Cure Wounds 5e: A Blessing or a Curse?

In any RPG you play, it’s impossible not to meet a character whose primary purpose in life is to heal their teammates. Let’s say the marksman is just one hit away from being slain. The healer can break that tension with a single move, and the team can keep going. Of course, healing differs in each RPG. But usually, a spell that helps restore precious hit points is often the weapon of choice for these healers, and in the case of Dungeons and Dragons, that spell is Cure Wounds.


Cure Wounds 5e is one of the hundreds of spells in the Player’s Handbook and one of the first that D&D beginners learn about. Well, not all beginners, but I’m pretty sure many will agree. Cure Wounds 5e was one of the first spells I learned. And after years of playing D&D in both DnD One Shots and RPG Campaigns, I’ve witnessed pretty significant changes in the role of the spell.


So, let’s get into what Cure Wounds 5e actually is and how it can affect your adventures.

cure wounds 5e

What Is Cure Wounds 5e?

Cure Wounds 5e is a spell that allows a character to heal themselves or another target. It has a variety of uses, from healing an injured character after a fight, to topping off the party’s hit points before they embark on their next journey. Basically, it's the bread-and-butter spell that prevents a TPK.


According to the Player’s Handbook (page 230), Cure Wounds provides the following effect:


“A creature you touch regains a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.”


The spell’s stats are as follows:

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous


How Does Cure Wounds 5e Work?

It’s not really that complicated. You simply spend an action topping off another creature with sweet, sweet hit points. The amount depends on your spellcasting ability modifier and the level of the spell slot you’re using.


So, for example, your friend is unconscious. You can cast Cure Wounds 5e on them, and they will regain 1d8+ your spellcasting ability modifier hit points. If you use a higher-level spell slot, the healing increases. And just like that, your friend is back on their feet and ready to continue the adventure.


Of course, the spell has its limitations, like any other. It won’t work on undead or constructs, and to be honest, it doesn’t really heal all that much. So, you must be careful when using it in certain situations. In all reality, it’s pretty great between battles, but due to its limited amount of healing, it’s a bit underwhelming during combat.

Which Classes can Cast Cure Wounds?

Now, here’s where the Cure Wounds 5e plot twist comes in. This staple healing spell has changed throughout the years, so I’m here to help you keep up.


Previous Editions of D&D

Cure Wounds used to be the “Cleric” spell. In my D&D journey (which I’m sure is similar to other players), I was the Cleric more times than I can count, especially when I was a beginner. It’s unsurprising; Clerics used to be the only class with access to Cure Wounds, because it’s what they do. They cure wounds, and they heal.


I didn’t necessarily want to be the Cleric again and again, but it was the easiest class to play as a beginner. Basically, I just had to save the day, each and every adventure, with a few heals and buffs now and then while the rest of my team did the real work. So, Cure Wounds was the main spell. Honestly, many times, it could feel like the only spell.


D&D 5th Edition

Enter D&D 5e, and Clerics have turned into more than doctors, nurses, and healers; they’ve now become more fleshed-out characters, meaning that Cure Wounds 5e is no longer a major limitation for them.


Nowadays, Artificers, Bards, Clerics, Druids, and Paladins access the spell at level one. When the Rangers are at level two, they can access the Spellcasting feature and take the Cure Wounds 5e, too. It’s also possible for Divine Soul Sorcerers and Celestial Warlocks to access Cure Wounds.


Now, that list makes Cure Wounds 5e a spell that’s accessible to a variety of classes. It’s no longer limited to the “Cleric spell” as it was in the past. Is that a good or a bad thing? We’ll get to that soon…


When You Should Go for Cure Wounds 5e

Clueless players would say, “I’ll use Cure Wounds 5e whenever I need it, or my party needs it.” Who wouldn’t want to be a glorified healer, right? But keep in mind that Cure Wounds 5e takes one full action to cast. What I’m getting at is that you could use that one full turn for something else – something more… important.


Don’t get me wrong, healing is important. But for D&D 5e specifically, there are many more significant actions than healing (an average of) 4HP per spell level. As a result, knowing when you should NOT cast Cure Wounds becomes more crucial, actually, than knowing when you should cast it.


So, here’s a rule of thumb: if your allies aren’t unconscious or really, really, really close to becoming unconscious, use your action for other spells, instead.


If your party can pick off enemies in one go, pick them off and reduce their damage per round, instead of healing. And for Paladins, the Cure Wounds 5e is available, but you also have Lay On Hands, which probably offers a better heal anyways.

Remember, in D&D 5e, your spell slots are extremely limited, so save as many as possible to instead unleash truly meaningful spells like Divine Smite. In short – at least during combat – it’s honestly best not to cast a Cure Wounds 5e spell at all…


One major exception is if you happen to enjoy Single Player DnD. If so, then having a spell like Cure Wounds 5e is probably your best friend, and you can essentially ignore all of the downsides of the spell, as it will at least keep you alive!

Cure Wounds 5e Classes

Similar Spells to Cure Wounds 5e

Speaking of spells that are significantly more meaningful than cure wounds, there’s another spell that players interested in healing should instead consider: Healing Word. The Player’s Handbook (page 250) says:


“A creature of your choice that you can see within range regains hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on constructs or undead. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d4 for each slot above the 1st.”


And when it comes to stats:

  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V
  • Duration: Instantaneous


If your goal is to keep your allies alive, we can compare the two spells and immediately know which one is more practical.

Healing Word has a longer range than Cure Wounds 5e (which requires you to be close to the target). If it only takes one point of magical healing to keep an ally in the fight, casting the Healing Word instead of Cure Wounds allows you to heal someone without putting yourself in danger. That’s impossible with Cure Wounds 5e, as you have to literally touch your front-line tanks in order to provide them with healing.


Additionally, Healing Word is a Bonus Action 5e, meaning that it can be cast in addition to taking another action during a round. Meanwhile, Cure Wounds 5e requires – as I mentioned before – an entire action to cast.


The only downside is that not all classes have access to Healing Word. In fact, there are much fewer casters who can access it than Cure Wounds!


Ultimately, when choosing your healing spells load-out, it’s all about knowing when to use each spell and when not to use them.

Dungeon A Day Article

Bottom Line: Is Cure Wounds 5e Good?

At this point, you might wonder if Cure Wounds 5e is still useful at all. There seem to be more disadvantages than advantages to casting it, regardless of if you’re a Cleric, Ranger, or any other type of caster.


Well, Cure Wounds 5e is still helpful in some situations. Remember, dead allies can’t help you win the game, so any healing spell is better than none, if it allows you to keep your allies active. Plus, when your ally drops to 0HP, they actually have a chance to die, which – yes – is a bummer.


Finally, Cure Wounds 5e is still a great healing spell to use in between combat encounters. If your adventuring party is exploring a cavernous dungeon, where many battles await, it’s always useful to heal everyone up between each battle.


To Cure or Not to Cure

Cure Wounds 5e can be a blessing or a curse, an opportunity or a trap, and a boon or a bane, depending on your use. If you can see the bigger picture and make smart decisions, Cure Wounds 5e can be a lifesaver for your party. On the other hand, if you just use it as a “healing spell,” you could be doing more harm than good.


When healing, you also need to be very wary of enemies with spells such as Silence 5e, Cause Fear 5e, and Charm Person 5e. If you as the healer get caught in any kind of incapacitating effect like these, even if you're in a situation where healing would be a great choice, you may run into some major problems without other healing effects available to you as backups.


Bottom line: you and your allies will need healing at some point. In the past, Cure Wounds might’ve been the default spell, but hey, times have changed. And still, Cure Wounds 5e remains a reliable healing spell in the current edition of D&D.

Cure Wounds 5e Scrolls

You know how some people on Pinterest create "Healing Potions" out of red liquid in small glass jars? Why not get some fancy yarn and some sheets of paper to create "Healing Scrolls?"

Healing in D&D 5e vs. Eternity TTRPG

In D&D, as with most TTRPG systems, video games, and everything based on the RPG genre, healing is a vital part of gameplay. Entire classes are designated as “healers,” and though specifically the cleric class isn’t a must-have for modern D&D parties, per-se, the role itself is still so important that the game basically can’t be played without them.

 

In fact, the only restriction to healing in D&D 5e is that healing spells take up limited-availability spell slots, and healing items are often consumed upon use.

 

Healing in the Eternity TTRPG game system is actually very different, as no healer is required. Having methods of healing is still important and valuable, especially for game sessions, adventures, and dungeons where multiple fights take place, often back-to-back. However, healing in Eternity TTRPG isn’t as “unlimited” as it often feels in other RPGs.

 

In the Eternity TTRPG game system, healing is quite a bit more powerful than most attacks can deal in damage. However, every heal gives the target “Fatigue” from the accelerated healing, which lowers all of their defenses.

 

What Classes in Eternity TTRPG can Cure Wounds?

Of the 30 classes in Eternity TTRPG, fully 9 of them offer some kind of healing spells or abilities:

  •  Alchemist
  • Dread Priest
  • Druid
  • Fallen Paladin
  • Paladin
  • Sage
  • Summoner
  • Vampire Mage
  • Witch Hunter

 

In Eternity TTRPG, I didn’t want any single player to feel like they had to be the “healer” for the group, and then get stuck casting cure wounds every turn in battle. Instead, many classes have some way they can heal themselves or allies, and then players have a choice to specialize in one or more of their healing powers, if they want.

 

Since there are too many cure wounds-like spells and abilities in the game to list, here’s a sample of some of the game’s most iconic core class healing effects. You can tell with even a brief look that each class has highly specific ways of providing HP restoration.

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Druid – Core Class Spell

Seed of Healing (Magic): 4Range, on every one of the target’s turns, roll d20. If you roll 18-20, they heal +1HP. This spell allows the affected target to heal 1HP above their normal max HP. Every time your target heals with this effect, they are also Fatigued, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). You can instead choose to continually maintain this spell for 2Inspiration.

  • (Nature’s Wrath) You gain either +4Strike Bonus or +4Faith against the first enemy that attacks the target of this spell. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 5Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).
  • (Nature’s Healing) Roll 15-20. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 4Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).
  • (Primal) Instant Action. Your target also gains +1Speed while affected by “Seed of Healing.” When you use this critical, you can’t use any more Wisdom this turn. 1turn Recharge.

 

Paladin – Core Class Spell

Peacekeeper (Magic): 4Range, every time the target is attacked, roll d20. If you roll 18-20, they heal +1HP. This spell allows the target to heal 1HP above their normal max HP. You can only cause healing with this spell once per turn, per affected target. Healing from this effect also Fatigues the target, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). You can instead choose to continually maintain this spell for 2Inspiration, per target.

  • (Divine Sword) When your target is attacked, you also gain either +4Strike Bonus or +4Faith, at your choice, against their attacker for the next attack you make against them. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 5Inspiration (and 0Wisdom), per target.
  • (Healing Light) Roll 15-20. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 4Inspiration (and 0Wisdom), per target.
  • (Self-Sacrificing) Up to 3 allies in 4Range. You also gain +4Resilience, +4Dodge, and +4Will for 1turn.  

 

Sage – Core Class Spell

Blessed Light (Magic):  4Range, the target heals +1HP. This spell allows the target to heal 1HP above their normal max HP. This effect also Fatigues the target, giving lowered Resilience, Dodge, and Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit).

  • (Darkness and Light) Also, up to 3 enemies in 4Range of your target, -7Faith vs. Will, deals 1light damage (deals 2damage to Shadow Aura units).
  • (Secrets of the Ancient Tomes) You can still cast this spell while Dazed, Locked, or Silenced. Also, roll d20. If you roll 15-20, you also remove that effect from yourself.
  • (Powers of the Eternals) +2HP. This critical allows the target to heal 2HP above their normal max HP. This effect also Fatigues the target.

 

Vampire Mage – Core Class Spell

Drain Life (Magic): 4Range, -5Faith vs. Will, deals 1damage and heals any ally in 4Range, +1HP. This spell allows the target to heal 2HP above their normal max HP.

           For every stack you have of “Blood Healing” from casting “Blood Funnel,” “Blood Rush,” or other effects, you gain +4Faith when casting “Drain Life.” Each stack has a one-time use, but lasts for 1Hour Duration or until use. You can use as many stacks as you’d like at a time.

           Healing from “Drain Life” also Fatigues the target, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit).

           (Double-Hit): heals +2HP (but still only deals 1damage). This Double-Hit effect also Fatigues the target, giving -2Resilience, -2Dodge, and -2Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit).

  • (Blood Magic) +3Faith vs. Will.
  • (Drain) Even if this spell misses, +7Faith vs. Resilience, gives -3Speed. This critical effect cannot Double-Hit or give a Block.
  • (Vampire’s Coven) Up to 2 enemies in 4Range. Any stacks of “Blood Healing” used with this critical only give +2Faith each, instead of +4. *Double-Hit with this critical only allows one of the attacks to cause additional healing.
Vampire Mage Healing Effects

Making the Most Out of Healing in Eternity TTRPG

In the Eternity TTRPG game system, since (almost) all healing effects give the target some degree of Fatigue, it’s actually often best to only provide healing when they’re at low HP. Some effects, like “Seed of Healing” and “Peacekeeper” from the examples above, are useful to cast throughout the battle, as the amount of Fatigue they give is so low, but spells like that are typically the exception.

 

Since healers don’t provide as much benefit in Eternity TTRPG when healing targets who are at nearly full HP, they can save their cure wounds spell actions for later into a battle. This allows them to cast all kinds of other spells in the meantime.

 

When it comes to RPGs, healing is really only fun when you’re saving yourself or an ally from death. The excitement comes when your target’s at low HP, and you give them a huge heal. However, healing isn’t that fun up until that point. That’s why in Eternity TTRPG, healers get their real value when saving an ally’s life – when the Fatigue doesn’t matter as much. Otherwise, they’re free to play their character however they want, using all the other spells, abilities, and actions available to them, as they’d like.

 

Curious about the Eternity TTRPG Game System?

Healing is a huge topic in any TTRPG. It can be amazingly fun to play as the healer for a group, but as you probably already know, it can be a huge drag, as well.

 

So, why not try the Eternity TTRPG Game System, where you can play a heroic healer, but still play the overall character you want to play? Eternity TTRPG will never lock you into spam-casting cure wounds.

 

Already interested in the game, based on what you've read? Pick up an inexpensive PDF copy at the Eternity TTRPG shop. Eternity is a growing company, so your support is greatly appreciated! Let me know what you think of the game, and happy gaming.


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Jacob Tegtman Eternity TTRPG Creator

Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


If you love the site, please share it with others! I have lots of gaming-related material for you to peruse and use in your own gaming sessions. If you have any questions about the site or want to contribute, just send me a message using the "Contact" page, which you can find in the site's footer.

Rethinking D&D Design Conversations

Rethinking D&D: Design Oriented Conversations to Improve the Game

By Jacob Tegtman • May 5, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2pHaAcKDbo Transcription [00:00:00] I want to start talking more about Dungeons Dragons and game design So far on this channel it's really been a news style kind of coverage where new things are happening new books are releasing and so forth But one of the things I've experienced and probably a lot of other people have as well is that Dungeons Dragons hasn't really improved as a game over the last many editions I started playing Dungeons Dragons at 3.5e Many of you probably were around the same time Maybe there's a lot of 5e players originals out there or there's you know basic or advanced Dungeons Dragons players I love Dungeons Dragons It was my introduction to the TTRPG hobby and TTRPGs are one of the main pillars of my life in a way I've spent most of my life making games creating supplemental [00:01:00] material for Dungeons Dragons exploring some of the lesser-known TTRPGs the indie games and trying to understand why I love it so much and then bring that joy to as many people as possible in as many ways as possible I think there's a lot of ways to play this hobby But one of the disappointing things to me is that D&D 3.5 compared to say 5.5e now is there's still a lot of things I prefer in 3.5 And as I've learned about basic and advanced D&D there's a lot of things I prefer even in those games So if you're not getting what you really want out of Dungeons Dragons this is kind of the direction I wanna take things I still love D&D This channel isn't gonna become about roasting D&D or even necessarily going to a ton of other TTRPGs and reviewing them And I mean there's a million other games out there you can try and a lot of them are great Pathfinder Daggerheart I've reviewed a [00:02:00] lot of them on the Eternity website But what I wanna do is present some of the ideas that myself as a game designer I've come up with over the last Well I I've probably been designing or editing games since I was about six Uh I think I was 12 when I first made a map where people could play through and you know actually engage in a a full-fledged game that I made So Let's say twenty-four years of game design experience for myself I'm a at this point a hobbyist so I'm not a professional I've never worked for Wizards of the Coast or any other publishing company I have published my own TTRPG and I'll be sharing that more in the future But all of that aside I wanna start talking about in this channel still some of the news things that are coming out but I wanna share it from the framework of here's maybe how you can take this and make it better There's a lot of elements in [00:03:00] D&D that I wanna be talking about that I think are cool but we could make a lot better So some of those topics number one being initiative I think initiative is very uninspired There's nothing wrong with it right Like the initiative system for D&D gives you everything you need to play a combat encounter It's very simple You roll a d20 you add your modifiers If you have like the alert feat in 5E Then you get to go faster and going faster typically means that you're gonna get like one extra turn than a lot of your other friends at the table or enemies that you're facing Because say you're you're seven rounds in you're taking your seventh turn they've only had six but then all the enemies are dead um that's kind of the the value of initiative right Like so going first does matter but it's not that exciting is it Like you just roll you add your bonus and then you're locked in like a static initiative for the rest of the battle [00:04:00] And these kind of issues with D&D lead to very stagnant situations where people take their turn and then they pull out their phone and they know that it doesn't really matter if they're engaged at the table because for the next five ten fifteen minutes going around the table for everybody to take their turn depending on how well the dungeon master runs a combat encounter they could have literally nothing to do especially if they don't have any reactions so forth So you kinda see this with initiative number one You see this w even with basic things like hit chance and these kinda tie in a lot because players will roll saves when it's not their turn and it gives them sort of something to do at least But with AC it's just a static value it's a situation where the dungeon master may not even need the player because a lot of DMs they write down their player's AC Before the battle even starts So they know when they're rolling behind their uh little table or you know whatever however they [00:05:00] use it maybe as a DM you're just rolling out in the open so anybody can see the D20 Other people hide that number but if they roll a five and the monster's got a plus ten or whatever they just know that they hit somebody who has a fourteen or lower right So they don't even really need the player You just Dungeon Master rolls you take X amount of damage and then all the player has to do is record that on their character sheet then they can get back to their iPhone right Like that's lame There's a lot of situations like this that could be improved I also think it's really interesting looking at old school D&D and other [00:06:00] channels talk about this kind of thing a lot and I think it's something that we could bring back to modern D&D with very good results would be things like the dungeon turn or random assigning of how enemies or NPCs feel towards the party I don't think that the critical role way of playing D&D the the theatrical way of playing D&D is necessarily the best way of playing D&D And I don't have anything against that I really like narrative gameplay A lot of the dungeons um a lot of the campaigns that I have dungeon mastered for have been fairly narratively driven And I really like I I've never written a novel but I like writing the the campaign style novels and then being free to adjust that as my players make decisions But I also think it it isn't necessarily the best way sometimes I've [00:07:00] been very inspired as a dungeon master and I've come up with great narrative plots that my players are super into and it makes for an amazing twenty-five to thirty-five session campaign over the course of a year year and a half that people love and we still talk about And there's been a lot of times as well where I'm not very inspired but I'm still trying to rely on those kind of plot points that older styles of D&D don't make you use because they generate a lot of that for you Emergent storytelling is the term I'm looking for where you don't necessarily know what plot is going to come out of the story but sometimes that's much better because at those moments in my own campaign creating where I haven't been the most inspired those campaigns can die really easily Those are the campaigns that last anywhere from two to seven sessions and just like you often hear about most campaigns die after seven sessions Those are the ones that don't make it [00:08:00] So I think that there are a lot of great older ideas that for some reason the newer versions of Dungeons Dragons didn't bring forward I also think that D&D being a fairly old game and don't get me wrong I love older games I play them all the time but it's surprising the lack of innovation I think that has been in the industry over the past What I mean when did D&D come out I Is it I can't think off the top of my head Is it forty fifty years I'm surprised there isn't better stuff Um and don't get me wrong I I love the other games too I love Pathfinder I love Daggerheart I think they're all cool but I think we can do better And so I'm not necessarily saying I have all the ideas for what could make it better but over my twenty years of designing games twenty plus I've come up with some very simple ideas that I wanna share with you and I think that when you try them out for yourself give me some feedback let me know what you think um I think together we can come up with something that is [00:09:00] substantially better And so that's my goal Everything from the mechanics of initiative in combat to the way campaigns develop narratively to player agency to things like allowing dungeon masters to also play characters in their own campaigns within limited scopes perhaps sharing the roles of dungeon master I think there's a lot of things that we could do to actually truly advance the TTRPG hobby genre beyond what we've seen so far So that's the direction that I plan to take with the channel moving forward I'm looking forward to some of these first videos We're gonna talk about the initiative system We're gonna talk about the hit chance system and I can't wait to get your feedback on it But hopefully this is a turn for me away from just new style stuff and towards stuff that you can use in your campaigns  [00:10:00] like tomorrow And I hope that you enjoy it and I hope to hear from you on topics that you want to see improved in your own D&D games And again I think together we can come up with some truly amazing improvements So until next time talk to you then.
“New Path of the Lich”

Turn Your D&D Character into a Lich: Official Path of the Lich Feats

By Jacob Tegtman • April 29, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an8LlwVXGns Transcription Becoming a lich in D&D has – usually – been something reserved for villains. But in one of the latest Unearthed Arcana from early April, that line gets a little blurrier.  Really cool way that they approached this: there’s now a feat-based system that allows players to work toward lichdom for their characters, over time. So today, we’re going to walk through what becoming a Lich officially looks like—and whether it’s something you’d realistically use in a campaign. Because... you know... with the new D&D seasons releases, and Spring time being about the “horror genre,” nothing says “become a lich” like green trees and budding flowers. So, here we are! Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to place for Dungeons & Dragons content, news, games, and updates. Today we’re looking at the Path of the Lich from the new Villainous Options playtest. To understand the system, it helps to start with the lore. A lich in D&D is a spellcaster who avoids death by binding their soul to an object—commonly called a phylactery, or in this case, a spirit jar. The process is intentionally grim. It involves creating that phylactery vessel, performing a ritual, and effectively dying—only to return as an undead being sustained by magic. Mechanically and narratively, liches are defined by two things: Their detachment from mortality And their dependence on that external object . Kind of like a horcrux, from Harry Potter. That phylactery is what makes a Lich difficult to destroy, and why they’ve historically been used as long-term antagonists, such as during one of my personal favorite adventures of all times: the original Tomb of Horrors. The Path of the Lich is part of a broader Unearthed Arcana release focused on “villainous” character options. Instead of a subclass, as a very interesting take on things, this is structured as a sequence of feats. Keeping the Lich path separate from any class means that no matter what you play as, you can make a Lich out of it! This means that your fighter, for example, could be a Lich, or your rogue (not that you’d ever play a rogue), and you can have that “undead character” without tying yourself to the traditional “Lich-as-a-spellcaster” archetype. The Lich progression looks like this: You begin by defining a Lich Rite , at any level, which is mostly narrative At level 4, you take Lich Initiate Between levels 5 and 11, you select at least one additional related feat, from the options of arcane restoration, transfer life, or undead grasp And then at level 12 or higher, you take Lich Ascension , to officially become a Lich So rather than a single transformation, your character goes through a gradual shift in both mechanics and tone, which is very based in D&D lore. The Lich Rite feat is worth discussing in some detail, even though it doesn’t have strict mechanical weight. This first feat in the Lich chain sets the narrative expectation for becoming a full-blown Lich, by providing the character with a sort of quest they must first complete, such as: Consuming a large number of souls Using magic to conceal yourself from the gods of death Brewing potions from slain foes Or severing your connection to any afterlife, entirely These aren’t small story beats. They really do imply a campaign where moral boundaries are actively being crossed—or at the very least, being questioned. So, before mechanics even come into play, there’s already a conversation to have at the table. Next, is the Lich Initiate feat. This is the foundation. You create your spirit jar , which functions as your anchor, the basis for your phylactery. You also gain Soul Siphon , allowing you to consume the soul of a defeated humanoid for a small damage boost. There’s also a risk component—if your spirit jar is destroyed, you suffer penalties until it’s replaced. You then choose how to build on your lich path with a third feat that improves soul siphon: Arcane Restoration lets you convert soul siphon uses into spell slot recovery Transfer Life turns soul siphon uses into temporary hit point bonuses for allies Undead Grasp adds a control option through paralysis These are fairly modular feats. They don’t radically change your role, such as by forcing you into becoming a full-fledged Lich spell caster, but they do add magical efficiency and utility depending on your build. Finally, at level 12, the transformation to Lichdom completes. You: Become Undead Gain resistance to necrotic and poison damage Get access to Fear without expending spell slots And gain a form of rejuvenation tied to your spirit jar That last point is the most significant mechanically. It introduces a conditional form of returning after death, assuming your phylactery remains intact. So, is the Path of the Lich actually worth taking? Mechanically, it’s solid. You’re getting: Incremental power increases Some resource flexibility And a strong late-game feature tied to survival But the bigger consideration isn’t mechanical—it’s contextual. This kind of progression assumes: A campaign that supports darker character arcs A group that’s comfortable with those themes And a DM willing to integrate the consequences of these morally very-dark-gray life choices In a more traditional heroic campaign, it may not fit at all. The path of the Lich feels less like a standard player option, and more like a tool for specific types of stories. If used carefully, it could support a long-term character arc focused on ambition, cost, and transformation. It allows players to experience some really interesting game mechanics that have long been reserved mainly for monsters or main campaign villains. If this feat path is used casually, it does risk feeling out of place—or undercutting the tone of the game. And let’s just remember, since it’s still Unearthed Arcana, parts of this entire path are also likely to change based on feedback. So the real question is: are you going to play a lich in your next campaign? Or do you think lichdom works better as something players confront… rather than become? Let me know in the comments. And if you want more D&D news and breakdowns like this, consider liking and subscribing. Thanks for watching!
“New Dark D&D Subclasses: for Bard, Druid, & Warlock” Blog

D&D Unearthed Arcana: New Dark Subclasses

By Jacob Tegtman • April 28, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_DQ3rc0Xes Transcription Wizards of the Coast has released three new subclasses in their latest Unearthed Arcana, focusing on darker themes like death magic and corruption mechanics. They’re free to access and already generating a lot of discussion in the community. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to source for D&D and tabletop RPG news. Let’s take a look at what’s included in this latest release, and how these classes might fit into your game. If you aren’t familiar, Unearthed Arcana is Wizards of the Coast’s official playtest material, where new subclasses, rules, or mechanics are released for public feedback before possible full publication. New Unearthed Arcana releases don’t follow a strict schedule of new subclass releases, but they tend to appear a few times a year depending on development cycles. There’s also no fixed order for which classes get new subclasses—design choices are usually driven by current design goals, themes, or upcoming products rather than a rotation system. This could in part be driven by the “D&D Seasons” that we’re now seeing from Wizards of the Coast with their planned product release schedule, this year. Getting right into things though, the subclasses this round are: College of Mourning (Bard) Circle of the Primeval (Druid) A revised Fiend Patron (Warlock) The College of Mourning focuses on death-related magic. Instead of traditional inspiration, it blends necrotic damage with support abilities, allowing bards to deal damage while also healing allies. Community reactions have noted the strong thematic direction. One Reddit user described it as a good fit for darker character concepts, though some DMs may need to consider how it fits their campaign tone. Mechanically, early impressions suggest it’s relatively balanced, with its healing and damage requiring positioning and timing. The Circle of the Primeval explores a more ancient and unfamiliar side of nature. Instead of typical beasts, their Wild Shape options include more unusual, sometimes unsettling forms—drawing on prehistoric or aberrant inspirations. At 6th level, their “Primordial Awakening” feature allows additional effects like resistance to psychic damage and abilities that can disrupt enemies mentally. Some players like the new, darker style of this subclass as a change of pace, while others worry it might not fit the tone or gameplay balance of more classic, heroic D&D campaigns. This subclass may work best in settings where the implied, dark themes of the subclass are already established and agreed upon by the group. The updated Fiend Patron introduces a more structured approach to corruption mechanics. The new “Infernal Bargain” system allows warlocks to gain temporary power in exchange for accumulating “Corruption Points.” As corruption points increase, characters gain benefits—but also drawbacks, including possible DM influence over certain decisions at higher levels. To be clear, Corruption Points are gained each time the warlock uses their Infernal Bargain feature to gain their temporary power increases. This system has sparked discussion around player agency. Some players appreciate the mechanical representation of risk and consequence, while others are cautious about how it might be implemented at the table. Overall, it adds a clearer framework for storytelling, but likely requires strong communication between players and DMs. Community discussion around these subclasses has been active, particularly among DMs considering how to integrate them. Some concerns focus on tone—especially in campaigns that already have a defined setting or theme. Others are more mechanical, particularly around balance and player agency. Wizards of the Coast has included guidance in the document, including suggestions for implementation and reminders to use session zero discussions and safety tools when introducing darker themes. If you’d like to play these subclasses at your table, You can download and learn more about them for free on D&D Beyond or through official Wizards of the Coast Unearthed Arcana posts. I’ll include links in this video’s notes, below. Quick episode today, but that about wraps things up! So, what are your thoughts on these new subclasses? Would you include them in your campaign, or do they feel too specific in tone? Let me know in the comments. And if you enjoyed this breakdown, consider liking the video and subscribing for more weekly D&D news. Until next time my friends—keep rolling those 20’s.
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