D&D (2024) New Jeremy Crawford Interviews

[Remathilis]

Then perhaps WotC shouldn't have been shilling it so hard.

WotC didn't want to start over from scratch, and they wanted to assure people this wasn't a 3e-4e-5e type transition. The fact you can't use 2014 wild shape with the 2024 druid isn't proof of dishonest intent. They wanted to let you know you can still use Glory of the Giants or Shadow of the Dragon Queen (complete with kender or lunar sorcerer) and not wait for new versions. That's all I wanted and that's apparently what I'm getting.

 

[Scott Christian]

I expect most players will take the new stuff both because most people think it's better. At least 70% of the people who voted like it better than the old stuff. So chances are you will too.

As for power, the gap is narrower. They reduced some of the more OP stuff and boosted the weakest stuff.

*The only exception I can think of is the Shepherd druid. But just use the old Conjure Animals spell.

Oh, I will definitely like it better. I've liked every new edition. I think it's fun to learn new systems, read new abilities, and see where the road leads.

Regarding power, I think power creep can be small and unnoticeable until there is a side-by-side comparison. And even then, it'll be hard to spot because of all the variables between tables and encounters. But I do feel after listening to the classes' videos, all classes are more powerful. Who knows, maybe they just used a good sale's pitch.

 

[mamba]

And for a lot of people, it’s always been a thing that you take an adventure that you like the concept of and have to spend some time updating it.

sure, but if you need to do that, then the 2024 version cannot claim to be compatible

 

[Parmandur]

I think that’s the fig leaf. Of course to some degree it will be invalidated. And that gap between 2014 books and 2024 books will grow as the 2024 edition goes on.

Invalidated, as in they won work? No, that's clearly not the case, all the books I have are still usable with the new rules.

 

[TiQuinn]

Invalidated, as in they won work? No, that's clearly not the case, all the books I have are still usable with the new rules.

Everyone has different tolerances for “won’t work.” I expect a great number of threads about 2014 rules vs 2024 rules and how things don’t work quite right with X adventure in the years to come.

 

[Parmandur]

Everyone has different tolerances for “won’t work.” I expect a great number of threads about 2014 rules vs 2024 rules and how things don’t work quite right with X adventure in the years to come.

I doubt we will see any of thst: the encounters are the place where an issue could even occur, and the CR system is the same mathbasis. If anything, the 2014 Adventures might work more consistently.

 

[Vael]

Regarding power, I think power creep can be small and unnoticeable until there is a side-by-side comparison. And even then, it'll be hard to spot because of all the variables between tables and encounters. But I do feel after listening to the classes' videos, all classes are more powerful. Who knows, maybe they just used a good sale's pitch.

According to Treantmonk and Colby of D4 Deep Dive, who do a general discussion of the new PHB in videos on each of the other's channel, the floor has been raised, but the ceiling lowered ... slightly. They come at it from an optimizer's perspective and some of the main ways to get high burst damage, like Divine Smite, the -5 for +10 damage feats, etc. have been limited or outright nerfed. OTOH, some of the more abuseable spells haven't been touched, apparently. But classes that were previously considered weak are now much better, they sounded particularly happy with the new Monk.

 

[Chaosmancer]

We'll have to wait and see about the backwards compatibility. I mean, just listen to the language they used describing the classes in the classes' video, and you will only hear how they are better, and in general, stronger. I think like most things D&D, the 2014 will go into the fire pit because it's not new and shiny. The vast majority of players (just like Tasha's rule) will just play the new because it A) Makes their character stronger B) Makes them believe it fills an RP niche they couldn't get from 2014 or C) Makes them because that is what the internet will direct them to. Of course, D) is all of the above.

A, B, C, and D do not erase the fact that the rules are backwards compatible, and that you could easily take a character built with the 2014 rules and play at a table where they are running the 2024 rules.

Do they recommend you use the updated material? Of course they do. If they didn't think it was better updated, they wouldn't have updated it.

Can you ignore them and run it how you like? Of course you can. You always could.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I think that’s the fig leaf. Of course to some degree it will be invalidated. And that gap between 2014 books and 2024 books will grow as the 2024 edition goes on.

It doesn't matter if no one decides to keep using the old 2014 material. The entire point is that it is a valid decision to use it.

 

[mellored]

According to Treantmonk and Colby of D4 Deep Dive, who do a general discussion of the new PHB in videos on each of the other's channel, the floor has been raised, but the ceiling lowered ... slightly. They come at it from an optimizer's perspective and some of the main ways to get high burst damage, like Divine Smite, the -5 for +10 damage feats, etc. have been limited or outright nerfed. OTOH, some of the more abuseable spells haven't been touched, apparently. But classes that were previously considered weak are now much better, they sounded particularly happy with the new Monk.

I expect that it's using divine intervention to cast Hallow.

Which is a no-save mass vulnerability.