D&D: Five Spooky Subclasses Perfect for That Horror-Themed One Shot
Got a horror-themed D&D game coming up because it’s October and that’s just what one does? Here are five spooky subclasses.
Now that the pumpkin spice flows once more, no thanks to those treacherous Harkonnens, it is time for that other great autumnal tradition: Halloween-themed games. Which, for D&D, typically means everything gets just a little spookier.
Doing actual horror in D&D is very hard. Because at it’s core, D&D is a game all about living out your power fantasies and playing a cool heroic badass fantasy superhero. And horror, as a genre, is all about disempowerment and feelings of helplessness and vulnerability. Horror confronts us with the monstrous parts of ourselves and we have the catharsis of experiencing it.
But, catharsis is hard to get when you can just magic missile the ghost that’s been haunting the old house on the hill. Still, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. While you might not get at the true essence of Horror ™. There’s plenty that’s spooky enough for anyone’s howl-o-scream. Like these five spooky subclasses.
Phantom (Rogue)
Phantom Rogues straddle the line between life and death. They walk the narrow bridge that joins the two together, and from it get spooky powers that call upon the dead to strike fear (and necrotic damage) into their enemies. Not only are you haunted by the spirits of the dead, whose lingering echoes can give you a new skill proficiency when you need it, but you also gain the ability to shoot a shadowy bolt of necrotic energy at a nearby target when you do Sneak Attack damage, making this one of the better damage dealing classes out there. Spooky and powerful. Perfect for a horror one-shot!
Way of Shadow (Monk)
Way of Shadow Monks are all about using the power of shadows and darkness to be still and stealthy. Which means you can summon darkness and make your whole party as silent as the grave. And sure, you might not have the same raw killing power as some of the other subclasses on here, but you will be like a ghost, nearing your target and stunning them until they’re dead.
Gloomstalker (Ranger)
Some people were born in the darkness, while others merely adopted it. And Gloomstalker Rangers are the former. You could say they’re the Bane of many a monster’s existence. Because they disappear in the darkness, becoming completely invisible to those who can see via darkvision. Which is a surprising number of creatures.
And when they’re hidden and ambush their targets, they deal more damage, and can even strike terror into the hearts of their enemies. A great spooky subclass for when you want to be the thing that goes bump in the night.
Aberrant Mind Sorcerer
Aberrant Mind Sorcerers are one of two classes that are really good at representing the eldritch side of horror. Their spells are psionic, their magic is warped by the influence of the Far Realm. They can invade someone’s mind, and at the highest levels, can transform their bodies to reveal the eldritch truth that lurks within. They may look humanoid, but these sorcerers are no longer of this world.
Undead Patron (Warlock)
Finally, we have the Undead Patron Warlock. These Warlocks gain power through pacts with some of the spookiest monsters in the manual. Not only are they grim and unsettling, but they’re also fairly interesting to play mechanically. Starting at 1st level, they can call upon the dread power of their patron to become doom manifest upon the Material Plane. They cause fear in their enemies and are surrounded by shadows, specters, and other trappings of the undead that granted them their power.
As they level up, these Warlocks get even spookier, erupting with necrotic power as their spirits become untethered from their bodies.
