D&D (2024) D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Reviews

On Thursday August 1st, the review embargo is lifted for those who were sent an early copy of the new Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook. In this post I intend to compile a handy list of those reviews as they arrive. If you know of a review, please let me know in the comments so that I can add it! I'll be updating this list as new reviews arrive, so do check back later to see what's been added!

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Review List

• The official EN World review -- "Make no mistake, this is a new edition."
• ComicBook.com -- "Dungeons & Dragons has improved upon its current ruleset, but the ruleset still feels very familiar to 5E veterans."
• Comic Book Resources -- "From magic upgrades to easier character building, D&D's 2024 Player's Handbook is the upgrade players and DMs didn't know they needed."
• Wargamer.com -- "The 2024 Player’s Handbook is bigger and more beginner-friendly than ever before. It still feels and plays like D&D fifth edition, but numerous quality-of-life tweaks have made the game more approachable and its player options more powerful. Its execution disappoints in a handful of places, and it’s too early to tell how the new rules will impact encounter balance, but this is an optimistic start to the new Dungeons and Dragons era."
• RPGBOT -- "A lot has changed in the 2024 DnD 5e rules. In this horrendously long article, we’ve dug into everything that has changed in excruciating detail. There’s a lot here."

Video Reviews
Note, a couple of these videos have been redacted or taken down following copyright claims by WotC.

• 2024 PHB Rules Changes D&D 5.24 (Treantmonk's Temple)
• Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook 2024 Preview & Review | Key Takeaways and Comparisons with 2014 (Awesome Black)
• 10 Unexpected Changes in the D&D 5E 2024 Player's Handbook (This Effin' GM Games)
• Every Class and Subclass Change for 2024 (d4: Deep Dive)
• D&D Player's Handbook 2024 Winners & Losers! (The Character Sheet on ComicBook.com)
• 2024 Player's Handbook First Look Review (Dungeon Dudes)
• The 2024 Player's Handbook: Full Spoilers Review (DnD Shorts)
• Full Early Review! D&D 2024 Player's Handbook (JoeFudge)
• First Look at the 2024 Player's Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons (GameMasters)
• 2024 PHB Flip through (Jorphdan) [taken down]
• D&D New Player's Handbook, DM's Guide, Monster Manual, and Project Sigil Info (maturemindedgamers)
• 2024 Player's Handbook: Questions Answered! (Alphastream)
• D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Walkthrough (Sly Flourish) [redacted]

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Release timeline (i.e. when you can get it!)

• August 1st: Reviewers. Some reviewers have copies already, with their embargo lifting August 1st.
• August 1st-4th: Gen Con. There will be 3,000 copies for sale at Gen Con.
• September 3rd: US/Canada Hobby Stores. US/Canada hobby stores get it September 3rd.
• September 3rd: DDB 'Master' Pre-orders. Also on this date, D&D Beyond 'Master Subscribers' get the digital version.
• September 10th: DDB 'Hero' Pre-orders. On this date, D&D Beyond 'Hero Subscribers' get the digital version.
• September 17th: General Release. For the rest of us, the street date is September 17th.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I think the fact that you get pact magic before you have a pact is a problem. Does the power from the pact you make at level 3 travel back in time to power you at level 1?

No, it's like someone offering you an illicit substance for free so you can get hooked on it and have to come back later for more, but this time with a steeper price.

 

[Maxperson]

No, it's like someone offering you an illicit substance for free so you can get hooked on it and have to come back later for more, but this time with a steeper price.

No. It's not. It's quite literally PACT magic, as in you made a pact to get it. Except you didn't. So you don't have it. Except you do, because time travel I guess.

It's an issue.

 

[kittenhugs]

No. It's not. It's quite literally PACT magic, as in you made a pact to get it. Except you didn't. So you don't have it. Except you do, because time travel I guess.

It's an issue.

Pact Magic's description says you make a pact, tho

Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers. The entity is a voice in the shadows—its identity unclear—but its boon to you is concrete: the ability to cast spells.

So it's not that the pact is retroactive, it's that warlocks stumble into their pact without full knowledge of what deal they are making and with whom (which is restrictive but less silly). Obviously most warlock characters will be built with at least an idea of who the patron is, if not have a relationship pre-established.

 

[Maxperson]

Pact Magic's description says you make a pact, tho

So it's not that the pact is retroactive, it's that warlocks stumble into their pact without full knowledge of what deal they are making and with whom (which is restrictive but less silly). Obviously most warlock characters will be built with at least an idea of who the patron is, if not have a relationship pre-established.

Then you should be choosing your subclass at level one, since you've made your pact at level 1 to get it.

Warlock: "Oh, great Titania. I wish to make a pact with you for fey powers!"

Titania: "Done! You are now a level 1 warlock."

(2 levels later)

Warlock: "Okay. I'm going to be a Great Old One warlock."

Titania: "You made a pact with me! And watch who you are calling old!"

Warlock: "Doesn't matter for some reason."

 

[pemerton]

I think the fact that you get pact magic before you have a pact is a problem. Does the power from the pact you make at level 3 travel back in time to power you at level 1?

I don't have the text of the book in front of me. But given that you suggested that this problem arises for 2014 paladins, and then - when the text was actually read and presented to you - it turned out that the problem didn't arise at all, I'm inclined to scepticism about the accuracy of your diagnosis on this occasion.

Since writing the above paragraph, I have Googled up the 2024 Warlock on DnD Beyond. Here's what it says:

Warlocks quest for knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. They often begin their search for magical power by delving into tomes of forbidden lore, dabbling in invocations meant to attract the power of extraplanar beings, or seeking places of power where the influence of these beings can be felt. In no time, each Warlock is drawn into a binding pact with a powerful patron. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as angels, archfey, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, Warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.

Warlocks view their patrons as resources, as means to the end of achieving magical power. Some Warlocks respect, revere, or even love their patrons; some serve their patrons grudgingly; and some seek to undermine their patrons even as they wield the power their patrons have given them.

Once a pact is made, a Warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study. Most Warlocks spend their days pursuing greater power and deeper knowledge, which typically means some kind of adventure. . . .

You have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, pieces of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability or other lessons. . . .

Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers. The entity is a voice in the shadows - its identity unclear - but its boon to you is concrete: the ability to cast spells.​

All this description applies to a 1st level Warlock. So there doesn't seem to be any uncertainty about how they have acquired their magical abilities: they have unearthed "forbidden knowledge" and in the course of doing so have formed a pact with a "mysterious entity". (The "occult ceremony" whereby the pact is formed is, presumably, one bit of the "forbidden knowledge" that the Warlock has unearthed.)

What is the problem supposed to be?

 

[pemerton]

Then you should be choosing your subclass at level one, since you've made your pact at level 1 to get it.

Warlock: "Oh, great Titania. I wish to make a pact with you for fey powers!"

Titania: "Done! You are now a level 1 warlock."

(2 levels later)

Warlock: "Okay. I'm going to be a Great Old One warlock."

Titania: "You made a pact with me! And watch who you are calling old!"

Warlock: "Doesn't matter for some reason."

So just to be clear: we need a rule to stop players authoring incoherent fiction, when a perfectly coherent fiction is available to them?

I thought it was widely held that rules should be written on the assumption that game participants will do sensible things,= not stupid things.

 

[Maxperson]

So just to be clear: we need a rule to stop players authoring incoherent fiction, when a perfectly coherent fiction is available to them?

Is there a good reason for every warlock to have to be ignorant of who they made a pact with until 3rd level?

 

[Maxperson]

I don't have the text of the book in front of me. But given that you suggested that this problem arises for 2014 paladins, and then - when the text was actually read and presented to you - it turned out that the problem didn't arise at all, I'm inclined to scepticism about the accuracy of your diagnosis on this occasion.

Look it up. Pact magic begins at level 1. The actual pact happens at 3rd level.

Since writing the above paragraph, I have Googled up the 2024 Warlock on DnD Beyond. Here's what it says:

Warlocks quest for knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. They often begin their search for magical power by delving into tomes of forbidden lore, dabbling in invocations meant to attract the power of extraplanar beings, or seeking places of power where the influence of these beings can be felt. In no time, each Warlock is drawn into a binding pact with a powerful patron. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as angels, archfey, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, Warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.​

Right. The pact happens with the patron and is what gives them their subclass. Yet pact magic happens at 1st level, before the pact happens.

Warlocks view their patrons as resources, as means to the end of achieving magical power. Some Warlocks respect, revere, or even love their patrons; some serve their patrons grudgingly; and some seek to undermine their patrons even as they wield the power their patrons have given them.​

Not relevant. They might work against the patron they have the pact with, but the power comes with the pact.

​

Once a pact is made, a Warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study. Most Warlocks spend their days pursuing greater power and deeper knowledge, which typically means some kind of adventure. . . .​

​

You have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, pieces of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability or other lessons. . . .​

​

Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers. The entity is a voice in the shadows - its identity unclear - but its boon to you is concrete: the ability to cast spells.​

All this description applies to a 1st level Warlock. So there doesn't seem to be any uncertainty about how they have acquired their magical abilities: they have unearthed "forbidden knowledge" and in the course of doing so have formed a pact with a "mysterious entity". (The "occult ceremony" whereby the pact is formed is, presumably, one bit of the "forbidden knowledge" that the Warlock has unearthed.)

What is the problem supposed to be?

The problem is that none of it applies to a 1st level warlock. The power comes from the pact with say an archfey, which gives makes them a fey warlock. The pact doesn't happen at 1st level or they would have the subclass then. At no point is there language about successive pacts like the oaths for paladins.

 

[pemerton]

Is there a good reason for every warlock to have to be ignorant of who they made a pact with until 3rd level?

Dunno. I mean, the same question could be asked of any other class - eg is there a good reason for all second story burglars to also be good at striking from behind?

The reason is that someone things it works for the game.

But anyway, as others have posted, there is clearly no need to adhere to that particular bit of flavour text, and it is eminently predictable that many players of the game won't.

Look it up. Pact magic begins at level 1. The actual pact happens at 3rd level.

Well, here is the text again, for the first level class feature:

Pact Magic
Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers.​

So that seems to make it fairly clear that the pact is formed from the outset. Not at 3rd level.

At 3rd level certain (sub)class features are gained.

The pact happens with the patron and is what gives them their subclass.

Well, the rules text clearly states that the pact happens at 1st level.

The fact that the sub-class benefit doesn't occur until 3rd level doesn't seem relevant to that. I mean, here is how it is described:

Warlock Subclass
You gain a Warlock subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Warlock levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Warlock level or lower.​

The pact doesn't happen at 1st level or they would have the subclass then.

This claim appears to be flat-out contradicted by the rules text.

 

[Corinnguard]

I think the fact that you get pact magic before you have a pact is a problem. Does the power from the pact you make at level 3 travel back in time to power you at level 1?

Another way to look at this is the would-be warlock assumes that they are a sorcerer at levels 1 and 2. They initially assume that their newfound powers are innate and come from within. And then around level 3, an otherworldly being shows up and makes the claim that no, you aren't a sorcerer because they are the source of your powers, and they prove it by briefly taking away your powers. Confusion sets in... Who to believe? Do you believe in yourself or in this otherworldly entity?