Looking at UA: Barbarian and Monk

This week, we got some juicy Unearthed Arcana introducing two new subclasses: one for the barbarian and one for the monk. Both of these subclasses bring some fresh flavor to these classes, enabling a player to take their character in some fun and different places than the existing class options.

I think my group is pretty excited about these options—even a few of us who don’t usually go for these classes!

In this post, I’m going to go over the content of this new UA article and discuss my impressions. I’d love to hear yours, too!

Barbarian subclass: Path of the Wild Soul

This barbarian path brings a Feywild spin to the barbarian class. A barbarian of this subclass has been exposed to Feywild magic, or, I’d imagine, could even have originated from that realm. They channel the chaotic magic and emotions of that fey and twilit realm.

Barbarians get this subclass at 3^rd level, gaining additional abilities at 6^th, 10^th, and 14^th level.

Lingering Magic

This 3^rd level feature allows the barbarian to cast detect magic without using spell slots or other components a few times per day (depending on your Constitution modifier). Except that you glow instead of seeing the magic thing glow, and that’s a bit funny. Become the glowstick you’ve always wanted to be. You can even choose which color you glow!

Anyways, this feature is always a good one to have in your pocket, especially when exploring. The barbarian class gets some tricks for exploratory scenarios, so weirdly enough, this feature fits right in.

Wild Surge

Wild Surge is the second 3^rd level feature for this subclass. This? This looks really fun. Whenever you rage, you roll on the Wild Surge table (a d8, so eight options) for a magical effect that occurs at the same moment. I especially like the “Arcane energy taps into the minds of those around you…” and “You conjure 1d4 intangible spirits that look like flumphs…” effects.

Wild Surge calls back to the Wild Magic Sorcerer origin, but it’s been modified to better fit a barbarian subclass here. You roll on the table every time, instead of relying on the Dungeon Master to ask you to roll and possibly getting to roll on the table. Now, the barbarian’s Wild Surge effects are more useful and narrow than the more… uh, unpredictable possibilities in the Wild Magic Surge table for the sorcerer.

If I had to guess, these effects are likely to change if we see another iteration of this subclass. That is, we may see a different number of options, or existing options may be replaced with new or updated ones.

Magic Reserves

Magic Reserves allows the barbarian to take some damage and grant another creature a spell slot or temporary hit points (a d4 roll determines the slot’s level or amount of hit points times five). The ability uses a d6 once the barbarian reaches 14^th level. It’s a fun way to leverage a barbarian’s stores of HP to help out another party member.

Barbarians typically get an unusual but useful ribbon ability from their 6^th level subclass feature, and Magic Reserves certainly fits the bill. A “ribbon” is an ability that provides nice flavor and roleplaying potential, but it isn’t a foundational ability of the class—it’s cool but not going to make or break an encounter. (An often-used example of a ribbon is the rogue’s Thieves’ Cant)

Arcane Rebuke

This 10^th level feature is metal as heck, if I do say so myself. You can deal force damage as a reaction to a creature that makes you roll a saving throw during rage. This has an anti-mage feel to it—screw your concentration on hold person, this barbarian’s here to fight.

I really like this ability, and it is only limited by your reaction, so you can potentially use it once per round (if your DM keeps making you save, that is). 3d6 force damage is pretty nifty, even at higher levels of play.

Chaotic Fury

The final, 14^th level feature for the Path of the Wild Soul is Chaotic Fury. This feature allows you to, while you’re raging, use your bonus action to roll on the Wild Surge table again and replace the magical effect you have going. Sort of like the Wild Magic sorcerer, you can exert some control over your chaos magic.

I’m biased because I love fey stuff, but I think this subclass is pretty cool. I’d love to see a character build using this option to get a feel for how it actually plays.

Monk subclass: Way of the Astral Self

This monk tradition gets cosmic—the monk’s ki is an astral self or true form that exhibits different characteristics according to the character’s psyche. (I’d put a Jojo reference here if I knew one. Ooh, this also works for something like the Persona games…)

As they grow in power, the monk gains abilities related to summoning parts of this astral self. Designing an astral self for your character… now that sounds really fun. The note box “Forms of Your Astral Self” gives some cool ideas for just what that might look like.

These subclass features kick in at 3^rd, 6^th, 11^th, and 17^th level.

Arms of the Astral Self

At 3^rd level, the monk can turn in a couple ki points and a bonus action to summon their astral self’s arms. These grant a few benefits, allowing you to use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength, to make an attack with the arms to deal either radiant or necrotic damage, and to make extra attacks on top of that depending on your level (one at 3^rd, wto at 11^th, three at 17^th).

More punching is good for monks, I’m to understand. This subclass starts out strong! I love the otherworldly feel to it that persists throughout the mechanics.

Visage of the Astral Self

This 6^th level feature lets the monk summon the visage of their astral self, which goes over the monk’s face. This lasts for ten minutes, and it grants advantage on WIS (Insight) and CHA (Intimidation) checks and gives 120 feet of darkvision that also works in magical darkness.

Did I mention this is super cool? This is super cool. It’s evocative and gives you some fun advantages outside of combat (or in combat, if someone decides to drop some darkness on the field).

Awakening of the Astral Self

No, you don’t get to summon legs of the astral self. No leg for you.

At 11^th level, you get some neat perks when you have both the visage and arms of your astral self up. The arms get beefier, you can use a reaction to reduce elemental damage you take, and you can either amplify your voice or speak only to one creature.

Complete Astral Self

It’s the whole body combo. Well, you still might not get leg, depending on your reading of the text?

At 17^th level, you can use 10 ki points as a bonus action to don the arms, visage, and body of your astral self. This lasts for 10 minutes. You get a buff to your AC, the aforementioned more punches, and the ability to regain some ki when a creature close to you drops to 0.

Please go absolutely bonkers with your astral self design. You have a lot of freedom here, so why not use it?

I tend to appreciate monks from a distance—I’ve DM’d for a couple but never felt the pull to play. But this subclass is making a pretty convincing argument…

After releasing a UA article like this, Wizards of the Coast will run a survey a bit later to determine how the player base feels about them. The survey results and other avenues of feedback seem to play a big part in whether these playtest ideas get carried forward into an official product. So, if you have opinions about these subclasses, doing the survey (when it comes out) is a great way to get WotC to see them!

I’d also love to hear your thoughts! Have you made a character with these subclass options? Are you planning on it? Drop a comment below!