D&D (2024) D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Reviews

On Thursday August 1st, the review embargo is lifted for those who were sent an early copy of the new Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook. In this post I intend to compile a handy list of those reviews as they arrive. If you know of a review, please let me know in the comments so that I can add it! I'll be updating this list as new reviews arrive, so do check back later to see what's been added!

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Review List

• The official EN World review -- "Make no mistake, this is a new edition."
• ComicBook.com -- "Dungeons & Dragons has improved upon its current ruleset, but the ruleset still feels very familiar to 5E veterans."
• Comic Book Resources -- "From magic upgrades to easier character building, D&D's 2024 Player's Handbook is the upgrade players and DMs didn't know they needed."
• Wargamer.com -- "The 2024 Player’s Handbook is bigger and more beginner-friendly than ever before. It still feels and plays like D&D fifth edition, but numerous quality-of-life tweaks have made the game more approachable and its player options more powerful. Its execution disappoints in a handful of places, and it’s too early to tell how the new rules will impact encounter balance, but this is an optimistic start to the new Dungeons and Dragons era."
• RPGBOT -- "A lot has changed in the 2024 DnD 5e rules. In this horrendously long article, we’ve dug into everything that has changed in excruciating detail. There’s a lot here."

Video Reviews
Note, a couple of these videos have been redacted or taken down following copyright claims by WotC.

• 2024 PHB Rules Changes D&D 5.24 (Treantmonk's Temple)
• Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook 2024 Preview & Review | Key Takeaways and Comparisons with 2014 (Awesome Black)
• 10 Unexpected Changes in the D&D 5E 2024 Player's Handbook (This Effin' GM Games)
• Every Class and Subclass Change for 2024 (d4: Deep Dive)
• D&D Player's Handbook 2024 Winners & Losers! (The Character Sheet on ComicBook.com)
• 2024 Player's Handbook First Look Review (Dungeon Dudes)
• The 2024 Player's Handbook: Full Spoilers Review (DnD Shorts)
• Full Early Review! D&D 2024 Player's Handbook (JoeFudge)
• First Look at the 2024 Player's Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons (GameMasters)
• 2024 PHB Flip through (Jorphdan) [taken down]
• D&D New Player's Handbook, DM's Guide, Monster Manual, and Project Sigil Info (maturemindedgamers)
• 2024 Player's Handbook: Questions Answered! (Alphastream)
• D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Walkthrough (Sly Flourish) [redacted]

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Release timeline (i.e. when you can get it!)

• August 1st: Reviewers. Some reviewers have copies already, with their embargo lifting August 1st.
• August 1st-4th: Gen Con. There will be 3,000 copies for sale at Gen Con.
• September 3rd: US/Canada Hobby Stores. US/Canada hobby stores get it September 3rd.
• September 3rd: DDB 'Master' Pre-orders. Also on this date, D&D Beyond 'Master Subscribers' get the digital version.
• September 10th: DDB 'Hero' Pre-orders. On this date, D&D Beyond 'Hero Subscribers' get the digital version.
• September 17th: General Release. For the rest of us, the street date is September 17th.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If I made my living talking about 5E and the majority of my fans who love 5E pay my bills, I’d probably talk very kindly about 5E despite what I might really think.

On the other hand, talking smack about it also works. (Diversity & Dragons seems to make her living being mad at WotC.)

You could probably afford to just call it like you see it and build a brand of being a credible voice.

 

[mellored]

I do think Treantmonk should be, on some level, considered an influencer.

He certainly influences the character builds that are brought to the table.

 

[Charlaquin]

If we’re defining “influencer” by being paid to promote products, how is that different than any entertainer who accepts sponsorships? Are NASCAR racers influencers? What about people who act in commercials?

My understanding of “influencer” is that it’s a particular genre of entertainer - particularly, those whose content is centered around the promotion of themselves as a brand.

 

[mellored]

Fun thing about semantics, there is room for interpretation.

 

[Reynard]

I think the list of who got copies and who didn't is potentially revealing.

 

[WanderingMystic]

I think the list of who got copies and who didn't is potentially revealing.

Most of it has to do with how many subscribers they have, how active they are with D&D on their channel vs other content.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Most of it has to do with how many subscribers they have, how active they are with D&D on their channel vs other content.

They also seem to be focused more on YouTube, rather than Twitch or Tiktok, from what I can see, which may be reflective of the age of the decision makers at WotC.

 

[WanderingMystic]

So according to some of the above content creators it is that twitch is watched for live plays but not discussions about the rule or about the game in general. Now who knows some of those twitch creators might have 2024 games lined up once the NDA is lifted.

 

[Nefermandias]

In a way (and I realize that it is incredibly silly) I'm a bit sad that the PHB will be fully discussed and dissected by tomorrow and when I'll read it in September fro the first time, it will be "old" for me. Of course, I could refrain from watching those videos and participating in those discussions, so I'll have no one to blame, but me...

Are we really upset about getting spoilers on a game manual now?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

They also seem to be focused more on YouTube, rather than Twitch or Tiktok, from what I can see, which may be reflective of the age of the decision makers at WotC.

yes and no, several of the youtubers make shorts on tictok... I see as much as the beginning or middle of something that sounds cool and click over to youtube to watch the longer version...