D&D (2024) D&D Player's Handbook: When YOU Can Get It!

The Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player's Handbook will be officially out in the wild on Thursday, August 1st, with the first for-sale copies available at Gen Con Indy. Here's when YOU can get it!

 

[mellored]

I don't think we're going to be starved of frank reviews, even in this first wave, based on what the folks with the books have said so far.

But how many people will wait 2 months for their review when there are 5 other reviews from D&D fans?

+5 to initiative is a nice bonuses.


That said, there was an extensive playtest until they got consistent positive feedback. So I really do expect everyone will like he new book better.

Maybe not an extra $50 better (depends on your budget as much as anything else), but if it was free I can't see anyone sticking to the old rules, with maybe a few exceptions.

Like the Zealot barbarian. Being able to actually throw your life away is fun. But not every party has a cleric so I understand the need for a change.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

But how many people will wait 2 months for their review when there are 5 other reviews from D&D fans?

Although they aren't well-represented at ENWorld, I think there are plenty of people who will pick up the 2024 books over the holidays or later.

And even at ENWorld and other hyper-engaged places, I think there are very few people truly waiting for the reviews to decide whether or not to buy the books. If something truly shocking comes out in the reviews -- "the book is laced with arsenic, everyone!" -- that might sway people one way or another, but nothing about the playtest period suggests that WotC is inclined to do stuff that might scare off players in droves.

 

[sevenbastard]

But selecting reviewers who rated your products positively in the past is. So there is still bias

Getting a free book is being "paid" in my opinion. And folks who give positive reviews and build hype are more likely to get more free books in the future increasing the bias. Social Media influences trade hype for free stuff. It's the nature of the buisness.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Getting a free book is being "paid" in my opinion. And folks who give positive reviews and build hype are more likely to get more free books in the future increasing the bias. Social Media influences trade hype for free stuff. It's the nature of the buisness.

However, many of the reviewers selected have a demon critical of WotC in the past, so how does your theory apply here?

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, that's fair. Like I said, I don't think anyone (WotC included) thinks that it's ideal.

As an FLGS, I'm happy to get it early, but I'm a little (not a lot, but a bit) miffed that I'm still being scooped on it - it makes it much less of a perk - but I suppose that it's still a perk. Like Morrus says: First World problems.

In terms of effect on .ost FLGs, the early copies are more like marketing than competition, honestly: if those 3000 people come away talking positively, that will not hurt DLGS, I would hope.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Getting a free book is being "paid" in my opinion. And folks who give positive reviews and build hype are more likely to get more free books in the future increasing the bias. Social Media influences trade hype for free stuff. It's the nature of the buisness.

The real "payment" is getting early access to the book, So that you can get your review up on youtube early and get loads of views at a time when people are really eager to know more about the new book and there are not many other info sources available. Views directly translate into ad revenue and thus income for content creators, so they have a strong incentive not to be too critical of the book and risk being taken off the early access list.

 

[mach1.9pants]

It'll be interesting to see what the highest price on eBay for one of those gen con copies will be

 

[Azzy]

It'll be interesting to see what the highest price on eBay for one of those gen con copies will be

I'd sit on it for years before selling.

 

[JDR]

I'd sit on it for years before selling.

Why? Isn't it just a normal book, or will it have some special GenCon stamping or something?

 

[Azzy]

Why? Isn't it just a normal book, or will it have some special GenCon stamping or something?

IIRC, I think it's going to have something like that.