So much new content! We’re excited for the announcement of the new book for Dungeons & Dragons, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Similar to Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and Volo’s Guide to Monsters, this content expansion includes so many fun new systems to add to your campaign. Both players and storytellers will find something new and exciting!

A Witch’s Secrets Discovered

Before we delve into the plethora of content that Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (TCoE) provides, let’s talk about the really cool backstory of the new book. TCoE is a rules expansion for D&D, as opposed to an adventure module or a setting book. Similar to other rules books, such as Xanathar’s Guide to Everything or Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, it’s also titled after an important character and resembles a book that character wrote themselves. TCoE will be littered with notes and sidebars by the infamous Iggwilv.

But wait, who’s Iggwilv? Like many characters with long histories, the eponymous Tasha has gone by many names. Raised by the witch Baba Yaga, Natasha went as an adventurer under the name Tasha. As Tasha, she studied under a wizard named Zygag (who also has an interesting backstory, but we'll keep things brief). Tasha developed the spell Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, which has been a staple of D&D for decades. Later, going by Iggwilv, she seduced a demon lord and conquered the land of Perrenland. Iggwilv eventually compiled all the secrets she discovered into a magical tome.

Ostensibly, our real-world book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything is this tome that Tasha herself has written. So what’s useful to real-world D&D players in this book? What magic lies within?

A Grimoire Heavy With Possibility

Again, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything is chock-full of alternate rules that make adventures richer and more fun. There’s new, useful content for both players and dungeon masters. The content ranges from basic additions to existing rules, to broad-reaching rules overhauls.

New content for players:

• Artificer character class. This class was originally published in a previous book, Eberron: Rising From the Last War. However, it was closely linked with that unique setting. In TCoE, the rules for Artificer characters stand alone, easier to integrate into any setting.
• 22 new subclasses. Holy cow, that’s a lot. Each of these is a new way to specialize an existing character class. Every class has at least one new subclass, including one for the Artificer. All of these subclasses have been play-tested through the official Unearthed Arcana system, to make sure they’re balanced and enjoyable.
• A Lineage system that allows players to completely customize their characters’ race. Instead of characters being steered into the same conceptual boxes by the mechanical rules of their race, the Lineage system lets characters be as exceptional as players want. For example, half-orcs are no longer shoehorned into being evil, brutish warriors; half-orcs can be clever wizards or noble paladins. Or, players can create elf characters who were raised away from elf conclaves and never learned swordplay or even the elvish language. Players can customize stat bonuses and racial features to their liking, either hewing to classic stereotypes or boldly expressing their individuality.

• New spells! Two new spells named after Tasha herself will appear. There are also spells to summon various kinds of spirits, which scales up in HP and attack bonus based on the level of spell slot to cast it.
• Class-specific magical items. These are tools that spellcasters already use, like spell focuses and spellbooks, but tuned to benefit specific classes. For example, druids will be able to use a new Bell Branch, and wizards will be able to use an illusionist spellbook disguised as a romance novel. These new magical items can even cast spells themselves, using magical charges like wands.
• Lastly but not least, a magical Tarokka deck that can capture and imprison spirits. Two in the box, ready to go! We be fast, and they be slow!

New content for dungeon masters:

• Magical environments. Throw your players into brain-twisting locales like eldritch storms, mirror realms, and enchanted springs. Confuse your players with unearthly roads that fold space like wormholes. Induce spirit-crushing paranoia with a mimic colony!
• Group Patrons. DMs can use these non-player characters or organizations as a center-of-gravity for a campaign to revolve around. They can provide quests, rewards, help, and even demands for parties of player characters. Group Patrons actually appeared in a previous book, Eberron: Rising from the Last War. However, in TCOE, all of the Eberron flavor for Group Patrons has been removed. This makes these rules much more flexible. They can include adventuring academies, ancient liches, merfolk sovereigns, or even powerful dragons!

• Sidekick NPCs. While NPCs in parties have been a staple tool for DMs since antiquity, TCOE reprints the codified rules for this. Following the rules from an Unearthed Arcana article and the Essentials Kit, players can create and control sidekicks as well. There are also new rules that allow players who want a “chill” low-demand way to participate in game sessions using sidekicks.
• Puzzles! TCoE will include a guide on creating and integrating puzzles into your campaign, adding an interesting change of pace in the middle of dungeons. 

Hit Me, Ms. Wizard

Can you believe how much stuff is in this new book? Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything has so many new options for players and new tools for DMs. It even has loads of variant rules to help D&D be more customizable and inclusive. While all this new content may be overwhelming to players just trying to master the basic rules, TCOE has tons of new stuff for veterans to explore.

Preorder you copy of the limited-edition variant cover of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything today!