New playtest introduces four Mystic subclasses changing magic roles

Designer notes and a playtest packet for a new Unearthed Arcana called Mystic Subclasses were released, offering four playtest subclasses that rethink class relationships with spellcasting. The batch brings a monk who channels spells into fighting, a paladin built to counter casters, a rogue that steals and redirects magic, and a warlock whose patron manifests as a growing vestige companion. The playtest PDF is available for download and a feedback survey opens January 22 for player impressions.

The Warrior of the Mystic Arts for monks blends martial discipline and spellcasting. It uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability and pulls spells from the sorcerer list, letting monks weave cantrips and low-level spells into unarmed combos. Expect a build that favors mindful positioning and resource juggling, where ki-like flow meets spell choices usually the domain of full casters.

The Oath of the Spellguard paladin focuses on disrupting or shielding against hostile magic. It includes reactive features such as Spellguard Strike, which triggers in response to enemy spells, and grants access to anti-magic style spells that emphasize interruption and protection rather than raw damage. This subclass aims to put paladins in a dedicated counter-magic role at the front line.

The Magic Stealer rogue introduces a toolkit for absorbing incoming magic and feeding it back into Sneak Attack and utility effects. Its mechanics let rogues harvest spell energy from targets and convert that energy into extra damage or situational tools against spellcasters. This is a clear attempt to give rogues a satisfying answer to magical threats and to shift some caster-counterplay into stealthy, tactical play.

The Vestige Patron for warlocks centers on a companion-like vestige that grows alongside the character. Rather than being a purely transactional patron, this option frames the relationship as an evolving ally that unlocks abilities and spells at set levels, giving players a more narrative and mechanically distinct companion dynamic.

For players and dungeon masters this packet is a practical toolkit. Players get fresh options for hybrid builds and caster-counter roles, while DMs receive new toys that will change encounter balance and caster interaction. Expect sessions to test how Wisdom-based spellcasters stack up against traditional caster stats, and how anti-magic and spell-absorption effects alter pacing.

If you plan to run these subclasses at the table, try one at low levels, note edge cases, and submit playtest feedback when the survey opens January 22. Early impressions will shape revisions, so this is a chance to steer balance and flavor before final publication.