New DnD Unearthed Arcana shares Giant subclasses and feats

Dungeons and Dragons teases some giant feats and Druid, Barbarian and Wizard subclasses in the newest Unearthed Arcana playtest content

DnD Unearthed Arcana Giant subclasses - two giants lean down to listen to a small humanoid adventurer

New playtest material for D&D dropped on Thursday, and the latest Unearthed Arcana reveal is all about Giants. Developed by Makenzie De Armas, James Wyatt, Ben Petrisor, and Jeremy Crawford, the playtest content introduces new subclasses for Barbarians, Druids, and Wizards. It also proposes ten D&D 5E feats based on the elemental power of different Giants.

You’re meant to wait until level 20 to become a DnD god, but a Path of the Giant Barbarian can literally turn into Thor. You can add 1d6 of acid, cold, fire, thunder, or lightning damage by level six, and your weapon can be thrown, appearing in your hand again as soon as it hits or misses – an ability exclusive to you wielding it. You also become a big fan of throwing. Third level lets you add Rage Damage to thrown attacks, and you can throw enemies and allies at level ten. You’ll also grow quite a few sizes as you go.

The new Druid subclass, Circle of the Primeval, will allow you to “summon and bond with the spirit of a primeval behemoth – a hulking creature that once ruled the ancient world alongside the giants”. These Druids become proficient in History and gain a d4 bonus at second level, they can summon their primeval companion instead of assuming beast form. This companion gets stronger (and bigger) as the Druid levels up, sharing might and spellcasting abilities with the Druid they’ve bonded to.

The playtest material also introduces the Wizard Runecraft subclass. Early on, these Wizards can cast runes that grant temporary hit points, attack roll bonuses, or additional speed. Runecraft Wizards will also have the opportunity to automatically succeed on Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity saving throws at level six, Eventually, you’ll be able to mark enemies with your glowing runes. This tanks their saving throws and invisibility – and you can curse them into taking extra damage.

DnD Unearthed Arcana giant subclasses - an adventurer leaps to attack a giant

The ten feats introduced in the Unearthed Arcana playtest material are:

  • Elemental Touched – Attune yourself to one of the four elements once per long rest, each with its own benefit
  • Ember of the Fire Giant – Gain fire damage resistance and replace an attack with a burst of flame that can deal 2d6 + proficiency bonus damage
  • Fury of the Frost Giant – At fourth level, gain resistance to cold damage and frighten opponents using a reaction
  • Guile of the Cloud Giant – At eighth level, cast blur without a spell slot or components, and gain proficiency in Deception or Persuasion
  • Keenness of the Stone Giant – At fourth level, learn and cast detect magic without using a spell slot, and increase your darkvision
  • Outsized Might – Gain proficiency in Athletics or Acrobatics, plus additional size and advantage on saving throws against being moved or knocked prone
  • Rune Carver Apprentice – Mark a non-magical item and temporarily learn to cast a first-level rune spell for free until your next long rest
  • Rune Carver Adept – At fourth level, you can mark several objects with different rune spells
  • Soul of the Storm Giant – At eighth level, cast divination as a ritual and gain the ability to create an aura of magical wind and lightning
  • Vigour of the Hill Giant – At fourth level, use reactions to avoid being moved or knocked prone, and regain additional hit points when a spell restores your health

From the playtest material alone, it’s not clear what the new subclasses and feats are intended to be used for. In 2021, D&D executive producer Ray Winninger hinted five new titles were in development, with three focusing on brand new DnD settings. It may be that this material is intended for a new world of Giants, but there is currently no way to confirm. For now, you can read the full playtest material here.

For more subclasses, be sure to check out our DnD classes guide. Alternatively, you can take a look at the newest confirmed D&D setting – Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel.