New D&D PHB Sets Odd Precedent: All Classes Get Equal Subclasses!

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In the last quarter of 2024, Dungeons & Dragons unveiled a fresh Player’s Handbook, aiming to welcome newcomers to their beloved tabletop role-playing game and provide more engaging experiences for current enthusiasts. The revamped Dungeons & Dragons handbook now boasts 12 main classes and 48 subclasses, with each class offering four distinct subclasses. This departure from past game editions—where the number of subclasses fluctuated—could potentially complicate future book releases and additional supplementary materials if Wizards of the Coast intends to maintain a consistent balance in the number of subclasses.

The 2024 Player’s Handbook Includes Old And New Subclasses

The updated version of the handbook features twelve character classes, but conspicuously absent is the Artificer class. This omission indicates that it’s currently being playtested, hinting at a future release. Notably, every class in the 2024 PHB includes four subclasses. Some popular mainstays like the Arcane Trickster rogue, College of Lore bard, or Oath of Devotion paladin have been around for quite some time. However, there are also fresh additions, such as:

  • Path of the World Tree (Barbarian)
  • College of Dance (Bard)
  • Circle of the Sea (Druid)

In contrast to previous versions of “Dungeons & Dragons”, some subclasses have been omitted from the latest handbook, with a notable absence being those with a large variety of options such as Clerics and Wizards. Previously, Clerics had numerous Domains to select from, while Wizards were able to specialize in multiple schools of magic.

It’s quite unexpected that certain omitted subclasses have gained such a following, considering their widespread appeal. For instance, we’re talking about the Swashbuckler Rogue, the Storm Sorcerer, the Tempest Domain Cleric, and several Wizard schools of focus. Fans are particularly disgruntled over some missing subclasses, as they were featured in supplementary materials for Dungeons and Dragons, like the widely-played RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3. However, it’s worth emphasizing that the subclasses left out of the latest Player’s Handbook haven’t been completely expunged from the game; their original fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons iterations can still be used alongside the revised rules.

Even Subclass Numbers May Complicate Future Releases

After the Player’s Handbook, you can expect newer and revised editions of “Dungeons & Dragons” books along with additional resources. Just like in previous versions of this tabletop role-playing game, it’s probable that new subclasses for existing classes will be presented. These may encompass subclasses overlooked in the 2024 Player’s Handbook and entirely fresh options for the game. Additionally, there is a strong possibility that the Artificer class, which was previously seen in a supplementary book during the fifth edition launch, will be included in these materials as well.

In the revised Player’s Handbook, fans are left pondering if Wizards of the Coast will stick to an equal distribution of subclasses as additional resources become available. Unlike previous editions where this wasn’t a constant, such as in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, new subclasses were introduced but the count wasn’t always balanced. Books tailored for specific settings, like Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica and Mythic Odysseys of Theros, added even more imbalance by providing a limited number of subclasses tied to their unique lore.

It’s uncertain if the rule that “all classes must have an equal number of subclasses” will persist in upcoming or revised editions of Dungeons & Dragons. If it does, it might add complexity to releasing new books because popular classes like Wizard and Cleric would be significantly impacted, potentially leading to existing subclasses being overlooked or a surge of new ones to maintain balance. We’ll learn more as new Dungeons & Dragons publications become available.

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2025-03-23 17:06