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.

 

[pemerton]

Right, but that means that you can make a pact with an archfey to get the djinni subclass, or a great old one to get the archfey subclass.

How does it mean that? Where is that said?

But if most warlock characters will be built knowing who their patron is, why is the default class description that they don't?

Maybe the author/designer thought that the flexible approach - where the PC is unsure and the player can lock in a choice after two levels of play - is an easier default; and that those who prefer to go a different way, such as establishing the choice at 1st level, would overlap heavily with those who have no trouble departing from a default?

I mean, I don't know, but my conjecture seems plausible. After all, the purpose of a default is not to satisfy the majority (although it's no harm if it does) but to satisfy those who are not likely to have the confidence or capacity to depart from the default.

 

[Imaro]

The problem isn't with imagining that there it can be done. The problem is with forcing 1000 warlock PCs in a row to all be ignorant boobs, and with preventing 1000 different warlock patrons from revealing themselves at level one and making a clear pact with the warlock.

That narrative becomes nonsensical when applied broadly to every warlock.

You have 1000 PC warlocks in your game??

 

[Maxperson]

How does it mean that? Where is that said?

It's said when you make the pact the being at level 1, but choose the subclass at level 3. That process inherently includes making a pact at level 1 with a being(Titania) and then being able to choose the Great Old One(or any other) subclass at level 3.

There no language locking you into the subclass that your patron provides.

 

[Imaro]

But if most warlock characters will be built knowing who their patron is, why is the default class description that they don't?

Because it's beginner friendly... you know the most likely to use the default narrative until they get some experience playing the game.

 

[Maxperson]

You have 1000 PC warlocks in your game??

You think there won't be 1000 warlocks made with the 5.5e rules? You are correct, the number will actually be far higher and they will all be forced to be ignorant boobs.

 

[Corinnguard]

You have 1000 PC warlocks in your game??

You can have a thousand PC warlocks in a game if your game was held at an RPG convention. Just convince a thousand attendees to be one for a day.

 

[pemerton]

You think there won't be 1000 warlocks made with the 5.5e rules? You are correct, the number will actually be far higher and they will all be forced to be ignorant boobs.

Who is being forced? How does this forcing work?

It's said when you make the pact the being at level 1, but choose the subclass at level 3. That process inherently includes making a pact at level 1 with a being(Titania) and then being able to choose the Great Old One(or any other) subclass at level 3.

But how can it be true both (i) that the warlock is an ignorant boob, and (ii) that the pact at 1st level was with Titania? You seem to be contradicting yourself at this point.

If the player and GM reach an agreement at 1st level as to who the patron is, what makes you think this is going to be departed from when the mechanical choice is made at 3rd level?

 

[Maxperson]

Because it's beginner friendly... you know the most likely to use the default narrative until they get some experience playing the game.

I call BS on this. Beginners aren't toddlers. It's not at all complicated to choose a patron at level 1 as a beginner. It means you look at the few subclasses in the DMG and decide which one sounds best to you. Later on if you want to try a different one, you can try it with a different character.

It's not beginner unfriendly to get subclass at level 1. Especially since you can and probably will reach level 3 in a few sessions, meaning that you will still be a beginner when you choose your subclass at level 3.

 

[Maxperson]

You can have a thousand PC warlocks in a game if your game was held at an RPG convention. Just convince a thousand attendees to be one for a day.

Have you been to a convention? 1000 attendees probably already think that they are.

 

[Maxperson]

Who is being forced? How does this forcing work?

But how can it be true both (i) that the warlock is an ignorant boob, and (ii) that the pact at 1st level was with Titania? You seem to be contradicting yourself at this point.

No. Go back and reread my last several posts a few times. You'll understand what I am saying, I'm sure. You're a smart guy.

If the player and GM reach an agreement at 1st level as to who the patron is, what makes you think this is going to be departed from when the mechanical choice is made at 3rd level?

You think people don't change their minds?