TEXT: ©2016	
    Wizards	
    of	
    the	
    Coast	
    LLC	
    
  1	
    
  Unearthed	
    Arcana:	
    Gothic	
    Heroes	
    
  This	
    month,	
    Unearthed	
    Arcana	
    takes	
    a	
    look	
    at	
    a	
    
  few	
    new	
    character	
    options	
    appropriate	
    to	
    gothic	
    
  horror.	
    The	
    revenant	
    subrace	
    provides	
    an	
    
  interesting	
    way	
    to	
    bring	
    a	
    character	
    back	
    from	
    the	
    
  dead—a	
    useful	
    option	
    if	
    you’ve	
    lost	
    a	
    character	
    in	
    
  the	
    mists	
    of	
    Barovia.	
    The	
    Monster	
    Hunter	
    and	
    the	
    
  Inquisitive	
    are	
    two	
    new	
    archetypes	
    for	
    the	
    fighter	
    
  and	
    rogue,	
    respectively,	
    well	
    suited	
    to	
    the	
    
  challenges	
    of	
    Ravenloft	
    or	
    any	
    other	
    gothic	
    horror	
    
  campaign.	
    
  	
     If	
    you	
    have	
    anything	
    specific	
    you	
    want	
    to	
    see	
    in	
    
  upcoming	
    installments	
    of	
    Unearthed	
    Arcana,	
    let	
    
  me	
    know	
    via	
    Twitter	
    (@mikemearls).	
    
  New	
    Subrace:	
    Revenant	
    
  Having	
    met	
    a	
    cruel	
    and	
    undeserved	
    end,	
    you	
    have	
    
  returned	
    to	
    the	
    realm	
    of	
    the	
    living.	
    As	
    a	
    revenant,	
    
  you	
    thirst	
    for	
    revenge	
    against	
    those	
    who	
    wronged	
    
  you	
    in	
    life,	
    or	
    seek	
    to	
    complete	
    a	
    final,	
    critical	
    task	
    
  you	
    left	
    unfinished.	
    
  	
     The	
    revenant	
    subrace	
    can	
    be	
    applied	
    to	
    any	
    race	
    
  that	
    has	
    a	
    subrace,	
    and	
    replaces	
    that	
    race’s	
    existing	
    
  subrace	
    options.	
    Alternatively,	
    you	
    can	
    apply	
    this	
    
  new	
    subrace	
    to	
    a	
    race	
    without	
    subrace	
    options	
    
  using	
    the	
    modification	
    options	
    provided	
    below.	
    	
    
  	
     Your	
    DM	
    might	
    also	
    allow	
    you	
    to	
    take	
    this	
    
  subrace	
    for	
    a	
    slain	
    character.	
    In	
    that	
    case,	
    your	
    
  character	
    rises	
    from	
    the	
    dead	
    with	
    its	
    original	
    
  subrace	
    replaced	
    (or	
    with	
    the	
    necessary	
    
  modifications	
    made	
    to	
    its	
    base	
    traits),	
    filled	
    with	
    a	
    
  determination	
    to	
    seek	
    vengeance	
    or	
    complete	
    its	
    
  mission.	
    
  Racial	
    Adjustments	
    
  For	
    races	
    that	
    don’t	
    have	
    subrace	
    options,	
    taking	
    
  on	
    the	
    revenant	
    subrace	
    means	
    making	
    changes	
    to	
    
  your	
    character’s	
    base	
    traits,	
    as	
    follows.	
    (This	
    
  playtest	
    article	
    provides	
    options	
    only	
    for	
    human	
    
  and	
    dragonborn	
    characters.	
    Because	
    half-­‐‑elves	
    and	
    
  half-­‐‑orcs	
    have	
    no	
    subrace	
    options,	
    they	
    shouldn’t	
    
  be	
    used	
    with	
    these	
    revenant	
    subrace	
    rules.)	
    
  	
     Human	
    Revenant.	
    If	
    you	
    want	
    to	
    play	
    a	
    human	
    
  revenant,	
    modify	
    the	
    human’s	
    Ability	
    Score	
    
  Increase	
    trait	
    to	
    the	
    following:	
    Two	
    different	
    
  ability	
    scores	
    of	
    your	
    choice	
    increase	
    by	
    1.	
    If	
    you	
    
  use	
    the	
    variant	
    human	
    traits,	
    remove	
    the	
    Skills	
    
  trait	
    and	
    the	
    Feat	
    trait.	
    
  	
     Dragonborn	
    Revenant.	
    If	
    you	
    want	
    to	
    play	
    a	
    
  dragonborn	
    revenant,	
    modify	
    the	
    dragonborn’s	
    
  Ability	
    Score	
    Increase	
    trait	
    to	
    the	
    following:	
    Your	
    
  Strength	
    score	
    increases	
    by	
    1,	
    and	
    your	
    Charisma	
    
  score	
    increases	
    by	
    1.	
    Additionally,	
    your	
    Draconic	
    
  Ancestry	
    trait	
    uses	
    necrotic	
    damage	
    as	
    its	
    damage	
    
  type,	
    replacing	
    the	
    damage	
    type	
    that	
    applies	
    to	
    
  your	
    breath	
    weapon	
    and	
    your	
    damage	
    resistance.	
    
  	
     Tiefling	
    Revenant.	
    A	
    prior	
    installment	
    of	
    
  Unearthed	
    Arcana	
    outlined	
    two	
    tiefling	
    variants	
    
  that	
    make	
    use	
    of	
    subraces.	
    Use	
    that	
    article	
    to	
    make	
    
  a	
    tiefling	
    revenant,	
    replacing	
    the	
    subrace	
    options	
    
  with	
    the	
    revenant	
    subrace	
    options.	
    
  Ability	
    Score	
    Increase	
    
  Your	
    Constitution	
    score	
    increases	
    by	
    1.	
    
  Relentless	
    Nature	
    
  Your	
    DM	
    assigns	
    a	
    goal	
    to	
    you—typically,	
    one	
    
  related	
    to	
    your	
    character’s	
    death.	
    The	
    goal	
    must	
    be	
    
  a	
    specific	
    task	
    you	
    can	
    complete,	
    such	
    as	
    slaying	
    an	
    
  enemy	
    or	
    liberating	
    an	
    area	
    and	
    its	
    people.	
    Until	
    
  you	
    fulfill	
    that	
    goal,	
    you	
    gain	
    the	
    following	
    
  benefits:	
    
  •  If	
    you	
    are	
    below	
    half	
    your	
    hit	
    point	
    maximum	
    at	
    
  the	
    start	
    of	
    your	
    turn,	
    you	
    regain	
    1	
    hit	
    point.	
    
  •  If	
    you	
    die,	
    you	
    return	
    to	
    life	
    24	
    hours	
    after	
    death.	
    
  If	
    your	
    body	
    is	
    destroyed,	
    you	
    reform	
    within	
    1	
    
  mile	
    of	
    the	
    place	
    of	
    your	
    death	
    at	
    a	
    spot	
    
  determined	
    by	
    the	
    DM.	
    If	
    your	
    equipment	
    was	
    
  also	
    destroyed,	
    you	
    do	
    not	
    regain	
    it.	
    	
    
  •  You	
    know	
    the	
    distance	
    and	
    direction	
    between	
    
  you	
    and	
    any	
    creature	
    involved	
    in	
    your	
    goal,	
    such	
    
  as	
    a	
    person	
    you	
    seek	
    vengeance	
    against	
    or	
    
  someone	
    you	
    pledged	
    to	
    defend.	
    This	
    awareness	
    
  fails	
    if	
    the	
    creature	
    is	
    on	
    another	
    plane	
    of	
    
  existence.	
    
  When	
    your	
    goal	
    is	
    complete,	
    you	
    finally	
    find	
    rest.	
    
  You	
    die	
    and	
    cannot	
    be	
    restored	
    to	
    life.	
    
  
  ©2016	
    Wizards	
    of	
    the	
    Coast	
    LLC	
    
  2	
    
  Fighter:	
    Monster	
    Hunter	
    
  As	
    an	
    archetypal	
    Monster	
    Hunter,	
    you	
    are	
    an	
    
  expert	
    at	
    defeating	
    supernatural	
    threats.	
    Typically	
    
  mentored	
    by	
    an	
    older,	
    experienced	
    Monster	
    
  Hunter,	
    you	
    learn	
    to	
    overcome	
    a	
    variety	
    of	
    
  unnatural	
    defenses	
    and	
    attacks,	
    including	
    those	
    of	
    
  undead,	
    lycanthropes,	
    and	
    other	
    creatures	
    of	
    
  horror.	
    
  Bonus	
    Proficiencies	
    
  When	
    you	
    choose	
    this	
    archetype	
    at	
    3rd	
    level,	
    you	
    
  gain	
    proficiency	
    in	
    two	
    of	
    the	
    following	
    skills	
    of	
    
  your	
    choice:	
    Arcana,	
    History,	
    Insight,	
    Investigation,	
    
  Nature,	
    or	
    Perception.	
    You	
    can	
    gain	
    proficiency	
    
  with	
    a	
    tool	
    of	
    your	
    choice	
    in	
    place	
    of	
    one	
    skill	
    
  choice.	
    
  Combat	
    Superiority	
    
  When	
    you	
    choose	
    this	
    archetype	
    at	
    3rd	
    level,	
    you	
    
  gain	
    a	
    set	
    of	
    abilities	
    that	
    are	
    fueled	
    by	
    special	
    dice	
    
  called	
    superiority	
    dice.	
    
  	
     Superiority	
    Dice.	
    You	
    have	
    four	
    superiority	
    dice,	
    
  which	
    are	
    d8s.	
    A	
    superiority	
    die	
    is	
    expended	
    when	
    
  you	
    use	
    it.	
    You	
    regain	
    all	
    of	
    your	
    expended	
    
  superiority	
    dice	
    when	
    you	
    finish	
    a	
    short	
    or	
    long	
    
  rest.	
    
  	
     You	
    gain	
    another	
    superiority	
    die	
    at	
    7th	
    level	
    and	
    
  one	
    more	
    at	
    15th	
    level.	
    
  	
     Using	
    Superiority	
    Dice.	
    You	
    can	
    expend	
    
  superiority	
    dice	
    to	
    gain	
    a	
    number	
    of	
    different	
    
  benefits:	
    
  •  When	
    you	
    make	
    a	
    weapon	
    attack	
    against	
    a	
    
  creature,	
    you	
    can	
    expend	
    one	
    superiority	
    die	
    to	
    
  add	
    it	
    to	
    the	
    attack	
    roll.	
    You	
    can	
    use	
    this	
    ability	
    
  before	
    or	
    after	
    making	
    the	
    attack	
    roll,	
    but	
    before	
    
  any	
    of	
    the	
    effects	
    of	
    the	
    attack	
    are	
    applied.	
    
  •  When	
    you	
    damage	
    a	
    creature	
    with	
    a	
    weapon	
    
  attack,	
    you	
    can	
    expend	
    one	
    superiority	
    die	
    to	
    
  add	
    it	
    to	
    the	
    damage	
    roll.	
    You	
    can	
    use	
    this	
    ability	
    
  after	
    rolling	
    damage.	
    If	
    the	
    attack	
    causes	
    the	
    
  target	
    to	
    make	
    a	
    Constitution	
    saving	
    throw	
    to	
    
  maintain	
    concentration,	
    it	
    has	
    disadvantage	
    on	
    
  that	
    save.	
    
  •  When	
    you	
    make	
    an	
    Intelligence,	
    a	
    Wisdom,	
    or	
    a	
    
  Charisma	
    saving	
    throw,	
    you	
    can	
    expend	
    one	
    
  superiority	
    die	
    to	
    add	
    it	
    to	
    the	
    roll.	
    You	
    can	
    use	
    
  this	
    feature	
    only	
    before	
    you	
    learn	
    if	
    the	
    save	
    
  succeeded	
    or	
    failed.	
    
  •  When	
    you	
    make	
    a	
    Wisdom	
    (Perception)	
    check	
    to	
    
  detect	
    a	
    hidden	
    creature	
    or	
    object,	
    or	
    a	
    Wisdom	
    
  (Insight)	
    check	
    to	
    determine	
    if	
    someone	
    is	
    lying	
    
  to	
    you,	
    you	
    can	
    expend	
    one	
    superiority	
    die	
    to	
    
  add	
    it	
    to	
    the	
    roll.	
    You	
    can	
    use	
    this	
    feature	
    after	
    
  seeing	
    the	
    total	
    but	
    before	
    learning	
    if	
    you	
    
  succeeded	
    or	
    failed.	
    
  Hunter’s	
    Mysticism	
    
  At	
    3rd	
    level,	
    your	
    study	
    of	
    the	
    supernatural	
    gives	
    
  you	
    a	
    limited	
    ability	
    to	
    use	
    magic.	
    You	
    can	
    cast	
    
  detect	
    magic	
    as	
    a	
    ritual.	
    You	
    can	
    cast	
    protection	
    
  from	
    evil	
    and	
    good,	
    but	
    you	
    cannot	
    cast	
    it	
    again	
    
  with	
    this	
    feature	
    until	
    you	
    finish	
    a	
    long	
    rest.	
    
  Wisdom	
    is	
    your	
    spellcasting	
    ability	
    for	
    these	
    spells.	
    
  	
     In	
    addition,	
    you	
    gain	
    the	
    ability	
    to	
    speak	
    one	
    of	
    
  the	
    following	
    languages	
    of	
    your	
    choice:	
    Abyssal,	
    
  Celestial,	
    or	
    Infernal.	
    
  Monster	
    Slayer	
    
  At	
    7th	
    level,	
    whenever	
    you	
    expend	
    superiority	
    dice	
    
  to	
    add	
    to	
    a	
    damage	
    roll,	
    you	
    can	
    expend	
    up	
    to	
    two	
    
  dice	
    instead	
    of	
    just	
    one,	
    adding	
    both	
    to	
    the	
    roll.	
    
  Both	
    dice	
    are	
    expended	
    as	
    normal.	
    If	
    the	
    target	
    of	
    
  your	
    attack	
    is	
    an	
    aberration,	
    a	
    fey,	
    a	
    fiend,	
    or	
    an	
    
  undead,	
    you	
    deal	
    maximum	
    damage	
    with	
    both	
    dice,	
    
  instead	
    of	
    rolling	
    them.	
    
  Improved	
    Combat	
    Superiority	
    
  At	
    10th	
    level,	
    your	
    superiority	
    dice	
    turn	
    into	
    d10s.	
    
  At	
    18th	
    level,	
    they	
    turn	
    into	
    d12s.	
    
  Relentless	
    
  Starting	
    at	
    15th	
    level,	
    when	
    you	
    roll	
    initiative	
    and	
    
  have	
    no	
    superiority	
    dice	
    remaining,	
    you	
    regain	
    one	
    
  superiority	
    die.	
    
  Rogue:	
    Inquisitive	
    
  As	
    an	
    archetypal	
    Inquisitive,	
    you	
    excel	
    at	
    rooting	
    
  out	
    secrets	
    and	
    unraveling	
    mysteries.	
    You	
    rely	
    on	
    
  your	
    sharp	
    eye	
    for	
    details,	
    but	
    also	
    on	
    your	
    finely	
    
  honed	
    ability	
    to	
    read	
    the	
    words	
    and	
    deeds	
    of	
    other	
    
  creatures	
    to	
    determine	
    their	
    true	
    intent.	
    You	
    excel	
    
  at	
    defeating	
    creatures	
    that	
    hide	
    among	
    and	
    prey	
    
  upon	
    ordinary	
    folk,	
    and	
    your	
    mastery	
    of	
    lore	
    and	
    
  
  ©2016	
    Wizards	
    of	
    the	
    Coast	
    LLC	
    
  3	
    
  your	
    sharp	
    eye	
    make	
    you	
    well	
    equipped	
    to	
    expose	
    
  and	
    end	
    hidden	
    evils.	
    
  Ear	
    for	
    Deceit	
    
  When	
    you	
    choose	
    this	
    archetype	
    at	
    3rd	
    level,	
    you	
    
  develop	
    a	
    keen	
    ear	
    for	
    picking	
    out	
    lies.	
    Whenever	
    
  you	
    make	
    a	
    Wisdom	
    (Insight)	
    check	
    to	
    sense	
    if	
    a	
    
  creature	
    is	
    lying,	
    you	
    use	
    the	
    total	
    of	
    your	
    check	
    or	
    
  8	
    +	
    your	
    Wisdom	
    modifier,	
    whichever	
    is	
    higher.	
    If	
    
  you	
    are	
    proficient	
    in	
    Insight,	
    you	
    add	
    your	
    
  proficiency	
    bonus	
    to	
    the	
    fixed	
    result.	
    If	
    you	
    chose	
    
  Insight	
    as	
    a	
    skill	
    augmented	
    by	
    your	
    Expertise	
    
  feature,	
    add	
    double	
    your	
    proficiency	
    bonus.	
    	
    
  Eye	
    for	
    Detail	
    
  Starting	
    at	
    3rd	
    level,	
    you	
    can	
    use	
    the	
    bonus	
    action	
    
  granted	
    by	
    your	
    Cunning	
    Action	
    feature	
    to	
    make	
    a	
    
  Wisdom	
    (Perception)	
    check	
    to	
    spot	
    a	
    hidden	
    
  creature	
    or	
    object,	
    to	
    make	
    an	
    Intelligence	
    
  (Investigation)	
    check	
    to	
    uncover	
    and	
    decipher	
    
  clues,	
    or	
    to	
    use	
    Insightful	
    Fighting	
    (see	
    below).	
    
  Insightful	
    Fighting	
    
  At	
    3rd	
    level,	
    you	
    gain	
    the	
    ability	
    to	
    decipher	
    an	
    
  opponent’s	
    tactics	
    and	
    develop	
    a	
    counter	
    to	
    them.	
    
  As	
    an	
    action	
    (or	
    as	
    a	
    bonus	
    action	
    using	
    Eye	
    for	
    
  Detail),	
    you	
    make	
    a	
    Wisdom	
    (Insight)	
    check	
    
  against	
    a	
    creature	
    you	
    can	
    see	
    that	
    isn’t	
    
  incapacitated,	
    opposed	
    by	
    the	
    target’s	
    Charisma	
    
  (Deception)	
    check.	
    If	
    you	
    succeed,	
    you	
    can	
    use	
    
  Sneak	
    Attack	
    against	
    that	
    creature	
    even	
    if	
    you	
    do	
    
  not	
    have	
    advantage	
    against	
    it	
    or	
    if	
    no	
    enemy	
    of	
    the	
    
  target	
    is	
    within	
    5	
    feet	
    of	
    it.	
    You	
    can	
    use	
    Sneak	
    
  Attack	
    in	
    this	
    way	
    even	
    if	
    you	
    have	
    disadvantage	
    
  against	
    the	
    target.	
    
  	
     This	
    benefit	
    lasts	
    for	
    1	
    minute	
    or	
    until	
    you	
    
  successfully	
    use	
    Insightful	
    Fighting	
    against	
    a	
    
  different	
    target.	
    
  Steady	
    Eye	
    
  At	
    9th	
    level,	
    you	
    gain	
    advantage	
    on	
    any	
    Wisdom	
    
  (Perception)	
    check	
    made	
    on	
    your	
    turn	
    to	
    find	
    a	
    
  hidden	
    creature	
    or	
    object	
    if	
    you	
    do	
    not	
    move	
    
  during	
    that	
    turn.	
    If	
    you	
    use	
    this	
    ability	
    before	
    
  moving,	
    you	
    cannot	
    move	
    or	
    ready	
    movement	
    
  during	
    your	
    turn.	
    
  Unerring	
    Eye	
    
  At	
    13th	
    level,	
    you	
    gain	
    the	
    ability	
    to	
    detect	
    magical	
    
  deception.	
    As	
    an	
    action,	
    you	
    sense	
    the	
    presence	
    
  within	
    30	
    feet	
    of	
    you	
    of	
    illusions,	
    shapechanger	
    
  creatures	
    not	
    in	
    their	
    true	
    form,	
    and	
    other	
    magic	
    
  designed	
    to	
    deceive	
    the	
    senses.	
    Though	
    you	
    
  determine	
    that	
    an	
    effect	
    is	
    attempting	
    to	
    trick	
    you,	
    
  you	
    gain	
    no	
    special	
    insight	
    into	
    what	
    is	
    hidden	
    or	
    
  its	
    true	
    nature.	
    
  Eye	
    for	
    Weakness	
    
  At	
    17th	
    level,	
    you	
    learn	
    to	
    exploit	
    a	
    creature’s	
    
  weaknesses	
    by	
    carefully	
    studying	
    its	
    tactics	
    and	
    
  movement.	
    While	
    your	
    Insightful	
    Fighting	
    feature	
    
  applies	
    to	
    a	
    creature,	
    your	
    Sneak	
    Attack	
    damage	
    
  against	
    that	
    creature	
    increases	
    by	
    2d6.	
    
  	
    
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Unearthed Arcana/UA14 - Gothic Characters.pdf