D&D (2024) DMs what do you think of the new PHB?

[Charlaquin]

I've seen a few reviews that claim commonly available magic and being a bit more like supers is more embraced by 2024.

Oh. I mean, sure, I guess? PCs are more powerful on the whole, but I don’t see that as a worldbuilding thing, and magic has always been extremely common in 5e. Like, ten years worth of PC options and how many are completely without magic? The new PHB doesn’t change that status quo at all, but I think anyone who was expecting it to was setting themselves up for disappointment.

But I take the little bit of D&D YouTube stuff that I come across as possibly having some basis in reality but likely starting from a preconceived position of bias.

Gotcha. Well, like I said, it’s not untrue that magic is all over the PC options in 2024, but I don’t see that as a deviation from 2014.

 

[Zardnaar]

Oh. I mean, sure, I guess? PCs are more powerful on the whole, but I don’t see that as a worldbuilding thing, and magic has always been extremely common in 5e. Like, ten years worth of PC options and how many are completely without magic? The new PHB doesn’t change that status quo at all, but I think anyone who was expecting it to was setting themselves up for disappointment.

Gotcha. Well, like I said, it’s not untrue that magic is all over the PC options in 2024, but I don’t see that as a deviation from 2014.

This I expected them to double down on it if anything.

 

[pukunui]

Do I need a bunch of barbarians that can fly? No.

The 2014 totem warrior barbarian could fly at level 14 too. The only difference between that and the 2024 wild heart barbarian is that the latter can stay in the air while raging, whereas the former had to land at the end of each of its turns.

It's only the zealot barbarian that can now fly but again not until level 14. It has also lost the ability to be raised from the dead for free, though.

Is it really that big a deal that 2 out of 4 barbarian options gain flight at level 14?

They were always in a weird liminal space for me. If D&D weren't a monster-fighting game, they'd make sense. In a monster-fighting game, they're effectively vestigial or DOA.

Having a limit of one at a time really creates a dissonance between the mechanics, the RP, and the apparent intent of the mechanic.

The players who're really interested in roleplaying don't need a reward like inspiration to roleplay, though it is nice. But the mechanic actively disincentivizes them from RPing, or burning inspiration on literally every roll.

Players who aren't that into RP but want the reward will RP only as much as is required to get the reward. Once they stop being rewarded for the RP, because you've RP'ed "enough" to get the binary reward, they stop RPing.

So you have two sets of players, one RPing constantly and only being rewarded infrequently and the other RPing only as often as it takes to get the reward. Either way, the mechanic doesn't work to push the apparent goal of rewarding RP and trying to push RP in a monster-fighting game.

A mechanical reward for RP, I guess. Inspiration and BIFTs as per 2014, no thanks.

Something like DM Scotty's luck dice or the campfire mechanic from...somewhere. Is that Daggerheart? Something like tying rests to RPing, that would greatly increase RP.

Yes, hence why I said they were tacked-on. If they'd really leaned into the FATE mechanic more, Inspiration would be a pool of points. You'd spend them by calling on your positive traits, and the DM would give you more by introducing complications based on your negative traits.

 

[Charlaquin]

I can't agree with you here. Changing things like stealth, surprise, flat damage, grappling, shoving

I’m not sure what you mean by flat damage, but the rest of these received mostly minor changes. Like, they’re different, sure, but not wildly so.

, spells,

There are way more spells that received no changes than there are that received changes. Moreover I’d count this among player-facing options anyway.

equipment,

Practically unchanged. What, like, a bigger damage die for tridents and a bit more guidance on a few pieces of adventuring gear? The “changes” to tools are mostly just a repackaging of what was already in Xanathar’s Guide.

conditions...

Also practically unchanged other than Exhaustion. Also, I guess stunned doesn’t make your speed 0 anymore, which is weird, but hardly anything to write home about.

I could go on, but really? Not much has changed except layout, presentation, and player-facing options?

Thats not what I said. I said the most significant changes were to layout, presentation, and player-facing options, and I stand by that. Other changes were made, but are generally less significant in my opinion.

These are all things that a GM has to pay attention to and know for their own side of the table.

Sure, but I don’t think they’re going to be the deal makers or breakers for most DMs. OP was asking specifically for a DM’s perspective in contrast to the reviews they’ve seen that are focused on all the new player options. IMO that’s mostly layout and presentation stuff. The other big changes would have been covered by the more player perspective focused reviews.

 

[Vael]

I am about 50/50 DM/Player, but I do expect to DM with the revised rules before I play a PC. And ... I'm pretty positive about the changes. While some rule changes might cause initial hiccups, there's been a solid push to streamline rules and speed up task resolution. The PHB is a lot cleaner and easier to use. Love the new organization.

 

[overgeeked]

speed up task resolution.

In what way?

The PHB is a lot cleaner and easier to use.

In what way?

 

[pukunui]

Also, I guess incapacitated doesn’t make your speed 0 anymore, which is weird, but hardly anything to write home about.

Minor quibble - it's the stunned condition that no longer makes your speed 0. TheiIncapacitated condition doesn't do that in the 2014 rules either. (The 2014 stunned was basically "You're incapacitated and you can't move.")

 

[Charlaquin]

Minor quibble - it's the stunned condition that no longer makes your speed 0. TheiIncapacitated condition doesn't do that in the 2014 rules either. (The 2014 stunned was basically "You're incapacitated and you can't move.")

Oh, right. Thanks for catching that, I’ll fix it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I’m not sure what you mean by flat damage, but the rest of these received mostly minor changes. Like, they’re different, sure, but not wildly so.

There are way more spells that received no changes than there are that received changes. Moreover I’d count this among player-facing options anyway.

Practically unchanged. What, like, a bigger damage die for tridents and a bit more guidance on a few pieces of adventuring gear? The “changes” to tools are mostly just a repackaging of what was already in Xanathar’s Guide.

Also practically unchanged other than Exhaustion. Also, I guess stunned doesn’t make your speed 0 anymore, which is weird, but hardly anything to write home about.

Thats not what I said. I said the most significant changes were to layout, presentation, and player-facing options, and I stand by that. Other changes were made, but are generally less significant in my opinion.

Sure, but I don’t think they’re going to be the deal makers or breakers for most DMs. OP was asking specifically for a DM’s perspective in contrast to the reviews they’ve seen that are focused on all the new player options. IMO that’s mostly layout and presentation stuff. The other big changes would have been covered by the more player perspective focused reviews.

Except that everything PCs are capable of is a concern for their DM. How much of a "deal-breaker" that is will obviously vary, but PCs are clearly stronger, and that will affect the game.

 

[Argyle King]

Do you remember any specific bits?

Mostly that most species now have some sort of pseudo-magical inherent ability (i.e. tremorsense, Elemental infused heritage, etc) and that more subclasses grant easier access to things like teleportation, shape-shifting, and etc.

I passively listened to a few videos while doing other things.

Some of what I listened to talked about how the mindset behind the game took more steps toward supers rising to save the world/multiverse and mythic fantasy.

Allegedly, that is a different mindset than what a setting like Greyhawk was built around; I vaguely recall one of the YouTube videos pondering how the mentality behind 5e24 would mesh with something like Greyhawk (or Dark Sun).