The next iteration of the druid and paladin class in Dungeons & Dragons will soon be released to the public, as they’ll be included in the next Unearthed Arcana playtest article. These articles will form the backbone of the upcoming revised versions of the core D&D 5e rulebooks, which are set to launch in 2024.
Related: D&D: Best low-level adventures in Keys From The Golden Vault
A new video on the official Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel has confirmed that the druid and paladin will be the focus of the next Unearthed Arcana, which launches on February 23. This follows previous articles that focused on the bard, cleric, ranger, and rogue. Those revamped versions of the classes have been very well-received by fans.
It’s unclear how the druid and the paladin will be changed, especially considering fans’ satisfaction with these classes in the past. The druid was toned down from its overpowered D&D 3E status, with characters forced to choose between magic and Wild Shape rather than focusing on both. At the same time, the D&D 5E paladin class has an improved Divine Smite ability, which can deal ridiculous amounts of critical hit damage when it connects.
It’s possible that the Unearthed Arcana version of the paladin could finally force the player to stick to an alignment, which has been a sticking point with long-time fans of the game. The druids might also be allowed to wear metal armor, as that restriction has never made much sense, even within the logic of D&D.
When the revised version of D&D 5E was first announced, many fans assumed it would be an incremental update, much like when D&D 3.5 was released. This won’t be the case, as the classes that have appeared in Unearthed Arcana so far have all received significant changes, and the familiar roles that fans know and love will look very different in 2024 when the next Player’s Handbook is released.
