New D&D Subclasses Playtest Hits Unearthed Arcana
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Wizards of the Coast has just released their latest Unearthed Arcana playtest, this time returning to some of the Dungeons & Dragon fifth edition’s most popular martial subclasses. Simply entitled the Subclasses Update, the content reworks five familiar character options that were previously seen in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and 2014 Player’s Handbook. It’s not yet clear what future sourcebooks (if any) the reworked subclasses will be included in and much of course, still depends on player feedback (which is opening up on November 6th, 2025).
So just what D&D 5e subclasses are back and are they better than ever? Below, we break down all the details.
What’s included in the new Subclasses Update playtest?
The five updated subclasses include the Oathbreaker Paladin, Cavalier Fighter, Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian, Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian and Warrior of Intoxication Monk, many of which have been significantly changed in both name and mechanics.
- Oathbreaker (Paladin): First appearing in the 2014 Player’s Handbook, the Oathbreaker remains the quintessential fallen knight (which can be challenging to roleplay). Its Conjure Undead ability replaces Control Undead, granting temporary undead allies, while Dreadful Aspect now interacts with Divine Smite for additional utility. Aura of Hate has also been tweaked to only affect allied Fiends and Undead, while Dread Lord is now a Bonus Action feature tied to Aura of Protection.
- Cavalier (Fighter): Originally appeared in 2017 in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, the Cavalier receives one of the cleanest mechanical overhauls in this Unearthed Arcana playtest. Unwavering Mark now has unlimited uses, fixing one of the subclass’s biggest limitations. Ferocious Charger has been retooled to boost both the Fighter’s and their mount’s speed while preventing opportunity attacks during the movement. The ability also allows the Cavalier to knock enemies Prone simply by charging past them.
- Path of the Spiritual Guardian (Barbarian): Formerly known as the Path of the Ancestral Guardian from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, this subclass expands the types of spirits a Barbarian can call upon. They’re now no longer limited to ancestors and can also include nature or animal spirits. The signature Spiritual Protectors feature has been completely redesigned, letting players choose from multiple protective effects whenever they hit with a weapon or unarmed strike. The Vengeful Spirits ability (formerly Vengeful Ancestors) now also rewards exceptional rolls (18–20) by granting extra attacks, working with Reckless Attack and similar features.
- Path of the Storm Herald (Barbarian): Also originating from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, the Path of Storm Herald’s Storm Aura now scales with the Barbarian’s Rage Damage bonus, creating a more natural power progression. The Desert and Tundra aura effects have been rebalanced (Desert now uses d4s for damage, while Tundra replaces its temporary hit points with a damage reduction mechanic). The Raging Storm capstone features for each aura have been fully reworked as Desert now ignites enemies, Sea arcs lightning between targets and Tundra halves enemy movement while freezing them in place.
- Warrior of Intoxication (Monk): Previously the Way of the Drunken Master from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, this reimagined Monk retains the same chaotic melee combat, but now leans into magical brews that grant temporary bonuses. Monks can craft and consume these enchanted drinks for combat and exploration benefits, while Drunkard’s Luck has been folded into this feature and now grants Heroic Inspiration when rolling initiative without it. The name change from “Drunken Master” to “Warrior of Intoxication” seems a little odd, and the subclass as a whole is one of the more significant overhauls in the update.
Final Thoughts
Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed what upcoming DnD book these five updated subclasses will be appearing in and it’s hard to see how they’re related (other than the fact that they’re all martial and all from previously published material). Some of the changes seem solid (like the Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian) while others seem like they miss the mark thematically (particularly with the Warrior of Intoxication Monk). It remains to be seen, however, just how the community responses.
You can check out the new subclasses via the Unearthed Arcana page or download the PDF directly. Player feedback opens on November 6th, 2025.
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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).
