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.

 

[ECMO3]

It's pretty obvious that they are referring to "the later ones".

Sure, you're right that the playtest changed over time, but it built over time to something that was pretty close to what we're going to be getting.

I do not agree with this. The things in the latter playtest are similar are similar/the same to what we are getting with respect to those features only.

Overall though the playtest was done using 2014 rules with relatively few playtest changes and what we know of 2024 shows that 2024 is a way different than the game we were playing when we playtested.

Sure, there's little things here-and-there,

Most of the changes in 2024 were not playtested and many of the changes are more significant departures than were covered in the playtest.

Oh, and "Surprise Rounds" were never a thing in 5e. You have a few other inaccuracies in your last few posts, but I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing.

No surprise rounds were not a thing, but surprise is a lot different than it is in 2024 and that is one example of many things that were not in the playtest.

And yes the changes to surprise will make combats last longer by giving monsters that would have been surprised extra turns and extra reactions. How much longer, probably not a lot, but every one of these little things is going to add more time IMO.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I do not agree with this. The things in the latter playtest are similar are similar/the same to what we are getting with respect to those features only.

Yes. That's what I'm referring to.

Overall though the playtest was done using 2014 rules with relatively few playtest changes and what we know of 2024 shows that 2024 is a way different than the game we were playing when we playtested.

I think you'll find that the value of "way" in "way different" is going to be very subjective. From "aaiiieee it's sooooo different" to "meh. not different enough to bother with". As is usually the case, I'm somewhere in the middle. It's different, sure, but the game will play basically the same. But then, I felt that 4e played "basically the same" as other D&D editions, so... subjective.

Most of the changes in 2024 were not playtested and many of the changes are more significant departures than were covered in the playtest.

I don't know if it will math out to most changes were not playtested, but I'll give you that A LOT were not playtested, which is a huge shame.

No surprise rounds were not a thing, but surprise is a lot different than it is in 2024 and that is one example of many things that were not in the playtest.

Wait - no, Surprise WAS in the playtest as it is in 2024. I used it while playtesting.

And yes the changes to surprise will make combats last longer by giving monsters that would have been surprised extra turns and extra reactions. How much longer, probably not a lot, but every one of these little things is going to add more time IMO.

The only thing that I've maintained as I didn't find it "noticeably" different. Sure, maybe some turns took longer than a turn by the same class would have taken with pure 2014 characters, but from what I've seen, there's more variety to the turn length in the game based on party-make-up and individual players (and how fast they are) than the rules changes make. Maybe you are technically right that some time will be added - but I don't think that it's time that will be widely noticed. Certainly not something that ought to be a concern. I mean, you're fine to be concerned about it - I'm not telling you how to feel - I'm just saying "I think that you're going to be okay."

 

[ECMO3]

The only thing that I've maintained as I didn't find it "noticeably" different. Sure, maybe some turns took longer than a turn by the same class would have taken with pure 2014 characters, but from what I've seen, there's more variety to the turn length in the game based on party-make-up and individual players (and how fast they are) than the rules changes make. Maybe you are technically right that some time will be added - but I don't think that it's time that will be widely noticed. Certainly not something that ought to be a concern. I mean, you're fine to be concerned about it - I'm not telling you how to feel - I'm just saying "I think that you're going to be okay."

I absolutely agree with this. I am playing 4 regular games a week and in one of them it seems it takes a half hour for a turn.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Dual wielding, spells, bonus action casting rule, grapple movement, quickened spell, defensive dualist, crossbow expert, AOOs on allies, backgrounds, stunned, spells .... Just off the top of my head.

IME overall the UA is closer to 2014 5E than it is to what we know of 2024.

Dual Wielding is not different from the playtest. Only the Dual-Wielder feat is.
We saw a lot of the spell changes, you might as well just say "classes" for being that vague.
Casting two spells on a turn did change.
Grappling movement did not change from the playtest
Quickened spell did not change from the playtest.
Defensive Duelist did add that is lasts longer, which doesn't change how it activates.
Crossbow expert doesn't look like it changed from the playtest.
Attack of Opportunity on allies is technically a change, it is also debated if it is allowed.
Backgrounds have not changed from the playtest.
Stunned is likely an error, if you are talking about being able to move.
You said spells twice.

And most of these are technically correct, a minor change that is technically different, but not a large change.

 

[Mistwell]

Are bonus action potions the same?

Just to clarify, I don't think we know the answer to this yet. We know healing potions are a bonus action. I don't think we know all potions are a bonus action.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Backgrounds have not changed from the playtest.

Yes they have.

The playtest EXPLICITLY called out that players could ALWAYS substitute background elements (including stats) and make up their own backgrounds. This is the same as 2014, note.

Getting rid of that in favour of fixed ones and hiding any customization in the DMG is a huge change. There's no way they'd have got 70% approval for fixed backgrounds only, but they didn't have to, because they just changed it without asking, after we voted positively on backgrounds that included player-side customization.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Getting rid of that in favour of fixed ones and hiding any customization in the DMG is a huge change. There's no way they'd have got 70% approval for fixed backgrounds only, but they didn't have to, because they just changed it without asking, after we voted positively on backgrounds that included player-side customization.

It's good to see they're carrying on the Lucy van Pelt with football style they used for Next.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Yes they have.

The playtest EXPLICITLY called out that players could ALWAYS substitute background elements (including stats) and make up their own backgrounds. This is the same as 2014, note.

Getting rid of that in favour of fixed ones and hiding any customization in the DMG is a huge change. There's no way they'd have got 70% approval for fixed backgrounds only, but they didn't have to, because they just changed it without asking, after we voted positively on backgrounds that included player-side customization.

While I agree that the custom option is preferable, and that I don't like it in the DMG.... are you not aware of the backwards compatibility text that does that exact same thing in the PHB? Literally, the exact same thing as the custom option.

Also, while I can appreciate that we are describing the differences between beige and tan, moving a section of the rules to a different book is not the same thing as changing the rules. You can argue that it is silly to split the rules, or that it is harmful to the community to split the rules, or whatever you like.... except you can't argue the rules actually changed.

 

[ECMO3]

Dual Wielding is not different from the playtest. Only the Dual-Wielder feat is.

That is what I am talking about, and it IS different from the playtest when it still used the 2014 feat.

We saw a lot of the spell changes, you might as well just say "classes" for being that vague.

For the most part the classes are similar to latest versions as presented in the playtest.

There are a lot of spell changes though, and that is my point. People claiming "the playtest is just like 2024" are wrong. The playtest was a lot different, the many spell changes, including some that were changed in the playtest and then changed again are different than what we were playing with during the playtest.

Grappling movement did not change from the playtest

This is just not true. The new rules are quite different and grappling movement has been all over the place.

First in the 2014 rules your speed was halved when the creature was less than 2 sizes smaller. This is not covered in the grappled condition, it is in the combat section, but it is relatively simple. Note no exception to movement penalty for tiny creatures.

Second the grappled condition as presented in playtest 1 caused the slowed condition on the grappler unless the grappled creature was 2 sizes smaller or tiny. This meant grapplers were attacked with advantage during the playtest and had disadvantage on dexterity saves (at least the early playtest) in addition to having their speed halved. Key for this discussion in the playtest - your speed is halved.

In the 2024 grappled condition there is no change to speed when grappling. Your speed stays the same but one foot of movement requires 2 feet movement for the grappler (and ironically means the 2024 grappler feat does not really do anything regarding movement if the reported feat wording is accurate). There is no penalty for moving tiny creatures regardless of size of the grappler.

Yes, I will readily admit if you are still playing with 2014 or choose to ignore the new rules then the new rules are not new for you.

Quickened spell did not change from the playtest.

No but using it did because Quicken spell, used during the playtest was subcject to the 2014 bonus action rule and now it isn't.

Crossbow expert doesn't look like it changed from the playtest.

Yes it did. The final version allows you to ignore the ammunition property, which is in play actually a bigger deal than ignoring the loading porperty.

Attack of Opportunity on allies is technically a change, it is also debated if it is allowed.

Debated by who?

Backgrounds have not changed from the playtest.

Yes they have. They are completely different. Not a single one is the same.

1. Every single background that was in Playtest 1 and that is also in the PHB is different in the PHB
2. Some didn't make it to the PHB at all.
3. There were no feats at all as part of the playtest backgrounds
4. The "Build your own background" is not included in the PHB

Stunned is likely an error, if you are talking about being able to move.

It may be an error but right now it is a change. Also that is not the only change to the condition, the new version of stun does not alter your ability to speak either. I mean they could have kept it the same and didn't, which to me implies it is intentional.

And most of these are technically correct, a minor change that is technically different, but not a large change.

If you don't use the new rules, then there are not many changes for you. But if you do use the new rules, then yes there are a lot of changes

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

3. There were no feats at all (to my knowlege) as part of the playtest backgrounds

They did.