysmic retribution against those who violate the natural world. Upon using Wild Shape, you can adopt a Titan Form, choosing from Behemoth, Leviathan or Insectoid stat blocks. The Dire Impact feature further expands the Titan Form concept, letting you deal elemental damage and create shock waves that can knock enemies prone. As your Circle of the Titan Druid progresses, you can also grow your Titan Form to Huge or Gargantuan sizes, eventually gaining the Swallow ability which lets you devour smaller creatures in a single bite.

• Hell Knight (Fighter): Narratively similar to the Illrigger class created by MCDM, Hell Knights serves as champions of archdevils, using infernal magic to crush their enemies and harvest their souls. One of the key features is the ability to imbue a weapon with Hellfire that deals extra damage. This core mechanic is further expanded with Infernal Wound, which lets you inflicts ongoing damage from your Hellfire Weapon that can be enhanced with secondary effects like poison or force damage. At higher levels you can also access the Hellfire Condemnation feature which lets you transform a slain enemy’s soul into a Lemure trapped in the depths of the Nine Hells.
• Demonic Sorcery (Sorcerer): These sorcerers act as conduits for the corruptive magic of the Abyss, which manifests through gruesome physical changes. By spending Sorcery Points, you can trigger Abyssal Ruptures that pull enemies closer with demonic lashes or cover yourself with a defensive demonic carapace. The Abyssal Aura feature also allows you to warp reality in a localized area, producing random chaotic effects such as sticky webs, caustic ooze or enervating bones. At higher levels, you can also cast Summon Fiend allowing you to acquire your very own demonic servant.

New Villainous Paths

The playtest also introduces new “Paths,” which are essentially a group of Feats that when completed in sequence allow your character to embrace a larger thematic archetype (in this case either a Death Knight or a Lich). You begin by taking an “Initiate” feat at level 4 or higher, which establishes your connection to the path and grants core abilities. At later levels, you have to take an additional Feat from the same path to deepen your transformation. Finally, once you reach level 12 or higher (and have the required prerequisite Feats), you can take the Ascension Feat. This completes the Path, allowing you to gain powerful new abilities and fully transforming your character.

• Path of the Death Knight: This path represents a martial descent into villainy, typically beginning with a significant and dishonorable act. You begin with the Death Knight Initiate Feat, which grants Death Points which are used to fuel other attack abilities. As your knight descends further, you can gain a Spectral Steed and exercise Dread Authority over the undead. Upon reaching Death Knight Ascension, your character officially becomes Undead, granting you resistances and the ability to hurl a devastating Hellfire Orb.
• Path of the Lich: This path focuses on characters who conquer death by binding their soul to a Spirit Jar through a profane ritual (notably you don’t have to be a spellcaster to access the Path, as any character who has the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature can access it). The Path begins with the Lich Initiate feat, which enables the Soul Siphon ability to consume the souls of fallen enemies for extra necrotic damage. Subsequent feats allow for Arcane Restoration of spell slots upon soul consumption or the use of a Paralyzing Touch. Achieving Lich Ascension fully transforms your character into an Undead entity that can utilize a Frightening Gaze and automatically re-form near your spirit jar if your physical body is destroyed.

Final Thoughts

The idea of playing evil characters is something we haven’t really seen before in recent D&D materials and potentially represents a darker thematic tone to the game. It remains to be seen, however, just what supplement these chaotic new character options will appear in how the community will respond to them.

In the meantime, you can check out the four new subclasses and villainous path via the Unearthed Arcana page or download the PDF directly. Player feedback opens on April 9th, 2026.

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Dungeons & Dragons, visit our D&D News page.

Subscribe to D&D Fanatics

Get exclusive D&D news, reviews and rules updates delivered right to your inbox.