I was quite shocked and surprised to find so many mixed reviews for this product. Some are rated down for what are clear packaging and shipping issues and have nothing to do with the product itself!
I’m an older gamer and a DM. I cut my teeth on the second edition, but spent most of my youth playing AD&D 2nd Edition. I’ve played every edition since, except for fourth, quite extensively. And I have a lot of experience with other game systems like Star Wars, DC Heroes, MERP, GURPS, Rifts, and so on.
Xanathar’s guide is functionally a compendium of all the “more” that’s been accumulating since the first major waves of books for 5th Edition D&D was released. My book came in great condition. The artwork and quality are excellent. Here are some of the most heavily featured sections of the book.
Chapter 1: Character Options
This section details the additional subclasses that have been steadily coming out via Unearthed Arcana. They have been cleaned up and balanced (though not all are perfect) for release in this single compendium. Many of the options include some revised takes on older class variations (like the Samurai and Swashbuckler), some new attempts at previously tried themes (A more evil-ish Paladin in the Oath of Conquest, or the Arcane Archer), and some completely new (to my knowledge) subclasses like the Horizon Walker, a ranger of the planes who moves through the multiverse.
At the end of the chapter are some new, optional racial feats. Most of these are most interesting when used on some of the “weirder” races like the Dragonborn. Many of the changes and options in this whole chapter put a greater emphasis on role-playing centered classes and class options. Our group is more into the role-playing than the roll-playing. So that’s a plus. Combat-focused gamers may find some of the new classes underwhelming.
Chapter 2: Dungeon Master’s Tools
As a DM, this section is fantastic. It leads with some rules clarification and additional options if the DM wants to make things more interesting. There are also some visual helps regarding area of affect and how they are presented on grid-systems. Also included here is a much needed thorough breakdown of “fair” encounter building with tables and suggestions for DM’s.
My favorite part of this section is the random encounter tables. They finally include tables for random encounters that are broken out by level and type of environment. And there is quite a collection. Pages and pages. And the tables all have really cool, interesting things your players could run into. Really, really fun and excited to try.
Following that is some really good, thorough help regarding traps and how to make them more interesting, some ideas for down time and after that there is a nice collection of new magic items. Nerd candy to read. Also included are some ways to make magic items and their creation more interesting.
Chapter 3: Spells
New spells. Always nice. And at the end, multiple pages of names for quick name generation.
If I had to say something negative, I’d say it’s a smaller book and it doesn’t anything super new like a completely new class or magic system. Another criticism is I wouldn’t recommend this to new players who are not going to DM. There’s a lot of “spoiler” information in here that may kill off the wow-factor of springing something new on a party that DM’s love to have.
This is a fantastic book. I would say if I had to recommend three books to fans of 5e. 1 and 2 would of course be the Players Handbook and then the Dungeon Master’s guide. This would be number 3. It’s more of everything. More character choice, more race choices, more rules choices, more tables, more spells and more variety. And especially to DM’s this will be incredibly useful. It’s a book that I’ll have out in front of me every time I run a game. A great addition.
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From the manufacturer
Beauty and Guile are in the Eyes of the Beholder
“I don’t understand the attraction of gods. Why would anyone worship anything other than me?”—The Xanathar
The beholder Xanathar, Waterdeep’s most infamous crime lord, is known to hoard information on friend and foe alike. He catalogs lore about adventurers and ponders methods to thwart them. His twisted mind imagines that he can eventually record everything.
The first major rules expansion to D&D fifth edition, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything provides a wealth of additional options for both players and Dungeon Masters.
Amid all this material, the Xanathar also offers bizarre observations about whatever his eyestalks happen to glimpse. Pray they don’t come to rest on you!
More Character Options
“I’ve always liked druids because they are made of natural ingredients. And I believe that everyone should have such a healthy diet.”—The Xanathar
Over 25 Added Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces additional subclasses for each of the classes in the Player’s Handbook—including the College of Glamour for bards, Circle of Dreams for druids, Hexblade for warlocks, and Way of the Drunken Master for monks.
It also contains popular subclasses previously released in Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, like the Swashbuckler and Mastermind roguish archetypes.
20 Racial Feats
In this book you’ll also find a collection of racial feats for players who want to further explore their character’s lineage.
Pass on some halfling luck to your friends with the Bountiful Luck feat. Or deepen your tiefling’s connection to their infernal bloodline with Infernal Constitution, getting special damage resistances and other perks.
More Spells
“You know one of the great benefits of living underground? No weather. Don’t mess this up for me.”—The Xanathar
Expand your magical repertoire with a book full of spells of every level, including charm monster, mass polymorph, illusory dragon, and many more.
Among them, you’ll find spells originally introduced with the Elemental Evil storyline. Release a magical tornado and strike your enemies with flashing bolts of lightning with storm sphere, or try out handy elemental cantrips like create bonfire.
DM Tools & Optional Rules
"Pit traps are hilarious! Because when one of you walking things steps on one you fall down! And get hurt! That's the best part."—The Xanathar
Design Traps & Balance Encounters
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything provides additional tools and optional rules that help Dungeon Masters run certain parts of the game more smoothly.
It delves deeper into encounter building, downtime, and how to create your own traps. It also provides rules for handling a variety of situations—from tying knots to falls in combat.
Magic Item Tables
Use the magic item tables to easily find the perfect ring for the party’s mage. The tables are separated by rarity, divided into minor and major items, and contain more “common” magic items to choose from.
Random Encounter Tables
Yeti attacks in the arctic and luminescent fungi in the Underdark—roll on encounter tables tailored to the party’s current environment and character level.
Playing Dungeons & Dragons
Become an Adventurer
Adventurers come in all shapes and sizes. Find one that’s fun for you.
An elvish cleric, driven from society for trespassing on tradition. A dwarven paladin, atoning for an ignominious past. The Player’s Handbook provides the skeleton for your characters. Flesh them out however you choose.
Join the Party
D&D brings people together and forges new friendships. Silly moments spawn inside jokes; moving battles leave treasured memories—whether in the heat of battle, embroiled in social intrigue, or solving clever puzzles, your party has your back.
Choose Your Own Path
The woods are growing dark. Behind a mass of ivy, you see the stones of a crumbling castle. What do you do?
In D&D, your options are limitless. Because the Dungeon Master, as narrator of your tale, can improvise in reaction to any choice you make, what happens next is entirely flexible. Do you dare go on?
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Customer Review: Final product is bound wrong
Cassie S
Reviews with images
Was exactly as promised, no rips, no dents, in perfect condition!
All six books, all three core, all three bad game supplements are on sale right now for about 20 bucks each on amazon this month, absolutely worth the price of admission!Now you could, like I, solely use apps like Fantasy Grounds (Steam client) and or free PDFs, But nothing replaces the feeling and ease of use of having physical copies of each guide in hand. Plus as a fun bonus they looks stunning in my bookshelf. Make you look even more professional as a DM in person. Lastly, all six together give you an extreme launching pad for designing, running and modifying premade or homemade campaigns!For 20 a pop, what is normally a $300 purchase turns into a $120 steal, never will you ever get a better deal on these books brand new.My only regret was getting the one book I did have before this sale but ce n'est pas grave.Now onto the book itself. I want to start by saying two things. One very unpopular thing, this is in my humble opinion a super mixed bag of a supplement book for which we only have the three and then of course all the many campaign idea books. It’s not a bad book but Volo has so much more in it, that I personally find more useful for modifying campaign creation complexity followed by Tome of Foes for the similar reasons, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is not a bad book, I’m glad I bought it, I enjoy reading it, some things are useful in it, but it really does seem to be the most insulary of the three supplement books. Why? Because if the book never got made what would we be missing?Additional content for classes which is the big one. Nothing to sneeze at, but even there some of what it adds is awesome others puzzling. Many DMs I know avoid this book entirely. Too many other factors to now keep up with while running the campaign. There is a reason somethings stayed back in the 3.5 edition. I might not completely agree I think if your group is willing to do the extra work and you can (life responsibilities withstanding) you should too. It’s just not super needed, it truly is supplemental. It also goes on to further clarify or as some people see modify core rules. Which once again, depending on how you see it might be awesomely helpful for the DM or terriblely restrictive for the players.Now for what I think is awesome is the new spell list. Once again your opinion of them might be different then my own but I think that is literally what this books biggest selling point is, handsdown. In fact, it’s why Tome of Foes often gets put lower on the list for most people. Personally the halfling section of Tome of Foes makes that rating impossible for me, as it genuinely makes me belly laugh out loud reading that entire section lolEither way, as you can see, I still bought it, I still love aspects of it, I just strongly caution that if not on sale (which it was when I got it, at 20 dollars) and instead of Volo and or Tome of Foes, God forbid before Player’s Handbook (which is ALWAYS your first purchase here) you might be a litte disappointed as it’s also physically the smallest of all six books size wise but exactly the same price, irregaurdless.
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Barry Mungham
That my grandson likes it.
Reviewed in Canada on December 16, 2023Style: Physical BookVerified Purchase
Callie Middleton
For DMs everywhere
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2024Style: Physical BookVerified Purchase
Mum of two
Must have!
Reviewed in the Netherlands on October 10, 2023Style: Physical BookVerified Purchase
DroneSlayer
Nice expansion for those that want more background choices.
Reviewed in Sweden on July 30, 2023Style: Physical BookVerified Purchase
alejandro
Bastante amplio
Reviewed in Mexico on October 2, 2020Style: Physical BookVerified Purchase
