D&D (2024) The 2024 Core D&D Rulebooks Are Coming In May

21st May 2024 is the official release date!

Update--WotC has taken down the promo image and replaced it with one without a release date. See more here.

 

[R_J_K75]

Has D&D ever done this? At least for 2014, it was all staggered, and the PHB came with an adventure path.

Didnt 4E release all at once, or maybe 3.5? Typically they have staggered the releases but I have a vague recollection of them not doing it once. Im old so my memory might be off

EDIT: Yep 4E all released on June 6, 2008

 

[FitzTheRuke]

One of the flgs folks on here might be able to explain how books need to be listed wayyyy in advance and what is on that list better than me.

Not really way in advance. The norm is two months. Amazon asks for more (and usually gets it, but us FLGSes have been used to two months for many decades.

That said, the people posting that the books have been in the works for a long time are definitely right - I think we'd all be surprised how long the whole process takes. The UA playtest really doesn't have to be anywhere NEAR finished for them to have laid out the books! They just have to have an idea of approximately how much text will fill a space to start layouts - they don't need to know the exact wording!

So we can absolutely still see UAs for monsters, regardless of when the MM is going to the printers (it would only matter if the MM was already at the printers!) And as others have pointed out, now that they print in the USA, they don't need to worry about shipping from China (which is pretty slow, mostly due to the ports as well as the ocean). So I'd say that 4 months from done-to-stores is about the minimum, realistically.

But I still don't think that May is right. July or August, probably, for the PHB, and later for the DMG and MM. We'll see.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

hmm, the art for cover... where to begin?

That's not the cover. That's the Fighter's introduction page. It was shown with a description of what a fighter IS on the bottom of the page.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Some. Some of it was absolute crap.

I’m mainly talking core 3. Oh and like Planescape.

 

[Maxperson]

Could be as they did say that they revised most of the spells in the PHB and even added new ones, as well as new magic items in the DMG. Might even be a species option or a feat.

I don't think that it's either a giant or a dwarf with enlarge. The guy on the ground is behind by a bit, so would appear smaller due to distance. The arrows near the dwarf are too large for the dwarf to be larger than a dwarf.

 

[Shardstone]

I'm more excited for the covers than anything else. When they aren't doing Movie Poster covers (like for Eberron), they make really, really good covers. And I hope the internal art keeps up a very high quality too -- higher then what is standard for 5E. I think starting with Spelljammer, 5E art started getting very good, though.

 

[Laurefindel]

hmm, the art for cover... where to begin?

1st the positives:
I like the general theme, crashing through the breach, that is awesome.

I like the dwarf, the hair, the beard, the armor, even the shortbow look nice.

But, and there is always a butt...

what are those melee weapons?

Main hand is something between dagger and shortsword, but it's damn meat cleaver.
That thing is like 3 times as massive as it should be. Good luck being fast enough to parry anything with it.

Shield is awful, too bulky, even with least dense wood suitable for shields, that thing would be at least 10kg in mass.
No one can defend with it, unless the only idea is to hold it in front and try to cover long range missile attack that come down in an arc.

Battleax is OFC a wood felling axe, probably 5 times as massive as a useful battleax would be.

This dwarf is basically armed with a good looking shortbow, two tools designed for cleaving already killed animals and firewood. And for added protection he has a cutout of a sturdy oak door.

I really hope he took Archery style and that he will go to the back ranks and those melee weapons will kill him sooner then he will kill anyone with them.


Didn't anyone from the art department had a hour of HEMA training in their lives?

At least he seems to have a centered hand grip on an embossed shield; art often show shields with a boss being strapped to the forearm.

As for the rest; it’s for show. Like every single microphone in every single movie is going to feedback as someone comes close, or car tires screech in dirt like the would do on asphalt.

I really don’t don’t think they are going for realism here; they’re balancing cool factor with the limits of believability in a way that is still tamed compared to Games Workshop or J-fantasy.

 

[R_J_K75]

I don't think that it's either a giant or a dwarf with enlarge. The guy on the ground is behind by a bit, so would appear smaller due to distance. The arrows near the dwarf are too large for the dwarf to be larger than a dwarf.

I think you're right, but the perspective/angle still looks off to me. Can't quite put my finger on it but reminds me of the cover of the revised 2E PHB.

 

[Horwath]

At least he seems to have a centered hand grip on an embossed shield; art often show shields with a boss being strapped to the forearm.

hehe, got to be happy for small victories.

As for the rest; it’s for show. Like every single microphone in every single movie is going to feedback as someone comes close, or car tires screech in dirt like the would do on asphalt.

I really don’t don’t think they are going for realism here; they’re balancing cool factor with the limits of believability in a way that is still tamed compared to Games Workshop or J-fantasy.

They did manage to make decent sword for champion.
Sure, there is some artistic freedom in the crossguard but, sword is looking completely functional.

 

[Maxperson]

I think you're right, but the perspective/angle still looks off to me. Can't quite put my finger on it but reminds me of the cover of the revised 2E PHB.

I agree. The art looks like it wasn't drawn all that well with regard to perspective.