Xanathar’s Guide to Everything Subclasses: An Overview
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything expands character options, notably with thirteen awesome subclasses across various classes, enhancing D&D 5E gameplay experiences.
This guide offers diverse paths for Barbarians, Bards, Clerics, Druids, Fighters, Monks, Paladins, and Rangers, providing unique roleplaying opportunities.
Java updates are also relevant, ensuring smooth application functionality alongside these exciting new character builds for immersive adventures.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything dramatically enriches Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition by introducing a wealth of new subclass options for players seeking deeper character customization. These subclasses aren’t merely reskins; they fundamentally alter how classes are played, offering distinct tactical advantages and roleplaying flavors.
From the ancestral spirits of the Barbarian to the enchanting allure of the Glamour Bard, each subclass provides a unique path. Ensuring Java is updated alongside these options guarantees smooth gameplay. This expansion caters to both seasoned adventurers and newcomers, broadening the scope of character possibilities within the game.
Barbarian Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide presents three Barbarian paths: Ancestral Guardian, Storm Herald, and Zealot, each offering unique combat styles and thematic strengths for players.
Path of the Ancestral Guardian
The Path of the Ancestral Guardian channels the spirits of ancestors, offering protection to allies. This Barbarian subclass gains abilities to summon a spectral guardian, bolstering defenses and offering advantages in combat.
The guardian’s presence grants temporary hit points and imposes disadvantage on attack rolls against chosen allies, making it ideal for tanking and support roles. It’s a powerful option for players who enjoy a protective, team-focused playstyle, drawing strength from lineage.
This path emphasizes connection to heritage and the power of ancestral spirits.
Path of the Storm Herald
The Path of the Storm Herald allows Barbarians to embody the raw power of the elements. This subclass grants the ability to invoke a storm aura, dealing elemental damage to nearby foes and providing defensive benefits.
Heralds can choose from different storm types – desert, sea, or tundra – each offering unique effects. This path is perfect for players who want a dynamic, aggressive Barbarian focused on unleashing elemental fury upon their enemies.
It’s a visually striking and impactful subclass.
Path of the Zealot
The Path of the Zealot is a Barbarian subclass fueled by divine fervor. Zealots channel their rage into a holy crusade, gaining benefits when they or allies are near death, embodying unwavering faith in battle.
This path grants features like Divine Fury, adding radiant or necrotic damage to attacks, and Zealot’s Bonus, offering advantages on attack rolls and saving throws.
It’s ideal for players desiring a Barbarian with a strong religious connection.
Bard Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide introduces three Bard Colleges: Glamour, Lore, and Valor, each offering unique magical and supportive capabilities for versatile characters.
College of Glamour
The College of Glamour focuses on enchanting performances and captivating presence, granting Bards potent illusion and charm magic. Students of this college become masters of social manipulation and subtle influence, weaving magic into their words and movements.
They gain the Mantle of Inspiration ability, allowing them to grant temporary hit points and movement boosts to allies, enhancing their combat effectiveness. Glamour Bards excel at creating illusions and subtly controlling the battlefield, making them invaluable assets to any adventuring party.
Their abilities emphasize charisma and artistry, perfectly embodying the enchanting nature of the Bard class.
College of Lore
The College of Lore emphasizes knowledge, research, and skillful storytelling, making its Bards walking encyclopedias and masters of information. Lore Bards gain access to Additional Magical Secrets, allowing them to learn spells from any class’s spell list, broadening their magical versatility.
Cutting Words is a signature ability, enabling them to debuff enemy attack rolls, ability checks, and damage rolls with a well-placed remark;
These Bards are invaluable for uncovering secrets and providing tactical advantages during adventures.
College of Valor
The College of Valor embodies the heroic tradition of bards, blending martial prowess with magical artistry. Valor Bards excel in combat, inspiring allies and bolstering their fighting capabilities on the battlefield. They gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor, making them formidable warriors.
Combat Inspiration allows them to enhance allies’ attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws, turning the tide of battle.
These bards are natural leaders and protectors, ready to face any challenge with courage and skill.
Cleric Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide introduces diverse Cleric Domains – Knowledge, Twilight, and Trickery – offering unique divine powers and roleplaying flavors for devoted followers.
Domain of Knowledge
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything presents the Domain of Knowledge for Clerics, embodying divine intellect and scholarly pursuits. These clerics are lorekeepers, historians, and dedicated researchers, seeking enlightenment and preserving ancient wisdom.
They gain abilities like expanded Arcana and History skills, access to divination spells, and the power to bless studies or uncover hidden truths. This domain suits characters focused on investigation, uncovering secrets, and providing insightful guidance, making them invaluable allies.
Maintaining Java updates ensures smooth gameplay alongside these intellectually-driven divine characters.
Domain of Twilight
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces the Domain of Twilight for Clerics, representing the power of dusk, dreams, and the veil between worlds. These clerics safeguard the transition between light and darkness, offering solace and protection during uncertain times.
They gain abilities related to shadow magic, enhanced perception in darkness, and the ability to create zones of twilight. This domain suits characters who embrace mystery, protect the vulnerable, and navigate the ethereal realms, offering unique roleplaying opportunities.
Ensure Java is updated for optimal game performance alongside these twilight-infused divine beings.
Domain of Trickery
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything presents the Domain of Trickery for Clerics, embodying illusion, deception, and mischievousness. These clerics serve deities of trickery, valuing cunning and adaptability over direct confrontation. They excel at subterfuge, manipulating perceptions, and sowing chaos amongst their foes.
Trickery Domain clerics gain spells focused on illusion and enchantment, alongside abilities to disguise themselves and mislead others. This path suits characters who prefer wit and guile, thriving in shadows and unraveling secrets.
Keep Java updated for seamless gameplay alongside these deceptive divine agents.
Druid Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything unveils three Druid Circles: Land, Moon, and Shepherd, each offering unique connections to nature and distinct magical abilities.
Circle of the Land
The Circle of the Land Druids draw power directly from specific terrains, becoming deeply attuned to their chosen environment. This connection grants them potent spells and abilities reflecting the land’s essence.
Sub-circles focus on Arctic, Coast, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, and Underdark, each providing unique spell lists and a bonus natural recovery feature.
Land Druids excel at spellcasting, shaping the natural world to their will, and are ideal for players who enjoy a versatile and adaptable Druid playstyle.
Circle of the Moon
Circle of the Moon Druids are masters of Wild Shape, surpassing other Druids in their ability to transform into powerful beasts. They can assume more potent forms, including elemental creatures, earlier than other circles.
This subclass emphasizes combat prowess in animal form, allowing for strategic transformations to overcome challenges. Combat Wild Shape allows for aggressive, frontline engagement.
Moon Druids are perfect for players who relish the idea of becoming a fearsome predator, embodying the raw power of the natural world in battle.
Circle of the Shepherd
Circle of the Shepherd Druids are protectors of the wilds, focusing on summoning and bolstering fey spirits to aid their allies. They forge strong bonds with the natural world, channeling its power through their connection to these ethereal beings.
This subclass excels at support and battlefield control, summoning creatures to harass enemies and protect companions. Spirit Totems enhance the party’s abilities.
Shepherd Druids are ideal for players who enjoy a supportive role, weaving magic to safeguard their friends and command the forces of nature.
Fighter Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide introduces three compelling Fighter archetypes: Battle Master, Champion, and Samurai, each offering distinct combat styles and tactical advantages.
Battle Master
The Battle Master subclass, detailed in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, emphasizes tactical prowess and battlefield control. Fighters choosing this path gain access to a set of maneuvers, utilizing superiority dice to augment attacks.
These maneuvers allow for disarming opponents, tripping them, or precisely targeting vulnerabilities, adding a layer of strategic depth to combat encounters. Mastering these techniques requires careful planning and resource management, rewarding players who prioritize tactical thinking.
It’s a fantastic option for players who enjoy a more nuanced and controlling combat style.
Champion
The Champion subclass, found within Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, represents the pinnacle of martial prowess and raw physical power for Fighters. This archetype focuses on maximizing critical hit potential, making them devastating damage dealers.
Champions gain abilities that increase their critical hit range and offer improved physical abilities, simplifying gameplay for those who prefer a straightforward, impactful combat style. It’s a reliable choice for players seeking consistent damage output.
This subclass embodies the classic, heroic fighter archetype.
Samurai
The Samurai subclass, detailed in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, introduces a disciplined warrior focused on temporary but immense power. This Fighter archetype utilizes a unique “Fighting Spirit” ability, granting advantages on attack rolls and temporary hit points.
Samurai excel at burst damage and tactical advantages, embodying honor and precision in combat. They are a strong choice for players who enjoy calculated risks and dramatic moments during encounters.
It’s considered one of the thirteen awesome subclasses.
Monk Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide presents three distinct Monk subclasses: Way of the Astral Self, Way of the Drunken Master, and Way of Mercy, each offering unique combat styles.
Way of the Astral Self
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces the Way of the Astral Self, a Monk subclass focused on projecting an astral form for combat and utility. This path allows monks to create a duplicate, enhancing their battlefield presence and offering tactical advantages.
The astral self can attack, scout, and even deliver touch-based abilities, providing versatility. Mastering this way requires a deep connection to the astral plane, granting unique abilities and a distinct playstyle for those seeking a more ethereal approach to martial arts.
Way of the Drunken Master
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything presents the Way of the Drunken Master, a Monk subclass embracing unpredictable movements and deceptive techniques. This path emphasizes feints, tumbles, and misdirection, turning apparent clumsiness into a potent combat style.
Drunken Masters excel at disorienting foes and gaining advantage through unconventional tactics. They utilize their seemingly erratic movements to avoid attacks and create openings, offering a playful yet effective approach to martial arts mastery.
Way of Mercy
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything introduces the Way of Mercy, a Monk subclass focused on healing and compassionate combat. These monks blend martial prowess with restorative arts, alleviating suffering even amidst battle’s chaos. They are skilled in anatomy and pressure points, capable of both harming and healing.
Mercy Monks utilize their ki to mend wounds and offer solace, embodying a unique blend of warrior and caregiver, providing support alongside their offensive capabilities.
Paladin Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide presents Paladin subclasses like Oath of the Ancients, Redemption, and Vengeance, offering diverse tenets and playstyles for righteous champions.
Oath of the Ancients
The Oath of the Ancients, detailed in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, champions the preservation of life and the joy of the natural world. Paladins swearing this oath kindle the light within the darkness, protecting beauty and opposing corruption.
They embrace kindness, revel in the wonders of existence, and fiercely defend the delicate balance of nature. Channel Divinity options include Nature’s Wrath and Turn the Faithless, reflecting their connection to the wild and their opposition to those who defile it.
This subclass encourages a more benevolent and proactive approach to paladinhood.
Oath of Redemption
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything presents the Oath of Redemption, a challenging path for Paladins focused on converting enemies through compassion rather than destruction. These paladins believe all creatures possess a spark of good, even those consumed by darkness.
Their tenets prioritize non-violence and seeking peaceful resolutions, utilizing Channel Divinity options like Emissary of Peace and Rebuke the Violent to de-escalate conflict. This oath demands immense patience and unwavering faith in the possibility of change.
It’s a unique and often difficult path.
Oath of Vengeance
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything details the Oath of Vengeance, a Paladin subclass driven by righteous fury and relentless pursuit of those who have committed grievous wrongs. These paladins are unwavering in their quest to punish evildoers, showing no mercy to those who deserve it.
Their tenets demand swift retribution, utilizing Channel Divinity options like Abjure Enemy and Vow of Enmity to empower their attacks and weaken their foes. This path is fueled by a burning desire for justice.
It’s a path of unwavering resolve.
Ranger Subclasses
Xanathar’s Guide presents three Ranger subclasses: Beast Master, Hunter, and Monster Slayer, each offering unique combat styles and tracking expertise for adventurers.
Beast Master
Xanathar’s Guide reimagines the Beast Master, allowing Rangers to form a powerful bond with a beast companion, enhancing combat prowess and exploration capabilities.
Unlike previous iterations, the beast now shares the Ranger’s initiative and can take reactions, creating a dynamic duo on the battlefield. This subclass emphasizes teamwork and strategic coordination between the Ranger and their animal ally.
Players can choose from a variety of beasts, each offering unique strengths and weaknesses, tailoring the companion to their preferred playstyle.
Hunter
The Hunter subclass in Xanathar’s Guide focuses on versatility and adaptability, excelling at tracking down and eliminating specific threats. Rangers choosing this path gain specialized Hunter’s Mark options, enhancing their damage output against favored foes.
They also receive abilities like Colossus Slayer and Horde Breaker, allowing them to efficiently tackle single, powerful enemies or large groups of weaker ones.
This subclass is ideal for players who enjoy a proactive, tactical approach to combat and monster hunting.
Monster Slayer
The Monster Slayer Ranger, detailed in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, is a dedicated foe of monstrous creatures, driven by knowledge and preparation. This subclass emphasizes understanding monster weaknesses and exploiting them for maximum effect.
Features like Monster Lore and Slayer’s Mark grant advantages in tracking and damaging specific monster types, making them highly effective hunters.
It’s a strong choice for players who relish a methodical, research-based approach to combat and enjoy specializing against the supernatural.