In D&D, every class gets what’s called a subclass at some point. These sub-classes give players a chance to further customize their character, specializing them for certain situations and giving them new, powerful abilities.
While Wizards of The Coast is constantly creating new content for players to use in their campaigns, a new book from the developer has introduced numerous fresh subclass options. Called Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the book has something new for every class, though some subclasses stand above others.
10 Artificer Armorer
Some like playing their D&D characters as superheroes, and why not? They’re already super-powered beings in a fantasy world, and more often than not they are heroes. For those players, the armorer subclass for the Artificer should be on your shortlist of characters to play, since it’s basically Iron Man.
As an armorer, Artificers can make their armor a magical conduit. It binds to their body, covering it completely, and there’s even an option to have a retractable helmet built right in. Those flavor options, plus the two available armor models that can be switched every short or long rest, make this a customizable, versatile subclass.
9 Barbarian Path Of The Beast
Barbarians are known for being one of the tankiest classes in D&D 5E. They’re big, beefy, melee-focused characters that can take a ton of damage while avoiding some hits with their AC. So how can the barbarian be improved even more? Give them claws and fangs of course.
By taking the path of the beast as a barbarian, players can turn their characters into shape-shifters or carbon copies of Wolverine. When they rage, barbarians that take this path grow claws, fangs, and even a tail to attack enemies with.
8 Barbarian Path Of Wild Magic
This is one of the more interesting combinations players will find in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Wild magic is already prominent in other classes, namely the sorcerer, causing random magical effects whenever a spell is cast. Now, think of that, but applied to someone that’s very mad and swinging an ax.
Whenever one of these barbarians rage, they get to roll on their own wild magic table. Luckily, all the possible effects are beneficial, so don’t worry about blowing up a city or summoning a Terrasque.
7 Bard College Of Eloquence
Some bards make art, others create beautiful works of music. A lot are just always horny. But bards that take a subclass in the college of eloquence focus more on oratory skills than those of the arts. They use logic and wordplay to get their points across, convincing skeptics and gaining allies.
Bards that take this subclass get insane buffs to their deception and persuasion checks. When rolling for either, any roll below a nine is treated as a 10. Later on, these bards also gain the ability to deduct results of bardic inspiration dice from other creatures saving throws.
6 Cleric Twilight Domain
Clerics have long been designated support classes, although there are some subclasses that change that up. The twilight domain isn’t one of them though. Instead, it adds some interesting spins and frankly, overpowered early abilities to one of the best support classes in D&D.
At first level, twilight domain clerics get 300 feet of Darkvision and as an action can share it with other creatures within 10 feet of them. Later on, when in complete darkness twilight domain clerics can fly their movement speed for a full minute a number of times equal to their proficiency bonus.
5 Druid Circle Of Spores
In the world of D&D, druids are essentially hippies. They commune with nature, can talk to trees and animals, and usually are the defenders of all plant life. This subclass explores one kind of plant that has been ignored though, mushrooms.
Seeing mushrooms and fungi as part of the life cycle, these druids can use magical spores in some pretty inventive ways. One of the most interesting is the ability to raise any small or medium beast or humanoid as a zombie with its fungi companions.
4 Druid Circle Of Stars
While other druids look to the earth for answers, circle of stars druids look to, well, the stars. These nature warriors still worship the earth, but focus mainly on the heavenly bodies above it. As such, many of their abilities are celestial in nature.
At second level, circle of stars druids can use wild shape to take on a starry form, illuminating them and granting an extra ability based on the constellation they show. Eventually, this ability evolves, rendering the druid completely incorporeal and resistant to all physical damage.
3 Fighter Psi Warrior
Many players pass over fighters when they pick a class for their character. They can’t really be blamed, at first glance fighter is one of the most vanilla classes in D&D. However, subclasses add a good bit of spice to the fighter, including the new psi warrior subclass.
At third level, these warriors get psionic energy dice that they can expend to perform various actions. To start, psi warriors can project shields in front of themselves and allies or move objects with their mind. Eventually, they can cast telekinesis at will once a day and use a bonus action to attack with a weapon.
2 Monk Way Of The Astral Self
Monks are another unique class, blending high AC with spell casting and multiple melee attacks. However, this subclass of monk, the way of the astral self, turns the class into a front line brawler.
These monks can spend a ki point to summon astral force arms that sprout from their body. With them out, monks can use their wisdom modifier to attack instead of strength or dexterity and have five extra feet of reach. At sixth level, these monks can summon their astral body to apply a variety of useful buffs.
1 Bladesinging Wizards
Wizard and blade are two words that hardly go together. That is, unless a wizard is getting impaled by one. However, Bladesingers are wizards that incorporate swordplay and dance into their magic, using all three to fend off foes.
At second level, these wizards can invoke their Bladesong using a bonus action. For one minute, they gain a bonus to their AC equal to their intelligence modifier, have increased movement speed, advantage on acrobatics checks, and gain a bonus to concentration checks equal to their intelligence modifier.
NEXT: Dungeons and Dragons: 15 Hilarious Magic Items
