Every New D&D Subclass In Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Dungeons & Dragons is diving deeper into the darkness with Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, and it’s offering the tools for players to descend with it. Among the many new character options in the latest book, D&D serves up seven new subclasses with appropriately chilling themes and mechanics.

Those who have been following D&D‘s Unearthed Arcana playtests will see some familiar names in the pages of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, as D&D tried out horror subclasses through Unearthed Arcana last year. The path from playtests to official release versions can be quite involved, though, and the iterations presented here come with new surprises.

Reanimator (Artificer)

Fans of artificers got plenty of new material to work with in last year’s Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, and Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is adding to the pile. The Reanimator subclass focuses on bringing corpses to life, leaning into a Frankenstein approach rather than D&D‘s cleaner options for resurrection.

At level three, Reanimators gain a unique twist to spare the dying, jolting targets back to life with electricity that also deals damage to chosen creatures nearby. They also unlock the ability to create a Reanimated Companion that lasts until the next Long Rest.

At higher levels, Reanimated Companions gain more powers and abilities, allowing them to deal greater damage when swiping at enemies or exploding upon death. Their unnatural nature also increases, with the dreadfully evocative options to become Bloated, Gaunt, or Moist all offering unique perks. Finally, at level 15, Reanimators gain one free use of raise dead and the ability to siphon life from the Reanimated Companion.

College Of Spirits (Bard)

Like Reanimator artificers, College of Spirits bards pay little heed to the distance that separates the dead from the living. Unlike Reanimators, however, these bards deal with spirits instead of patched-together mortal flesh.

At level three, College of Spirits bards learn the guidance cantrip with a range of 60 feet and gain proficiency with a Gaming Set that can be used as a spellcasting focus. More interestingly, they can summon powers from spirits described in a “Spirits from Beyond” table when using Bardic Inspiration. These spirits come with a wide variety of perks, ranging from advantage on D20 tests to wide-ranging thunder damage.

Level six charges up the bard’s channeling with an extra 1d6 on the damage or healing effect from bard spells once per turn, along with a free use of spirit guardians once per Long Rest. This spell can also be modified to grant half cover to the caster and allies within range. At level 14, College of Spirits bards top off their abilities with extra dice rolls for the “Spirits from Beyond” table.

Grave Domain (Cleric)

While the new artificers and bards reach into the realm of the dead to drag spirits back, Grave Domain clerics are often interested in quite the opposite. These clerics view death in a much more serious light, drawing creatures toward death and destroying undead whenever possible.

That isn’t to say that they never do the opposite — Grave Domain clerics can cast spare the dying as a bonus action at level three, and revivify and raise dead both appear on their spell list. At the same time, their level three abilities also include options to deal extra necrotic damage to damaged creatures, a concept that plays more directly into the subclass description.

At level six, Grave Domain clerics gain the option to halve attack damage from Bloodied creatures. Things slow down for a while after that, but they get more buffs at level 17. Enhanced Necromancy allows Grave Domain clerics to target additional creatures with Necromantic or Grave Domain spells by using Channel Divinity, and Keeper of Souls lets them heal themselves or others when enemies die within range once per Short Rest.

Hollow Warden (Ranger)

The depths of the wilderness can hide plenty of darkness, and Hollow Warden rangers draw on that mystery. At level three, these rangers “sprout unnatural growths” due to drawing on strange powers, gaining the ability to “transform into a ghastly form” by using Favored Enemy as a bonus action. In this form, they get a boost to their AC, extra opportunity attack triggers, and the chance to frighten creatures.

At level seven, Hollow Warden rangers get a boost to Constituion saving throws and a way to heal HP when dealing damage while transformed, significantly enhancing their hardiness. Level 11 brings more aggressive options while transformed, increasing the effects of frightening creatures and adding extra use of weapon mastery properties.

Level 15 doubles down yet again on both fronts. Hollow Warden rangers get additional damage for attacks on frightened creatures, and dropping to 0 HP without dying while transformed lets them recharge their hit points once per Long Rest.

Phantom (Rogue)

If the average rogue player wasn’t edgy enough, the Phantom rogue should step things up a notch. These rogues have a greater connection to spirits and death, which plays out in all of their mechanics.

At level three, Phantom rogues can deal extra Necrotic damage to secondary creatures when succeeding at sneak attacks. They also gain a skill or tool proficiency of their choice each Short or Long Rest, coutersy of some helpful spirits.

Level nine leans into the advantages provided by spirits, giving Phantom rogues soul trinkets that can grant them extra damage, advantage, or augury. They can pick up new soul trinkets when characters die in their vicinity, but they can only keep two on them at a time. Level nine also offers a free use of speak with dead once per rest, with the ability to speak to the soul connected to a soul trinket.

At level 13, Phantom rogues can assume spectral forms that can fly around, pass through objects, and prove difficult for enemies to hit. Lastly, level 17 juices up their Necrotic damage and use of Soul tokens with a couple of final improvements.

Shadow Sorcery (Sorcerer)

The innate magic of Shadow sorcerers comes from “regions of supernatural darkness,” whether that’s the Shadowfell itself or other wicked realms. At level three, this first starts to manifest with darkvision and blindsight, along with a chance to avoid dropping to 0 HP with charisma saving throws.

Level six grants Shadow sorcerers the abillty to summon shadow beasts with sorcery points, imposing disadvantage on enemies in their vicinity when trying to resist your saving throws. At level 14, a bonus action allows the sorcerers to teleport between areas of dim light or darkness.

Finally, level 18 comes with a shadowy form, giving Shadow sorcerers the ability to move through creatures and objects. While it’s active, they’re also equipped resistance to all damage except Force and Radiant.

Undead Patron (Warlock)

Warlocks are always making pacts with dubious sources of power, and it’s no surprise that undead forces fit the bill nicely. Armed with the powers of creatures like lichs and vampires, Undead Patron warlocks embrace the profane.

At level three, Undead Patron warlocks can transform into avatars of their “patron’s dreadful power,” granting them temporary hit points, immunity to being frightened, and the ability to frighten others. At level six, their powers increase with necrotic damage that ignores resistance, the ability to deal additional necrotic damage, and avoidance of exhaustion.

Level 10 gives Undead Patron warlocks resistance to necrotic damage that scales up to immunity when using their Form of Dread. They can also deal necrotic damage after dropping to 0 hit points and get back on their feet. Lastly, level 14 gives the Form of Dread resistance to more damage types, flight, and the ability to cast certain spells more easily.