D&D 5E Tasha or xanathar's, choose one and why do you like it?
- Thread starter not-so-newguy
- Start date
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
IMO, Tasha's has the better character creation and advancement options, but Xanathar's aren't far behind and the rest of the material in Xanathar's is better than Tasha's - enough so that if I was only to get one it would be Xanathar's.
But if I was only a player, I might go Tasha's. The Xanathar's other stuff is useful to a player, but if the DM has a copy of it that would get you the majority of the goodness.
But if I was only a player, I might go Tasha's. The Xanathar's other stuff is useful to a player, but if the DM has a copy of it that would get you the majority of the goodness.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
I voted for Xanathar's. Xanathar's had more helpful rules additions/clarifications for me. Both had spells and character options, so a wash there. And Xanathar's didn't include racial changes that I have to ignore, but pay for anyway. Not that I dislike Tasha's as a whole.
humble minion
Legend
On the whole - Xanathar's.
As others have said, the downtime rules and the massive and extremely useful expansion of the PHB spell list are what makes Xanathars' stand out. The subclasses here are not always incredibly interesting or powerful, but they do often fill obvious niches in the game world that the PHB left begging for want of space. Divine and Shadow sorcerer, Celestial warlock, Grave cleric, Ancestral Guardian barbarian, swashbuckler rogue etc etc. Unfortunately some of them are distinctly mediocre in terms of mechanics (hi there Mastermind!) which is especially unforgivable given some of them were effectively reprints from SCAG. There should have been some rebalancing done in the interim.
Big pluses for Tasha's are the alternate class features, and starting to address some actual game balance problems between classes in a stealthy kinda way by, for instance, giving Sorcerers effective additional spells known via the subclasses, and giving Rangers some alternate features (that are much more useful than the original ones). The puzzles bit was an utter waste of a LOT of pages on what seems like a really niche playstyle - and Tasha was much less funny than Xanathar. It's a bit more experimental book than Xanathar's, and i think it shows. The highs are really excellent (my next PC is an Order of Stars druid...) but compared to Xanathar's there's a lot higher percentage of lows where the experiment fell flat on its face.
As others have said, the downtime rules and the massive and extremely useful expansion of the PHB spell list are what makes Xanathars' stand out. The subclasses here are not always incredibly interesting or powerful, but they do often fill obvious niches in the game world that the PHB left begging for want of space. Divine and Shadow sorcerer, Celestial warlock, Grave cleric, Ancestral Guardian barbarian, swashbuckler rogue etc etc. Unfortunately some of them are distinctly mediocre in terms of mechanics (hi there Mastermind!) which is especially unforgivable given some of them were effectively reprints from SCAG. There should have been some rebalancing done in the interim.
Big pluses for Tasha's are the alternate class features, and starting to address some actual game balance problems between classes in a stealthy kinda way by, for instance, giving Sorcerers effective additional spells known via the subclasses, and giving Rangers some alternate features (that are much more useful than the original ones). The puzzles bit was an utter waste of a LOT of pages on what seems like a really niche playstyle - and Tasha was much less funny than Xanathar. It's a bit more experimental book than Xanathar's, and i think it shows. The highs are really excellent (my next PC is an Order of Stars druid...) but compared to Xanathar's there's a lot higher percentage of lows where the experiment fell flat on its face.
Last edited:
Musing Mage
Pondering D&D stuff
Xanathar's for me. I flipped through Tasha's and wasn't impressed.
Voadam
Legend
Really tough call for me. I have read through Xanathar's cover to cover. I have started to do so for Tasha's but I am only currently part way through the character class options part.
I like non-fixed stat bump from Tasha's, the artificer, and a bunch of class expansions like the new fighter fighting styles. A player in my current game is an artificer.
Xanathar's gets the edge for me though with the Warlock Hexblade, the healing option subclasses for sorcerers and warlocks, and the downtime subsytems. I have had two hexblades in my games.
I would rather have hexblades than artificers in my games as options.
I like non-fixed stat bump from Tasha's, the artificer, and a bunch of class expansions like the new fighter fighting styles. A player in my current game is an artificer.
Xanathar's gets the edge for me though with the Warlock Hexblade, the healing option subclasses for sorcerers and warlocks, and the downtime subsytems. I have had two hexblades in my games.
I would rather have hexblades than artificers in my games as options.
GreyLord
Legend
IF I had to choose between the two, I'd go for Tasha's.
It has more options that I prefer.
It has Side Kick rules, it has class options that are more flexible and adds racial options (that are, obviously, optional) that add flexibility.
If you use them it has Group Patrons (read Guilds) and Feats, it has various new types of encounters.
Overall, Tasha's expands the game more than Xanathar's with various options you can add (or not).
It has more options that I prefer.
It has Side Kick rules, it has class options that are more flexible and adds racial options (that are, obviously, optional) that add flexibility.
If you use them it has Group Patrons (read Guilds) and Feats, it has various new types of encounters.
Overall, Tasha's expands the game more than Xanathar's with various options you can add (or not).
Just to add an idea: you can buy the "extension set rules" in collaboration with another user/player/person, and split the price, you getting both Xanathar and Tasha, and the other getting the slipcase, the dm screen and the new Mordenkainen. I know this is not strictly the OP question, but maybe this can usefull 
delericho
Legend
Honestly, I'd keep the money.
If I had to choose, I'd go for Xanathar's.
And all that said, if you're seriously considering taking the plunge, there's an awful lot to be said for saving a little longer and then getting the Gift Set, especially if you can find a nice, hefty discount somewhere.
If I had to choose, I'd go for Xanathar's.
And all that said, if you're seriously considering taking the plunge, there's an awful lot to be said for saving a little longer and then getting the Gift Set, especially if you can find a nice, hefty discount somewhere.
