D&D (2024) Playtest 8 Spell Discussion

[Yaarel]

The movie is entirely irrelevant to RAW. 100% of RAW is in the 2014 PHB. Nothing else put out is RAW. Nothing. The rest are optional rules and guidelines. The movie isn't even that much.

Now perhaps in 2024 turning into an owlbear and that special ability will be RAW, but into then it's 100% not.

Where you are saying "RAW", I would say "core" or "default setting".


I suspect (and hope) the Druid will be able to Wild Shape into an Owlbear.

Relatedly, all animals including amalgams of animals do well to type as Beasts.

A Beast-like creature with magical powers can type as a Monstrosity. But a nonmagical animal is simply a Beast.

In this way, a Druid can Wild Shape into an Owlbear, Griffon, Pegasus, and any other animalistic amalgam.


Re the movie. Doric is an NPC with a "monster statblock". This NPC is suitable for almost any D&D setting, including the default setting.

 

[Maxperson]

Where you are saying "RAW", I would say "core" or "default setting".

RAW is definitional. You can try to call it "core" or "default setting," but that's just semantics. It's still only what is in the 2014 PHB no matter what you wish to call it.

I suspect (and hope) the Druid will be able to Wild Shape into an Owlbear.

I'm cool with that as well. It just can't be RAW before the 2024 PHB comes out.

Re the movie. Doric is an NPC with a "monster statblock". This NPC is suitable for almost any D&D setting, including the default setting.

Doesn't matter. Still not RAW. The statblock was created after the fact to represent the non-RAW character. Of course it's going to have non-RAW abilities in it.

 

[Yaarel]

RAW is definitional. You can try to call it "core" or "default setting," but that's just semantics. It's still only what is in the 2014 PHB no matter what you wish to call it.

I'm cool with that as well. It just can't be RAW before the 2024 PHB comes out.

Doesn't matter. Still not RAW. The statblock was created after the fact to represent the non-RAW character. Of course it's going to have non-RAW abilities in it.

Setting variants can still be "rules as written", literally.

WotC had close consultations with the creators of the movie.

Probably in this context, WotC formally made statements, such as there is no setting "canon", except the three core books. Everything else, including the expansive Forgotten Realms traditions across the editions, is moreorless the same thing as homebrew. Or rather, a choice of setting.

The Druid NPC, Doric, would be in this non-canonical category. Even so, she probably reflects the interests WotC has for the Druid class.

 

[Maxperson]

Setting variants can still be "rules as written", literally.

Not in 5e. 5e explicitly says all the rules to play the game are in the PHB.

 

[Yaarel]

5e explicitly says all the rules to play the game are in the PHB.

I suspect (and hope) this will be true in 2024. Did you see somewhere that explicitly says this?

 

[Maxperson]

I suspect (and hope) this will be true in 2024. Did you see somewhere that explicitly says this?

5e DMG.

"This book has two important companions: the Player's Handbook, which contains the rules your players need to create characters and the rules you need to run the game, and the Monster Manual, which contains ready-to use monsters to populate your D&D world."

If you read the DMG it's guidelines this and guidelines that, because it has no rules in it. The rules are the PHB.

 

[Yaarel]

5e DMG.

"This book has two important companions: the Player's Handbook, which contains the rules your players need to create characters and the rules you need to run the game, and the Monster Manual, which contains ready-to use monsters to populate your D&D world."

If you read the DMG it's guidelines this and guidelines that, because it has no rules in it. The rules are the PHB.

In 2014, the DMs Guide has some of the necessary rules to play the game, such as information about adjudicating skills.


I hope 2024 will say: "The Players Handbook contains ALL (!) the rules you need to run the game."

The 2024 PH will have rules for PCs, as well as statblocks for Beasts and perhaps for NPCs. So a DM can even make these the main antagonists of a campaign, without needing a Monster Manual.

Meanwhile the DMs Guide will advise the DM about how to create new encounters, treasures, regional settings, world settings, and planar settings, as well as various variant rules.

 

[Maxperson]

In 2014, the DMs Guide has some of the necessary rules to play the game, such as information about adjudicating skills.

There are no rules in the DMG. Nor is there anything necessary to play the game. You can play the entire game with only the PHB, though the MM helps a bunch.

The DMG does offer up advice on how to adjudicate the PHB rules, but those are not themselves rules.

The 2024 PH will has rules for PCs, as well as statblocks for Beasts and perhaps for NPCs. So a DM can even make these the main antagonists of a campaign, without needing a Monster Manual.

Meanwhile the DMs Guide will advise the DM about how to create new encounters, treasures, regional settings, world settings, and planar settings, as well as various variant rules.

That's basically what's there now. The specifics of the advice and layout will likely be different, though.

 

[Yaarel]

There are no rules in the DMG. Nor is there anything necessary to play the game. You can play the entire game with only the PHB, though the MM helps a bunch.

For example, it is impracticable to use the social skills, such as Persuasion, without referencing the DMs Guide.

 

[Maxperson]

For example, it is impracticable to use the social skills, such as Persuasion, without referencing the DMs Guide.

I disagree. Social skills work just fine with what we have in the PHB. The DMG just help adjudicate those rules which is helpful(but not required) for DMs. I can in fact run the game with the PHB only, having never read the DMG. I know what each says, so I know this to be true.