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.

 

[Zaukrie]

I can't believe we are being pedantic about influencer. Ok, I can, but I don't get why.

 

[Mistwell]

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.

He had another job when he started this, and only talked about D&D because he loves it and plays it a lot. I think your implication he's biased is not just badly flawed, but insulting. He's plenty critical of many things, and used that advocacy to attempt to persuade WOTC directly on some flaws he sees with the game. His videos hit tomorrow and I guarantee (because he said it) he will be focused on the things they didn't get right in addition to the things he thinks they did get right.

 

[Mistwell]

I can't believe we are being pedantic about influencer. Ok, I can, but I don't get why.

I am not trying to. I'm just genuinely curious what the profession means for people, given it's relatively new.

 

[Nikosandros]

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

Nope, as I have clearly written.

 

[Reynard]

D&D Shorts got a review copy as well, he's as shocked as the rest of us and us answering the question does it make him a hypocrite in the below video. I say no.

I am not a huge fan of D&D Shorts, but I watched this video and at least he was up front about his intentions. Kudos, I suppose.

I also watch Bob World Builder's video, which I found more interesting and informative. I sometimes consider starting a YT channel just to help sell stuff I create but man it looks convoluted and like a PITA.

 

[SteveC]

Treatmonk thinks Wizard is still the best class because they have the 3 most powerful spells, which were already there in 5E and didn't get "fixed". Which 3 spells does everyone think he is referring to?

The one I'm seeing people miss is "Shapechange." He has done several videos about how powerful it is.

 

[DarkCrisis]

He had another job when he started this, and only talked about D&D because he loves it and plays it a lot. I think your implication he's biased is not just badly flawed, but insulting. He's plenty critical of many things, and used that advocacy to attempt to persuade WOTC directly on some flaws he sees with the game. His videos hit tomorrow and I guarantee (because he said it) he will be focused on the things they didn't get right in addition to the things he thinks they did get right.

I was speaking in general. I’ve never watched any of his videos or knew he existed until today.

 

[SkidAce]

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.

One would hope.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

One would hope.

I came to Sly Flourish's work through his podcast/YouTube presence, rather than as a book or blog writer. I think he does a good job of being fair and transparent in his views.

Not sure how much of his business is being a YouTuber versus the rest of his empire, though.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I’ve never watched any of his videos or knew he existed until today.

He was the touchstone for character optimization during the 3E days. He's practically the saint of character optimization.