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

[grimmgoose]

I was pretty against a refresh of the 5E ruleset from the get-go, and the finished product has done nothing to change my mind. I would've vastly preferred something new, fresh, interesting.

I've always felt like 5E was a player-focused edition. Nothing about that has changed. I see nothing in it that makes my job easier or more fun.

I've so far sworn-off the new edition, but if the DMG is interesting, it could pull me back in. I'm anticipating nothing but "advice" though (which I get - new DMs need help, I could think of better books than a WOTC DMG). I want DM-focused mechanics.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Having looked over it now....

Eh.

Player upgrades and a reformatting of how characters are made. Some clarifications etc. So far, not a big deal.

Hopefully the DMG (and MM) round it all out for the better.

I mean Im all in for a new edition but super reeks of a .5 treatment. Which I now feel more justified in calling it 5.5.

 

[pemerton]

It'd be really damn nice to have the game 95% of people are playing as one I'm actually eager to play for the game itself, and not (almost exclusively) for the good people I share the table with.

Or, to phrase that differently: I tried to play the game that I want to play. Several such games, in fact. It was a huge bust and, by and large, a waste of nearly a year's effort, a few years back.

Tell me "D&D isn't for you, so stop complaining" without telling me "D&D isn't for you, so stop complaining."

This argument is fundamentally bad-faith. You're acting like I'm some kind of petulant, selfish brat for wanting a game I actually like to play. I have neither the energy nor the patience to be insulted so.

Huh?

I guess it's your prerogative to rail at the universe, and wish it were otherwise. But it's not as if WotC, or any particular RPGer, is wronging you by publishing a game that you're not interested in. I mean, if we assume that those 95% of people are enjoying themselves, why are they obliged to compromise their enjoyment so that you don't have to compromise yours?

I don't know what game you prefer or don't. I see you post a lot about Dungeon World, but I don't know if that's a game you're still playing. The way you post about it doesn't sound like you've been wasting your time and effort, but maybe I've misunderstood something.

But whether you want to play DW, or 4e D&D, or something else, I see plenty of people playing those and other good RPGs, some in person and more online. I'm not sure what the particular obstacle is in your case. But I still don't see how that is supposed to be WotC's fault.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Huh?

I guess it's your prerogative to rail at the universe, and wish it were otherwise. But it's not as if WotC, or any particular RPGer, is wronging you by publishing a game that you're not interested in. I mean, if we assume that those 95% of people are enjoying themselves, why are they obliged to compromise their enjoyment so that you don't have to compromise yours?

I don't know what game you prefer or don't. I see you post a lot about Dungeon World, but I don't know if that's a game you're still playing. The way you post about it doesn't sound like you've been wasting your time and effort, but maybe I've misunderstood something.

But whether you want to play DW, or 4e D&D, or something else, I see plenty of people playing those and other good RPGs, some in person and more online. I'm not sure what the particular obstacle is in your case. But I still don't see how that is supposed to be WotC's fault.

I'm speaking of potential future changes with an (IMO essentially guaranteed) eventual new edition.

Why is "hoping for changes I would like, but being pessimistic about that actually happening," suddenly such a horrible thing? Seriously?

 

[DrJawaPhD]

Why is "hoping for changes I would like, but being pessimistic about that actually happening," suddenly such a horrible thing? Seriously?

You're in an internet forum for a game that you don't like, posting about how much you dislike it and wish people would stop playing it. Then you want sympathy from people who just want a place to talk about the game they enjoy without every discussion turning into threadcrapping?

That's not a horrible thing, it's your free time to spend doing whatever makes you happy - just don't expect anyone to side with you unless they're one of the other people who hate 5e as well yet continuously post about it for some reason.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Reading reviews and it's a lot of gushing over how many new options and powers the PCs have. Which is grand from a player perspective.

What do my fellow Forever DMs think?

The Layout and Glossary is spectacular and I do like some of the new ideas incorporated with equipment. The art overall is great.
For 5e enthusiasts this looks like a beautiful upgrade.

For people searching for a D&D that is grittier, less magical and/or more mechanical in certain areas of character growth, you will have to tinker again or change games. The chassis is still easy enough to tinker with.

For me, I've moved on but having skimmed the PHB it looks like they've done an excellent job in adding but keeping it very similar to the original 2014 version. My two cents.

 

[guachi]

For people searching for a D&D that is grittier, less magical and/or more mechanical in certain areas of character growth, you will have to tinker again or change games. The chassis is still easy enough to tinker with

Yeah. The type of D&D WotC is selling is not the type of D&D I'm really interested in playing. I have to alter of toss out so much stuff. I haven't bought any official product in ages. The last was Dungeon of the Mad Mage in 2018. I've purchases about 30 3pp books since then, though.

 

[pemerton]

I'm speaking of potential future changes with an (IMO essentially guaranteed) eventual new edition.

Why is "hoping for changes I would like, but being pessimistic about that actually happening," suddenly such a horrible thing? Seriously?

I didn't say it's a horrible thing. I just find it odd. I mean, why would WotC possibly change their general publishing approach to D&D, when they're making more money from it than they ever have in the past?

And if the RPGs you actually want to play exist, then why do you care what one commercial publisher will publish in some imagined future?

 

[Zardnaar]

I didn't say it's a horrible thing. I just find it odd. I mean, why would WotC possibly change their general publishing approach to D&D, when they're making more money from it than they ever have in the past?

And if the RPGs you actually want to play exist, then why do you care what one commercial publisher will publish in some imagined future?

Well apparently 5E is everyone's 2nd favorite edition but WotC should support everyone's least favorite edition.

Going by the numbers it's everyone's favorite edition bigger tgan 2 B/X boxed sets and 1E combined and 10 tiims the size of everyone's least favorite edition.

I've been hearing about how terrible D&D is since the 90s from fans of vampires and everyone's least favorite edition.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Yeah. The type of D&D WotC is selling is not the type of D&D I'm really interested in playing. I have to alter of toss out so much stuff. I haven't bought any official product in ages. The last was Dungeon of the Mad Mage in 2018. I've purchases about 30 3pp books since then, though.

That was my 2nd last purchase from WotC, with Descent into Avernus being my last.
I have also supported a fair amount of 3pp material.
While still running a 5e campaign (est. around 2 years left) I'm also designing and playtesting my own RPG engine.