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.

 

[Micah Sweet]

So it's DM fiat... not a rule. Also where in the 2024 book is this statement... I honestly can't find it.

EDIT: Ok you're referencing the 2014 PHB... I thought this was a thread about the 2024 book.

Looks like a rule to me, just obviously not one you like. That's fine of course, but we should admit these things are what they are.

And it's all the same edition, right? What difference does it make in which D&D 5e book something appears?

 

[Mecheon]

This has already been proven incorrect. They only have two abilities in common and one of those is darkvision which doesn't count because almost every race gets it. They are not watered down elves. They are not watered down humans. They are distinctly half-elves which take both races and combine them into a new race.

Two abilities is still enough, plus the whole entire set of "Pick your elf type" options that SCAG brought along and are outstandingly popular.

Whereas, all of the options in One? They all have unique abilities, every single one of them, even when they probably shouldn't (orc should get powerful build). The only ones that re-occur are the Darkvision and the damage resistence, which is unique to each who have it

So, yeah. That's why Half Elves aren't in despite the popularity. Because every other species has seperate exciting option, and half elves have half of the elf options. Every species brings unique options to the table, half elves don't. Because that's how they're designed: They're half elves. They're not supposed to bring unique options to the game, they're half elves. They're reminiscent of elves but missing half the features, and replacing them with either a bootstrapped "pick your elf" or versitle from humans

I doubt that it's because they are just hot right now. Half-elves have been popular in games I've played in since 1e. Definitely one of the top races among the many, many players I've played with over the decades.

They're also one of the most powerful races in the game in 5E

I've played Neverwinter Nights and Half Elves were never all that popular there, which honestly is 90% because they didn't give them a seperate model or anything and a 10% "Its 3E and a free feat is king"

 

[Imaro]

All I'll say is your (general you)reluctance to accept whether a provided narrative lines up with your expectations and/or is too implicit for you to latch onto... does not mean a narrative wasn't provided

 

[Imaro]

Looks like a rule to me, just obviously not one you like. That's fine of course, but we should admit these things are what they are.

And it's all the same edition, right? What difference does it make in which D&D 5e book something appears?

If something changed in 2024 (the revised edition) it replaced the old... doubly so since you consider it a rule.

 

[Imaro]

In lore I prefer from previous editions of D&D.

Well they still exist if you're not loooking for anything new.

 

[Imaro]

Devout to what?

So you need the book to specifically determine what your PC has devoted him or herself too... yeah thats...hmm...not something I'd want. Give me enough to latch onto and let me expound from there for my particular concept.

 

[Micah Sweet]

If something changed in 2024 (the revised edition) it replaced the old... doubly so since you consider it a rule.

Eh. Seems pretty clear we can all pick and choose as we please. Even folks who have professed to like 5.5 have suggested a least a couple things they're going to keep from 5.0.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well they still exist if you're not loooking for anything new.

Not that lore, no. Nothing in the last few years from WotC, lore or rules, is worth keeping as far as I'm concerned (although I'm sure there the odd exception here and there.

 

[Maxperson]

Other than the exception that they are getting those powers before the oath.

That's the whole problem. The narrative is that they get these holy powers prior to the oath because they believe in the oath enough to get them.

That means that if the paladin defies what the oath would be at third level, he should lose the holy powers from levels 1-2 since it's clear he no longer believes. That doesn't happen which puts the mechanics in direct conflict with the narrative.

 

[Imaro]

Eh. Seems pretty clear we can all pick and choose as we please. Even folks who have professed to like 5.5 have suggested a least a couple things they're going to keep from 5.0.

I mean in your game you can always do what you want. In fact this is exactly what many of us, including myself, are arguing for. But some people need a book that spells out every detail and narrative they can create for them... others dont.

You mentioned rules so I figured you'd want to follow the most recent/correct ones... if not why comment on it seeming like a rule?