Dungeons & Dragons recently revealed the eight subclasses that will be featured in the upcoming Heroes of Faerun and Adventures of Faerun books. The books, which will be releasing in mid-November, focus on the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons & Dragons. Advertising for the books has particularly highlighted their connection with Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3, with companion Karlach featured on the cover and Astarion receiving his own supplemental book as part of the Ultimate Bundle. However, the eight new subclasses feel like a missed opportunity to further capitalize on the Baldur's Gate 3 angle.
Heroes of Faerun Adds No New Subclasses For Multiple BG3 Party Members
The eight new DnD subclasses coming in Heroes of Faerun are as follows: College of the Moon Bard, Knowledge Domain Cleric, Banneret Fighter, Oath of the Noble Genies Paladin, Winter Walker Ranger, Scion of the Three Rogue, Spellfire Sorcerer, and Bladesinger Wizard. Four of the twelve core Dungeons and Dragons classes will not receive subclasses — including multiple classes belonging to recruitable party members. Those four are as follows:
- Barbarian, Karlach's class
- Warlock, Wyll's class
- Druid, Jaheira and Halsin's class
- Monk
These absences feel notable, particularly for the Barbarian — Karlach features on the cover of the book, after all. Druid is another miss, as it is the only class represented by two different Baldur's Gate 3 party members. It is also the primary class of Jaheira, an iconic Forgotten Realms character who has appeared in all three Baldur's Gate games. If these books are indeed celebrating the significant faces of Faerun, neglecting Jaheira is an odd choice.
If Wizards of the Coast is using Baldur's Gate 3 to draw in new Dungeons and Dragons players, why hype up the connection and then fall short when it comes to subclasses? This is particularly frustrating given that Larian Studios added twelve new subclasses in BG3 Patch 8, including the popular Hexblade Warlock and Path of the Giants Barbarian. Not featuring any of these subclasses in the upcoming books is a disappointing miss.
Heroes of Faerun's Subclasses Don't Leverage the Baldur's Gate 3 Connection
Of the eight subclasses that are coming in Heroes of Faerun, only Bladesinger Wizard and Knowledge Domain Cleric actually appear in Baldur's Gate 3. It's an odd choice for Wizards of the Coast to make, and a frustrating one. Several popular Baldur's Gate 3 subclasses didn't appear in the 2024 Player's Handbook update. These include College of Swords Bard, Storm and Shadow Sorcerer, and multiple Cleric domains and Wizard schools.
Some of the new subclasses make sense as tributes to non-Baldur's Gate 3 elements of the Forgotten Realms. The College of the Moon Bard draws on the tradition of the Moonshae Isles, while the Winter Walker Ranger is a clear homage to Drizzt Do'Urden and his adventures in Icewind Dale. But it's still disappointing not to see Baldur's Gate 3's beloved companions get more focus. Early teases hinted at a dragon rider Fighter that was possibly connected to the githyanki warrior Lae'zel, making its replacement with Banneret a particular frustration. And if a moon-based subclass had to make an appearance, why not something more connected to Shadowheart, and her potential choice to follow Selune?
Scion Of The Three Rogue Is A Swing And A Miss
One new subclass in particular feels like a strange and somewhat halfhearted attempt to connect to Baldur's Gate 3: the new Rogue subclass, Scion of the Three. Scions of the Three draw their powers from the gods Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul, gods whose Chosen figured among the primary antagonists of Baldur's Gate 3. Its abilities in the Unearthed Arcana playtest version (which may be changed for the official release) include:
- Deal extra damage when Sneak Attacking a Bloodied creature.
- Gain cantrips and damage resistance based on which of the Three the character swears allegiance to.
- Frighten enemies, then deal additional damage to them, and gain Advantage against them.
- Increase Sneak Attack damage at high levels.
The focus on frightening one's enemies definitely brings to mind the awe-inspiring Apostle of Myrkul fought at the conclusion of Act 2, while taking the Bhaal path could let players create a Dark Urge or Orin the Red-inspired character. But why not pay tribute to a more iconic rogue from Baldur's Gate 3 instead?
True, Astarion is already getting plenty of focus in the form of his own spinoff book, Astarion's Book of Hungers. However, Heroes of Faerun could have easily implemented a Rogue subclass more closely connected to the popular character, such as the well-liked Swashbuckler from Patch 8. Alternately, Wizards of the Coast could have developed a unique new Rogue subclass that brings in vampiric abilities for players wanting to play as their favorite character (or a potential spawn of Ascended Astarion) in a future campaign.
And, while a "Dead Three"-based class is a great option for the Baldur's Gate 3 connection, Rogue feels like a bit of a strange place to implement it. Why not a class more openly connected to the gods, such as Cleric or Paladin? Orin may be a Thief Rogue, but her shapeshifting abilities and access to Bhaal's Slayer Form are far more iconic elements of her combat style than stealth or subtlety.
The eight subclasses in Heroes of Faerun are fun new additions, but they feel sorely lacking for fans excited about Wizards of the Coast more actively bringing Baldur's Gate 3 into the tabletop world. There are still other elements in the books which could highlight the Baldur's Gate 3 connection, such as the new backgrounds and feats and especially pre-written adventures which could feature beloved characters from the game. Still, Baldur's Gate 3 players looking to Heroes of Faerun and Adventures in Faerun for content may find themselves disappointed when trying to use the new materials to recreate their favorite Tav or Dark Urge in tabletop form.
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- 1974
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson