D&D (2024) Take A Closer Look At The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide

Wizards of the Coast has just shared a video delving into the upcoming One D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, due for release in 2024.

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Scroll down to post #4, below, for a more detailed text summary!

• Chapter 1 -- basic concepts
• Chapter 2 -- Advice, common issues
• Chapter 3 -- Rules cyclopedia
• Chapter 4 -- Adventure building
• Chapter 5 -- Campaign building
• Chapter 6 -- Cosmology
• Chapter 7 -- Magic items
• Chapter 8 -- 'A surprise'
• Appendices -- maps, lore glossary

 

[dave2008]

there are three pillars, but combat is clearly the most rules-heavy out of the three. I can see some exploration rules, but social to me is mostly roleplaying, not rules based.

Also, there are guidelines for social interaction in the DMG now!

 

[Parmandur]

That is my hope, but it isn't clear at this point. I would still rather it be its own chapter, separate from the baseline rules I think.

But it might be easier for people to find if they put the variants in as sidebars next to the normal rules.

 

[Hurin70]

So where exactly are we with what exactly these new books are?

We were told we cannot call it 5e, nor 5.5e, nor 6e. But now it seems like they are saying it is just a revision of 5e. Jeremy Crawford literally said, 'This is NOT 5th editon or even 5.5. This is very important nuance.... '

What are we allowed to call it now?

 

[mamba]

Also, there are guidelines for social interaction in the DMG now!

I am not saying there shouldn’t be any, but to me there is a reason why social interactions are not as rules-heavy as combat

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

But it might be easier for people to find if they put the variants in as sidebars next to the normal rules.

In my preferred world, the new DMG would have even more variant rules, and even more information on how to fine-tune and change rules.

That said, I wouldn't put it in a sidebar. Instead, I would put them together in clusters. The current DMG has a lot of good ideas for variant rules, but they are hard to find and scattered throughout the book. Why not put variant rules in thematic clusters-
Running a more "traditional" OSR low-magic game.
Running a high-magic and high fantasy heroic game.
Running games with more player control of the narrative.
Running games with themes (horror, science fiction, comedy, whatever).
Running games with a tactical and combat focus.

Put together rules variants in thematic clusters and people are more likely to view them holistically, while still being able to pick and choose among them.

 

[mamba]

the problem is that some of us have been begging and pleading for more support of those other pillars for editions.

exploration I can see, but social interaction I am not sure what you are looking for.

Does everything need to be codified and based on a dice roll, even you talking to merchants, guards, nobles? To me roleplaying works well for those situations, with the occasional skill check.

What rule support are you looking for here?

 

[Stormonu]

If this is true, that is a big plus to get D&D24 for those who already have D&D5e core books. Yes, I know Wizards of the Coast at the recent creators summit said all D&D is just one D&D, but when you have multiple copies of the D&D core rulebooks, you really need an easy way to differentiate D&D24 from D&D5e, and those are two nice shortform phrases.

Y'know, it would be cool if they do have a campaign example in the DMG they do Themed versions of the DMG, like the Hydro covers - put out a small printing that's FR themed, GreyHawked themed, Ravenloft themed, Netir Vale themed, Eberron themed, etc. Could also extend to the Cosmology section of each - Greyhawk's Great Wheel, FR's tweaked Great Wheel, Eberron's cosmology, 4E's cosmology for Nentir, etc. Maybe also the artifact/relic section?

 

[Yaarel]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I'd love to see skill challenges included in the DMG. I've had great success in running skill challenges as a story device for my group. Build a scene consisting of 3 or 4 smaller scenes, each scene requires a certain number of rolls (not successes) to continue to the next scene. If the players get 3 failures something bad happens, but if they reach the end of the last scene before that happens the skill challenge succeeds. Also skill challenges can and should include tool proficiences as well as allow for crazy ideas that maybe wouldn't be as okay in for example combat.

The default mechanics for how to do a skill challenge needs to be in the Players Handbook, in the chapter about Ability Checks. The Ability Checks in the Players Handbook needs all the rules for Social Challenges and Exploration as part of skills. It helps when the players know that resolving certain Ability Check challenges can be more complex.

That said, it can be helpful to give specific examples of skill challenges in the DMs Guide as part of the Encounter Building chapter.

 

[Yaarel]

I wonder where optional rules are going to be located (current chapter 9 DM Workshop)?

Hopefully all of the optional rules are going to be in Chapter Three of DMs Guide, as a rules compendium for variant rules.

All the default rules need to be in the Players Handbook.

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

exploration I can see, but social interaction I am not sure what you are looking for.

strixhaven has rules I use alot, not just for social...

You can become friends or more with NPCs and those NPCs have little things that being friends with them give you. You can also have rivals that while they do not wish you dead, having them as enemies also modifies what you can do

it also allows you to have research done on a thing, and then later in the adventure when you face the thign you get bonuses.

Does everything need to be codified and based on a dice roll, even you talking to merchants, guards, nobles? To me roleplaying works well for those situations, with the occasional skill check.

everything no... but some things. I want to be able to run or play in a D&D campaign where 1/3+ of the sessions are social things that matter and changes the world.

What rule support are you looking for here?

again expanding on the strixhaven stuff mixed with some 4e skill challenges mixed with the new social rules from the playtest. Some non magic ways to charm and suggest would be great too.

next time they publish a heist adventure like they just did, I want to make a leverage team in D&D