Dungeons & Dragons Playtest 7 introduces massive changes to 5 classes and adds 2 subclasses

Dungeons & Dragons Playtest 7 revises 5 classes and adds 2 new subclasses, as development of D&D s tabletop RPG rules continues.

Dungeons & Dragons Playtest 7 revises 5 classes and adds 2 new subclasses, as development of D&D s tabletop RPG rules continues. (Images: Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro)

Two new subclasses and significant modifications to the traditional character classes are included in the recently released Dungeons & Dragons Unearthed Arcana (also known as Playtest 7).

The tabletop roleplaying game rules for Dungeons & Dragons are currently being revised by Wizards of the Coast. The Open Gaming License dispute, which fans and independent developers denounced as predatory, caused significant changes to the original plans, although the One D&D update is still proceeding in time for a 2024 release.

Playtest 7 content was shared on social media and published on the official D&D Beyond website.

The five classic character classes—the Barbarian, Fighter, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard—are the core of this new draft set of D&D rules.

The majority of the modifications are a result of the conflicting feedback provided by the players who tried earlier Unearthed Arcana editions. Playtest 7 has some stuff that was included in earlier iterations of the work-in-progress rules. Examples include the Warlock’s pact magic and the Wizard class’s specialization in particular Spell Schools.

The Fighter subclass known as Brawler is one of the new subclasses that Unearthed Arcana 7 released. Building upon the Tavern Brawler accomplishment, this subclass specializes in unarmed combat and improvised weaponry.Highlights of the class modifications suggested in the most recent D&D Playtest 7 include some of the following:

  • The Barbarian Reckless Attack will now last a full round instead of only during the turn it was activated.
  • The Barbarian also gets updates to the Berserker, Totem Warrior (now called Wild Heart), and Zealot subclasses, while also adding the new Path of the World Tree subclass.
  • Fighters get expanded use of the Second Wind ability with the Tactical Mind and Tactical Shift options.
  • The new Brawler subclass for the Fighter is introduced, which focuses on hand-to-hand and improvised weapons.
  • Sorcerers receive boosts to Metamagic and Sorcerous Restoration, as well as making Innate Sorcery more reliable.
  • The Warlock Pact Magic goes back to its previous version, rather than having a spell progression that was perceived as too similar to other spellcasting classes.
  • Wizards will now be able to swap out one of their cantrips after each long rest. However, the previous Modify Spell and Create Spell abilities from previous playtest content has been canned.

Additionally, class spell lists no longer categorize spellcasting D&D character classes into groups like Arcane, Divine, and Primal; instead, they are now specific to each of the spellcasting classes. A few special spells are also adjusted, like Counterspell and Jump.

Please click this link to view further information about the Playtest 7 rules on the D&D Beyond website. Be aware that accessing and downloading the Unearthed Arcana PDF requires that you have an active D&D Beyond account.

A portion of the changes in D&D’s Playtest 7 go back to the original regulations. Given that the game employs the majority of the older D&D Fifth Edition rules and that many new players discovered it through Baldur’s Gate 3, this is certainly a wise decision.Rolling back the adjustments to match the video game is a smart approach, since the popularity of Larian Studios’ hit CRPGBaldur’s Gate3 has brought Dungeons & Dragons to new potential TTRPG players. Although it may be beneficial to attempt new things, new players may become confused, especially if they are BG3 aficionados who have adopted the character sheets of Karlach and Shadowheart.

How far along do you believe Unearthed Arcana for D&D is going? What do you think of the One D&D TTRPG rules that will be released in 2024, just in time for Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th anniversary?

The survey for the next Dungeons & Dragons Unearthed Arcana Playtest 7 will start on September 21, 2023, and players can respond with comments.

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