Wizards of the Coast has revealed new giant-themed subclasses and feats for D&D's ever-expanding multiverse. This content is still considered playtesting material and it will likely be changed by the time it's printed in a book.
There have been many playable races in D&D that have giant blood or elemental blood, such as the half-ogres or the genasi. The descendants of magical beings are said to inherit powers of their own, with many sorcerers having dragon ancestors in their family tree. It's rare, but not impossible, for characters to gain divine powers through similar means, with many of the Favored Soul class being descended from celestials or fiends. It's also rare for characters to gain nature-based powers from such a link, though many descendants of fey beings can call on the chaotic nature of their ancestors to commune with the wild.
The new D&D giant-themed classes and feats provide access to powers that belong to ancient beings. The giants in D&D are sometimes treated as throwaway villains, but many of them have their own culture and society away from the small folk. The elementals in D&D also belong to their own dynasties, with the warring Elemental Princes appearing in several classic adventures. It's unclear which book these new D&D subclasses and feats will appear on, but they offer a number of amazing powers to players.
D&D: The Path Of The Giant Barbarian Loves The Fastball Special
Path of the Giant is a Primal Path for the barbarian class. At level 3, they automatically learn the giant language and gain the Giant's Havoc power, which changes how they Rage. When using Rage, they add their bonus damage to thrown weapons, they transform into a Large-sized creature, and gain 5ft of reach. They gain the Elemental Cleaver ability at level 6, which allows them to imbue a weapon while using Rage, so that it deals an extra 1d6 damage (chosen from fire, cold, acid, thunder, or lightning), and their weapon gains the thrown property, causing it to magically return to their hand. A D&D barbarian with this subclass gains the Mighty Impel ability at level 10, which allows them to throw a Small or Medium-sized creature at a range of 30ft, with an opposed saving throw against an unwilling target. They gain the Demiurgic Colossus ability at level 14, allowing them to transform into a Huge-sized creature while raging, increasing their Elemental Infusion damage to 2d6, and allowing them to throw Large-sized creatures with Mighty Impel.
D&D's Circle Of The Primeval Druid Gain Elemental Companions
Circle of the Primeval is a druid subclass. They gain Keeper of the Old at level 2, granting proficiency in the History skill and letting them add 1d4 to their Intelligence roll when making a History check. They also gain the Primeval Companion ability, allowing them to summon an elemental that fights alongside them in battle, and can burn its reaction to take half the damage when an ally within 5ft is hit. This is similar to some of D&D's ranger subclass abilities. They gain Prehistoric Conduit at level 6, allowing to them cast spells through their primeval companion, and when it's affected by the character's spells, it has advantage on saving throws, takes half damage on a fail, and no damage on a success.
They gain Titanic Magic at level 10, turning the primeval companion into a Large-sized creature with a climbing or swimming speed equal to walking speed, and the character can force enemies to make a Wisdom saving throw against being frightened when the companion is summoned. They gain Scourge of the Ancients at level 14, allowing them to expend spell slots to enhance the primeval companion, turning it into a Huge creature with hit points equal to ten times the level of the spell slot used, and its damage is 1d8 equal to the level of the spell slot used, and it gains 5ft of movement equal to the level of the spell slot used.
The Runecrafter Buffs Their Allies With Ancient Magic In D&D
The Runecrafter is a wizard subclass, which feels an improved version of D&D's divination wizard subclass. They gain the ability to cast comprehend languages at will without spending any slots. They also gain the Runic Empowerment ability and it can be used a number of times equal to the character's proficiency bonus. Runic Empowerment can grant one additional power to a spell when cast, including 5 temporary hit points per spell level to an ally within 30ft, granting a bonus to attack rolls against a target within 30ft equal to half the spell level rounded down, or granting 5ft of movement to an ally within 30ft equal to the spell level.
They gain Sigils of Warding at level 6, allowing them to use their reaction to succeed on a failed Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw. They gain Rune Maven at level 10, allowing them to restore uses of Runic Empowerment equal to their Intelligence modifier while using Arcane Recovery. They gain Engraved Enmity at level 14, allowing them to curse an enemy within 60ft by placing a rune on them, with a Wisdom saving throw to avoid. Once affected, the enemy has disadvantage on saving throws against spells used by the caster, are always seen even if invisible, and the caster can use their bonus action to cause the creature to take an additional 1d8 force damage when struck by an ally's attack. Engraved Enmity lasts for one minute or until the caster's concentration, and can be used once per long rest for free, or by burning a 3rd level spell slot or higher.
Dungeons & Dragons' Giant Feats Grant Incredible Powers
The Unearthed Arcana articles gives D&D some amazing new feats. The Outsized Might feat grants proficiency in either the Athletics or Acrobatics skill, they have advantage on saving throws against being moved or knocked prone, and they count as a size category larger for moving and carrying. Ember of the Fire Giant can be taken at level 8, it provides fire resistance, and allows the character to replace one of their attacks with Searing Ignition, which forces a Dexterity save against 2d6 fire damage and being blinded, with a ed save taking half damage and suffering no additional effects. Fury of the Frost Giant can be taken at level 4, it provides cold resistance, and they gain Frigid Vengeance, which is a reaction ability to being attacked, which causes a Wisdom saving throw against being frightened until the start of its next turn.
Vigor of the Hill Giant can be taken at level 4, granting the ability to use reaction to avoid being knocked prone or moved more than 5ft, and Hearty Hearth, which grants additional healing equal to the character's Constitution modifier whenever they are healed. Searing Ignition, Frigid Vengeance, and Hearty Hearth can be used a number of times equal to the character's proficiency bonus. D&D's list of powerful feats now includes Guile of the Cloud Giant, which can be taken at level 8, it grants proficiency in Deception or Persuasion and doubles the proficiency bonus, and grants the character the ability to cast blur once per long rest, without the need to maintain concentration.
Keenness of the Stone Giant can be taken at level 4, grants 60ft of darkvision (or an additional 30ft if the character already has it), and they learn detect thoughts and one other 1st-level spell from the abjuration or divination schools of magic, both of which can be cast for free once per long rest. Soul of the Storm Giant can be taken at level 8, they can cast divination as a ritual once per long rest, and they gain the Maelstrom Aura ability, which creates a 10ft magical aura around the caster that lasts for a minute, forcing foes to take disadvantage on attack roles while it's active, and a creature that starts its turn within the effect has its speed halved until the start of its next turn.
Elemental Touched & Rune Crafter Will Be Very Popular Feats In D&D
D&D's elemental mages gain a new feat in the Unearthed Arcana article. The Elemental Touched feat can be taken at any level and it grants either the druidcraft or thaumaturgy cantrip. Once they finish a long rest, they can select one of four elemental powers that cost a bonus action to use, it can be used a number of times equal to the Proficiency bonus, and it can be switched upon the next long rest. The Air power grants flying speed equal to walking speed for one turn, the Earth power turns 30ft of the area around the into difficult terrain for other creatures one minute, the Fire power surrounds them in ash and makes them unable to provoke attacks of opportunity until the end of the turn, and the Water power can push an opponent 10ft away with a blast of water.
There also new spellcaster feats for D&D characters. The Rune Carver Apprentice feat is very interesting. Rune Carver Apprentice can be taken at any level and it can be used to carve a magical rune on an item when taking a long rest. The magical rune grants the ability to cast a spell once per long rest and adds it to the caster's list, so long as the caster is carrying the item with the rune. The rune spells are false life, fog cloud, ray of sickness, chromatic orb, bane, burning hands, bless, armor of Agathys, goodberry, longstrider, command, guiding bolt, cure wounds, jump, shield, sanctuary, thunderwave, feather fall, and heroism. Once the character reaches level four, they can take the Rune Carver Adept feat, which allows them to inscribe different runes on a number of items equal to their proficiency bonus. The ability to cast a level one spell from a robust selection every day is going to be a popular one, and it will be interesting to see how it's changed when it's finally printed in a Dungeons & Dragons book.
Source: Unearthed Arcana
