Introduction - Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Introduction. Beneath the bustling City of Waterdeep, a beholder crime lord keeps tabs on everyone and everything-or so the beholder thinks. Known as Xanathar, this bizarre being believes it can gather information on everything in the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse. The beholder desires to know it all! But no matter what the beholder learns and what treasures it acquires, its most prized possession in all the multiverse remains its goldfish, Sylgar. The first major rules expansion to the fifth edition of D&D, Xanathar's Guide to Everything provides a wealth of new options for the game. Xanathar might not be able to realize its dream to know everything, but this book does delve into every major part of the game: adventurers, their adventures, and the magic they wield. Using this Book Written for both players and Dungeon Masters, this book offers options to enhance campaigns in any world, whether you're adventuring in the Forgotten Realms, another official D&D setting, or a world of your own creation. The options here build on the official rules contained within the player's handbook, the monster manual, and the dungeon master's guide. Think of this book as the companion to those volumes. It builds on their foundation, exploring pathways first laid in those publications. Nothing herein is required for a D&D campaign-this is not a fourth core rulebook-but we hope it will provide you new ways to enjoy the game. Chapter 1 offers character options that expand on those offered in the player's handbook. Chapter 2 is a toolkit for the DM that provides new resources for running the game and designing adventures, all of it building on the Monster Manual and the Dungeon Master's Guide. Chapter 3 presents new spells for player characters and spellcasting monsters to unleash. Appendix A provides guidance on running a shared campaign, similar to the activities staged by the D&D Adventurers League, and appendix B contains a host of tables that allow you to quickly generate names...