D&D (2024) Experienced DMs, how useful is the 2024 DMG to you?

[Parmandur]

I don't block people simply because I disagree with them.

I'm just saying, if yoyr main form of interaction is as unrelentingly negative as it seems...maybe blocking for getting om your nerves would be good for your nerves.

 

[abirdcall]

I'm just saying, if yoyr main form of interaction is as unrelentingly negative as it seems...maybe blocking for getting om your nerves would be good for your nerves.

Yeah, I can't help myself from getting involved so I just block.

It also makes it much easier to catch up on threads as it makes them shorter. I'm not missing the person's comments who hates the games I play.

 

[sevenbastard]

Appreciate they included sample adventures in a form that shows a more realistic version of how adventures should be versus the over written stuff we see alot. A few paragraph to accomplish what often is done in pages and pages. Less is more we don't need a full pages of back story on the Treant.

Also the rules on group check page 28. Especially group charisma checks. One suave person should not make up for all the loud mouth yahoos in your party.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Having skimmed it at first, and now thoroughly reading through it, I do agree that little in the first few chapters is new, however, it's all been organized very usefully, and is worth at least one re-read by even experienced DMs, if not just for reading pleasure, but for various bits that are new or that have been changed up in a bit in interesting ways. There are quite a few things in the DM's Toolbox section that will be likely be referenced to when running games, however.

 

[Sulicius]

I’ve just hit the chapter on adventure building, and so far I really like the book.

I don’t see myself not using it, but I will be honest and say that the book is a bit shallow. It wants to cover a lot, then do bastions, then do lore, then TONS of art… which leaves less room for details.

I will 100% recommend this book for new DM’s.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Having digested the book a bit more, some more thoughts:

Happy to see magic item creation rules. Positive thoughts about magic items and tables mostly: I like the selection of common magic items - good balance of fun and useful without presenting balance issues. They subdivide magic item tables by rarity and some new category referred to as "theme": That is the categories "Arcana", "Armaments", "Implements", and "Relics". Which I presume refers to mage-type, warrior-type, rogue/utility-type, and priest-type treasure themes; but are evidently explained in the MM not the DMG. Which is weird and kinda counterintuitive. What I'm NOT seeing, though maybe I've missed it, is an overarching table of magic items by rarity. Which I'm not happy about.

On the other hand: There really is NOT a section for building monsters. There's a short and almost completely worthless a section about ADAPTING existing monsters. Seeing as how the monster building section was probably the second-most used part of the 2014 DMG by me personally after encounter-building, that is a pretty significant weak point. I'm going to be pretty angry if there isn't a robust creature-building section of the upcoming 2024 MM.

 

[Sulicius]

Having digested the book a bit more, some more thoughts:

Happy to see magic item creation rules. Positive thoughts about magic items and tables mostly: I like the selection of common magic items - good balance of fun and useful without presenting balance issues. They subdivide magic item tables by rarity and some new category referred to as "theme": That is the categories "Arcana", "Armaments", "Implements", and "Relics". Which I presume refers to mage-type, warrior-type, rogue/utility-type, and priest-type treasure themes; but are evidently explained in the MM not the DMG. Which is weird and kinda counterintuitive. What I'm NOT seeing, though maybe I've missed it, is an overarching table of magic items by rarity. Which I'm not happy about.

On the other hand: There really is NOT a section for building monsters. There's a short and almost completely worthless a section about ADAPTING existing monsters. Seeing as how the monster building section was probably the second-most used part of the 2014 DMG by me personally after encounter-building, that is a pretty significant weak point. I'm going to be pretty angry if there isn't a robust creature-building section of the upcoming 2024 MM.

Yeah, the building monsters section is baffling. My only hope is that it will be in the MM because they didn't have space/didn't have the math figured out yet.

Then again, if I think about the time spent on number crunching CR and how I know just reskin a monster, this short section might actually be alright. But without a baseline table on monster power, it's hard to build a monster from scratch. The old DMG did not help me make good monsters, but it did help me understand what features are stronger than others.

I am not confident we will see it, but I'm good since I have Forge of Foes!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I think its dishonest to make definitive comments on a book one hasn't read... but that's just me.

Mod Note:

People can form completely valid opinions very quickly and with little information. And they can then express that opinion.

Let’s not conflate snap judgements with dishonesty, please and thank you.

 

[R_J_K75]

I've been DMing for 44 years now, so the DMing advice in it is for the most part stuff I've read or learned elsewhere or over time. Mostly, the only advantage the 2024 book has for me is it's organization.

I haven't read the complete book yet, just read bits and pieces and some full pages. Overall, my impression is the same as yours. I too feel I've read most of its contents that are advice in one form or another elsewhere over the years. So, it'll serve as a reference when coming up with adventures, think it will be more useful in prep rather than at the table. I look at it as a nice refresher course for things I forgot more than anything. Coupling it with the 2014 version should make for a good, combined set for new and old DMs.

 

[R_J_K75]

Again, do you see no value in reviews, or do you have to buy something to know whether or not you should buy it?

I don't pay much attention to reviews, whether it's Amazon, RPGs, movie reviews, etc. because they are mostly subjective opinions. I prefer to make my own decision. Only time I put any stock in a review is if I'm looking for something with a specific feature, and a review says it either has it or it doesn't or doesn't work as intended, or the product breaks frequently. I think it's completely valid to base your decision on purchasing something, seeing a movie based on a review if it works for you.