Thoughts on D&D 2024
I play D&D 5E sometimes. I even run it professionally. And while my preference tends towards more rules-light and OSR-y systems, I do enjoy 5E quite a lot.
Recently, 5E got an update in the form of a new 2024 Player’s Handbook (and a Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual are on the way). I didn’t think the game needed an update, especially not one that made it more crunchy and made PCs even more overpowered. But here we are.
After reading through the 2024 PHB, I’ve concluded that it really is still the same game. But there are changes, my pros and cons of which are listed below, followed by the house rules I’m already considering.
Note that these pro and con lists focus almost exclusively on the rule system that the player characters operate within as presented in the (actually wonderful) rules glossary in the new PHB and not on character classes or species (formerly races). This is because I think 5E classes and such are too long and boring. I don’t read through them unless I have to. (I assume the new iterations will be full of things I don’t like.)
Pros
Listed in alphabetical order. Almost all of my “pros” are ways in which the new rules are simpler than the old. Huh.
Attitude and influence. An NPC’s attitude affects the roll to influence them—advantage if they’re friendly and disadvantage if they’re hostile. This is actually even simpler than how I do it in my games, where there are more degrees of attitude, each modifying the roll by a static number. Still, I like it for its simplicity.
Crafting. Proficiency with a tool, have raw materials, spend time. I don’t love or hate the crafting rules, but I’m glad they exist.
Bloodied. When someone reaches half or less HP, they’re bloodied. I’ve been playing with this for so long that I forgot it wasn’t already part of the rules. It’s a good way of conveying to the players how hurt a monster is.
D20 test. Saves, checks, and attacks have all been rolled (hah) into something called a d20 test. Simple. I like it.
Exhaustion. The new exhaustions is -2 to d20 tests per level of exhaustion until dead at level 6 (or past -10). It’s an improvement to the old rules that were too penalizing (and always required me to look them up). But I don’t like that yet another thing has levels—player levels, spell levels, et cetera.
Help. You must have proficiency in a relevant skill or tool to help. Wonderful. That’s how I’ve been doing it the whole time.
Rules presentation. Starts with the rules, goes over character creation, has a rules glossary. In general, I love how the rules are presented in this new PHB. It all just makes sense.
Spellcasting as a service. Most settlements have it, priced by level and components. I like that there is guidance for this, but I wish it was in the DMG instead. Since players tend to assume everything in the PHB is law, this will make it harder for DMs to run low-magic games.
Surprise. When surprised, roll initiative with disadvantage. While I prefer characters simply not being able to act on the first round when they’re surprised, this work too.
Unarmed Strikes. Choose to do damage, attempt to grapple, or try to shove; the latter two prompting a save from the enemy. I did like contests, but I imagine this will work more consistently and interact with other rules better. (I also like how we have some consistency with coming up with DCs for saves imposed by characters—8 + mod + prof.)
Cons
Again, listed alphabetically. Most of these are extra crunch or something that makes the game harder to DM.
Feats. Feats are no longer optional. Everything is a feat. Most (or every—I didn’t read through them all) feats include an ability score improvement. I never did like the extra crunch that feats added, so I usually try not to allow them in my games. Now, with them integrated much more closely into everything, it’ll be harder to weed them out.
Long rests. Long rests now restore all hit (point) dice, instead of just half. This makes it even easier for PCs to heal up and stay that way for longer, giving the DM fewer ways to add difficulty to the game.
Multiclassing. Multiclassing is no longer an optional rule. I don’t care for multiclassing.
Predetermined DCs. Adventuring gear, tools, specific actions, and many other things now list specific predetermined DCs for doing things. I hate this. I like setting the DC based on each specific situation. While I like guidance for what a DC might be, having them presented here in “stone” and in the PHB is going to cause a lot of either “wait, let me look up the DC for that” from me or “but that’s not the DC that is listed here” from players. Terrible.
Search and study actions. Searching—using wisdom and associated skills—and studying—using intelligence and associated skills—now specifically require an action. Again, this is something I prefer to rule situationally—sometimes taking an action, other times a bonus action, and still others being free to do. The new rules are made worse by the inclusion of feats that turn them into bonus actions, making it even harder to house rule this crap away.
Weapon mastery. With weapon mastery, each weapon has a little extra mechanical something it can do when you hit (or, in one case, miss) an enemy. Seems like it would slow down combat even more and be an annoying extra step for everyone involved. It’s closely integrated into some classes, which will make it harder to remove.
House Rules
Once again, flexing my knowledge of the alphabet. These would be in addition to my already established 5E house rules (which are in desperate need of tidying up).
Checks as bonus actions. If you have proficiency with an associated skill or tool, you may perform such ability checks as bonus actions, assuming it would reasonably take six seconds or less to complete the task. This includes the Help, Hide, Influence, Search and Study actions.
Limited feats. You can only take the Ability Score Improvement feat when granted the Ability Score Improvement feature, unless a different feat specifically fits the narrative of your character (and by DM approval). When taking the Ability Score Improvement feat on any level other than 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, or 19th, it must be used for improving your class’s primary abilities or saving throw proficient abilities.
Limited multiclassing. You may only multiclass if it specifically fits the narrative of your character (and by DM approval).
Variable DCs. If a rule lists a static DC for a task, that DC may be modified up or down situationally by the DM.
Weapon mastery. If granted Weapon Mastery, instead of gaining the Mastery Property for a weapon, you get +1 to attacks and damage with said weapon.