Essential : Player's Handbook Highly Recommended : Xanathar's Guide to Everything (mostly for additional classes), Volo's Guide to Monsters (mostly for additional races) Limited Value : Eberron (Artificer class, some setting-specific races) Ravnica (Some setting-specific races and class options) Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (Some race options, but mostly lore) Wildemount (Some setting-specific races and class options) Not Released Yet, But of Limited Value Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (A few races and classes, some of which are reprinted elsewhere) Princes of the Apocalypse (this exists, and has a few options, but they have not yet been made available to the Charactermancer) Mythic Odysseys of Theros (Likely will have some setting-specific races and class options) Only buy if you are a completist : Compendiums from Kobold Press marked as having new races and/or class options (Margreave Player's guide?) Aquisitions, Inc. (Some setting-specific races and class options) Many later WotC modules contain the occasional background or option that are usually specific to that module Summary If you stick with the first three, you'll have the best bang for your buck. Eberron is quite popular, so look it over and decide.