Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces over 25 new subclasses, expanding character customization in Dungeons & Dragons 5e. These subclasses offer unique abilities and playstyles, enriching the game.
1.1 Overview of the Sourcebook
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is a 2017 sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e, offering new rules, subclasses, and customization options. It expands character creation with over 25 subclasses, spells, and feats, while providing optional rules for both players and Dungeon Masters. This guide enhances gameplay depth and flexibility, making it a versatile resource for enriching 5e campaigns.
1.2 Importance of Subclasses in Character Customization
Subclasses in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything are pivotal for character customization, allowing players to craft unique identities and playstyles. They provide distinct abilities and narrative elements, enabling deeper personalization and mechanical versatility. Subclasses bridge combat effectiveness with role-playing opportunities, making characters stand out and enhancing the storytelling experience in Dungeons & Dragons 5e campaigns.
Barbarian Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces three unique Barbarian subclasses: Path of the Ancestral Guardian, Path of the Storm Herald, and Path of the Zealot, each offering distinct abilities.
2.1 Path of the Ancestral Guardian
The Path of the Ancestral Guardian Barbarian subclass draws power from ancestral spirits, granting defensive abilities and spectral allies. This subclass emphasizes protection, with features that allow the Barbarian to guard allies and summon ghostly guardians. It combines melee prowess with supernatural resilience, making it ideal for players who want to balance offense and defense. The subclass introduces unique mechanics that reflect the bond between the Barbarian and their ancestral lineage.
2.2 Path of the Storm Herald
The Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian subclass channels the primal power of storms, granting abilities tied to weather and elemental force. This subclass allows players to unleash tempests, create aura effects that hinder foes, and harness resistance to cold and lightning damage. It emphasizes dynamic combat and environmental interaction, making it ideal for those who enjoy blending raw strength with elemental strategy and thematic flair in their playstyle.
2.3 Path of the Zealot
The Path of the Zealot Barbarian subclass is centered around unwavering dedication and fanatical endurance. Zealots gain increased resilience, with abilities that allow them to ignore damage and death effects, making them formidable tanks. Their combat style emphasizes relentless assault and unyielding resolve, fitting characters driven by a higher cause or unshakable conviction. This subclass offers a blend of survivability and offensive prowess, making it a compelling choice for those who embrace a warrior’s unrelenting spirit.
Bard Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide introduces two new Bard subclasses: College of Glamour and College of Whispers. These subclasses enhance performance, manipulation, and versatility, offering unique playstyles for Bards.
3.1 College of Glamour
The College of Glamour focuses on enchantment and illusion, allowing Bards to captivate audiences and manipulate others. With abilities like Mantle of Inspiration and Enthralling Performance, this subclass enhances charm and performance skills, making Bards master entertainers and influencers. It emphasizes creative expression and social manipulation, offering a unique blend of artistry and power.
3.2 College of Whispers
The College of Whispers is a mysterious subclass for Bards, focusing on stealth, deception, and psychological manipulation. With abilities like Psychic Blades and Master of Tactics, these Bards excel at manipulating minds and striking from the shadows. This subclass offers a darker, more cunning playstyle, perfect for characters who thrive on intrigue and subtlety rather than direct confrontation.
Cleric Subclasses
Clerics in Xanathar’s Guide gain powerful new options, including the Forge and Grave Domains. These subclasses focus on creation, destruction, and manipulating life and death forces.
4.1 Forge Domain
The Forge Domain cleric wields divine power to craft and protect. They bless allies with resistance to damage and create structures to shelter or hinder foes. At higher levels, they gain the ability to imbue weapons with holy energy and summon a massive warhammer to smite enemies, making them versatile supporters and formidable combatants. Their Divine Intervention feature underscores their role as masters of creation and protection in battle.
4.2 Grave Domain
The Grave Domain cleric commands the forces of life and death, manipulating the battlefield with necrotic energy. They can heal allies or curse enemies, and later gain the ability to prevent creatures from regaining hit points and impose disadvantage on attacks. Their ultimate power allows them to control the undead, making them formidable in both combat and narrative-driven scenarios, blending support and dark, thematic abilities seamlessly.
Druid Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide introduces the Circle of Dreams, a druid subclass focused on healing and support through spirit animals, enhancing their role as guardians and protectors in the party.
5.1 Circle of Dreams
The Circle of Dreams subclass empowers druids to summon and guide protective spirits, enhancing their role as guardians. These druids can call upon spirit animals to aid allies, granting advantage on attack rolls or temporary hit points. They also gain abilities to heal and shield companions, making them invaluable supporters in combat and exploration. This subclass emphasizes harmony with nature and the protective power of spirits, offering a unique blend of offense and defense.
Fighter Subclasses
Fighter subclasses in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduce the Champion and Samurai. These elite warriors master precision and deadly techniques, offering unique combat styles and abilities for any battle scenario.
6.1 Champion
The Champion is a versatile Fighter subclass in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. It emphasizes superior combat skills, granting increased critical hit chances, enhanced abilities, and improved resilience. This subclass excels at dealing massive damage and withstanding intense battles, making it a formidable choice for players seeking a balanced yet powerful martial character in their D&D campaigns.
6.2 Samurai
The Samurai subclass in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is a Fighter archetype centered around honor, precision, and martial excellence. It introduces unique abilities like Fighting Spirit, granting advantage on attack rolls, and Second Wind, allowing for strategic healing in combat. This subclass emphasizes discipline and tactical prowess, offering a distinct playstyle that blends elegance with deadly efficiency, perfect for players seeking a more refined and honorable martial character.
Monk Subclasses
Introducing the Way of the Sun Soul, a Monk subclass that channels radiant energy for healing and combat, offering a unique blend of martial and divine prowess.
7.1 Way of the Sun Soul
The Way of the Sun Soul infuses Monks with radiant energy, blending martial prowess with divine power. Starting at level 3, they gain the ability to heal wounds and deal radiant damage, channeling this energy through their strikes. As they advance, their connection to the radiant force grows, unlocking enhanced abilities that combine combat efficiency with restorative might, making them versatile allies on the battlefield.
Paladin Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces new Paladin subclasses, offering unique abilities and playstyles. These subclasses expand on themes of leadership, combat, and divine influence in D&D 5e.
8.1 Oath of Conquest
The Oath of Conquest subclass in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything embodies the principles of dominance and military precision. Paladins who take this oath excel in combat leadership, inspiring allies and intimidating foes. They gain abilities that enhance their martial prowess, such as improved initiative and superior combat tactics, making them formidable leaders on the battlefield in Dungeons & Dragons 5e.
Ranger Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces the Horizon Walker and Gloom Stalker subclasses, offering unique abilities like planar focus and extra attack, enhancing the Ranger’s versatility in exploration and combat.
9.1 Horizon Walker
The Horizon Walker subclass taps into the power of the multiverse, granting Rangers extraordinary abilities. It introduces Planar Focus, offering resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, and poison damage. The Spectral Enemies feature allows the Ranger to deal extra force damage, enhancing combat versatility. This subclass bridges the material plane with the infinite possibilities of the multiverse, making Rangers formidable against a wide array of foes.
9;2 Gloom Stalker
The Gloom Stalker subclass infuses Rangers with mysterious, shadowy abilities. It introduces Dread Ambusher, allowing them to deal bonus damage and gain advantage on the first attack in combat. Umbral Sight enhances their vision in darkness, while Iron Mind grants resistance to fear and charm effects. This subclass excels in stealth and ambush tactics, making Gloom Stalkers masters of shadowy warfare and elusive combatants.