D&D 5E People don't read the 5E DMG for a reason

[darjr]

Most people only read what they think they need too in order to play. The DMG mostly isn’t necessary other than a reference book for many people so it goes mostly unread.

 

[Minigiant]

Why stop at 5. Let's go full throttle and make it an even 20 (given the iconic 20 levels).

1. Basic Players Handbook (Free)
2. Advanced Players Handbook
3. Equipment Expanded
4. Treasures and Trinkets
5. Spell Compendium
6. Basic Dungeon Masters Guide (Free) (teaching new DMs)
7. Advanced Dungeon Masters Guide
8. Monstrous Manual - Heroic
9. Monstrous Manual - Planar
10. Monstrous Manual - Mythic
11. Cosmologies and the Planes
12. Epic Level Handbook
13. Complete Psionics
14. Complete Alchemy
15. Portents, Sigils and Rituals
16. Bastions, Territories and Kingdoms
17. The Big Book of Deities
18. Dungeoneering Expanded
19. Wilderness Expanded
20. D&D Hardcore (would include mature topics)

I'd buy all those books.

But the ironic thing is because of the sheer size, age, and diversity of D&D, that isn't a bad idea.

The core issue is pricing. Something that @tetrasodium has stated could be solved with monetization.

 

[CleverNickName]

...except people do read the 5E DMG.

I guess I’m an outlier in that I have read the DMG and I do use it regularly in play.

Right? I read it all the time. I was reading it just this morning, because one of my players asked about the optional rules for Mixing Potions (and we decided to use them.)

I don't know what people are on about. Yes, I agree that it's one of the weaker "core" rulebooks, but that doesn't mean nobody reads it. Sheesh.

 

[Faolyn]

are there DMs who are equally likely, as a rule, to toss in a +1 longsword or jug of alchemy into a treasure?)

As far as I can tell, yes.

I'm converting monsters for Level Up. The monsters in that game's Monster Menagerie all have sample encounters dependent on CR, and with those encounters, sample treasure (with the idea that it literally is just a sample). And yes, there's a weird mixture of random magic items. Like this one:

CR 11–16 Behir
Treasure 1,100 gp, 3,500 sp, broken jade dragon statuette (750 gp when repaired), 2 potions of greater healing, lantern of revealing

And since it's based on 5e, I can assume that yes, it's generally expected that you'd toss these items into a treasure.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I'd buy all those books.

Me too, to be honest Especially if they're how I imagine them in my head (including art which echoes the latest cover of the Tyranny of Dragons AP)

But the ironic thing is because of the sheer size, age, and diversity of D&D, that isn't a bad idea.

Very true.

 

[J.Quondam]

Why stop at 5. Let's go full throttle and make it an even 20 (given the iconic 20 levels).

1. Basic Players Handbook (Free)
2. Advanced Players Handbook
3. Equipment Expanded
4. Treasures and Trinkets
5. Spell Compendium
6. Basic Dungeon Masters Guide (Free) (teaching new DMs)
7. Advanced Dungeon Masters Guide
8. Monstrous Manual - Heroic
9. Monstrous Manual - Planar
10. Monstrous Manual - Mythic
11. Cosmologies and the Planes
12. Epic Level Handbook
13. Complete Psionics
14. Complete Alchemy
15. Portents, Sigils and Rituals
16. Bastions, Territories and Kingdoms
17. The Big Book of Deities
18. Dungeoneering Expanded
19. Wilderness Expanded
20. D&D Hardcore (would include mature topics)

Looks like an addendum to the "Treasure Type T: Scrolls" table.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I guess I’m an outlier in that I have read the DMG and I do use it regularly in play.

BURN THE WITCH!

 

[AnotherGuy]

Looks like an addendum to the "Treasure Type T: Scrolls" table.

That's a great call back!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

5e wasn't supposed to be anyone's first RPG. It was designed to lure Pathfinder players back to D&D. Returning Pathfinder DMs had the experience and skill to implement 5e's "rulings, not rules" vision, so a lot of the advice in the 5e DMG could rely on returning DMs' ability to muddle through.

It's not an either/or proposition.

By virtue of its name recognition and place in the market, D&D is going to be the first RPG for the overwhelming number of RPG players.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Isn't that what people wanted though??

No?

But even if people had, WotC should have done what was good for their product, which definitely wasn't the 5E DMG.