An upcoming new subclass in Dungeons and Dragons is going to fix everything that was wrong about the character option the first time around, and the results so far seem extremely promising. Several new books are lined up for the roadmap for D&D in 2026. In June, players will get Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, a sourcebook that will detail the Domains of Dread and add several horror-themed options to pick from. In September, there will be two Arcana Unleashed books, which will dive into the very foundation of magic in the TTRPG.
There have been some reworked subclass tests for the upcoming books, and one of them truly stands out. The subclass in question was featured twice in the Arcane Subclasses playtests on D&D Beyond’s Unearthed Arcana. Based on what was showcased in 2025, this new character option will likely arrive with the Arcana Unleashed books, and it’s going to make a spectacular comeback. In its 2014 version, it was largely considered one of the worst subclasses to pick.
Much like the comeback of the College of Spirits Bard in D&D’s upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within book, the Arcane Archer subclass for Fighters is expected to return, in its reworked form, in the Arcana Unleashed expansion. According to the latest playtests, it seems to have fixed all the problems that made it unusable in its previous version. For example, before, Arcane Archer was only an option for literal archers who wielded bows. The playtests show that the writing has now been adapted to include any type of ranged weapon.
This means you could have an Arcane Archer using a crossbow or firearm. Moreover, this renewed subclass for Fighters in D&D can now use their main feat, Arcane Shot, more times than before. Previously, they could only use it twice per Rest, but they can now use it a number of times equal to their Intelligence modifier – plus they regain one use with every Initiative Roll. Magical Ammunition is a new feat that allows Arcane Archers to be useful outside of combat, too, with various ammunition effects to choose from.
The problem with Arcane Archer Fighters in D&D was that they felt extremely underpowered and unnecessarily nerfed, considering that their builds were already somewhat complex since they had something of a disadvantage with a third main stat to invest in (Intelligence). Overall, they felt like nerfed Rangers rather than long-range Fighters. With the updates seen in the playtests, however, they start to feel more like ranged Battle Masters.
It remains to be seen if Wizards of the Coast will use what was seen in the playtests in the final version of the 2024 Arcane Archer. Nevertheless, it shows that the company is actively listening to player feedback and trying to improve the player experience on top of that. Overall, Arcane Archers may finally be truly usable in Dungeons and Dragons, so much so that I might try them out once they arrive.
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Publisher
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TSR Inc., Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
- Player Count
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2-7 Players
