What can WotC do in OneD&D to make the DM's Guide worth buying?

[delericho]

Oh right, that is a good point.
I was not intending for it to be a closed off portion from the playerbase, rather the way I imagined it, the source material be it videos and tables should be accessible the same way the basic PHB is accessible for public consumption.
Really educating people how to play the game should not be something worth monetizing as well as wasting space in the book for. And most of the tables are really just updated tables of previous editions, they should be free.
We shouldn't be paying for names like we did in Xanathar's. These tools should just be made available for all.

Does that work for you or is there another reason I'm perhaps missing here?

Probably.

My issue is that I play in an environment with restricted access to the web. So if there's anything that's needed during play and is on D&DB or wizards.com, or a lot of other places, then I'm stuck. (It's also why electronic books in any format other than PDF don't work for me.)

But things like "how to play" videos or tools for preparing the game are things I can access in other locations. So that would be fine (for me).

 

[AnotherGuy]

Probably.

My issue is that I play in an environment with restricted access to the web. So if there's anything that's needed during play and is on D&DB or wizards.com, or a lot of other places, then I'm stuck. (It's also why electronic books in any format other than PDF don't work for me.)

But things like "how to play" videos or tools for preparing the game are things I can access in other locations. So that would be fine (for me).

Yeah, I'm imagining the tables could always be printed and put in a flip-file of sorts.
I mean they'd only really update them when necessary, not every month or so.
If we could save a good 20-30 pages this way but also provide more content for DMs (online, which tools can be printed), it is a win-win for all.
Now with that available 20-30 pages we could really go to town on that option/modular category.

 

[pogre]

What would be useful would be a model form for players to fill out on their preferences and expectations for a D&D campaign followed by a series of suggestions about how to create a campaign that will align with players' preferences and expectations. Perhaps going further in depth with a complete example of campaign creation and play.

A new DMG MUST include lots of advice for online play. I only play in person these days, but even I recognize online play is a major segment, if not majority, of D&D play these days.

 

[ART!]

What would be useful would be a model form for players to fill out on their preferences and expectations for a D&D campaign followed by a series of suggestions about how to create a campaign that will align with players' preferences and expectations. Perhaps going further in depth with a complete example of campaign creation and play.

A new DMG MUST include lots of advice for online play. I only play in person these days, but even I recognize online play is a major segment, if not majority, of D&D play these days.

This is a good point. Assuming the DMG has advice on game prep, it needs to include how(/if) that is different for virtual game prep.

 

[MNblockhead]

Given the WotC is investing in its own VTT, I would be surprised if they don't at least give a brief mention to VTTs. But I would hope their treatment will be more fulsome than that and cover non-VTT and VTT-lite options. I've run online games that are "VTT heavy" (Foundry, Fantasy Grounds, Roll20), "VTT lite" (Role), sans-VTT but with game tools (Discord with D&D Beyond's Avrae Discord Bot and/or dice rolling bots), and just using video-conferencing platforms (Google Meet, Zoom). All were fun with some changes to how you run the game (tactical battlemap vs theater of the mind). From the many posts I've seen here and elsewhere, especially during COVID, lot's of people are looking for tips on running games online. It would be helpful to many if the DMG had a few pages comparing different ways of running the game online.

 

[ART!]

Given the WotC is investing in its own VTT, I would be surprised if they don't at least give a brief mention to VTTs. But I would hope their treatment will be more fulsome than that and cover non-VTT and VTT-lite options. I've run online games that are "VTT heavy" (Foundry, Fantasy Grounds, Roll20), "VTT lite" (Role), sans-VTT but with game tools (Discord with D&D Beyond's Avrae Discord Bot and/or dice rolling bots), and just using video-conferencing platforms (Google Meet, Zoom). All were fun with some changes to how you run the game (tactical battlemap vs theater of the mind). From the many posts I've seen here and elsewhere, especially during COVID, lot's of people are looking for tips on running games online. It would be helpful to many if the DMG had a few pages comparing different ways of running the game online.

Good point about WOTC' D&D VTT plans. I seem to recall reading somewhere that they plan to have PDFs available for all their books starting with the new "edition", so it would make sense to have a lot of hyperlinks in those to instructional videos, samples of play, printables, etc.

 

[SteveC]

Good point about WOTC' D&D VTT plans. I seem to recall reading somewhere that they plan to have PDFs available for all their books starting with the new "edition", so it would make sense to have a lot of hyperlinks in those to instructional videos, samples of play, printables, etc.

This would increase the likelihood that I'd pick it up. If I could get this as a PDF (and not as something linked to another account that'd I'd have to use to read it) I likely would pick it up. I would be surprised if this happened, but it would be a pleasant surprise.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Good point about WOTC' D&D VTT plans. I seem to recall reading somewhere that they plan to have PDFs available for all their books starting with the new "edition", so it would make sense to have a lot of hyperlinks in those to instructional videos, samples of play, printables, etc.

Really! they have been very anti PDF in the past and with DnDBeyond I see little reason for them to change.

 

[delericho]

Really! they have been very anti PDF in the past and with DnDBeyond I see little reason for them to change.

What's odd about that is that they only seem to be anti-PDF for the current edition - obviously, there are vast numbers of PDFs of old edition materials on DM's Guild.

Certainly (from my point of view at least) if they were to release the 2024 version in PDF format, that would be a very pleasant surprise.

 

[Nefermandias]

It's a serious question. The "Big Three" books of D&D have always been the Player's Handbook, the Monster Manual, and the Dungeon Master's Guide. The DM's Guide has always sounded like it is really important, but I don't think it has ever been an essential text in any version of D&D, aside from being where we hide the magic items (for some reason).

So what can actually make this book worth buying and reading, while remaining true to the basic 5e toolkit?

4th Edition's DMG doesn't even has magic itens in it (they are in the PHB) and it's arguably the best DMG ever.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

What's odd about that is that they only seem to be anti-PDF for the current edition - obviously, there are vast numbers of PDFs of old edition materials on DM's Guild.

Certainly (from my point of view at least) if they were to release the 2024 version in PDF format, that would be a very pleasant surprise.

Well Yeah, they were really strongly anti pdf since 4e, but I really cannot remember their attitude in the 3.x era.

 

[payn]

What's odd about that is that they only seem to be anti-PDF for the current edition - obviously, there are vast numbers of PDFs of old edition materials on DM's Guild.

Certainly (from my point of view at least) if they were to release the 2024 version in PDF format, that would be a very pleasant surprise.

So...we should expect PDFs of the 2014 rulebooks to be available in 2024?

 

[payn]

Well Yeah, they were really strongly anti pdf since 4e, but I really cannot remember their attitude in the 3.x era.

I remember a lot of piracy back early 2000s with 3E. I think it soured WotC greatly on the idea.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I remember a lot of piracy back early 2000s with 3E. I think it soured WotC greatly on the idea.

Thanks, I remember the piracy but was not sure about the timeline.

 

[gametaku]

From the various discussion online the DM's Guide should incorporate all the player options. The players guide should just be instructions on how to be a good player. Instead of players making whatever character they want instead they would pick from the options that the DM provides.

 

[Zaukrie]

From the various discussion online the DM's Guide should incorporate all the player options. The players guide should just be instructions on how to be a good player. Instead of players making whatever character they want instead they would pick from the options that the DM provides.

I hope they don't do this. I appreciate that's what you want, but I want the player information in the player book.

 

[gametaku]

I hope they don't do this. I appreciate that's what you want, but I want the player information in the player book.

I didn't' say what I wanted, just that through various online discussions that there seems to be a preference by DM's in giving the players only the options that they provide.

 

[Clint_L]

I didn't' say what I wanted, just that through various online discussions that there seems to be a preference by DM's in giving the players only the options that they provide.

Ugh. I hate that. For me as a DM, a lot of the fun comes from the players bringing their own ideas.

 

[gametaku]

Ugh. I hate that. For me as a DM, a lot of the fun comes from the players bringing their own ideas.

But that's still allowed you would just give your players all the options, well DM's that want a restrictive set would just give their players only those options.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

But that's still allowed you would just give your players all the options, well DM's that want a restrictive set would just give their players only those options.

i mean, then eventually the players will learn what all the options are (assuming they aren't already all online by then) and then this entire idea is utterly redundant. congratulations, you've "hidden" the player options from the players...because?

anyway, in my opinion the DMG should include some advice for new DMs, but should also serve to completely disassemble the system's core assumptions for them. why are classes constructed the way they are? how does the encounter math track with expected player stats? how are spells and equipment balanced? how are feat power levels estimated? what is the expected player wealth at various levels and what are they expected to buy with it? do these things change depending on how low or high magic the setting you're using is? etc.

in other words, the DMG should serve not just to teach new DMs how to DM, but to teach any DM how to run the system specifically by showing them why the system is built the way it is and thus how to best use (and change/add onto if need be) it.

What would be useful would be a model form for players to fill out on their preferences and expectations for a D&D campaign followed by a series of suggestions about how to create a campaign that will align with players' preferences and expectations. Perhaps going further in depth with a complete example of campaign creation and play.

A new DMG MUST include lots of advice for online play. I only play in person these days, but even I recognize online play is a major segment, if not majority, of D&D play these days.

this would also be pretty welcome