D&D (2024) WotC Announces April 22 Release For 2024 System Reference Documents

The System Reference Document 5.2--the tool which helps developers create third-party content using the Dungeons & Dragons core rules engine--will be released under the Creative Commons license on April 22nd.

Additionally, Wizards of the Coast will publish a Conversion Guide for updating game content from the 2014 edition to the 2024 edition. This guide will arrive at a later date.

The Free Rules document on D&D Beyond will also be updated with new D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2024).

The older 5.1 SRD, which is based on the 2014 edition of D&D, will also remain available under both Creative Commons and the Open Game License (OGL).

More information will be available on April 22nd, when the new SRD is released.

A copy of each System Reference Document is stored independently at A5ESRD.com, which includes the 5.1 SRD, the revised 3.5 SRD, and other System Reference Documents (including the enormous A5E SRD).

 

[bedir than]

"Additionally, two items have a different name in SRD 5.2:

• Deck of Many Things has been renamed Mysterious Deck*
• Orb of Dragonkind has been renamed Dragon Orb**"

Wait why do these now have really silly names?

Because there are people so poor at understanding the CC that they insisted the inclusion of a name meant that they could use any and all lore related to that name.

5.2's SRD decided to help those people out by not including names that were approached in such a manner after 5.1 (though people can still use 5.1).

 

[CleverNickName]

I know it's a minor nitpick, but I have always thought that "Deck of Many Things" was an incredibly silly name. I mean, I'm glad they didn't just spew a string of consonants together and invent a wizard name ("The Deck of Xjhvvfjyll," for example) but this feels like they just gave up. Or misunderstood the question.

Joe: "Hey Gary, what should we call this magical deck of many different effects and things?"
Gary: "Let me see if I understand. It's a deck of many things?"
Joe: "Genius! That's why you're the boss!"
Gary: "Um."

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Because there are people so poor at understanding the CC that they insisted the inclusion of a name meant that they could use any and all lore related to that name.

5.2's SRD decided to help those people out by not including names that were approached in such a manner after 5.1 (though people can still use 5.1).

Ok that's a pretty good reason!

I know it's a minor nitpick, but I have always thought that "Deck of Many Things" was an incredibly silly name. I mean, I'm glad they didn't just spew a string of consonants together and invent a wizard name ("The Deck of Xjhvvfjyll," for example) but this feels like they just gave up.

Joe: "Hey Gary, what should we call this magical deck of many different effects and things?"
Gary: "Let me see if I understand. It's a deck of many things?"
Joe: "Genius! That's why you're the boss!"
Gary: "Um."

I can see that, but somehow Mysterious Deck is significantly worse lol.

 

[Reynard]

Because there are people so poor at understanding the CC that they insisted the inclusion of a name meant that they could use any and all lore related to that name.

5.2's SRD decided to help those people out by not including names that were approached in such a manner after 5.1 (though people can still use 5.1).

Ok that's a pretty good reason!

I can see that, but somehow Mysterious Deck is significantly worse lol.

Is this a thing that has ever actually happened? Is there an example at an attempt to put Strahd in a 3PP adventure or whatever?

 

[bedir than]

Is this a thing that has ever actually happened? Is there an example at an attempt to put Strahd in a 3PP adventure or whatever?

I didn't bookmark those conversations when I quit Twitter post OGL crisis.

 

[CleverNickName]

Ok that's a pretty good reason!

I can see that, but somehow Mysterious Deck is significantly worse lol.

It would have been better to call it a Deck of Wonder (to echo another classic magic item, the Wand of Wonder), but alas.

Or they could have called it what it actually is: the Deck of Campaign Destruction.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Or they could have called it what it actually is: the Deck of Campaign Destruction.

That is a great point. Of the three times I've seen it actually appear in a campaign, two of those campaigns ended within a few sessions, and the other one was where the players basically said "We're too smart to mess with this nonsense!".

 

[overgeeked]

It would have been better to call it a Deck of Wonder (to echo another classic magic item, the Wand of Wonder), but alas.

Or they could have called it what it actually is: the Deck of Campaign Destruction.

View attachment 403286

But it's not though. It's a high chaos item, sure. But that only destroys campaigns that have a predetermined plot that needs protecting from chaos. The Deck is the single most fun and interesting item ever created for D&D. You were in a faux-medieval setting and suddenly you're surfing a wave of molten lava in Hell. Deploy the Deck early and often.

 

[CleverNickName]

But it's not though. It's a high chaos item, sure. But that only destroys campaigns that have a predetermined plot that needs protecting from chaos. The Deck is the single most fun and interesting item ever created for D&D. You were in a faux-medieval setting and suddenly you're surfing a wave of molten lava in Hell. Deploy the Deck early and often.

I mean, if your campaign doesn't have any direction or major story arcs, or if everyone enjoys a completely random experience where ^ANY_THI^NG _CA^N HA_PP^EN, sure. One-shots, for example: they are the best places to deploy this Deck, IMO.

But in campaigns, when I'm working toward a goal, or if we are building on an existing story that everyone is engaged in and fully committed to, that Deck spells disaster (in my experience).

I've used it in both and...well, I loved the former but hated the latter. But your "deploy the Deck early" comment gave me an idea for my next Session Zero. Everyone rolls up their character, and then they draw a card from the Deck as the final step of their character creation...hmm...

 

[Micah Sweet]

But it's not though. It's a high chaos item, sure. But that only destroys campaigns that have a predetermined plot that needs protecting from chaos. The Deck is the single most fun and interesting item ever created for D&D. You were in a faux-medieval setting and suddenly you're surfing a wave of molten lava in Hell. Deploy the Deck early and often.

Agreed. Probably my favorite D&D magic item. Not great for adventure paths, but I try not to run those.