D&D (2024) Deborah Ann Woll and Matt Mercer consulted on the 2024 DMG.

WotC consulted with celebrities including True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll and Critical Role's Matt Mercer when revising the upcoming 2024 edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Apparently another (unnamed) consultant provided advice on running game for kids.

That's it; that's the news.

 

[CleverNickName]

Internet peoples: Mercer and Crit Roll want nothing to do with WotC. That's why they're doing Daggerheart.

Matt Mercer: I helped on the new DMG

"WAAAAH I want everyone to hate them as much as I do!" -Internet haters

 

[R_J_K75]

Seems that WotC doesn't have much faith in their own staff if they are using outside consultants. Isn't this what their RPG design staff is for? Just seems like an odd marketing ploy to me, the DMG gets Debrah Ann Woll and Matt Mercers seal of approval.

 

[M.L. Martin]

Yes. And? It’s a feature, not a bug.

But if you read Gygax's articles on the AD&D project from the early Dragons, he considered it a bug, not a feature.

 

[bedir than]

Seems that WotC doesn't have much faith in their own staff if they are using outside consultants. Isn't this what their RPG design staff is for? Just seems like an odd marketing ploy to me, the DMG gets Debrah Ann Woll and Matt Mercers seal of approval.

Has there been a single project from a major publisher that didn't use outside staff?

 

[jerryrice4949]

Seems that WotC doesn't have much faith in their own staff if they are using outside consultants. Isn't this what their RPG design staff is for? Just seems like an odd marketing ploy to me, the DMG gets Debrah Ann Woll and Matt Mercers seal of approval.

Weird take. Many companies use outside consultants. Seems smart to me. Why not have an outside perspective to enrich what you are producing. Often at work I have someone I respect take a look at what I am doing. Makes me and that product better.

 

[Zardnaar]

Are you saying Gary purposely wrote 1E the way he did so people would have a hard time understanding it and thus make up their own rules?

Probably to make it distinct to D&D to screw over Arnesen.
The first cash grab edition.

 

[Reynard]

Seems that WotC doesn't have much faith in their own staff if they are using outside consultants. Isn't this what their RPG design staff is for? Just seems like an odd marketing ploy to me, the DMG gets Debrah Ann Woll and Matt Mercers seal of approval.

Just because it is marketing doesn't mean it isn't a good idea. Those two are highly capable GMs and writers.

 

[jerryrice4949]

Have you read it? Trust me, Gygax was not known for his ability to write things in a clear manner back then.

If it wasn’t for OSRIC I don’t think I’d ever have understood AD&D 1E.

I can only assume you are being snarky. I was 12 when I started playing 1E many decades ago and neither me nor any of my friends had any trouble understanding the rules or how to play. I am not saying that Gygax was a great writer but it was straight forward enough to me and many other kids.

 

[Reynard]

I can only assume you are being snarky. I was 12 when I started playing 1E many decades ago and neither me nor any of my friends had any trouble understanding rules are how to play. I am not saying that Gygax was a great writer but it was straight forward enough to me and many other kids.

It is amazing how everyone says old D&D was impossible to learn and GMing was even worse, yet most of us it managed it at 10 or so.

 

[Zardnaar]

I can only assume you are being snarky. I was 12 when I started playing 1E many decades ago and neither me nor any of my friends had any trouble understanding the rules or how to play. I am not saying that Gygax was a great writer but it was straight forward enough to me and many other kids.

Did you run it RAW or closer to advanced B/X? Alot of people ignored inconvenient rules.

Get a modern gamer to read 1E and 2E DMG and see what one is easier.