I have been wanting to play some D&D for a long time, but I don't have the time to commit. However, my sister's family has invited me to play short sessions with them when I'm available, and I have been having just so much fun just making characters in D&D Beyond. But, I know there are lots of class options I don't have (wild magic sorcerer/wild magic barbarian, Tortle, Loxodon, etc.)
So my question is this, if I could only get one book, what would you recommend would be the best bang for my buck in terms of more character options? If possible, maybe a short summary as to why... I was having so much trouble trying to figure out what each book contained.
Well, here's the big question: Do you have the Player's Handbook? If you don't, that should be your number one priority. If you do have it, I'd go with Xanathar's.
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Well, here's the big question: Do you have the Player's Handbook? If you don't, that should be your number one priority. If you do have it, I'd go with Xanathar's.
Another option would be Tasha's Cauldron. I'm pretty sure XGtE has roughly the same amount of character options as TCoE
Well, here's the big question: Do you have the Player's Handbook? If you don't, that should be your number one priority. If you do have it, I'd go with Xanathar's.
Another option would be Tasha's Cauldron. I'm pretty sure XGtE has roughly the same amount of character options as TCoE
XGtE has more spells(Except almost all of them are in the EEPC) and subclasses and is probably better for new players.
Well, here's the big question: Do you have the Player's Handbook? If you don't, that should be your number one priority. If you do have it, I'd go with Xanathar's.
Another option would be Tasha's Cauldron. I'm pretty sure XGtE has roughly the same amount of character options as TCoE
XGtE has more spells(Except almost all of them are in the EEPC) and subclasses and is probably better for new players.
Depending on what you're after, here are my recommendations:
PHB: spells, feats, Drow and forest gnome, subclasses. Has most of the cleric and wizard options, and the best go-to feats. A solid first book.
XGtE: spells, racial feats, subclasses. There are a handful of good feats for the PHB races here. Definitely has some of the more interesting subclasses for most classes. Most of the spells are from EEPC, but the few that aren't are also worth having if you can.
TCoE: spells, feats, subclasses, variant class features, Artificer. This one did a great job reprinting options across multiple books into 1 place, as such it doesn't add as much new, but is great if you don't have those other books. The subclasses it has are all interesting and helps draw classes away from their usual archetypes. The feats mostly emulate class features so you don't have to multiclass. A big draw is the variant class options to make classes more versatile (and finally make rangers as mechanically strong as other classes). And of course there is the Artificer, a whole class (previously eberron exclusive) complete with 4 subclasses.
EGtW: Races, dunamancy, races. First, a warning, the original content of this book is not Core d&d and requires clearing with DM. That said, it reprinted a lot of Volo race options (goblinoids, tabaxi, aasimar, firbolg, kenku) and even has Tortle and those are in forgotten realms. It adds new spells, but they are exclusive to the 2 wizard subclasses it has that focus on time and space magic. It also has new subraces for elf, halfling, and dragonborn and the echo knight fighter subclass. That is pretty much it.
Lesser mentions:
VGtM: kobold, lizardfolk, triton, and a different orc. Everything else hot printed in EGtW.
Go player’s handbook. If only because it also has the rules for how to play. And if this is your first time, it’s got plenty in there for you to make an interesting character.
You could also do research for what you want to play and only pay for what you want. Others around here might be able to explain it better, but you don't have to buy a full book. I think you can just buy the race you want, the class if it isn't free, the background, and the subclass. They don't have to be from the same books.
You could also do research for what you want to play and only pay for what you want. Others around here might be able to explain it better, but you don't have to buy a full book. I think you can just buy the race you want, the class if it isn't free, the background, and the subclass. They don't have to be from the same books.
True. Though you don't need to buy base classes. In the case of artificer, buying any subclass gets you the class. For warlock invocations printed in other books, just buying 1 warlock subclass from that book gets you the invocations (don't quote me on that).
Tasha's class feature options require buying the whole book last I heard though.
And I advise against buying backgrounds individually, since it is pretty easy to just create a custom one.
I think SCAG might still be the only source for Cleric Arcane Domain -- is that right? It wasn't reprinted in TCoE, but I don't remember if it was printed anywhere else.
I think SCAG might still be the only source for Cleric Arcane Domain -- is that right? It wasn't reprinted in TCoE, but I don't remember if it was printed anywhere else.
Oh yeah. Not I don't believe it has. Looking back, neither has:
Purple dragon knight/banneret
Way of long death
Oath of the crown
Which all of those are outshined by other subclasses. But arcana domain actually has some uniqueness to it.
For free you can download the 5e SRD which has a lot of what's in the PHB. Easily the best bang for your buck. It doesn't have rules for character creation, but also for free you can download the basic rules which do.
PHB, XGtE, TCoE all have a large number of character options. Other books (SCAG, VGtM, etc.) typically have some player and item options, but are mostly for DMs to use for monsters, lore, and rules.
However, the basic rules are enough to make a character for a first time player. Make sure you enjoy the game before committing to purchasing anything.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hello,
I have been wanting to play some D&D for a long time, but I don't have the time to commit. However, my sister's family has invited me to play short sessions with them when I'm available, and I have been having just so much fun just making characters in D&D Beyond. But, I know there are lots of class options I don't have (wild magic sorcerer/wild magic barbarian, Tortle, Loxodon, etc.)
So my question is this, if I could only get one book, what would you recommend would be the best bang for my buck in terms of more character options?
If possible, maybe a short summary as to why... I was having so much trouble trying to figure out what each book contained.
Thank you
Well, here's the big question: Do you have the Player's Handbook? If you don't, that should be your number one priority. If you do have it, I'd go with Xanathar's.
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Ah, i have absolutely nothing.
Another option would be Tasha's Cauldron. I'm pretty sure XGtE has roughly the same amount of character options as TCoE
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
XGtE has more spells(Except almost all of them are in the EEPC) and subclasses and is probably better for new players.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
True. XGtE it is, then.
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
Depending on what you're after, here are my recommendations:
Lesser mentions:
Thank you for so much detail. That helps ALOT. Now I just need to tuck some money away. Thank you again for the time you took to help me.
Go player’s handbook. If only because it also has the rules for how to play. And if this is your first time, it’s got plenty in there for you to make an interesting character.
You could also do research for what you want to play and only pay for what you want. Others around here might be able to explain it better, but you don't have to buy a full book. I think you can just buy the race you want, the class if it isn't free, the background, and the subclass. They don't have to be from the same books.
True. Though you don't need to buy base classes. In the case of artificer, buying any subclass gets you the class. For warlock invocations printed in other books, just buying 1 warlock subclass from that book gets you the invocations (don't quote me on that).
Tasha's class feature options require buying the whole book last I heard though.
And I advise against buying backgrounds individually, since it is pretty easy to just create a custom one.
I think SCAG might still be the only source for Cleric Arcane Domain -- is that right? It wasn't reprinted in TCoE, but I don't remember if it was printed anywhere else.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
Oh yeah. Not I don't believe it has. Looking back, neither has:
Which all of those are outshined by other subclasses. But arcana domain actually has some uniqueness to it.
For free you can download the 5e SRD which has a lot of what's in the PHB. Easily the best bang for your buck. It doesn't have rules for character creation, but also for free you can download the basic rules which do.
http://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/SRD-OGL_V5.1.pdf
http://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
Of course, the basic rules are also on DDB, so you don't need the PDF if you are using that.
PHB, XGtE, TCoE all have a large number of character options. Other books (SCAG, VGtM, etc.) typically have some player and item options, but are mostly for DMs to use for monsters, lore, and rules.
However, the basic rules are enough to make a character for a first time player. Make sure you enjoy the game before committing to purchasing anything.