D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal #1: "Everything You Need To Know!"

Each day this week, Wizards of the Coast will be releasing a new live-streamed preview video based on the upcoming Player's Handbook. The first is entitled Everything You Need To Know and you can watch it live below (or, if you missed it, you should be able to watch it from the start afterwards). The video focuses on weapon mastery and character origins.

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There will be new videos on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, focusing on the Fighter, the Paladin, and the Barbarian, with (presumably) more in the coming weeks.

 

[Scribe]

I am still buying! Venger with undead is my jam!

I also like fluffy bunny puff mittens on page 18

Yeah, other than the 2 alt covers (at least those have some soul) and Warduke, it's slim pickings, and since I'm in Canada I would be paying a premium regardless.

Big pass.

 

[Azzy]

You dont have to look around social media for long to see this stuff is pushed like a drug in various segments of the fandom, while anyone who doesnt like it gets attacked, called sexist, racist, edgelord, whatever.

Happens here all time time.

You mean like when OSR enthusiasts go on about "kewl powers", "Mos Eisley Cantina", "pushed like a drug" (really, now?) and a whole litany of other negativity about anything that's not in the narrow play style of the 70s. It gets old and that's why (general) you get pushback. And as long as there is this crapping on any playstyle that isn't the same as the 70s, there will like continue to be pushback because people get sick of the constant negativity. It's become so bad that it has made me disavow OSR games altogether (even though I own some OSR titles—as well as my collection of TSR-era products) because there's been enough OSR enthusiasts that behave in the same style as the stereotype of vegans (no actual vegans were harmed in the making of this post).

Also, no one is calling OSR enthusiasts or older players (hell, I'm about to turn 50—I've gotten old), as a whole, sexist or racist (more likely it's just some OSR enthusiasts internalizing critiques about older products' writing and artwork and believing that those critiques apply to themselves). Though there is enough of a problem that it caused some OSR enthusiasts to create a Facebook group without the bigotry that had become too common (and/or passively accepted without moderation) in some other OSR groups—but that's OSR enthusiasts reacting to other OSR enthusiasts, so y'know).

 

[Azzy]

What page are the bread dwarves and homesteading orc family on again?

I mean it is what it is, an ongoing trend since Tashas, and its right there. Maybe the sheets with the cute little critters? Come on man.

And this crap is why people push back. ¯\(ツ)/¯

 

[Parmandur]

Yup. This is correct. It is pretty on-trend to a lot of fantasy art. My concern is that rather than leading, as D&D has done before, it might be following, and that can sometimes lead you into a dead end. Hopefully I'm worrying over nothing.

It's always been a bit of both, staying on trend and pushing that by hiring great artists to do their thing. The stuff we have seen from these books have a nice variety, I think it will go over well.

 

[Scribe]

Also, no one is calling OSR enthusiasts or older players (hell, I'm about to turn 50—I've gotten old), as a whole, sexist or racist

No, but if you like an artist like Frazetta? That will get you, because it's happened here lol.

And this crap is why people push back. ¯\(ツ)/¯

Hey, I didn't bring up Disney, but the shoe fits.

Edit: And besides you guy can rest easy. For anyone paying attention who isn't arguing in bad faith it's obvious which style, tone, and trend has "won" and its not remotely up for debate, it's it's landslide.

So if you like it? Congratulations!

The rest (a small minority I assume) have been told to pound sand and play BG3, or Shadowdark, or DCC, or just ignore the art direction.

That's fine, you won, what do you care how outsiders call it.

 

[Hussar]

What page are the bread dwarves and homesteading orc family on again?

I mean it is what it is, an ongoing trend since Tashas, and its right there. Maybe the sheets with the cute little critters? Come on man.

Except... it isn'T really an ongoing trend so much as a continuation of the trend that has been there for the past forty or fifty years?

 

[Older Beholder]

actually, Nevermind

 

[Scribe]

Except... it isn'T really an ongoing trend so much as a continuation of the trend that has been there for the past forty or fifty years?

Sure man, see my edit and enjoy.

 

[Hussar]

No, but if you like an artist like Frazetta? That will get you, because it's happened here lol.

/snip

No. that's not what happened.

There's nothing wrong with liking Frazetta. Hell, I like him too.

The problem is trying to claim that because the art isn't like a Frazetta painting, it's for children, it's part of the "trend" of "appealing to children" and various other incredibly insulting and condescending lines of attack that have poisoned any actual real conversation that could be had.

Sorry, but you don't get to play the victim card here. Endlessly carping about how the game is being kiddified and made for children is why you get the push back.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Hey, I didn't bring up Disney, but the shoe fits.

Posting Bambi surely counts. And you've used that term before for newer D&D art.