D&D (2024) I have the DMG. AMA!

[dave2008]

I just don't see he more story oriented game where the fights are more sporadic can really work without gritty rests.

They worked fine with 2014 version of the rules, so I am 100% sure they will work fine with the 2024 version. The question you need to ask yourself is what story you want to tell with your fights, then the DM solves for that. It doesn't really matter if it is 0 or 8 fights.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Magic Item resilience was a short paragraph in the 2014 DMG and wasn't even listed in the table of contents. It's listed in the 2024 one - is there any difference/new stuff added?

For my own reference, here's what 2014 says on Magic Item Resilience (because THAT, I can cut-and-paste):

Most magic items are objects of extraordinary artisanship, assembled from the finest materials with meticulous attention to detail. Thanks to this combination of careful crafting and magical reinforcement, a magic item is at least as durable as a regular item of its kind. Most magic items, other than potions and scrolls, have resistance to all damage. Artifacts are practically indestructible, requiring extreme measures to destroy.


...2024 is worded completely differently (Speaking more on Quests for destroying artefacts and less on the artisanship of other magic items) but is essentially the same - Resistance to All Damage.

Are Artifacts changed at all and if so, how?

I'd have to do a deeper dive, but at a glance, they look pretty similar.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Personally I have 0 familiarity with Greyhawk so I was excited for it as a sort of blank canvas to run games in.

My personal favorite bit presented in this section is the three overarching campaign concepts they give.

They list three big campaign villains you could use (Chromatic Dragons, Cult of Elemental Evil, and Iuz) and then gives you a series of hooks for each tier of play in a campaign featuring them. It also references either official adventures or the 5 sample adventures they provide when laying these out.

An example is the Chromatic Dragon arc, where tier 1 has the players dealing with a Wyrmling or two pushing for new territory (which is the premise of the level 3 sample adventure). Then tier 2 mentions dealing with the machinations of young dragons, before tier 3 where the players realize it is a large coordinated effort by the Chromatic dragon adults, all leading to a possible tier 4 conclusion where the party confronts the newly freed Tiamat.

Thanks for the help, Garrett! I'm having trouble keeping up... And there's a few things I'm having trouble answering, such as "what are the surprises?" Type questions - I don't surprise easily, I just tend to go "Huh. Cool."

 

[Crimson Longinus]

They worked fine with 2014 version of the rules, so I am 100% sure they will work fine with the 2024 version. The question you need to ask yourself is what story you want to tell with your fights, then the DM solves for that. It doesn't really matter if it is 0 or 8 fights.

It doesn't work fine. For the one fight to be any sort of challenge, it needs to be insanely overtuned. And even then the casters still cannot burn through significant portion of their spells, so still have a ton for utility, thus skewing the balance. And of course if there are no several fights per day, there cannot be short rests between them so short rest classes get screwed.

But we have an active thread on this topic*, so if you wish to comment further, lets take it there and not derail this AMA.

* (Well, it originally was about that, but has been derailed long time ago. But it can get rerailed.)

 

[GarrettKP]

Thanks for the help, Garrett! I'm having trouble keeping up... And there's a few things I'm having trouble answering, such as "what are the surprises?" Type questions - I don't surprise easily, I just tend to go "Huh. Cool."

Glad I can help, even if limited.

 

[pukunui]

@FitzTheRuke what does the book have to say about diseases magical contagions?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

What do they actually say is the job of the DM?

It's TWO CHAPTERS, or more like, the whole book, so it's a bit difficult to sum up for you, but I'll try (as I'm pretty sure that I know what you're asking).

They say the DM is (and detail each bit with examples): Actor, Director, Improviser, Referee, Storyteller, Teacher, & Worldbuilder. They suggest that a DM ought to "Embrace the Shared Story", "Be Fair & Flexible", "Communicate with Your Players" and that "It's not a competition" and "It's okay to make mistakes".

It goes on to describe that "Every DM is unique" and gives some examples of Playstyles, including "Hack & Slash or Immersive Roleplaying", "All Ages or Mature", "Gritty or Cinematic", "Serious or Silly", "Planned or Improvised", "Heroic or Morally Ambiguous".

It DOES have a chapter on "Ensuring Fun for All", which I know will cause you concern, but it speaks of "Mutual Respect" and includes a full section on "Respect for the DM", as well as "Respect for the Players", so I don't see it as one-sided as you might fear, but YMMV.

 

[roguish]

There's an Ability Checks section (page 27), how do skill descriptions compare to the 2014 PHB? (The 2024 PHB hardly has any.) Are they more detailed, or less? Does it list DCs?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

@FitzTheRuke what does the book have to say about diseases magical contagions?

Ah yes, good question. They're with Curses, and list Cackle Fever, Sewer Plague, Sight Rot. They each have their own mechanics (involving the usual Exhaustion, Con Saves, and Long Rests. They have their own way to spread and to fight them off. They apparently share a "Three Day Rest" where if you do "nothing that would interrupt a Long Rest" for 72 hours, you have Advantage on all Saves against them. (Take it easy, man, you don't look too good.)

They honestly look pretty good to me.

 

[pukunui]

There's an Ability Checks section (page 27), how do skill descriptions compare to the 2014 PHB? (The 2024 PHB hardly has any.) Are they more detailed, or less? Does it list DCs?

Ah yes, @FitzTheRuke, is there anything in the DMG to clarify how stealth/hiding is supposed to work?