D&D 5E What you would like the DM guide to include (that previous DM's guides didn't have)

[gweinel]

The title says it all. The biggest innovation of the 4th edition DM's guide was the famous page 42, information that proved extremely useful for all DM's when we built encounters. However what are the things that missed from all DM's guide and you would to be inside? Although the question is a bit rhetorical since I think the books are quite finished by now it is interesting to see what we want.

For my part I would like to have the information of the inner logic (mechanics) of 5e. And more than that I would love to have the tools in order to make my own world and games. In particular tools that aid you to make your own (sub)classes, races, feats, backgrounds and magic systems. For example if you want to make your own rune magic system, your own culture (background), your own subterrean elf, your own elite death squad of crazy halfings (feats or (sub)class) to be able to do it. These tools would helped a lot the world building. I think these were glaring omissions from the previous editions.

 

[1of3]

A check list of things that you absolutely positively have to determine, discuss and make transparent to everyone involved, before the game starts.

 

[delericho]

The best bit of the 1st Ed DMG is the appendices, which provide a huge amount of information in a surprisingly accessible format. (The 3e DMG provides much the same information, but does so badly - page after page of doors, then walls, then floors...) They should strongly consider copying that, while possibly updating the actual info.

And a new Appendix N might be good, too.

Magic item information should be restored to its rightful place in the DMG also, and there should be an extensive section on traps and other hazards - both the 'gotcha' traps of the 1st Ed and 3e DMG, and also whatever replaces the "encounter traps" introduced in "Dungeonscape" and then the 4e DMG (II?).

The material on player types, from 3e's DMGII, should also be included. The 4e DMG includes much the same information, by the same author in fact, but IMO the 3e version expresses it better. Indeed, that alone makes the 3e DMGII a worthwhile purchase.

And 1of3's suggestion is a very good one, too.

 

[gweinel]

Both would be great! I would add puzzles! I know that isn't necessery but a couple of sample puzzles/riddles for the dungeons or any other circumstances would be great addition.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

The DMG ends up having to provide guidance for:

* Worldbuilding
* Campaign and Adventure Design
* Session Preparation
* Running the Game
* Being Group Councilor
* General Inspiration

Each of these could be an entire book (and have been). And this is before we get to the mechanical elements, such as traps, diseases, curses, magic items, etc. (though one could argue that some of those belong in the Monster Manual).

Personally, I'd like the DMG to focus more heavily on Campaign and Adventure Design, providing several adventure structures, design tips and methodologies, and tons of adventure seeds and generic NPCs.

In the future, I'd love to see a massive book on world building.

 

[Jester David]

I like Mike Mearl's idea of moving most of the DMing advice out of the book and onto the website. Creating a database of DM advice on running a campaign, handling players, writing adventures, and the like. Most of that stuff is pretty system neutral so it's useful for all DMs (and many GMs). After all, the wealth of DMing blogs and existence of system neutral GMing books (including ones for older editions of D&D) takes much of the pressure of the DMG to be the "be all end all" of DMing.

Instead, the DMG can be a giant book of optional rules and rules modules. The Big Book of Making the Game into Yours.

 

[MichaelSomething]

A clear explanation of the game's design objectives.

For example, remember the exp for gold rule? A lot of people didn't think it made sense. Like, how does money make people fight better?

Well actually, it made perfect sense if you understand it. That rule was designed to make characters act like Swords and Sorcery characters who were in it for the money.

 

[ExploderWizard]

A clear explanation of the game's design objectives.

For example, remember the exp for gold rule? A lot of people didn't think it made sense. Like, how does money make people fight better?

Well actually, it made perfect sense if you understand it. That rule was designed to make characters act like Swords and Sorcery characters who were in it for the money.

Since Next is aimed at multiple play styles, I hope the system includes multiple methods for earning XP with treasure being one of them. This way it would allow the DM to choose the XP earning method that best suits the rules modules used in the campaign.

 

[Stormonu]

I want to see the return of the random dungeon, wilderness and an adventure idea generator (mad libs style on the latter).

I'd also like to see them pull a miracle out of their hat and provide a system for DM-less D&D, where its the "players vs. the game".

 

[DM Howard]

I'd also like to see them pull a miracle out of their hat and provide a system for DM-less D&D, where its the "players vs. the game".

I feel like something like this could be achieved with something akin to an audio book except it's an adventure. So arbitration would mainly be handled by the will of the group as a whole. It would take some doing, but I think it would be possible.