The new Dungeons & Dragons book Arcana Unleashed dives deep into magic, and it adds eight new subclasses that perfectly fit the theme. Unsurprisingly, magic-focused classes make up the majority of additions, but there’s also one new option that gives Fighters a little more arcane prowess than usual.

Arcana Unleashed offers a big step-up for wizards in particular. The 2024 Player’s Handbook offered an even four subclasses for each class, cutting back significantly on the eight subclasses included in the 2014 rules. Arcana Unleashed makes up that difference, so anyone looking to play a wizard in their next campaign should certainly consider the new options at hand.

Arcana Domain (Cleric)

Magic goes hand-in-hand with clerics, but magic itself is rarely their primary passion. Not so with Arcana Clerics, who view this knowledge and power as “a gift they have the responsibility to share.”

At Level Three, Arcana Domain clerics can modify their spells with a use of Channel Divinity, either granting temporary HP to a spell target or debuffing a target’s saving throws against a spell effect. They also gain either proficiency in Arcana or a Level One cleric skill, along with two Wizard cantrips of their choice.

At Level Six, Arcana Domain clerics can use dispel magic as part of the same action, bonus action, or reaction when healing a creature or removing a condition. This requires no spell slot, but can only be done once per short rest.

At Level 17, Arcana Domain grants access to four permanently prepared Wizard spells from levels six, seven, eight, and nine. Arcana clerics also have access to a number of prepared spells from a list that gets upgraded at levels three, five, seven, and nine.

Arcane Archer (Fighter)

Arcane Archers incorporate magic into both attacks and adventuring life, drawing on an elven method and an understanding of magical theory. At Level Three, they start off with either druidcraft or prestidigitation as a cantrip, along with Proficiency in Arcana and Nature skills.

Level Three also provides access to “Arcane Shot” options, which can be applied to ranged attacks with weapons that use Ammunition. These provide effects like banishing, enfeebling, and piercing.

At Level Seven, Arcane Archers can start manipulating shots, choosing a new target in range after missing the original intended target. They also gain Magical Ammunition, allowing them to apply magical properties like darkening areas and unlocking locks to ammunition.

At higher levels, the new abilities are simpler but even more powerful. Level 10 allows Arcane Archers to regain a use of Arcane Shot when rolling initiative, Level 15 gives them teleportation when using their Indomitable feature, and Level 18 lets them move away after a shot misses them and then counterattack without provoking an Opportunity Attack.

Warrior Of The Mystic Arts (Monk)

Monks are better than ever in the 2024 rules, and the Warrior of the Mystic Arts might keep up the streak. At Level Three, these monks gain access to spell slots and sorcerer cantrips, with access to spells growing as they continue to level up over time.

At Level Six, a Warrior of the Mystic Arts can replace one Unarmed Strike with a cantrip during an Attack action. They can also convert spell slots into Focus Points and vice versa, increasing their versatility.

Level 11 applies Disadvantage when using Stunning Strike on targets, whether the saving throw succeeds or not. Finally, Level 17 allows Warrior of the Mystic Arts monks to replace two Unarmed Strikes in Flurry of Blows with Level One or Two sorcerer spells.

Vestige Patron (Warlock)

Warlocks often draw their power from dark sources, but Vestige Patron warlocks take it a step further by drawing it from desperate ones. Their magical ability comes from dying gods known as vestiges who share their remaining strength in a quest to regain their former glory.

To start with, Vestige Patron warlocks gain a Vestige Companion at Level Three, which can act during combat and obey the warlock’s commands. Once a day, a Vestige Companion can pull on divine power with a few different abilities. Vestige Patron warlocks also have access to Vestige Spells, which pull from cleric domain spells.

At Level Six, Vestige Companions regain their ability to draw on divine power with every Short Rest, Long Rest, or use of Magical Cunning. At Level 10, these companions can be revived when dropping to 0 HP through the use of a Pact Magic spell slot once per Long Rest.

Finally, Level 14 allows Vestiges to temporarily shapeshift into more powerful forms based on Celestial, Fiends, or Undead.

Conjurer (Wizard)

Conjurer wizards are all about conjuration spells, unsurprisingly, which can give them a lot of advantages for summoning creatures. At Level Three, they add two Conjuration spells to their spellbook for free, and every level of spell slots brings an extra Conjuration spell for free. They also have the ability to teleport up to 30 feet as a Bonus Action, including swapping places with willing creatures.

Level Six levels up this teleportation, increasing the range to 60 feet and allowing the use of spell slots to restore the ability. Summons get their own buff at Level Six, gaining temporary HP and Resistance to various damage types.

At Level 10, concentration on Conjuration spells is no longer broken by taking damage. Level 14 caps things off with Splintered Summons, which makes it possible to summon two creatures instead of one under certain circumstances.

Enchanter (Wizard)

Enchanter wizards focus on the manipulation of minds, although not always to evil ends. This pursuit starts at Level Three with proficiency in either Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion at Level Three, along with an Intelligence-based bonus to ability checks with said skill. They also add two Enchantment spells to their spellbook for free and gain more as they progress in the same manner as Conjurers.

If conversational skills aren’t enough, Level Three Enchanters can also inflict Charmed on nearby targets who fail Wisdom Saving Throws. At Level Six, Enchantment spells can be cast at an artificially high level to target additional creatures without requiring a higher level spell slot.

Level 10 allows the use of Reactions to deflect certain attacks with the Enchanter’s charm, but doing so more than once per Long Rest requires casting Enchantment spells with spell slots to recharge the ability. Lastly, Level 14 makes it possible to make creatures unaware that they are being Charmed, along with potentially taking away several hours from their memories.

Necromancer (Wizard)

D&D has been having a bit of a dark year thanks to the previous Season of Horror, and the same dread is creeping into Arcana Unleashed with the Necromancer Wizard.

At Level Three, Necromancers get access to two Necromancy spells, along with the promise of more as they continue to level. They also gain Resistance to Necrotic Damage, access to an Undead familiar, and the ability to sap health from Undead creatures when casting Necromancy spells with spell slots.

Level Six grants Necromancers with the ability to recover Exhaustion with Arcane Recovery, and their Wizard spells and features ignore Resistance to Necrotic damage when dealing damage. They also get access to a perpetually prepared animate dead spell that can be used once per Long Rest without a spell slot, along with a couple of buffs to any Undead that they summon.

Level 10 gives Necromancers more healing abilities, letting them sap the life of Undead that they control whenever they become Bloodied. At Level 14, Necromancers can grant temporary HP to their Undead and explode them to deal damage to surrounding creatures when they reach 0 HP.

Transmuter (Wizard)

The last of the new Arcana Unleashed subclasses is the Transmuter wizard, which, predictably, focuses on Transmutation spells. At Level Three, they add two Transmutation spells to their spellbook for free, along with one more with each successive level of spell slots.

Level Three also provides a Transmuter’s Stone that can be created at the end of a Long Rest, offering either Darkvision, Resistance to a chosen damage type, or an increase in speed. Lastly, it grants access to a constantly prepared alter self spell that can be cast for free once per Long Rest, along with unique bonuses to alter self‘s abilities.

At Level Six, the polymorph spell receives similar benefits. Additionally, Level Six allows transmuters to increase the effective level of a Transmutation spell that doesn’t make an attack roll or force a saving throw by one when casting it with a spell slot. The Transmuter’s Stone also powers up, granting an additional benefit and two new options.

Level 14 finishes things off with powerful ultimate abilities for the Transmuter’s Stone, which expend it to grant benefits like de-aging a creature or transmuting an object. These could be some of the most creative options in the new Dungeons & Dragons book, serving up some fun possibilities to wizards.

Original Release Date

1974

Publisher

TSR Inc., Wizards of the Coast

Designer

E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson

Player Count

2-7 Players