The Crooked Moon Subclasses offer a fresh, atmospheric take on character customization for 5E fantasy roleplaying. Drawing from the rich traditions of dark folklore, rural horror, and the supernatural, these subclasses transform classic classes into vessels of the uncanny—each one brimming with unique features, thematic spells, and narrative hooks. Whether you’re a player yearning for a character touched by the harvest, haunted by spirits, or warped by eldritch power, or a Dungeon Master seeking to inject your campaign with a sense of the weird and wild, The Crooked Moon Subclasses provide the tools to do so in style.
Alphabetical List of The Crooked Moon Subclasses
| Subclass | Description |
|---|---|
| Barbarian: Path of the Experiment | Transformed by forbidden science or arcane rituals, these barbarians channel monstrous mutations—growing claws, fangs, or extra limbs as their rage twists their bodies. They gain unpredictable powers and resilience, making them terrifying foes and tragic figures shaped by unnatural forces. |
| Bard: College of Whistles | These bards are mediums and spirit-callers, wielding enchanted whistles to summon ghostly allies and manipulate the supernatural. Their performances can charm spirits, ward off evil, and weave haunting melodies that affect both the living and the dead, making them invaluable in eerie, folklore-laden adventures. |
| Cleric: Harvest Domain | Drawing power from the eternal cycle of sowing, growth, and reaping, Harvest clerics wield magic that shifts with the seasons. They bless crops, heal with the bounty of the land, and can unleash devastating blights or curses. Their faith is rooted in the old agrarian rites and the balance of life and death. |
| Druid: Circle of the Old Ways | Guardians of ancient forests and primal traditions, these druids commune with spirits and fey, transform into strange, folkloric beasts, and wield magic that echoes the oldest myths. They are protectors of sacred groves and practitioners of rituals that predate civilization. |
| Druid: Circle of Wicker | Masters of rural rites and effigy magic, Wicker druids craft protective charms, animate scarecrows, and perform sacrificial ceremonies. Their spells manipulate plants and harness the eerie power of the harvest, blending nature magic with unsettling folk traditions. |
| Fighter: Barrowguard | Sworn to protect the dead and haunted barrows, Barrowguards wield spectral weapons and armor, drawing strength from ancestral spirits. They can sense undead, resist necrotic magic, and serve as grim sentinels in lands plagued by restless dead and ancient curses. |
| Monk: Way of the Pestilent Haze | These monks master the toxic arts, exhaling clouds of poisonous mist and thriving in disease-ridden environments. They can infect foes with debilitating plagues, resist sickness, and turn the battlefield into a haze of decay, embodying the fear of pestilence in folk horror. |
| Paladin: Oath of Castigation | Devoted to rooting out corruption and punishing evil, these paladins wield divine power to castigate the wicked. Their oaths grant them abilities to sense deceit, break curses, and deliver retribution, making them relentless hunters of heretics, witches, and monsters. |
| Ranger: Grim Harbinger | Marked as omens of doom, Grim Harbingers can sense impending death, curse their prey, and track supernatural threats. Their presence is often a sign of disaster, and their abilities make them expert hunters of the unnatural—perfect for campaigns steeped in prophecy and dread. |
| Rogue: Sinner | Drawing supernatural power from their own misdeeds, Sinners manipulate luck, evade punishment, and exploit the shadows cast by their past. They’re masters of deceit and survival, able to turn guilt and infamy into tangible advantages in both stealth and combat. |
| Sorcerer: Crimson Dynasty | Descended from a cursed or noble bloodline, these sorcerers wield blood magic, draining vitality from foes and empowering themselves with ancestral might. Their spells are often fueled by sacrifice, and their lineage commands both fear and respect in the world of dark folklore. |
| Warlock: The Great Fool | Having made a pact with the spirit of chaos and folly, these warlocks wield unpredictable magic that can sow confusion, twist fate, and turn disaster into opportunity. Their powers are whimsical and dangerous, reflecting the trickster archetype in myth and legend. |
| Warlock: The Horned King | Bound to the fae lord of the wild hunt, these warlocks command beasts, invoke fae magic, and embody the untamed power of the wilderness. They can summon spectral hounds, charm the unwary, and thrive in the moonlit wilds, blurring the line between mortal and fae. |
| Wizard: Philosopher | Seekers of forbidden truths and cosmic mysteries, Philosophers manipulate fate, reality, and knowledge itself. Their spells probe the boundaries of existence, and their insight allows them to unravel secrets that others fear to contemplate, making them powerful and enigmatic scholars. |
| Wizard: The Occultist | Delving into the dark arts, Occultists summon spirits, cast hexes, and master rituals that tap into the world’s hidden energies. They are experts in curses, divination, and the manipulation of unseen forces, often walking a fine line between wisdom and madness. |
