D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal #1: "Everything You Need To Know!"

Each day this week, Wizards of the Coast will be releasing a new live-streamed preview video based on the upcoming Player's Handbook. The first is entitled Everything You Need To Know and you can watch it live below (or, if you missed it, you should be able to watch it from the start afterwards). The video focuses on weapon mastery and character origins.

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There will be new videos on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, focusing on the Fighter, the Paladin, and the Barbarian, with (presumably) more in the coming weeks.

 

[Parmandur]

I so appreciate the more objective look here.

There are some cool fight scenes but there is no doubt some cutesy stuff too.

For my part that is fine—-does nothing for me but this is a big game for lots of people.

But what you said here is key: “it’s in style.” For my part I don’t need it to be stamped out. I just don’t want it to push too much into D&D. For some time I have noticed more fantasy art with people smiling broadly, bespectacled having little in common with the fantasy I would have read or watched. Its cringeworthy for me.

It’s an opinion. A preference: and I don’t think the concern that it might expand is without precedent or evidence.

I am still planning to buy the new books. There is enough there for me so far and I am guessing it’s very calculated and smart.

Let’s face it some of the new art is just not going to appeal to a segment. Then again, many of the folks that dig that are not going to get giddy about Venger and Greyhawk!

(Seeing it made me smile and think about a D&D Christmas when I scored a bunch of LJN D&D figures)!

So after the the astounding success of 5e by every measure, it will be intriguing to see if their obvious strategy here pays off. This is actually an interesting shotgun approach like some movies “with something for everyone.” We shall see how it goes!

Based on the way the Twitter conversation about these is going (people seem to like these), I think D&D will do fine.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, I don't think they're as thoughtful or clever or hardworking as the artists on the other pieces (the amount of thought and planning that goes into creative pieces like these is huge), so if that counts as style, and yeah, to be real it probably does, sure. But such is life - always some artists will be a notch (or more) below others, in every edition of every game, unless a game has literally 1-2 artists.

WotC is casting a pretty wide net, part of the benefit of the large art budget. And fitting for D&D, which can be many things.

One of the bits from the videos that hasn't gotten a lot of conversation space here is that they brought the Art Directors in from the ground floor, rather going to them while assembling the manuscript to fill in page space, and planned out different art styles for each chapter. So as we see, the Species get cozy gun vignettes, or the "How to make a character" chapter is filled with sketch line art. So, the combat chapter or Soell chapter are probably a bit more dynamic.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Based on the way the Twitter conversation about these is going (people seem to like these), I think D&D will do fine.

I predict success. What I don’t know is how many new players the 2024 game will create/add.

Which is to say there are legions of
Us that play 5e and a goodly number will buy this.

What I am most pumped about honestly is the organization. The talk about a nice rules index etc is enticing even if you use your 2014 characters.

Similarly, if they make the DMG and its table easier to use it would be hard to pass up…

they have a giant! customer base to recruit from…it may not meet some suits lofty expectation but based on the base alone I don’t see them flopping.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I didn't see any Tiefling or Dragonborn one. Or I think Gnome. Unless what I thought were Halflings were Gnomes.

Halfling one is a family at a dinner table.

Gnome one is the thumbnail image of them working on a shield guardian.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

WotC is casting a pretty wide net, part of the benefit of the large art budget. And fitting for D&D, which can be many things.

One of the bits from the videos that hasn't gotten a lot of conversation space here is that they brought the Art Directors in from the ground floor, rather going to them while assembling the manuscript to fill in page space, and planned out different art styles for each chapter. So as we see, the Species get cozy gun vignettes, or the "How to make a character" chapter is filled with sketch line art. So, the combat chapter or Soell chapter are probably a bit more dynamic.

That point is well taken. Whatever the lore and tone, it’s looking like these books will really be a model for organization and ease of use.

Although I got a bit tired of Crawford saying “intentional” learning from the past to plan for the future has benefits.

With the art being inserted at ground zero, there will be less confusion.

If someone does not like 5e this stuff will not change any of that; but this is the opposite of a cash grab. The effort and planning and thought put into all of this is impressive. I am still gonna bitch here or there but you gotta respect when they being the goods.

In other words, you might not like 5e, but quality will show itself. I dont know if I will like the new subclasses or changes to existing ones; but if this Is as organized and thought out as it appears, I see myself using these times for the base rules and running of the game.

I look forward to playing with as much ease as I did in the old days—-plenty of improv
Due to character choices but having an easy time going to the right section and table and making quick use of it.

I sure hope I get back to that. I would like my kids to experience the wide open D&D world and the chaos and new vistas that freedom of choice brings about.

Without eas of use, I struggle with that.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Yeah I pretty much despise all of this art, the style of it, the "feel", all of it is just so lame to me, it's just awful, but hey that's me. I imagine in turn the "game" it has become is not for me at all either any more. There is absolutely nothing about this art that makes me go, "That looks awesome, can't wait to play some D&D!" It has the opposite effect, it is literally repulsive, I'd rather run some errands, or do some laundry, or take out the garbage. Thank goodness there is plenty of other art and d&d games to have fun with. Maybe everyone loves this neo-d&d style, but it just doesn't connect with me at all.

You can do all the those chores in D&D now! Bake cookies, take a walk with your NPC kids, go on a picnic! The chore adventure is unlimited!

 

[Scribe]

You can do all the those chores in D&D now! Bake cookies, take a walk with your NPC kids, go on a picnic! The chore adventure is unlimited!

As one who just finished scrubbing down the bathroom, I would like to know what my XP reward is.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

As one who just finished scrubbing down the bathroom, I would like to know what my XP reward is.

Yeah man.

I want to Know if you get xp for avoiding combat with an angry wife. I mean if you get the treasure “to live” and “stay married”

I have gotten through a few encounters over the years

I gotta be getting close to my feat: “run like hell and avoid opportunity smacks”

 

[Remathilis]

Yeah I pretty much despise all of this art, the style of it, the "feel", all of it is just so lame to me, it's just awful, but hey that's me. I imagine in turn the "game" it has become is not for me at all either any more. There is absolutely nothing about this art that makes me go, "That looks awesome, can't wait to play some D&D!" It has the opposite effect, it is literally repulsive, I'd rather run some errands, or do some laundry, or take out the garbage. Thank goodness there is plenty of other art and d&d games to have fun with. Maybe everyone loves this neo-d&d style, but it just doesn't connect with me at all.

There is a systematic design with the PHB that isn't noticeable until you take what they're saying inti context. They have spelled out why they chose that kind of art, and it is relevant to character creation order.

The first thing you do in order is pick your class. And low and behold: every class gets a full page illustration and a half page for each subclass, with a variety of species shown across the spectrum. That is your inspiration for your adventurer. The art in question is the next section ORIGIN. And that chapter shows two different types of art: panorama landscapes for Background (showing where you grew up) and domestic images for Species, to show the community you grew up in. They are both artwork to inspire your backstory because the kewl adventurer art was all in the class chapter (and probably also in the combat and magic chapters). The art tells a story from where you came from, not just what you are now.

Now, if you want just pages of blood and violence and chainmail bikinis, I won't fault you. But there is a method to their art choice.

 

[Scribe]

Now, if you want just pages of blood and violence and chainmail bikinis, I won't fault you.

How about 1 page.