Time to dive into some more Unearthed Arcana! For those of you keeping score at home, Part 1 brought us subclasses for the barbarian, monk, paladin, and warlock, Part 2 introduced subclasses for the bard, cleric, and sorcerer, and now we’re at Part 3.

In this post, I’ll take a look at the new subclasses for the Artificer, Druid, and Ranger classes.

Artificer Specialist: Armorer

The Armorer artificer focuses on armor. They can modify a suit of armor and bond with it in a unique way thanks to their magical tinkering. It’s cool to see a new Artificer subclass so soon after the class’s official release!

Artificers get their subclass at 3rd level, gaining additional features at 5th, 9th, and 15th level.

Tools of the Trade: 3rd level feature

Each artificer subclass gets their own version of the Tools of the Trade feature. The Armorer version grants heavy armor and smith’s tools proficiency.

The heavy armor proficiency makes this subclass a more heavy duty spellcaster, similar to some cleric subclasses.

Armorer Spells: 3rd level feature

The expanded spell list includes some defensive options like shield and mirror image, along with some interesting choices like greater invisibility and hypnotic pattern. Many of these spells are generally associated with wizards, too (such as magic missile).

This section also has a neat design note on subclass spells. It explains some of the ideas behind picking spells for expanded spell lists and discusses the differences between prepared spellcasters (example: clerics and wizards) and learning spellcasters (example: sorcerers and bards). I’ve enjoyed seeing these behind-the-scenes type notes in the recent UA articles.

Power Armor: 3rd level feature

At 3rd level, you can use your action and a set of smith’s tools to make a suit of heavy armor into power armor. Power armor is a term used to describe this subclass’s special armor. Power armor doesn’t have a Strength requirement (even if it originally had one), and you can use it as a spellcasting focus. Power armor also cannot be removed from your body against your will and can replace any missing limbs. It covers your entire body, and you’re not the only one imagining an Iron Man type setup here.

This is the keystone of the subclass here. It provides some good upfront benefits—for example, you don’t have to worry about your Strength score for this subclass.

Armor Model: 3rd level feature

Also at 3rd level, you can choose a specific model for your power armor that you can change on a rest. There are two models—the Guardian and the Infiltrator. Both have special weapons that you can use your Intelligence modifier for the attacks.

The Guardian has the Thunder Gauntlets weapon, which allows you to punch as a simple melee weapon attack that deals thunder damage. If you hit, the target also has disadvantage on attacks against creatures that aren’t you until your next turn. The Guardian also has a Defensive Field you can use as a bonus action to grant you temporary hit points.

The Infiltrator has the Lightning Launcher weapon, which acts as a simple ranged weapon that deals lightning damage. You can deal extra lightning damage once per turn. The Infiltrator also increases your walking speed by 5 feet and does not impose any disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

These options give you some flexibility with your power armor, and you have some freedom to change the model depending on the situation. For example, you might switch from Guardian to Infiltrator mode the night before a stealth mission.

Extra Attack: 5th level feature

At 5th level, you get the Extra Attack feature. Some artificer subclasses get this feature, but not all of them do.

This feature adds more support for a more martial focus for this subclass. You get an additional attack option from what model of power armor you’re using, so Extra Attack encourages you to use those attacks.

Armor Modifications: 9th level feature

At 9th level, your armor counts as separate pieces for your Infuse Item feature. So, your armor’s boots can have one infusion, while your armor’s bracers can have another, while your weapon has yet another infusion, and so on. You can also infuse two more items at once as long as they’re part of your power armor.

Now, your armor reflects not only the intrinsic modifications that made it power armor. It also can reflect your own personal touch—you can further customize your power armor with your item infusions. This is a great way to make your power armor into a unique build of your own!

Perfected Armor: 15th level feature

At 15th level, your power armor gets some additional perks depending on the model.

The Guardian model gets an option to use a reaction to force a creature to roll a Strength save. If they fail, you pull them 30 feet towards you, and if they get within melee range, you can hit them with an attack as a part of that reaction. You can use this for a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (1 minimum) per long rest.

The Infiltrator model applies an additional effect when you deal damage to a creature with Lightning Launcher. They shed dim light, which grants advantage to the next attack roll against it (if the attacker isn’t you). That attack will also deal extra lightning damage.

This is a nice way to enhance the power armor models. The Guardian is tankier, so you get a feature that helps with positioning control. The Infiltrator has a ranged attack, so it gets an ability that potentially helps your ally in melee with your target.

Overall, the Armorer presents a fun twist on the established Artificer options! It’s maybe not one I’d play myself, but I know plenty of people who are eager to try this out.

Artificer Infusions

This UA also presents a few more artificer infusion options, partially to help support the new subclass.

Armor of Magical Strength

This infusion requires you to be a 10th level artificer and needs a suit of armor. It requires attunement. It allows the wearer to use your Intelligence instead of Strength for any Strength check or Strength saving throw. It also has four charges—you can use one as a reaction to avoid being knocked prone.

It seems like this infusion goes along with the Armorer subclass, but you could use this for other class builds as well.

Armor of Tools

This infusion requires a suit of armor. It allows the wearer to integrate thieves’ tools or artisan’s tools into the armor. It stays like this for eight hours or until you remove the tools. When the wearer makes an ability check with the tool set, they can add their Intelligence modifier.

This seems especially well suited to the Infiltrator power armor model, which focuses on utility and stealth over a more powerful defense. This might also work well for an Arcane Trickster rogue.

Helm of Awareness

This infusion requires you to be a 10th level artificer and provide a helmet. It also requires attunement. The infused helmet grants its wearer advantage on initiative roles. The wearer also can’t be surprised if it is not incapacitated.

This infusion is nifty on its own, but it’s also great alongside other armor-related infusions with the power armor features.

Mind Sharpener

This infusion requires you to be a 10th level artificer and provide a suit or armor or robes. When the wearer fails a Constitution save to keep concentrating on a spell, the infused item allows them to use their reaction to turn the failure into a success.

Another useful item to have on hand, both for an Armorer artificer or another character. Since it allows you to use robes, another spellcaster could make good use of this item.

Spell-Refueling Ring

This infusion requires you to be a 6th level artificer and provide a ring. Every day, the wearer can use an action to recover a spell slot. The maximum level of the spell slot equals the number of magic items the wearer has attuned to.

While this item can be useful for a non-artificer, it’s really geared towards artificer characters, since they can attune to more magic items as they grow in level.

Druid Circle: Circle of the Stars

The Circle of the Stars focuses on keeping records of the stars above. This druid circle studies the skies to uncover secrets of the heavenly bodies. Thus, they have unlocked special power from this knowledge.

Druids get their subclass at 2nd level, gaining additional subclass features at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

Star Map: 2nd level feature

At 2nd level, you get a star map, a Tiny object you can use as a spellcasting focus. There’s a Star Map table to determine what the star map looks like (or you can decide on your own). You can recreate it if you lose it in a ritual that takes place over a rest. The star map allows you to cast augury and guiding bolt without preparing the spell or expending a spell slot. You can cast those spells a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) per long rest.

Reading the stars can be a form of divination, so it makes sense that a subclass like this would get some bonus divination type spells. I like the idea of a unique spellcasting focus as well, which this subclass has in common with the Armorer.

Starry Form: 2nd level feature

Also at 2nd level, you can use your Wild Shape to instead take on a starry form. You start to glow and look like a constellation. This lasts for ten minutes unless you become incapacitated. You can select a particular constellation to appear on your body, and that choice grants specific benefits. You have three options: the Chalice (increases your magical healing), the Archer (grants a bonus action ranged attack), and the Dragon (benefits your Intelligence checks, Wisdom checks, and Constitution saves to concentrate on a spell).

UA druid subclasses are experimenting with different uses of Wild Shape, which makes sense since that’s one of the major features of the class. These options expand the use of starry form outside of a specific pillar of play, which makes sense for something as useful as Wild Shape.

Cosmic Omen: 6th level feature

At 6th level, you can receive an omen after you finish a long rest. This uses your star map. You roll a d6 and receive an omen of Weal or Woe. An even result (Weal) allows you to add a d6 to a nearby creature’s roll. An odd result (Woe) allows you to subtract a d6 from a nearby creature’s roll. Doing so requires a reaction, and you can use that reaction a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per long rest (note that this doesn’t provide a minimum).

This reminds me of a divination wizard subclass feature. It works a bit differently, but the flavor lines up pretty well. I like how you can help your party out by divining the future using your star map—bringing fortune to your allies and misfortune to your enemies.

Full of Stars: 10th level feature

This 10th level feature buffs your starry form. You have resistance to physical damage (bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing).

This feature is simple but extremely helpful in a fight. A blanket resistance to physical damage also applies to magical weapon damage, which simplifies things for you (you don’t have to ask the DM about the source of the damage to determine whether you have resistance).

Star Flare: 14th level feature

At 14th level, you can use an action to throw a 30-foot radius sphere of light onto a point within 120 feet of you. You can teleport willing creatures (for example, your party) out of the sphere immediately. Creatures that you don’t teleport out need to succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 4d10 radiant damage and become blinded until your next turn ends. You can do this once per long rest, or you can expend a 5th level or higher spell slot to get another use.

I like the idea of yeeting a supernova into the battlefield (even if it’s not that dramatic, I will imagine it as such). It’s interesting that this doesn’t do half damage on a successful save, I’d think that a high level feature like this would deal more damage or deal half damage. Nevertheless, I love the flavor of this subclass feature.

Overall, I really like the galactic, mysterious aesthetic of this subclass!

Ranger Archetype: Fey Wanderer

Rangers of the Fey Wanderer archetype watch over the borders between the Material Plane and the Feywild. As such, they have been blessed by the fey, and their power shows that fey influence. As part of this subclass, you can pick or roll a blessing from the Feywild Gifts table.

Rangers get their subclass at 3rd level, gaining additional subclass features at 7th, 11th, and 13th level.

Fey Wanderer Magic: 3rd level feature

The expanded spell list for rangers include some common picks for a fey-aligned character, like charm person and misty step (a spell that some versions of eladrin have). They also get banishment, useful for dealing with extraplanar enemies.

Cunning Will: 3rd level feature

At 3rd level, you have advantage on saves against being frightened or charmed, much like elves and half-elves have from Fey Ancestry. Additionally, you gain proficiency in either Deception, Performance, or Persuasion.

These benefits play into the feytouched flavor of the subclass. You have some of the benefits of Fey Ancestry (though not all, you can still be put to sleep by magic) and gain proficiency in a Charisma-based skill.

Dreadful Strikes: 3rd level feature

Also at 3rd level, you can use your bonus action to make the weapons you’re holding magical and deal extra damage once per turn. If you use two-weapon fighting, you can lump in this bonus action with your two-weapon fighting attacks.

At 3rd level, this is really useful for dealing with monsters with nonmagical weapon damage resistances. The extra damage doesn’t hurt, either! (well, it does hurt the target.)

Blessings of the Courts: 7th level feature

At 7th level, you can add your Wisdom modifier to your Charisma checks (on top of adding your Charisma as normal). Also, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can use a spell slot once per turn to deal extra psychic damage and force a creature to make a Wisdom save against being frightened (until the end of your next turn).

Since rangers have Wisdom as a primary stat, this helps further boost your charisma checks alongside the bonus proficiency. The frightened status is a good way to prevent someone from getting closer, so you can hit them from range and keep them at bay with this feature.

Beguiling Twist: 11th level feature

At 11th level, you get a reaction you can use when a creature nearby succeeds on a save against being charmed or frightened. This reaction forces another creature to make a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed or frightened by you or take 3d10 psychic damage (one of those three).

This feature seems like it would come in handy when fighting particular creatures (such as fey, which makes sense here).

Misty Presence: 15th level feature

At 15th level, you can use a bonus action to make a nearby creature roll a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they can’t see or hear you for 24 hours. They can repeat the save if you hit them with an attack, deal damage, or force them to make a save. You can only have this active on one target; it goes away from your previous target if you use it again. The target is immune to this feature for a week if they succeed on a save. You can do this once per long rest, or you can use a 4th level or higher spell slot to get another use.

This is a really cool final feature for this ranger, emphasizing the ranger’s stealth abilities especially if you’re not planning on getting into combat with the creature you’re targeting. I’d be interested to see how people use this feature!

I always love fey stuff, so this ranger looks like a lot of fun to play.

What do you think of these new subclasses? Any predictions on what’s coming next for