Barony 5.0 Overhauls Magic and Dungeons — New DLC Adds Five Races & Classes

This caught my attention because Barony is the kind of durable, community-loved roguelike that grows in quiet, meaningful ways. Nearly eleven years after launch, Turning Wheel just dropped a sweeping systems update and a punchy paid DLC that reshape how you play – not just what you click.

Barony 5.0 – Instruments of Destruction Part One: Systems Overhaul First

• Major free update revamps magic into three distinct archetypes, adds ~80 spells, reworks stats and class growth.
• Dungeon and biome upgrades add treasure rooms, cauldrons, workbenches, and redesigned Crystal Caves & Mystic Citadel.
• Paid DLC Deserters and Disciples adds five new races and matching classes; DLC characters are usable in multiplayer even if others don’t own it.
• Base game is 50% off on Steam until Feb 12; DLC is 15% off for the same period – a good onboarding window before Part Two arrives.

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Publisher|Turning Wheel
Release Date|Original release: 2015 · Update/DLC live Feb 2026
Category|Roguelike / Co‑op Dungeon Crawler
Platform|PC (Steam)
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What’s actually new (beyond marketing)

The headline change is magic: spells are now organized into three archetypes — Sorcery (classic attack/defense/utility), Thaumaturgy (restoration and buffs, with flavor text about righteous wrath), and Mysticism (mind/body/spirit manipulation, including internal transformations). That rework is accompanied by roughly 80 new spells, a jump from the previous ~30, and class spell lists have been rebalanced so magic users feel more distinct.

But this update isn’t only spells. Turning Wheel retooled core RPG systems — stats now influence growth and roles (tank, ambusher, caster) feel more consequential, appraisal is renamed to lore with clearer progression, and dungeons can contain guarded treasure rooms that require keys or lockpicking to access. Environmental additions like cauldrons and workbenches give you more in-dungeon choices for crafting and sustenance.

The DLC: Deserters and Disciples — new races, new playstyles

The paid DLC introduces five monster races and a signature class for each: Gremlin (Sapper), Myconid (Hermit), Dryad (Scion), Salamander (Paladin), and Gnome (Bard). Each race brings mechanical hooks — Gremlins excel at destruction but face shopkeeper mistrust, Myconids plant mushroom traps and come with a duck companion, Dryads grow healing foliage, Salamanders build heat-based rampage power, and Gnome Bards trade physical peak for crafting and support tools. Beat the base game with a race to unlock that class for all characters; cosmetic variants can be used freely.

Why this matters — and what to watch for

First, this is a systems-first update. Splitting Instruments of Destruction into two parts is sensible: Part One modernizes the underlying rules, which is the foundation for Part Two’s promised new weapons, armor, enemies, and homelands. If you’re new, now’s a good time to learn the new systems before the world expands again.

Second, the magic rework signals a design choice I like: force meaningful trade-offs. You can no longer cherry‑pick every utility spell on one character — you commit to a school and that shapes play. That typically improves replay value in roguelikes because choices feel weightier.

Skeptically, I’ll be watching how well the class growth changes translate into distinct end-game roles. The patch notes promise “starker differences” by the end of a run — that’s the hard part to get right without upsetting balance. Also, splitting such a big overhaul across two updates raises questions about pacing and how disparate Part Two’s additions will feel once it arrives.

What this means for players

If you’ve never tried Barony, the steep discount on Steam and this UX-forward update make it a low-friction entry. Longtime players get the benefit of new spells, rebalanced classes, and fresh dungeon toys; co‑op groups will appreciate that DLC characters can join games regardless of ownership. For modders and community builders, cleaner archetypes and more spells open creative possibilities.

TL;DR

Barony’s free 5.0 update reworks magic into three meaningful schools, adds ~80 spells, tightens RPG systems, and refreshes biomes and dungeons. Paid Deserters and Disciples DLC adds five races/classes. It’s a major systems update that prepares the game for a bigger second half — and the current sale is a solid chance to jump in.