Character Creation: Allowed Materials

This page covers all of the materials relevant to character creation that are allowed for use in the West Marches setting. For a list of what magic items are allowed from published materials or information regarding how magic items function in WM, see the page on Magic Items. For miscellaneous rules specific to WM, see the page on House Rules. For an introduction and step-by-step guide to creating a West Marches character, see the page on Creating New Characters. For writing backstories, see the page on Creating New Lore.

### Note: Common Abbreviations

* DMG: Dungeon Master's Guide
* EE: Elemental Evil
* EGW: Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
* ERLW: Eberron: Rising from the Last War
* FTD: Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
* GGR: Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica
* GOTG: Glory of the Giants
* MOT: Mythic Odysseys of Theros
* MTF: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
* PHB: Player's Handbook
* SCAG: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
* TCE: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
* TDCSR: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn
* VGM: Volo's Guide to Monsters
* VRGR: Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
* XGE: Xanathar's Guide to Everything

## Classes

All classes and subclasses in the *Player's Handbook* and *Xanathar's Guide to Everything* are allowed. The following classes and subclasses are also allowed:

* Artificer (TCE)
	+ Alchemist (TCE)
	+ Armorer (TCE)
	+ Artillerist (TCE)
	+ Battle Smith (TCE)
* Barbarian
	+ Path of the Beast (TCE)
	+ Path of the Giant (GOTG)
	+ Path of the Juggernaut (TDCSR)
	+ Path of the Totem Warrior (extended options) (SCAG)
	+ Path of Wild Magic (TCE)
* Bard
	+ College of Spirits (VRGR)
* Cleric
	+ Arcana Domain (SCAG)
	+ Death Domain (DMG)
	+ Order Domain (GGR)
* Druid
	+ Circle of Spores (GGR)
	+ Circle of Stars (TCE)
	+ Circle of Wildfire (TCE)
* Fighter
	+ Psi Warrior (TCE)
	+ Purple Dragon Knight/Banneret (no knight restriction) (SCAG)
* Monk
	+ Way of the Ascendant Dragon (FTD)
	+ Way of the Astral Self (TCE)
	+ Way of the Long Death (SCAG)
	+ Way of Mercy (TCE)
* Paladin
	+ Oath of the Crown (SCAG)
	+ Oath of Glory (MOT)
	+ Oath of the Watchers (TCE)
* Ranger
	+ Drakewarden (FTD)
	+ Fey Wanderer (TCE)
	+ Swarmkeeper (TCE)
* Sorcerer
	+ Aberrant Mind (TCE)
	+ Clockwork Soul (TCE)
	+ Runechild (TDCSR)
* Warlock
	+ Fathomless (TCE)
	+ Genie (TCE)
	+ Undead (VRGR)
	+ Undying (SCAG)

* Wizard
	+ Bladesinger (TCE)
	+ Order of Scribes (TCE)
	+ *Note: **all** additional spells from TCE have been approved*
	+ School of Chronurgy (EGW)
	+ School of Graviturgy (EGW)
	+ *Note: **no** additional spells from EGW have been approved*

### Optional Class Features (TCE)

*Tasha's Cauldron of Everything* added a number of new, optional class features. The following have been approved for use in West Marches:

* All expanded spell lists
* All additional fighting styles
* All additional maneuver options
* All optional features for:
	+ Artificer
	+ Barbarian
	+ Cleric
	+ Druid
	+ Paladin
	+ Ranger

In addition, the following specific optional features have been approved:

* Bard\*
	+ Magical Inspiration
* Fighter\*\*
* Monk
	+ Quickened Healing
	+ Focused Aim
* Sorcerer\*
	+ Additional metamagic options
* Warlock\*
	+ Additional eldritch invocation options
	+ Pact of the Talisman
* Wizard\*

\*Bard, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard all gain access to the cleric/druid Cantrip Versatility:

> Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace one cantrip you learned from this class's Spellcasting feature with another cantrip from this class's spell list.
>
>

\*\*Fighter gains access to the paladin/ranger Martial Versatility:

> Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to this class. This replacement represents a shift of focus in your martial practice.
>
>

### Changing Features (TCE)

Changing a skill, as per the text in TCE, is allowed at ASI.

## Spells

All spells from the *Player's Handbook*, *Xanathar's Guide to Everything*, *Tasha's Cauldron of Everything*, and *Fizban's Treasury of Dragons* are allowed.

## Races

*Note: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything has introduced new mechanics for customizing races. See below for more information on how this functions in West Marches.*

All races and subraces in the *Player's Handbook* and *Xanathar's Guide to Everything* are allowed. The following races and subraces are also allowed:

* Aasimar (VGM)
* Changeling (ERLW)
* Dragonborn
	+ Chromatic (FTD)
	+ Draconblood (EGW)
	+ Metallic (FTD)
	+ Ravenite (EGW)
* Dwarf
	+ Duergar (MTF)
* Elf
	+ Eladrin (MTF)
	+ Sea Elf (MTF)
	+ Shadar-Kai (MTF)
* Firbolg (VGM)
* Genasi (EE)
* Gnome
	+ Deep Gnome (MTF)
* Goliath (VGM)
* Halfling
	+ Ghostwise Halfling (SCAG)
* Kalashtar (ERLW)
* Kenku (VGM)
* Leonin (MOT)
* Lizardfolk (VGM)
* Minotaur (GGR)
* Shifter (ERLW)
* Tabaxi (VGM)
* Tiefling
	+ All subraces from MTF
	+ Devil's Tongue Tiefling (SCAG)
	+ Hellfire Tiefling (SCAG)
	+ Feral Tiefling (SCAG) (note: players of feral tieflings should speak with a DM)
* Triton (VGM)
* Warforged (ERLW) (note: all warforged in the WM setting are from the continent and most are from the Frontier Forge. Please read the page on warforged and ask a DM if you have any further questions!)

### Customizing Races (TCE)

The following rules from TCE regarding customizing races have been approved for use in West Marches:

* ASIs
* Languages
* Proficiencies
	+ Trading armor/weapon proficiencies for tool proficiencies is **not** allowed. All other swaps listed are allowed.
* Custom Lineage

## Feats

Feats are allowed as described on page 165 of the PHB, and any feats listed in the PHB or Xanathar's are allowed. The Svirfneblin Magic feat from MTF and all additional feats from FTD and TCE **except Gunner** are also allowed. The following feats are also allowed:

* Cruel (TDCSR)
* Flash Recall (TDCSR)
* Thrown Arms Master (TDCSR)

## Backgrounds

All backgrounds in the *Player's Handbook* and *Xanathar's Guide to Everything* are allowed. The following backgrounds are also allowed:

* Athlete (MOT)
* City Watch (SCAG)
* Courtier (SCAG)
* Inheritor (SCAG)
* Mercenary Veteran (SCAG)
* Urban Bounty Hunter (SCAG)

Custom backgrounds are allowed as described on page 125 of the PHB but must be passed by a DM for approval.

### Background Features

*Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft* introduced a few alternative background features that can be used in place of the feature in another background. The following background features have been approved for WM:

* Spirit Medium (VRGR)
* Traveler (VRGR)

## Languages

All languages in the *Player’s Handbook* are allowed. The following languages are also allowed:

* Archipelagic Sign Language (House Rule)