Subclasses in Dungeons and Dragons are a way for players to further customize their characters and give them a unique set of abilities and traits that set them apart from others, and Matt Mercer's custom subclasses have taken the Critical Role fandom by storm. What sets Mercer's subclasses apart is their ability to capture the essence of a class while also adding a new twist to his own. The attention to detail in each subclass is what makes them fascinating compared to the base subclasses.
Whether , they’re never lacking in flavor. Some were made during Mercer’s younger years as a DM, untempered by experience. Others were made more for gimmicks than mechanics. In any case, Matt Mercer's subclasses stand out as a testament to the power of creativity and imagination that is possible in Dungeons and Dragons.
Related:All Wizard Subclasses in Dungeons and Dragons Ranked By Power
10 Honorable Mention - Blood Hunter Class
Dark but clever warriors, Blood Hunters are driven by a steadfast resolve to eliminate both ancient and contemporary evil. Equipped with the power of enigmatic blood magic and the readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice of their health and humanity, these protectors guard the realms against the shadows, constantly wary of falling into the same darkness that they fight against in the beasts they track.
A dip into the , but it’s not a subclass, hence the honorable mention designation. That said, it’s without a doubt Matt Mercer’s most popular homebrew creation, with many players using Blood Hunter for their own homebrew campaigns, thanks to their fascinating sacrificial playstyle and solid damage contributions to the party’s offense.
9 Work In Progress - Fundamental Chaos Barbarian
Barbarians are typically stereotyped as harbingers of chaos, and this subclass is that stereotype boiled down to its very essence. Barbarians that follow the Path of Fundamental Chaos invoke the primal forces of probability, bending reality itself to cause as much havoc on the battlefield as possible. Ashton Greymoore, the originator of the subclass, developed these powers after being healed with a Potion of Possibility.
When this , it has the potential to be very powerful. However, the key thing to note here is that this subclass isn’t officially out yet. Bells Hells is an ongoing campaign and it’s clear that this subclass is still being worked on by both the party and Matt Mercer himself, which makes ranking it fairly rather impossible.
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8 Work In Progress - Empathy Cleric
Clerics run the gamut from bringers of light to servants of darkness, but the domain chosen by the loveable Fresh Cut Grass from the Bells Hells campaign is firmly on the side of good. Empathy Clerics favor the diplomatic approach and prefer to help their party with spells and abilities that reduce damage, restore hit points, or enhance dice rolls.
With playstyles, Empathy Cleric is a great example of what the future may hold, being a strange blend of Cleric’s potent spellcasting and Bard’s versatile support. Much like the Path of Fundamental Chaos, however, the Empathy Domain is still a work in progress, with the only revealed features being up to level 6. Time will tell how powerful Fresh Cut Grass can be.
7 Juggernaut Barbarian
Barbarians are known not just for their mighty blows, but also their muscular bodies, taking on blows that would kill any other warrior. Juggernauts embody this trait, becoming living siege engines in their own right, and their unwavering fortitude forces enemies to adjust to them or fall under their mighty blows. In the heat of battle, their rage transforms them into a muscular force of nature, knocking down all in their path.
, Juggernaut is unfortunately on the weaker side. Matt Mercer has a tendency to play it safe with his homebrew, often to the detriment of the subclass’s overall power potential. Pushing enemies around and immunity to being knocked prone is handy, but it needs more than just that. Gaining the siege property for melee attacks (double damage to structures and objects) is incredibly situational, and makes the Juggernaut subclass feel much weaker than its moniker implies.
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6 Open Sea Paladin
Paladins who take the Oath of the Open Sea are often daring mariners and bold pirates in pursuit of the excitement that the beautiful blue horizons of the sea offer. With a passion for exploration of the limitless ocean, those who take this oath defend the freedom of their fellow seafaring travelers, waging war against injustice and wrongdoing wherever it may lurk.
There are , but Open Sea Paladin is the most niche of the bunch. This is best exemplified by Aura of Liberation, a very situational aura that focuses on preventing grapples and magical restraints, both of which aren’t too difficult to break anyway. While the flavor is cool, it’s best to just reflavor some other Paladin subclass to be a pirate.
5 Gunslinger Fighter
Some fighters refuse to be content with the “primitive” crossbow. By experimenting with alchemical substances and exotic metals, they have uncovered the power of controlled explosive force. Those who survive these dangerous experiments have the opportunity to pave the way as the first Gunslingers, warriors that use firearms with unparalleled efficiency and skill.
This subclass lets players be the best western movie gunslinger they always wanted to be. It’s also one of Matt’s more famous subclasses and was made early on as a homebrew for a specific character in Critical Role. Unfortunately, it doesn't stack up well without a lot of DM support. Matt Mercer’s attempts to crush an entire Pathfinder-style class into a 5e subclass make Gunslinger a clunky damage dealer and inconsistent thanks to the downsides of misfiring.
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4 Runechild Sorcerer
The art of magic is shrouded in mystery and superstition. However, those who seek to unlock it must break through these taboos to unlock its true potential. Every now and then, a sorcerer may find themselves capable of understanding the essence of arcane energy itself, their body serving as a vessel for its flow. Known as Runechildren, these sorcerers are capable of magical feats that inspire awe in their fellow spellcasters.
Runechild sorcerers are effective supports thanks to their essence runes, which can subtract a d6 from either the Runechild themselves or another creature they touch. Truthfully, these aren’t particularly strong either, but the real power comes from Runechild’s 14th-level feature, which allows them to ignore any resistance or immunity, suddenly making them terrifying damage dealers.
3 Cobalt Soul Monk
The Library of the Cobalt Soul is a revered and well-protected hub of knowledge, history, and information in Exandria. Attracting seekers of knowledge from far and wide, it is revered by its scholars for their devotion to the Knowing Mentor. Monks embark on this journey to uncover life's secrets, shining a light on concealed evil, and safeguarding the most potent and dangerous truths from those whose dangerous curiosity could cause harm to others.
subclass’s dependency on multiple abilities much less of a hassle. A Headband of Intellect covers the Intelligence issues present in this scholarly subclass. Once those hassles are dealt with, Cobalt Soul Monks become battlefield tacticians and effective faces. Several proficiencies, Expertise, solid counter options, and additional reactions make Cobalt Soul a powerful martial arts nerd with the right optimization.
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2 Blood Cleric
The Blood domain revolves around harnessing the intrinsic life energy within the human body. Blood represents the essence of sacrifice, the delicate balance between life and death, and the spirit's connection to the mortal vessel. Clerics of Blood seek to unlock the untold reserves of willpower within their own vitality. Through their esoteric practices steeped in the color of blood, they can bend mortal bodies to their will.
This is among , but it doesn’t make it any less effective. Clerics are hard to make weak, and Blood Clerics are certainly not bucking that trend. Their Channel Divinity, Blood Puppet, is a powerful tool that can wreak havoc in a crowd of enemies, and set them up for combos with other party members. Their other skills, while situational, are also potent in their own right.
1 Maestro Bard
Music is a mysterious and seductive force. It has the power to fan the flames of the angry, instill courage in the timid, and calm a troubled mind. Many bards use music to bolster their parties, often to great effect. However, they are mere pupils of the musical arts. Those in the College of the Maestro learn to draw music from nature itself and use their arcane expertise to craft these notes into spellbinding and powerful magic.
A if given the right tools, and it just so happens the tools of the Maestro are beautiful instruments. Their additional Bardic Inspirations, Battle Master-like “Conducting Techniques,” and invigorating musical abilities are a boon for any party. Maestros are as pure of a bard as any bard can be, and they’re a powerful subclass because of it.
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