D&D: Rules Previews Roundup – New Subclasses, Mythic Monsters, And More
With Mythic Odysseys of Theros and Exploring Eberron around the metaphorical corner, we’ve got previews of both. New subclasses, and mythic monsters await!
That’s right folks, we’ve got a glimpse at two upcoming books that we’re both excited about. We’ve got a monstrous preview from the upcoming Mythic Odysseys of Theros book, as well as a hint of the six different subclasses (as well as a few more interesting locations) coming to you from the creator-produced Exploring Eberron, which expands the lore of Eberron as seen through its creator, Keith Baker, due out soon on the DMs Guild. Let’s start there, since it’s got a distinct focus. Today’s preview is courtesy of In My Eberron, the official account for the new Exploring Eberron produced by Keith Baker and an all new team:
It’s great to see the Artificer, which was introduced in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, get some more love in the form of two new subclasses to expand that class in new directions. Of particular interest, though, is the psionic-themed subclass, Mind Domain, which presumably reflects some of the prevailing winds about where Psionics in D&D 5th Edition are headed.
The Mind Domain seems centered around Kalashtar, but it’s not the only specific race-themed subclass. The Circle of the Forged, for Druids, seems to be all about creating a literal dinobot–it’s all about being a Warforged and transforming into a “beast of steel.”
Doubtless Way of the Living Weapon will prove to be a favorite for players who want to play one of Eberron’s more unusual races and really lean into what makes them physically distinct. Whether it’s the dreamlike energy and movement of a Kalashtar, or the feral strength and bestial claws of a Shifter, or the ever-in-flux nature of a Changeling, there’s something for every Monk in this one.
But subclass lists aren’t the only preview of the upcoming book. Here’s a look at how magic is made manifest in the world of Eberron:
But for now, let’s leave Eberron behind and venture across the Planes to the world of Theros, where mythic odysseys inspired by the folklore of Ancient Greece await us. Today, WotC previewed a taste of what Arasta of the Endless Web looks like.
The ground ripples and bursts over the nightmarish arachnid, revealing itself as a wave of countless spiders that swarm the large horror, girding it in skittering bodies.
Mythic Odysseys of Theros releases digitally June 2. Are you prepared to face MYTHIC MONSTERS?#DnD #Theros pic.twitter.com/rn0jeJKewo
Advertisement— Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) May 26, 2020
Here’s Arasta up close and personal.
Not only is she a monstrous spider covered in other spiders, she has access to something called Mythic Actions–which looks to function a little bit like the Legendary actions we’re all familiar with, or at the very least it has the same sort of “action currency”. It might be that a mythic monster has access to a big pool of actions and can pick from among them after someone’s turns, or it’s possible that Mythic Actions stack on top of Legendary Actions, but that would be the boring choice, so I hope that’s not the case.
We know that Mythic Monsters will function in phases, where a monster might transform after you reduce its hp to 0, or once a certain trigger is hit. We’ll have to wait and see what the ultimate form of these looks like, but we don’t have that much longer to go. Stay tuned for more previews and reveals next week!
Happy Adventuring!
