D&D 5E The New D&D Book: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything!

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The new D&D book has been revealed, and it is Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, "a magical mixture of rules options for the world's greatest roleplaying game." The 192-page book is due out November 17th, with standard and alternate covers, and contains more subclasses, spells, character options, group patrons, and rules. Oh, and psionics!

Cover art is by Magali Villeneuve

WHAT WONDERFUL WITCHERY IS THIS?

A magical mixture of rules options for the world's greatest roleplaying game.

The wizard Tasha, whose great works include the spell Tasha’s hideous laughter, has gathered bits and bobs of precious lore during her illustrious career as an adventurer. Her enemies wouldn’t want these treasured secrets scattered across the multiverse, so in defiance, she has collected and codified these tidbits for the enrichment of all.

• EXPANDED SUBCLASSES. Try out subclass options for every Dungeons & Dragons class, including the artificer, which appears in the book.
• MORE CHARACTER OPTIONS. Delve into a collection of new class features and new feats, and customize your character’s origin using straightforward rules for modifying a character’s racial traits.
• INTRODUCING GROUP PATRONS. Whether you're part of the same criminal syndicate or working for an ancient dragon, each group patron option comes with its own perks and types of assignments.
• SPELLS, ARTIFACTS & MAGIC TATTOOS. Discover more spells, as well as magic tattoos, artifacts, and other magic items for your campaign.
• EXPANDED RULES OPTIONS. Try out rules for sidekicks, supernatural environments, natural hazards, and parleying with monsters, and gain guidance on running a session zero.
• A PLETHORA OF PUZZLES. Ready to be dropped into any D&D adventure, puzzles of varied difficulty await your adventurers, complete with traps and guidance on using the puzzles in a campaign.

Full of expanded content for players and Dungeon Masters alike, this book is a great addition to the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Baked in you'll find more rule options for all the character classes in the Player's Handbook, including more subclass options. Thrown in for good measure is the artificer class, a master of magical invention. And this witch's brew wouldn't be complete without a dash of added artifacts, spellbook options, spells for both player characters and monsters, magical tattoos, group patrons, and other tasty goodies.

Here's the alternate cover:

UPDATE! An online event called D&D Celebration from September 18th-20th will be hosted by Elle Osili-Wood, which is "an epic live event with panels, gameplay, & previews of the book!" See the video in the Tweet below!

Gather your party and join the adventure at  D&D Celebration 2020, an online gaming event open to fans all over the world!

Celebrate the release of  Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden  with a weekend of Icewind Dale–themed virtual play sessions and help us create the biggest virtual tabletop roleplaying game event ever! Fans will also get the chance to preview some content from  Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the forthcoming book featuring massive rules options, subclasses, and more for the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Watch featured play sessions with D&D luminaries and learn something new with a slate of panels led by the D&D design team and community.


UPDATE! Check out the Nerdarchy site for some previews.

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything Has, Well… Everything for 5E D&D

The follow up to 2017’s Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, on Nov. 17, 2020 fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons upcoming Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything must indeed possess powerful …

nerdarchy.com

UPDATE! Other news items around the web about this book:

With D&D's Next Rulebook, Character Creation Will Never Be the Same

Although Dungeons & Dragons’ fifth edition has added as many classes, races, and rules as it has since it first began, for the most part, the way players create characters has stayed the same. You pick a race, that race defines certain things about you, and so on. But the game’s next sourcebook...

io9.gizmodo.com

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything coming in November, brings new ways to personalize your characters

Wizards of the Coast has announced its next D&D book! Entitled Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, this rules expansion follows up Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and will be available on November 17th. Providing both players and DMs with the tools to level up their games, the 192 page tome will be...

gamingtrend.com

Dungeons & Dragons Announces New Book and Fall Event - IGN

The D&D team reveals an online community event in September and a new sourcebook soon to follow.

www.ign.com

D&D's next expansion, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, adds new subclasses and racial customization

Dungeons & Dragons is getting its biggest rules expansion in three years, courtesy of one powerful witch. In November, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything will hit shelves, offering D&D players several new subclasses, some exciting new spells, and a new way to create characters that’s fully...

www.syfy.com

 

[Haldrik]

In the LotR movies, Legolas is a popculture elf. He exhibits high Charisma, of the "glamorous" and "mysterious" variety. Yes Dex, but Cha too and perhaps moreso. He seems a Cha-Dex character concept.

Meanwhile, the elf monarch Galadriel, likewise exhibits high Charisma, of the "leadership" and "diplomacy" variety, also capable of intimidation, yet she lacks notable Dex. She seems more so a Cha-Int character concept.

These pop elves exhibit Charisma.

Likewise, their treehouse town exhibits high Charisma, of the "artistic appeal" variety, being an elegant fusion of Art Nouveau and Japanese esthetics.

Heightened Charisma is important for many elf concepts.

I am glad Tashas is finally making this elven aspect available officially.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

Similar to the Melee Attack cantrips, I remember there being Ranged Weapon Attack cantrips in 4e. They could be something to bring back, and useful to have around for Artificers or Bards.

And rangers!

 

[Haldrik]

I think that a sword mage class or a subclass would help

The swordmage can be its own class or a Wizard subclass, similar to Bladesinger.

What makes the Swordmage distinctive is, this concept is both a fullcaster with slot level 9 spells and whose spells are for melee combat.

I can even see this melee mage being psionic, if, it can wield elemental magic telekinetically.

 

[Marandahir]

Battle Smith Artificer and Forge Adept Artificer already achieve elements of the Swordmage. The only thing missing is a martial Artificer subclass that has an Arcane Aegis it can use to protect allies and/or teleport.

It works a lot better there than attached to the Fighter or the Wizard, and Artificer grants the Arcane Gish an identity that the Swordmage doesn't have on its own as a class (a class needs to be able to encompass a wide range of concepts (at least 6 subclasses to keep up) while still being united in its ideas and not stepping on the feet of any other class. I haven't seen a single take on Swordmage that achieves all 3 of the above requirements to be called a class rather than a series of related subclasses for different classes.

Artificer works as the Arcane Gish.

 

[Haldrik]

It works a lot better there than attached to the Fighter or the Wizard, and Artificer grants the Arcane Gish an identity that the Swordmage doesn't have on its own as a class (a class needs to be able to encompass a wide range of concepts (at least 6 subclasses to keep up) while still being united in its ideas and not stepping on the feet of any other class. I haven't seen a single take on Swordmage that achieves all 3 of the above requirements to be called a class rather than a series of related subclasses for different classes.

Artificer works as the Arcane Gish.

Fullcaster is important. Subclass archetypes can be thematic.

• Elemental
• Ether (force constructs, telekinesis, fly, ethereality)
• Life (shapeshift, heal, regeneration, poison)
• Mind (enchantment, illusion)
• Mind (prescience, teleportation)
• Items (Batman gear)

And so on.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Artificer works as the Arcane Gish.

I'm a fan of neither Gish nor Artificer, but even so I can see why somebody who wants a Gish wouldn't be satisfied...in terms of flavor...with the Artificer.

 

[Kurotowa]

Artificer works as the Arcane Gish.

So does the Eldritch Knight Fighter, and the Bladesinger Wizard, and the Hexblade Warlock, and the Valor Bard. Heck, if we're being generous you might even throw in the Arcane Trickster Rogue. "Person who combines melee weapons with magic" is a pretty broad concept that's got room for a multitude of takes.

 

[Parmandur]

I'm a fan of neither Gish nor Artificer, but even so I can see why somebody who wants a Gish wouldn't be satisfied...in terms of flavor...with the Artificer.

Pretty easy to rework flavor: it's a half-caster who gets Wizard Spells and can fight. If it walks like a Gish, and quacks like a Gish...

Honestly, the right Paladin Subclass works, too, since there is no Arcane/Divine distinction anymore.

 

[ChaosOS]

Pretty easy to rework flavor: it's a half-caster who gets Wizard Spells and can fight. If it walks like a Gish, and quacks like a Gish...

Honestly, the right Paladin Subclass works, too, since there is no Arcane/Divine distinction anymore.

I've seen a lot of 3P takes on swordmage that are basically paladins who get elemental smites instead of radiant ones.

 

[Rabulias]

I think 5e’s skill system was actually a big improvement from 4e’s, though I think they hit on something truly great in the Next playtest and gradually walked it back to being merely pretty good in its final form.

Since I did not follow the D&D Next playtest, care to summarize or point me to a reference for what this other skill system was like? Thanks in advance!