D&D 5E Thirteen observations about Xanathar’s Guide

[Kobold Stew]

Thirteen observations about Xanathar’s Guide

Here are 13 observations I’ve made since getting my copy of Xanathar’s Guide. I make no claims to being the first to see these, but I have not included things I’ve seen discussed in other threads. This isn't meant to be a review. Thoughts, corrections, and opinions appreciated.

1. Samurai’s Fighting Spirit grants temporary hit points. You can also give yourself advantage “until the end of the current turn” (XG 31). Do the temporary hit points disappear then too? “Unless the feature has a duration, they last until they’re depleted or you finish a long rest” (PHB 198). Well, the feature does, so the temp HPs disappear at the end of the current turn – before the enemy attacks. This doesn’t seem right (and may need errata?).

2. Kensei weapons (XG 34). You can choose (edit)a sickle or a whip(/edit) and use it to perform your agile parry. I find this hilarious. Seriously, parrying with hand axes seems pretty cool.

3. Paladin’s Oath of Redemption (XG 38-39). No longer has the Armor of Peace or the Warrior of Reconciliation features. Does this mean Redemption paladins are still carrying greatswords and wearing heavy armor? Doesn’t this undercut the concept? (It certainly seems at odds with the illustration provided).

4. Scout Rogue’s Survivalist feature (XG 47) gives proficiency and expertise with Nature and Survival. It’s not called expertise here (for reasons that aren’t clear), but the effect is the same and it doesn’t stack (XG 5). Not stacking is explicit on the Prodigy feat (XG 75), but this isn’t an exception. Apparently there is no benefit if you have already chosen Expertise in either or both of these skills (unless you work something out with your DM).

5. Sleeping in Medium and Heavy armor now gives limited benefits from a long rest (XG 77-78). Many will just ignore this, but it’s a reasonable ruling.

6. Adamantine weapons (XG 78) help to break things. The first 500gp investment of any halforc.

7. Tying Knots (XG 78). While I would prefer proficiency in ropes as a tool, we now know that knot-tying and untying is formally part of Slight-of-hand, a skill I have hitherto not been interested in.

8. Interaction of skills and tools (XG 78). I’ve been troubled by the overlap before, and now we have rules that say when two overlap, it gives advantage. This makes obvious sense in a few cases (Herbalism with Medicine), but it feels a little bit like a tax – proficiency in Thieves’ Tools helping with Investigation or Perception to spot a trap, for example. It also means that a capella singing can’t ever gain the advantage available to accordion players (Musical instruments with Performance). I’m still thinking about this.

9. Tool descriptions (XG 78-85) and Common Magic Items (XG 136-40) are pretty cool.

10. Ceremony spell (XG 151): Ugh. I hated the UA version of this, and it’s still bad:

a. Atonement: how can one be willing about alignment change? Alignment isn’t fixed unless it’s a magical effect, and there are no restrictions on classes and alignment. If it’s to counteract a magical effect, the player may be willing, but the character by definition isn’t. Unless this is now the only way that a character can change alignment, in which case we can convert savages and CE goblins can be made NG. In which case it’s awesome.

b. Coming of Age and Dedication can only give their benefits to a creature once (ever). Who wants to track this nonsense? Do high-level characters save this until just before they bight the Ancient Red Dragon, and suddenly decide to get confirmed before the fight?

c. Wedding. That is, unless they get married to each other. In a world with Raise Dead spells, the “to death do us part” nonsense implicit in the now-undefined term of “widowed” (in addition to being completely out of step with the 20th century, let alone the 21st) suggests that divorces typically involve fights to the death, so that characters are free to re-marry. And the benefit is to help Armor Class? Yep, that’s why I got married. So my wife and I could do better on the tag-team gladiator pits for the first half of our honeymoon.

11. Find Greater Steed (XG 156) is now a top pick for Bard’s Magical Secrets at level 10. Who needs a familiar when you can ride a rhinoceros?

12. There’s a lot about Infestation (XG 158) that (edit)I initially misread. Oops!(/edit)

13. Finally, a point about what’s not there: the absence of Booming Blade and Greenflame blade from the spell lists seems deliberate. I know they are powerful (possibly over-powerful) and popular spells. For those who are concerned about the PHB+1 rule, this seems a good way to curb their use.

 

[Oofta]

Here are 13 observations I’ve made since getting my copy of Xanathar’s Guide. I make no claims to being the first to see these, but I have not included things I’ve seen discussed in other threads. This isn't meant to be a review. Thoughts, corrections, and opinions appreciated.

1. Samurai’s Fighting Spirit grants temporary hit points. You can also give yourself advantage “until the end of the current turn” (XG 31). Do the temporary hit points disappear then too? “Unless the feature has a duration, they last until they’re depleted or you finish a long rest” (PHB 198). Well, the feature does, so the temp HPs disappear at the end of the current turn – before the enemy attacks. This doesn’t seem right (and may need errata?).

I don't read it that way

As a bonus action on your turn, you can give yourself advantage on weapon attack rolls until the end of the current turn.​

Is one sentence. The next sentence

When you do so, you also gain 5 temporary hit points.​

gives you the temp HP. The expiration does not apply to the temp HP IMHO.

It would have had to read something like

As a bonus action on your turn, you can give yourself advantage on weapon attack rolls and gain 5 temporary hit points until the end of the current turn.​

2. Kensei weapons (XG 34). You can choose blowgun (or a sling, or a hand crossbow) and use it to perform your agile parry. I find this hilarious. Seriously, parrying with hand axes seems pretty cool.

No ...

you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon​

3. Paladin’s Oath of Redemption (XG 38-39). No longer has the Armor of Peace or the Warrior of Reconciliation features. Does this mean Redemption paladins are still carrying greatswords and wearing heavy armor? Doesn’t this undercut the concept? (It certainly seems at odds with the illustration provided).

Just because you use violence as a last resort doesn't mean you shouldn't be good at it if you do have to resort to it.

4. Scout Rogue’s Survivalist feature (XG 47) gives proficiency and expertise with Nature and Survival. It’s not called expertise here (for reasons that aren’t clear), but the effect is the same and it doesn’t stack (XG 5). Not stacking is explicit on the Prodigy feat (XG 75), but this isn’t an exception. Apparently there is no benefit if you have already chosen Expertise in either or both of these skills (unless you work something out with your DM).

Don't see why this is an issue, other classes have similar wording. In other words, don't take proficiency and expertise in those skills if you plan on taking Scout.

5. Sleeping in Medium and Heavy armor now gives limited benefits from a long rest (XG 77-78). Many will just ignore this, but it’s a reasonable ruling.

Yeah, not a big issue unless you have levels of exhaustion and/or use a lot of HD healing.

6. Adamantine weapons (XG 78) help to break things. The first 500gp investment of any halforc.

7. Tying Knots (XG 78). While I would prefer proficiency in ropes as a tool, we now know that knot-tying and untying is formally part of Slight-of-hand, a skill I have hitherto not been interested in.

8. Interaction of skills and tools (XG 78). I’ve been troubled by the overlap before, and now we have rules that say when two overlap, it gives advantage. This makes obvious sense in a few cases (Herbalism with Medicine), but it feels a little bit like a tax – proficiency in Thieves’ Tools helping with Investigation or Perception to spot a trap, for example. It also means that a capella singing can’t ever gain the advantage available to accordion players (Musical instruments with Performance). I’m still thinking about this.

In many cases bards are already going to have advantage, I like that this gives me an option to have my singing barbarian actually be decent.

9. Tool descriptions (XG 78-85) and Common Magic Items (XG 136-40) are pretty cool.

10. Ceremony spell (XG 151): Ugh. I hated the UA version of this, and it’s still bad:

a. Atonement: how can one be willing about alignment change? Alignment isn’t fixed unless it’s a magical effect, and there are no restrictions on classes and alignment. If it’s to counteract a magical effect, the player may be willing, but the character by definition isn’t. Unless this is now the only way that a character can change alignment, in which case we can convert savages and CE goblins can be made NG. In which case it’s awesome.

b. Coming of Age and Dedication can only give their benefits to a creature once (ever). Who wants to track this nonsense? Do high-level characters save this until just before they bight the Ancient Red Dragon, and suddenly decide to get confirmed before the fight?

c. Wedding. That is, unless they get married to each other. In a world with Raise Dead spells, the “to death do us part” nonsense implicit in the now-undefined term of “widowed” (in addition to being completely out of step with the 20th century, let alone the 21st) suggests that divorces typically involve fights to the death, so that characters are free to re-marry. And the benefit is to help Armor Class? Yep, that’s why I got married. So my wife and I could do better on the tag-team gladiator pits for the first half of our honeymoon.

I think this is very campaign dependent, I can see using it in my campaign. YMMV.

11. Find Greater Steed (XG 156) is now a top pick for Bard’s Magical Secrets at level 10. Who needs a familiar when you can ride a rhinoceros?

12. There’s a lot about Infestation (XG 158) that is left unsaid. How long do the insects last? If it’s just for the turn, then why worry about the movement. If they do persist (forever?) do they bite a creature in the next square? It’s a cool spell, but there’s a lot that requires adjudication here.

I don't understand the issue. The parasites "appear momentarily" and the duration is instantaneous. It's forced movement out of turn.

13. Finally, a point about what’s not there: the absence of Booming Blade and Greenflame blade from the spell lists seems deliberate. I know they are powerful (possibly over-powerful) and popular spells. For those who are concerned about the PHB+1 rule, this seems a good way to curb their use.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I don't read it that way

As a bonus action on your turn, you can give yourself advantage on weapon attack rolls until the end of the current turn.​

Is one sentence. The next sentence

When you do so, you also gain 5 temporary hit points.​

gives you the temp HP. The expiration does not apply to the temp HP IMHO.

It would have had to read something like

As a bonus action on your turn, you can give yourself advantage on weapon attack rolls and gain 5 temporary hit points until the end of the current turn.​

Well, you can see the quote specifically calls out if the feature has a duration. That's the case here.

No ...

you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon​

.
Ah, good call. My eyes glazed over.

In many cases bards are already going to have advantage, I like that this gives me an option to have my singing barbarian actually be decent.

I'm not sure why this is true. Where does advantage come from? (I love the singing barbarian; but he can't sing a cappella if he wants to keep up.)

I think this is very campaign dependent, I can see using it in my campaign. YMMV.

I'd love to hear why or how. It builds into the rules all sorts of silly (unconnected) effects, adds bookkeeping.

I don't understand the issue. The parasites "appear momentarily" and the duration is instantaneous. It's forced movement out of turn.

I stand corrected.

 

[Oofta]

Well, you can see the quote specifically calls out if the feature has a duration. That's the case here.

I simply read it differently. Take Aid as an example "Each target's hit point maximum and current hit points increase by 5 for the duration." IMHO the duration clearly applies to the advantage, not the temp HP based on the sentence structure.

I'm not sure why this is true. Where does advantage come from?

I'll have to ask; maybe it was from some magic item. But I still like it (I think) because it gives me more flexibility to build somewhat off the wall characters like a barbarian with a lute that thinks he's a bard. I may change my mind once I see it in play.

I'd love to hear why or how. It builds into the rules all sorts of silly (unconnected) effects, adds bookkeeping.

It may not come into play all that often, but I've had PCs get married, a guy that proselytized to everyone and occasionally converted people, regions where the dead may rise from the dead until the proper rituals are performed and so on. It's only a 1st level spell, and a ritual at that so if it only comes up once in a blue moon I'm OK with that.

For example, in my wife's campaign a PC got married (to an NPC) in a "quickie" wedding because we were about to go off and face the BBEG and they wanted to marry while they still had a chance; much like GI's marrying before they go to war.

Of course I could see this being abused "Gee, Bob, another wife died under mysterious circumstances? That's too bad. So who's your new friend?"

 

[MarkB]

a. Atonement: how can one be willing about alignment change? Alignment isn’t fixed unless it’s a magical effect, and there are no restrictions on classes and alignment. If it’s to counteract a magical effect, the player may be willing, but the character by definition isn’t. Unless this is now the only way that a character can change alignment, in which case we can convert savages and CE goblins can be made NG. In which case it’s awesome.

Seriously? There are loads of stories about characters who want to become better (i.e. gooder) people, but are having trouble finding the moral strength to do so. And, contrariwise, people who are pursuing some goal or cause, such as revenge or conquest, and want to set aside the doubts and regrets that plague them. It's not rare for a person to wish to be what they are not.

[video=youtube;trsIcv3hWI4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trsIcv3hWI4[/video]

 

[Kobold Stew]

For example, in my wife's campaign a PC got married (to an NPC) in a "quickie" wedding because we were about to go off and face the BBEG and they wanted to marry while they still had a chance; much like GI's marrying before they go to war.

See? That sounds awesome. What isn't awesome is turning marriage into a week-long +2 AC bonus.

Seriously? There are loads of stories about characters who want to become better (i.e. gooder) people, but are having trouble finding the moral strength to do so. And, contrariwise, people who are pursuing some goal or cause, such as revenge or conquest, and want to set aside the doubts and regrets that plague them. It's not rare for a person to wish to be what they are not.

Really. A story about moral struggle is awesome. A spell that removes that struggle trivially is not.
PCs can already change their alignments as they wish. The only beings who can't (PHB 122 are celestials and fiends). I take it as a given the primary purpose of the first-level spell isn't to help convert fiends, or to torture angels. So either it's dealing with magical effects, or it's adding rules to remove player choice for alignment change.

 

[Oofta]

See? That sounds awesome. What isn't awesome is turning marriage into a week-long +2 AC bonus.

"The blessings of Berranor go with you and protect you as you start your new life together" granting a temporary bonus sounds perfectly reasonable.

Really. A story about moral struggle is awesome. A spell that removes that struggle trivially is not.
PCs can already change their alignments as they wish. The only beings who can't (PHB 122 are celestials and fiends). I take it as a given the primary purpose of the first-level spell isn't to help convert fiends, or to torture angels. So either it's dealing with magical effects, or it's adding rules to remove player choice for alignment change.

It's going to depend on the campaign and DM. I once had a LG paladin slay innocents (she thought they were monsters, long story) that lost her paladin-hood. The ritual would have been perfect, but in my campaign absolution would only be granted if the gods deem the target worthy.

As I said before, it's a 1st level ritual so it's more flavor than anything.

 

[MarkB]

See? That sounds awesome. What isn't awesome is turning marriage into a week-long +2 AC bonus.
Really. A story about moral struggle is awesome. A spell that removes that struggle trivially is not.
PCs can already change their alignments as they wish. The only beings who can't (PHB 122 are celestials and fiends). I take it as a given the primary purpose of the first-level spell isn't to help convert fiends, or to torture angels. So either it's dealing with magical effects, or it's adding rules to remove player choice for alignment change.

Or it's adding an additional RP tool for a player who feels like their character would need an extra push in order to achieve such a change of heart.

 

[Valmarius]

They talked about Xanathar's spells in one of the D&D Beyond Videos and it was mentioned that some of the options in there are geared more towards NPC use.
I think Ceremony is definitely one of those spells. It's not necessarily going to be chosen by many PCs, but it makes sense that a local priest (1st level cleric?) could bestow some kind of holy blessing.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I'm really not certain about that Adamantium weapon upgrade. Siege is only kind of useful in some circumstances, and for some reason I just expected adamantium weapons to do more than that.

I kind of liked the interactions with skills and tools, but more so I liked the listing of what is in a tool kit (super useful) and some of the suggestions for tool use, like cobblers increasing travel time or cooks giving bonuses to short rest recovery, Lots of potentially useful stuff in there once I can parse it all.