The first five ships were designed with the armament of three QF 12-pounder guns, an improvement from the single 12-pounder and five 6-pounder guns that the River class was completed with, while the number of torpedoes remained at two tubes. From the sixth ship ("Saracen") onwards, however, the armament was again increased, to a pair of BL guns, with one gun mounted forward and another on the quarterdeck. From October 1908, the first five ships were modified by adding another pair of 12 pounder guns.