Finishing out this round of Unearthed Arcana subclasses are the fighter, ranger, and rogue! Now, each official class has received a new subclass. I wonder what WotC is cooking up back there…

Also, the survey for the last article is up, so go make your opinions known for the cleric, druid, and wizard UA!

This most recent article introduces a giant-inspired fighter, a stranger ranger, and a spooky rogue!

Fighter Martial Archetype: Rune Knight

Rune Knights have studied the ancient artifacts called runes and have learned to use that magic to enhance their own capabilities. In so doing, they use the magic of giants. This idea first appeared in 5e as an old Unearthed Arcana “prestige class.”

Fighters gain their subclass at 3rd level, gaining additional subclass features at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

Bonus Proficiencies

When they take this subclass at 3rd level, the Rune Knight fighter learns the Giant language and gains proficiency with smith’s tools.

This feature is a flavorful ribbon for the most part. The Rune Knight subclass emphasizes the connection between giants and runes, so it tracks that the fighter studying rune magic would know the language and how to make weapons and such.

Rune Magic

Also at 3rd level, Rune Knights gain the ability to use rune magic to inscribe runes (at the end of a long rest) on equipment for certain effects. They can only inscribe runes onto weapons, armor, or shields, and that object can only hold one rune at a time. The rune disappears after the next long rest. Like spells, Rune Knights can replace a rune they know with another when they gain a fighter level.

The Rune Scribe prestige class had a similar feature, though it cost spell slots to use. Runes act like enchantments, and each one has their own unique effects. My own reading of this feature seems to suggest that the Rune Knight is the only one who can use these augments, but I’m not sure what the intent is. If so, that would further differentiate it from the Rune Scribe.

Rune Options

This feature lists the different rune options. Rune Knights learn two runes at first, and they can learn more as they progress through the subclass. Rune Knights use their Intelligence to determine a rune’s save DC if one is needed, much like the Eldritch Knight.

Each rune is connected to a certain type of giant. For example, we have the haug/hill rune for the hill giant and the ild/fire rune for the fire giant. The Rune Knight must have an item inscribed with the rune equipped to benefit from the rune’s features, whereas the Rune Scribe attuned to runes like magic items.

Each rune has a passive effect and an invoked effect. The passive effects are situational benefits. Most of them grant advantage to certain skill checks or saving throws. Notably, the stein/stone rune grants darkvision, and the uvar/storm rune prevents you from being surprised if you aren’t incapacitated.

The invoked effects are stronger, temporary powers, such as the haug/hill rune’s resistance to physical (bludgeoning, slashing, piercing) damage for a minute or the ise/frost rune’s +2 to Strength score (thus +1 to STR modifier) for ten minutes.

These features are a range of “hey, that’s pretty cool!” and “hmm, I’m not sure how I’d use that,” but the Rune Knight will have multiple runes at their disposal, and they’ll know five out of six runes at the end of their level progression. So, they have room to pick runes with the abilities that come into play most often in their unique situation.

Giant Might

Also at 3rd level, the Rune Knight can use a bonus action to grow to Large size, gain advantage on Strength saves and checks, and gain an extra 1d6 of damage to weapon attacks. These benefits last for a minute, and the Rune Knight has two uses per long rest.

This is a really nice combat ability. Fighters are already, well, good fighters, but this is a cool way to combine some useful mechanical effects with the giant-focused flavor of the Rune Knight.

Defensive Runes

At 7th level, the Rune Knight learns another rune and learns how to use rune magic to help out their allies. As a reaction, they can grant a bonus to another creature’s AC against the triggering attack (you can take the reaction when a creature within 60 feet gets hit with an attack role). The bonus equals 1 + the Rune Knight’s INT modifier, with a minimum of +2.

This one’s a little fuzzy flavor-wise, but even the minimum bonus is useful! Adding a bonus from two to six (assuming you can reach an INT of 20) to someone else’s AC definitely makes a difference.

Great Stature

At 10th level, the Rune Knight permanently grows 3d4 inches (range of 3 to 12). They also learn a new rune, and their Giant Might feature grants an additional 1d8 damage instead of 1d6 now.

I love the “you get noticeably taller now” element, it’s a fun non-mechanical thing that just happens. Using obscure magic has an effect on you, because magic is weird. That’s great! The Giant Might buff is good, more extra damage is always good, and it’s nice when those sorts of features scale up as you progress.

Rune Magic Mastery

At 15th level, the Rune Knight gains their final rune (reaching five total). Their rune abilities also refresh on a short rest now, and they can invoke a rune twice before resting.

Most of the complicated abilities come at the front of a Rune Knight’s level progression. These later level abilities mostly focus on adding to the previous abilities’ power instead of introducing new mechanics.

Blessing of the All Father

The final subclass feature at 18th level allows you to share your Giant Might feature with another. So, when you hulk out, another willing creature within 60 feet can join you!

Again, not adding any new mechanics, just powering up established ones. I’m sure the monk or barbarian (or really, any martial class?) in the party will appreciate this. It’s a high level ability, so we’re not too worried about it being overpowered, since this is the highest tier of play.

Okay, so fighters aren’t my thing, and giants aren’t my thing, either. So, I’m biased towards the original Rune Scribe UA. That being said, I’m glad to see runes getting more official content, and I’m interested to see what they do with this subclass.

Ranger Archetype: Swarmkeeper

Swarmkeeper rangers don’t have just one companion—they have a swarm of fey spirits at their side. These spirits appear as “swarming beasts,” so that seems to include any sort of bug, bird, fish, or other creature that work in groups (a notable example the articles gives is a swarm of “slippery squids”). Alternative idea: beekeeper ranger.

Rangers gain their subclass at 3rd level and gain additional subclass features at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Swarmkeeper Magic

Once they take this subclass at 3rd level, the Swarmkeeper ranger learns the mage hand cantrip, which looks like a swarm of nature spirits when the ranger casts it. They also gain an additional spell at 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level. These spells include some pretty on-brand choices like giant insect and insect plague.

These types of features are especially handy for classes like the ranger, who are half-casters and have a limited selection of spells.

Gathered Swarm

Also at 3rd level, the Swarmkeeper ranger gets their swarm. This swarm of fey spirits look like Tiny beasts (the ranger chooses the specific kind of beast). The swarm inhabits the ranger’s space, which might be a little creepy for their party members (dude, you’ve got bees on your… everywhere). The Swarmkeeper can use their bonus action to “agitate the swarm” for a minute. This causes them to cling to your weapons and grant you 1d6 of extra force damage per turn, plus you can have your swarm move the creature five feet towards or away from you. They can agitate the swarm a number of times equal to their Wisdom modifier (with a minimum of one) per long rest.

The text of the feature calls this a 3rd and 11th level feature, because the extra force damage increases to 2d6 once the ranger hits 11th level. This is a little unusual, but it seems like the writers didn’t want to package the damage boost with the ranger’s 11th level subclass feature.

This is a useful combat ability! Extra damage is always nice. A creature can make up that five feet when they move on their turn, but depending on the situation, the ranger can coordinate with their party using little control feature.

Writhing Tide

At 7th level, this feature augments the Gathered Swarm ability. When the Swarmkeeper uses Gathered Swarm, they can choose one of three benefits to their movement. One increases their walking speed and allows them to Disengage as a bonus action. The second grants a spider-like climb speed, and the third grants the ranger the ability to hover and a short fly speed.

This boost to Gathered Swarm gives the ranger a few different tools that can be useful in and out of combat (though Gathered Swarm only lasts a minute, so be quick!).

Scuttling Eyes

At 11th level, the Swarmkeeper can form one of the spirits in their swarm into a Tiny beast for an hour. During that hour, the spirit can act sort of like a familiar—it uses telepathy to communicate what it sees around it, the ranger can speak through it, and so on. It can’t really fight, but the ranger can dismiss it early to teleport to a space near where it disappeared. The ranger can use this once per long rest, and they can gain an extra use by spending a 3rd or higher level spell slot.

This is a really cool way to give the ranger something like a familiar. It doesn’t stick around for as long as a familiar, but that teleport ability can come in handy during infiltration-type adventures!

Storm of Minions

At 15th level, the Swarmkeeper can use their action to create a 10-foot-radius sphere of angry nature spirits that damage creatures within and count as difficult terrain. You can choose creatures that the sphere won’t affect. If the swarm does damage, the ranger can gain a little bit of health at the start of their next turn. The ranger can use this feature once per long rest, and they can gain additional uses by expending a 4th or higher level spell slot.

I’m interested to see how this feature plays! It’s cool and flavorful, and it will definitely scare weaker combatants. I also like the option of using spell slots to gain extra uses of these final two features.

This subclass is killing it with the flavor; it’s one of the UA subclasses that makes me want to play a class I don’t usually go for!

Roguish Archetype: The Revived

A Revived rogue is just that—someone who has come back from death. Their memories of their past life are unclear, but they’ve done this whole being-alive thing before, and something brought them back. They can draw on their connection with death and their past life to augment their abilities and make it much harder to kill them again.

Rogues get their subclass at 3rd level, gaining additional subclass features at 9th, 13th, and 17th level.

Tokens of Past Lives

At 3rd level, the Revived gains an additional skill or tool proficiency when they finish a long rest. On subsequent long rests, they can replace that proficiency.

This feature reflects the rogue’s past life. It fits in with the rogue’s Expertise and later Reliable Talent features, which give the class some extra proficiency-related boosts.

Revived Nature

Also at 3rd level, the Revived receives a few benefits in accordance with their connection to death. They resist disease and poison, they don’t need food or air, and they don’t require sleep (instead, they just need to spend at least four hours in a motionless state during a long rest).

Bolts from the Grave

Also at 3rd level, the Revived can make a ranged spell attack immediately after using their Cunning Action if they haven’t already used Sneak Attack. This spell attack deals necrotic damage equal to their Sneak Attack damage, and it uses up their Sneak Attack for that turn.

This is a really cool spin on Sneak Attack, especially since it uses Dexterity as the stat for the attack. You’ll have to remember to use Cunning Action frequently to take full advantage, but Cunning Action doesn’t cost anything but a bonus action to use.

Connect with the Dead

At 9th level, the Revived can cast speak with dead without using a spell slot or material components. Once the spell ends, they also gain a random benefit from the Revived Capabilities table, which can grant a language, an extra skill/tool proficiency, or a saving throw proficiency until the rogue’s next rest. It’s a d3 table (so roll a d6 and divide the result by 2. Or just get a d3…? I’m sure they exist somewhere). The rogue can use this feature once per rest.

I like the randomness to this feature, and it might not always give you something you’ll use before the next rest. But speak with dead can come in handy anyways if you get creative with it!

Audience with Death

At 13th level, the Revived has advantage on death saving throws. Whenever the rogue makes a death save, their spirit can ask “an entity of death” a question. This question must be one that can be answered with yes, no, or unknown. The entity of death will answer truthfully and uses all knowledge of those who have died. Also, when the rogue drops to 0 and is then stabilized or healed, they can change a personality trait, ideal, bond, or flaw.

Please don’t beat up your rogue to get plot answers and a better rogue personality! I mean, I guess you could, but that would hurt! They’ve already died at least once.

So, your party might try to exploit this, but at this level, your DM would probably already be aware of that. It’s also only yes/no/unknown questions, so you’ll have to think carefully about the questions you ask.

Ethereal Jaunt

At 17th level, the Revived can use Cunning Action to teleport up to 30 feet away. This teleportation can be blocked by a Medium-sized magical force. And you’ll take damage if you try to teleport into a space that something else is already occupying.

Teleportation is always cool, especially since this one builds on Cunning Action and plays up the ghostlike aspect of the Revived.

This subclass is a little strange flavor-wise. That is, there’s nothing specific about a rogue that would cause them to gain special power from being brought back from death. But, there are many death-related subclasses out there, so maybe this is one way of bringing that flavor to the rogue class. The mechanics do seem to mesh well with the rogue’s class abilities, though! And it’s fun to see unique stuff in UA, that’s part of the point!

What do you think of these new subclasses? Do you have a favorite? I’d love to hear in the comments!