D&D (2024) The New DM Tools In The New Dungeon Master's Guide

The 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide contains a 'toolbox'. The DM's Toolbox is the third chapter in the book, presented as an alphabetical miscellany of varied things to help you prep or run a game.

Each entry is 1-2 pages long and includes things like creating monsters, fear and mental stress, chases, firearms and explosives, and traps. For example, it goes in depth into chases, with details about wilderness or urban chases.

Much of the topics were already in the 2014 DMG--albeit organized differently. Some new topics include character death, and more detailed look at alignment--and how actions determine alignment and not vice versa.

Also included is a big table of 'dungeon quirks'--why, then, and by whom was it built? Examples include made by giants (with everything being larger scale), built on top of a cloud, and so on.

There's plenty more stuff--environments, a settlement tracker (Chris Perkins and James Wyatt roll up a random settlement in the video), hazards, mob rules, marks of prestige (rewards like deeds, medals, or titles).

 

[R_J_K75]

Aged out of what? D&D? Books for D&D?

Content. I believe it's hard to create new content for the fantasy RPG genre. It can be repackaged under a revision, new edition or rule set but it still isn't anything new. Without seeing the new DMG, you don't know.

 

[Oofta]

Content. I believe it's hard to create new content for the fantasy RPG genre. It can be repackaged under a revision, new edition or rule set but it still isn't anything new. Without seeing the new DMG, you don't know.

It's kind of funny that there have been comments along the lines of "There's nothing here for me! It's targeted at newbie DMs! " Because I'm like ... and? Your point? An experienced DM may not need much of the content of the DMG. I'm humble enough (occasionally ) to admit that I don't know everything about DMing and I'll read through the new book and see if there's something I can pick up. Because there is always room for improvement.

But the vast majority of the book's advice? Yeah, I've probably already covered that ground so many times I don't even think about it any more. But maybe I should. So I'll still read it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It's kind of funny that there have been comments along the lines of "There's nothing here for me! It's targeted at newbie DMs! " Because I'm like ... and? Your point? An experienced DM may not need much of the content of the DMG. I'm humble enough (occasionally ) to admit that I don't know everything about DMing and I'll read through the new book and see if there's something I can pick up. Because there is always room for improvement.

But the vast majority of the book's advice? Yeah, I've probably already covered that ground so many times I don't even think about it any more. But maybe I should. So I'll still read it.

Maybe people want more for their $55-60 than a list of slightly-changed magic items.

 

[Oofta]

Maybe people want more for their $55-60 than a list of slightly-changed magic items.

Then they should be looking elsewhere than a guide to new DMs which is what the advice in the DMG will largely be. What other option is there?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Then they should be looking elsewhere than a guide to new DMs which is what the advice in the DMG will largely be. What other option is there?

The DMG was not designed primarily as a guide to new DMs until this not-yet-released version. So that's nearly 50 years of a book with the same name having a different and broader purpose. The consequences of changing that purpose without relabeling it, or even publishing it as part of a different edition, are all on WotC.

 

[Oofta]

The DMG was not designed primarily as a guide to new DMs until this not-yet-released version. So that's nearly 50 years of a book with the same name having a different and broader purpose. The consequences of changing that purpose without relabeling it, or even publishing it as part of a different edition, are all on WotC.

Most people playing today started with 5E. They don't care about what the 2E DMG said (heck, I don't even care) if they even realize it exists. All that history? The people writing the DMG should look back at them and see what worked and what didn't. But the people playing the game now? Why would they give a fig.

You seem to have a very, very narrow view of who the target audience for the book should be. The target is not grognards. It's not you or the 5% of DMs that share your level of experience. It's not even people who have been playing D&D for the past decade, although an improved DMG could be a real blessing. It's that new to D&D 14 year old who's starting up a new game. Because they are the future and what keeps the game healthy and growing.

 

[R_J_K75]

But the vast majority of the book's advice? Yeah, I've probably already covered that ground so many times I don't even think about it any more. But maybe I should. So I'll still read it.

I'm sure there will be a few things I've not seen before but most likely not much. New edition/revision there's going to be a new DMG. Can I live without it, sure, but someone starting out needs it, and I'm glad they're probably getting the version we have already kicked the tires on, and test drove more than a few times.

 

[MarkB]

The DMG was not designed primarily as a guide to new DMs until this not-yet-released version. So that's nearly 50 years of a book with the same name having a different and broader purpose. The consequences of changing that purpose without relabeling it, or even publishing it as part of a different edition, are all on WotC.

If the DMG isn't designed with helping new DMs as one of its primary goals, that's a design oversight. If that's been true for nearly 50 years, it's a design oversight that's long overdue for correction.

 

[mamba]

The DMG was not designed primarily as a guide to new DMs until this not-yet-released version. So that's nearly 50 years of a book with the same name having a different and broader purpose.

having two chapters for new DMs does not sound like its primary goal, and I’d argue it always tried to also be a guide for new DMs, with varying levels of success

 

[overgeeked]

If the DMG isn't designed with helping new DMs as one of its primary goals, that's a design oversight. If that's been true for nearly 50 years, it's a design oversight that's long overdue for correction.

The 4E DMG was amazing at onboarding new referees. Makes sense given it was so different from what came before. Besides that, the DMG has always been kinda inside baseball in its approach. The authors and text have always assumed a whole lot and left way too much unsaid. I think it’s an argument for multiple DMGs. One for the beginner referee and one for the more advanced referee. Or that’s an argument for a boxed set as the beginner friendly referee onboarding experience. As was the case with 5E.