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.

 

[Vaalingrade]

"Context" vs what I actually said. But feel free to choose which one fits your bias better.

The context of the thing you said. The history of the thing you said. How that word is used by you and others alongside anime and videogames all the time.

I'm trying to be nice. I'm trying to express that 5E has its place for fun. I'm trying to not poo on it as I often do.

Except that's what you're doing. Is it possible that you've done it so often and so vehemently that you don't even notice anymore? Possibly.

And I am well aware of what a Superhero is.

Then why use it wrong in a derogatory way against a playstyle you don't like? All the time?

You could have not tried to shoehorn superheroes and super powers in what you said without changing the meaning except for the derogatory parts.

 

[Yaarel]

I would love to see the word 'superhero' stop being used in such an erroneous and derogatory manner.

Heh, I want to use the term "superhero" as a technical jargon for levels 13 and up.

Superhero is a genre, that D&D can handle well at these upper levels.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Heh, I want to use the term "superhero" as a technical jargon for levels 13 and up.

Superhero is a genre, that D&D can handle well at these upper levels.

I mean it can be handled well at level 1. Level 1 with nothing but.... ugh... Champion Fighters in fact since it's not really about the powers aside from feel.

Pathfinder actually did it fairly well with the Vigilante (though it was a terrible name), and I retrofitted 3e to serve by allowing certain items or SLAs to replace feats to add to the feel.

Of course, nothing's going to be HERO System, but still...

 

[SteveC]

Heh, I want to use the term "superhero" as a technical jargon for levels 13 and up.

Well, in AD&D, all you had to do was be an 8th-level fighter to be a superhero, so it wasn't that tough.

 

[Shardstone]

I don’t think that is true at all, not by any definition of superhero I’ve seen.

SARCASM. Its weird ppl keep calling low level superheroes.

 

[Scott Christian]

I don’t know that any of us have the equipment to record a session. Never really thought much about it.

Unfortunately I moved recently and am not likely to game with that group again. We tried online during covid snd it just didn’t click or us. The big factor being that getting together in person was such an important part of it for us. However, now that i think about, we couldn’t really translate our fast paced combat to online play and I think that was a big factor for us too.

not sure if I will look for a new group or not.

One single phone and a stand is all you need. Just a thought.

 

[ECMO3]

Which include things like damage re-rolls, re-rolls on second wind, ect.

Those things are not d20 tests. IF they can use it on all that then they will use it on their turn more often.

By levels 6 to 10, you really aren't "learning the rules" anymore. Heck, statistically, you are finishing the game.

Sometimes, other times you are just joining a game. I have DMed with people around the world who joined a game at level 6+

Well, I think you are wrong about it being common, and it has been stated to not be the entire point of the subclass to reaction teleport. It is teleportation in general. Maybe we could... see it in pay, before we start declaring it is part of a massive problem that will slow down play to a grinding halt?

Who "declared it is part of a massive problem"? I certainly didn't, I haven't called it a problem at all.

All I've said is combat will take longer and I stand by that statement. I never said it would take it to a "grinding halt" so please stop with the hyperbole.

Maybe we could see it in play before we declared it would not slow down combat?

They have also said "combat doesn't take longer", so why are you confident in their reviews if you don't believe them?

I did not hear them say that.

I keep telling you it doesn't slow down combat,

And I keep telling you that you are wrong, it does slow down combat.

Nope human race isn't new, nor is getting inspiration. Getting it daily is new, but not having it in general.

The Human race is new as far as rules are concerned.

Their origin feat is a new option, but the majority of those feats are not new and do not give new reactions.

There are 10 origin feats. 2 of them are entirely new (crafter, musician), 5 existed before but have changed mechanically (Magic Initiate, Alert, Healer, Tavern Brawler, Lucky). Only 3 are the same (skilled, tough, Savage Attacker).

Tactical Shift is not a reaction, it is part of a bonus action and it is a move that they choose. Won't slow down play anymore than any other bonus action dash.

And it is something that the 2014 Eldritch Knight did not have and now they do and will be using and making combat take longer.

Tactical mind is non-combat

No it isn't. Nothing I have seen suggests you can't use it in combat.

Protection's only new mechanic is that it lasts longer. Doesn't slow down play anymore than anything else that gives disadvatnage on attacks.

"Anything else" meaning something that the 2014 EK could not do.

If you start measuring micro-seconds perhaps.

Time is time.

What actual gameplay difference do you expect to see from spending Second Wind twice in the same combat, instead of once in one combat and again after a short rest in a different combat? That is the same number of times per day. You are getting to the point of just measuring every single possible action in the entire game and just declaring "since Monks can make one additional attack, and 5 is more than 4, this will slow down combat and we should be concerned!!"

I expect overall a round of combat amortized from level 1-20 will take about 15% longer than it does now on average. At low level (1-5) I think it will be more like 30% longer than it does now.

Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think I am wrong.

That isn't how this actually works in practice. And again, you keep pointing to things like musician. Sure, it will give everyone inspiration... have you never had a party who has full inspiration? It isn't that uncommon in my experience, and since it will be more common, it might be hoarded less, and the decision to use it will be faster. Indecision on "do I spend this resource" is far more likely to slow things down than re-rolling, and a daily resource will be spent far more often than one player's see once a month.

I disagree. Using inspiration more will slow the game down more. Musician is one example. I keep pointing to these things like musician new/better feats, Fey Warlock and over and over again it is "that is only one thing .... that is only one thing .... that is only one thing."

Yes, 6 is more than 5, but that doesn't mean combat is going to be noticeably slower because someone has 6 of something instead of 5.

Ok you claimed a party of 6 would not be using 6 reactions a round (and I actually agree with this). Then you pointed out that they could only use their reaction on one thing in a round so having more things to use a reaction on did not matter and you implied it would not mean people are taking more reactions. This is only true if they don't use all the reactions they could use.

The Countercharm example you provided is a perfect example. Using countercharm to cause disadvantage is functionally equivalent to using Cutting Words. Having the ability to use countercharm, without using a BI, means that player will be able to use cutting words more than she otherwise would have.

Doing 6 things does not automatically take more time than doing 5 things, but most of the time it will take longer.

And Treantmonk said, directly to the question of "is combat slower" that he did not notice a significant change in the speed of combat.

Can you point to where he said that, because I haven't heard it on the videos I listened to.

 

[Yaarel]

Well, in AD&D, all you had to do was be an 8th-level fighter to be a superhero, so it wasn't that tough.

Level 9 might be the start of the superhero genre, with characters who are "masters" of some technique, but not yet with the nation altering and planet altering "superpowers".

Quasi reallife tiers
• level 0 (origin): student (age 13-19)
• levels 1-4: rookie (age 20 up)
• levels 5-8: professional

Peak capability tier
• levels 9-12: master

Superhero tier
• levels 13-16: grandmaster
• levels 17-20: legend
• levels 21-24: epic

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

One single phone and a stand is all you need. Just a thought.

You also need six people willing to be filmed. I think most of us are too shy for that. But I have never asked.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Those things are not d20 tests. IF they can use it on all that then they will use it on their turn more often.

Yes, heroic inspiration is any die, not just a d20 test.

Sometimes, other times you are just joining a game. I have DMed with people around the world who joined a game at level 6+

Okay, and that is not only non-standard, but always going to be a struggle. Speaking in generalities, this is not something that the game needs to be designed to assume.

Who "declared it is part of a massive problem"? I certainly didn't, I haven't called it a problem at all.

All I've said is combat will take longer and I stand by that statement. I never said it would take it to a "grinding halt" so please stop with the hyperbole.

Maybe we could see it in play before we declared it would not slow down combat?

And yet, despite never using the word problem, a narrative keeps growing that one of the flaws with the system is going to be that it slows down combat. And it is growing pervasively only amongst people who haven't tried it in play, who are warning about the "potential". A potential that keeps failing to manifest.

I did not hear them say that.

And I keep telling you that you are wrong, it does slow down combat.

Time is time.

I expect overall a round of combat amortized from level 1-20 will take about 15% longer than it does now on average. At low level (1-5) I think it will be more like 30% longer than it does now.

Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think I am wrong.


Can you point to where he said that, because I haven't heard it on the videos I listened to.

Make sure you listen through past the 27 minute mark, because you are going to want to stop and say "no no, he agrees with me" or "no no, he said we can't know" but I'm referring to when he starts talking about the higher average damage leading to shorter combats, because monsters will drop faster.

I believe he ALSO spoke of this in regards to his playtest game here but I don't recall specifics. I believe it was mostly in reaction to Weapon Masteries specifically

There are 10 origin feats. 2 of them are entirely new (crafter, musician), 5 existed before but have changed mechanically (Magic Initiate, Alert, Healer, Tavern Brawler, Lucky). Only 3 are the same (skilled, tough, Savage Attacker).

And only Magic Initiate (Wizard) and Lucky give reactions, Musician gives a re-roll to people in the party. Savage attacker offers a re-roll too, but has not changed. Crafter, the other two magic initiates, Alert, Healer, Tavern Brawler, Skilled, and Tough don't give any re-rolls or reactions

And it is something that the 2014 Eldritch Knight did not have and now they do and will be using and making combat take longer.

Are we also counting wizards being able to move Cloud of Daggers as something they couldn't do before and may slow down combat?

No it isn't. Nothing I have seen suggests you can't use it in combat.

What skills are the fighter going to choose to use Second Wind on, instead of healing, during combat?

"Anything else" meaning something that the 2014 EK could not do.

Not everyone played Eldritch Knights in 2014. IF you are looking at the system as a whole, and how 13 pieces which you take in groups of 4 to 6 interact with it, you can't ignore that there was always a chance of the group including these sorts of abilities.

I disagree. Using inspiration more will slow the game down more. Musician is one example. I keep pointing to these things like musician new/better feats, Fey Warlock and over and over again it is "that is only one thing .... that is only one thing .... that is only one thing."

Because you keep presenting it like "we have going to have a problem with this new system, because there are 700 new things that will slow down combat" but in actual play.. it may be two or three things. Yes, there are a lot of things overall that changed, but if you expect the system as a whole to feel altered in terms of time, you can't keep pointing o small changes and extrapolating them like you are.

Ok you claimed a party of 6 would not be using 6 reactions a round (and I actually agree with this). Then you pointed out that they could only use their reaction on one thing in a round so having more things to use a reaction on did not matter and you implied it would not mean people are taking more reactions. This is only true if they don't use all the reactions they could use.

The Countercharm example you provided is a perfect example. Using countercharm to cause disadvantage is functionally equivalent to using Cutting Words. Having the ability to use countercharm, without using a BI, means that player will be able to use cutting words more than she otherwise would have.

Doing 6 things does not automatically take more time than doing 5 things, but most of the time it will take longer.

You will never be convinced until you play it at the table. You keep seeing this as "there are more options, therefore everything will be slower". I'm saying "an individual turn will largely look the same, so there is no reason to expect the speed of gameplay will look largely different."