5 Dungeons and Dragons Subclasses That Need a Second Look This Year
There are few choices in Dungeons and Dragons as important as one’s class. From warfare experts like Barbarians and Fighters to masters of magic like Clerics and Wizards, classes determine how characters navigate the three pillars of gameplay: Combat, Exploration, and Social Interaction. However, it is one’s subclass in Dungeons and Dragons that truly lets a character flourish, taking the basic chassis of the class and transforming it into something unique and flavorful.
Unfortunately, not all subclasses are created equally. Though options like the Life Cleric, Battlemaster Fighter, or Bladesinger Wizard will always be set up for success, there are many who will struggle to keep up with their peers. The Dungeons and Dragons 2024 rules refresh did wonders for many underperforming picks, but these five subclasses still need some more love.
Only subclasses that have been published in the Player’s Handbook (2024), or official Dungeons and Dragons sourcebooks released after it, have been considered for this list.
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Cartographer Artificer – Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
A Decent Support Subclass Overly Reliant On a 1st-Level Concentration Spell
- Printed in Eberron: Forge of the Artificer (2025)
The Cartographer Artificer is a brand-new subclass from Eberron: Forge of the Artificer. It has some strong support capabilities, with features that grant their party boosts to initiative, teleport the Artificer and their allies around the battlefield, and create Spell Scrolls faster.
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Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
That said, their only real offensive power comes in the form of Illuminated Cartography and Guided Precision, both of which rely on Faerie Fire. While a potent spell on its own, having several features tied to a 1st-level spell essentially means this Artificer subclass in Dungeons and Dragons loses out on most of its early features if it uses any other concentration spell in combat. Faerie Fire also has no benefits when upcast, making it especially egregious as they unlock higher-level spells.
This is the same reason why the Ranger class struggles so much in Dungeons and Dragons: overreliance on Hunter’s Mark, a 1st-level concentration spell.
Knowledge Domain Cleric – Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun
Virtually Nonexistent Subclass Features Until 17th Level
- Printed in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Player’s Handbook (2014)
- Updated in Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun (2025)
Like Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide – one of the worst sourcebooks in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons history – the subclasses from Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun are hit or miss. On one hand, there are stellar options like the refurbished Bladesinger Wizard or the brand-new Spellfire Sorcerer. On the other, there are subclasses like the Knowledge Domain Cleric.
This Cleric Domain was significantly changed from its original 2014 iteration, and while it is technically better, most of the changes actually made the class less flavorful than before. All it gets at early levels is Expertise in a couple of skills, a free Divination spell with Channel Divinity, Telepathy, and Intelligence saving throw proficiency. Divine Foreknowledge is admittedly extremely powerful, but it doesn’t come online until level 17 – and considering most Dungeons and Dragons games end around level 12, the majority of Knowledge Clerics won’t ever get to use this ability.
Banneret Fighter – Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun
A Poor Attempt At Salvaging One of the Weakest Subclasses In History
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Printed in Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (2015) as the Purple Dragon Knight
- Known as the Banneret outside the setting of Faerun
- Updated in Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun (2025) as the Banneret
The Banneret Fighter was Dungeons and Dragons’ attempt at trying to remake the Purple Dragon Knight from Sword Coast Adventure’s Guide. Notoriously among the worst Fighter subclasses in Dungeons and Dragons, the Purple Dragon Knight was essentially a half-baked support class who could share its Second Wind, Action Surge, and Indomitable with others, all while getting a few social skills.
The Purple Dragon Knight briefly appeared in a Dungeons and Dragons Unearthed Arcana as an Amethyst Dragon-riding cavalier before it was official, but was changed to the Banneret due to discrepancies with the lore of Faerun.
Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun’s Banneret is undoubtedly better than the original version, but not by much. It operates on similar mechanics, albeit with some extra bells and whistles, like at-will Comprehend Languages at level 3 and immunity to the Charmed and Frightened conditions at level 18, helping the subclass a bit. Even so, while most Fighters get a bunch of extra resources to use in addition to their core kit, the Banneret simply modifies Second Wind, Action Surge, and Indomitable, meaning the subclass will run out of gas far faster than a Battle Master or Rune Knight.
Hunter Ranger – Player’s Handbook (2024)
Weak Subclass Features That Can’t Salvage An Underwhelming Class
- Printed in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Player’s Handbook (2014)
- Updated in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Player’s Handbook (2024)
The Ranger class has always struggled in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, and sadly, the 2024 rules have not fixed this issue. At most levels, Rangers sit among the worst classes in Dungeons and Dragons. That said, though the base class has a lot of problems, most of its subclasses are very strong. The Gloom Stalker, Fey Wanderer, and Winter Walker are all extremely solid, and even the new Beast Master Ranger is more than viable.
Conversely, the Hunter Ranger leaves much to be desired. It gained some much-needed versatility in that it can swap its Hunter’s Prey and Defensive Tactics features on Short or Long Rests, the features themselves are underwhelming in comparison to its counterparts. What’s more, its 11th-level feature is reliant on Hunter’s Mark, and its 15th-level ability is essentially a slightly-stronger version of the level 5 Rogue ability, Uncanny Dodge. Simply put, the Hunter relies too heavily on the Ranger’s underwhelming abilities, rather than adding something better as the other subclasses do.
Soulknife Rogue – Player’s Handbook (2024)
A Flavorful Class That Can’t Use Magic Weapons
- Printed in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (2020)
- Updated in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Player’s Handbook (2024)
The Soulknife Rogue has all the hallmarks of a fantastic subclass. Indeed, players will likely find the Soulknife to be exceptional at early levels in Dungeons and Dragons, with a variety of powerful abilities like telepathy, teleportation, and bad luck protection on attack rolls and ability checks. The only issue the class has is a limited number of Psionic Energy Dice at low levels.
Unfortunately, the class’s flaws are revealed as it reaches higher levels. Most of its features are reliant on using Psychic Blades to attack, meaning a Soulknife who uses a magic weapon essentially cuts themselves off from half the subclass. This is a massive drawback in high-level play, as it prevents them from using these game-changing items in a way that no other Rogue subclass in Dungeons and Dragons does.
- Franchise
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson