D&D 5E Full preview unlocked!

[Li Shenron]

My first thought was: "Where are the modules"?

Most of the stuff in the DMG is "modular" at least in the sense that it is "optional" for playing the game. But we were told that the DMG was almost like a toolkit to ADD or CHANGE rules on top of the game, so let's see how it does that when we have the book at hand...

2 p. chases (have we ever had that in a core book?)

I have been writing about this several times on ENW but nobody noticed I casually asked Mearls on Twitter months ago if there was any chance for having chase rules in 5e core and he replied "You'll see them!" so I am happy he kept his word

30 pages on world building
25 pages on the planes
55 pages on making adventures/NPCs
95 pages of magic items
25 pages on running the game
25 pages of optional rules
10 pages of random dungeon design

For a game built on "making the game your own" and "playing how you want", 25 pages seems pretty tiny. Like super tiny. I hope there's more customization content spread out over the rest of the book.

My hope is that there are really a lot of "sidebars" for those, scattered across all chapters, for modules/options that are really so simple they don't need a lot of space with explanations. But which are those "25 pages of optional rules" you are considering here? I was thinking that e.g. the sections "Wilderness Survival", "Urban survival", "Downtime activities", "Alternative Rewards", "Ability options", "Adventuring options" and "Combat options" belong to that.

All in all, I think the 5e DMG was planned to be non-essential to play the game, so maybe it could have avoided carrying too much detailed information about "how to run the game". That's more like beginner's stuff, and I thought the DMG in 5e was not supposed to be for beginners. I would have thought it was going to be a lot more about "tweaking/customizing" and looking "behind the curtains" to understand more about how the mechanics work and what happens when you customize them.

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But all in all, my only disappointment is that apparently the DMG doesn't have the announced system for running large battles. That's not the same as "mass-combat rules" (i.e. running battles between armies) and also not necessarily the announced Battlesystem. Those would be nice to have, but they are rarely needed IMXP, unless you play a very specific type of game.

Instead, LARGE battles are simply battles when your PCs are surrounded by ~20-30 smaller foes, like a band of goblins or a pack of wolves or a mob of zombies. These are not battles between armies, your PCs are still individual characters, but running each monster individually is a pain. Still, these are very common scenes in fantasy!!

I don't care what kind of solution they propose in 5e (swarm rules, mob rules, battlesystem...) but I really hope this is hidden in the Running the Game - Combat or Dungeon Master's Workshop - Combat Options sections!

 

[jbear]

I have a wee theory about the contents page numbers discrepancy with the page number of the covered rest + firearms options. Rest Options seems to fit into the 'Adventuring Options.

If we assume alien tech would be so niche that they place it last in that section (seems logical) then it should appear as page 263. But that page is marked as p.268.

So maybe WotC has added another five pages of content to pleasantly surprise clients when they get their copy in December...
Just a theory ... but you never know!

 

[RichGreen]

Both PHB and MM had their (few) optional rules in sidebars spread all over the books. Could it be that the DMG is organized the same way, with sidebars spread all over the book?

That would explain why optional rules in ToC is only 27 pages long.

Sounds likely to me too. I also think the mass combat rules could well be in with combat options – I hope so anyway

 

[RevTurkey]

For anybody who expected the DMG to be a toolkit to rip, shred and splice the game into their favourite edition...I think disappointment awaits. While I fully expect some information on converting material such as modules and doing a few tweaks here and there for things like maybe grid play...this is a new edition, let's embrace that and move on eh? If you want to play 1,2,3 or 4e...go play them, they are all good fun in different ways and for the most part easy to get hold of. They reprinted three versions for folks and publish pdf versions of other hard to find supplements.

So...it's a table of contents. It looks like they crammed a lot of variety in. Some people might want less hand holding sections but for new players those should be in the book too. I like the firearm/future bits...nice quick bit of flavour to add to your game if you want it. Good to see them throwing a few curveballs into the core books. Bravo

 

[Derren]

For anybody who expected the DMG to be a toolkit to rip, shred and splice the game into their favourite edition...I think disappointment awaits. While I fully expect some information on converting material such as modules and doing a few tweaks here and there for things like maybe grid play...this is a new edition, let's embrace that and move on eh? If you want to play 1,2,3 or 4e...go play them, they are all good fun in different ways and for the most part easy to get hold of. They reprinted three versions for folks and publish pdf versions of other hard to find supplements.

Except that this was promised. But apparently WotC choose to mislead about it just to keep interest in D&D alive from people who didn't like the playtest in the hopes that they will come around once 5E is finished.

 

[aramis erak]

I'm extremely disappointed in the content. I want magic... not guns, bombs and dynamite. And I don't want aliens either.

But what if we want to convert to Gamma World?

Or Boot Hill?

Or Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, Module S3...

I think it's great that firearms and alien guns are in the DMG. I have a few old dungeon magazine adventures I can now use.

I'm thinking folks who like spelljammer and other fantastic settings will be very happy.

I like the post post post holocaust feel. But normally, guns just don't get into my D&D games.... But running S3 again... ooo....

 

[RevTurkey]

Except that this was promised. But apparently WotC choose to lie about it just to keep interest in D&D alive from people who didn't like the playtest in the hopes that they will come around once 5E is finished.

I thought they promised some options to tailor the game more towards different play styles?..like how to use a grid etc...and ways to tweak the system like the healing times and such...I don't feel like they have lied to anybody so far. I think that is a bit strong and unfair. From what I have seen they are being true to their word and giving us options like they said they would. Feats are in the PHB if you want to use them etc..Also, if they do change their mind and do things differently upon final release, what is the big deal? It's a game about waving magic wands and swords about against Goblins and Ghouls...as long as it does a reasonable job of simulated this then we can enjoy it for what it is. I was heavily critical of the playtest process and I made some stupid, stupid comments that I regret. The game is 5th Edition not 4th, not 3rd, not 2nd, not 1st, not B/X. Play those games if the changes or lack of options is a problem. Perhaps if there are no options at all in the DMG then I could agree that they will have been misleading but I think they will have choices...more in the realm of recreating the 'feel' of other editions rather than trying to emulate exact rulesets.

 

[fjw70]

Based on the TOC I wouldn't expect to see the firearms, explosives, and alien tech stuff so who knows what's tucked into the DMG in side bars and subsections. Also a lot of modular stuff doesn't take a whole lot of page count (the firearms, explosive, and aliens tech is only about 1.5 pages). So we will see in a few weeks.

 

[RichGreen]

Based on the TOC I wouldn't expect to see the firearms, explosives, and alien tech stuff so who knows what's tucked into the DMG in side bars and subsections. Also a lot of modular stuff doesn't take a whole lot of page count (the firearms, explosive, and aliens tech is only about 1.5 pages). So we will see in a few weeks.

Exactly! I think we need to wait and see.

 

[trystero]

To be honest, the type of mass combat system I want would only need a few pages (I'm thinking the excellent, and succinct, War Machine from BECMI). I'm more worried if it becomes its own supplement, which suggests a minis-based system; something I definitely don't want (personally speaking).

I'm with you: I'd prefer a narrative, abstract, non-miniature-based system, closer to the War Machine than to the original BATTLESYSTEM rules. But some people will want a tactical skirmish system, and a separate supplement could allow for both approaches.