Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player's Handbook (D&D Core Rulebook)

Lengthy read ahead. I'll include a tl;dr at the bottom for those who can't be bothered.1. Physical Properties of the BookI think that the book is lovely. I found the artwork to be nice, it's a solid and hefty book, and the print makes everything perfectly legible. I am not including damage in this section, not because mine showed up in near mint condition (which it did - there are about five pages with extremely slight wrinkling that I didn't even notice at first), but because a lot of the damage I've seen in the photos in other reviews are due to Amazon's careless handling of items rather than any fault of WotC/Hasbro.2. ApproachableA lot of care went into ensuring that new players can find their way into D&D. The writers crafted the book to be extremely approachable, to explain things clearly and in detail, without it seeming overwhelming. There are great breakdowns included, the examples are great and really easy to follow, and the simplified explanations of what things mean help entry into the game to be less daunting for newbies. This also provides easier clarification for more seasoned players who may have stumbled onto questions in the minutia of the game.3. ContentEverything feels nicely fleshed out. The classes and sub-classes offer a nice variety, even without having tons of new things added here. There are plenty of backgrounds to choose from and having your backgrounds modify your ability scores, provide origin feats, etc. is a nice touch that makes a lot of sense. I wasn't quite as sure about this, honestly, when I first heard about it. But as I've thought on it more and looked at how it's implemented, I feel like it's logical to say, "The scores I rolled are from genetics. This is how my character developed as he grew. The adjustments that I received from my background reflect the specialized training that my character underwent. My rogue's criminal background made him train to be nimble and dexterous (+2 to dex) and he had to learn to be mindful and clever (+1 to int). On that same line of thought, coming with the Alert feat makes sense, since he had to be constantly aware of his surrounding, watching for marks, for guards, rivals, etc." There are also enough races (referred to as species in this series) to get you going. Other reviews are correct in saying that there are no half-races anymore. What they seem to fail to realize is that, as race no longer affects stats in a meaningful way, you can simply say, "My character is a half-elf." You can easily modify the traits you DO get from race. Your half-elf's eyes are not quite as good as a full-blooded elf, so your dark vision is only 30 feet, but you also gain the human's Heroic Inspiration after a long rest (just as a potential example). After all, the book is just a guide, not an absolute. We are encouraged to tweak things to fit our tables. The addition of weapon mastery is a lot of fun, as it allows you to further craft your own play style in the game. There is also great information included to make it easy to figure out costs of services of all sorts to help bring your cities, towns, and settlements to life, as well as enough basic stat blocks for simple critters to get you started populating your world. For people, just roll them up if you have to fight them and create your own basic templates for villagers' stats and the like. Easy peasy.4. The Rules GlossaryAppendix C, the Rules Glossary, starts on page 360. It offers you a handy, alphabetical list of rules, stretching on until page 377. Fantastic.5. New Edition?I mean, not really. At least, not right now. Sure, there's new stuff. There are changes. There's also information on how to modify older edition stuff to fit these changes. You can absolutely take an adventure module from a previous edition and use this book to tweak things. If the DM's Guide is constructed similarly to the PHB, then there should be no problems at all with making a basically seamless change. That said, there promises to be more changes coming with the DMG. That may make things feel like it's a new edition, depending on the scope of changes that come. We will have to see.6. Gatekeepers and WhinersClaims that it's being "dumbed down," that it's "no longer D&D," that "ThEy TeRk Er HaLf-RaCeS!" and all the rest are just people gatekeeping, whining, or forgetting that the core rulebooks aren't absolutes. The beauty of D&D is that *you get to use the core rulebooks as guides to change things to fit the needs of your game.* If you're too lazy or too unimaginative to create your own half-races, then play an older edition. Railing on about how it's stupid and broken and not worth the money because you're incapable of dealing with it is asinine. Don't like that it's "dumbed down?" Cool. That doesn't mean it's broken, though. It's written to invite new players of all skill levels. Getting more people into D&D is a *GOOD* thing. "It's no longer D&D!" Well, that's just stupid. You don't get to decide what is or isn't Dungeons & Dragons. If you don't like this edition, don't play it. But just because it doesn't fit your narrow view doesn't mean that it's not D&D.Basically, just remember that the game you play at your table is *yours.* Don't let people who are crying over a game that is notoriously complicated for new players being made more friendly to new players scare you away from buying this book. If you're worried, I suggest you check out a copy at a local gaming store. In fact, if possible, purchase it from there, as well. Support your local game shops. If that's NOT possible and you buy it here, only to find out it's not for you, you can always return it.7. TL;DRIt's pretty, it's a solid entry into the game system, and I personally like the changes. If you are scared by the people's reviews about how it's too dumbed down, how it's no longer D&D, etc., at least read point 6 above, since it directly addresses the gatekeepers and whiners. I personally feel it's worth the investment, especially if you are brand new or planning to bring brand new players into the game. I would not necessarily buy it to put into an existing campaign, but it's potentially great for a new campaign or if you only play one-shots. If possible, support your local game store and buy it there instead of here. The end.

The D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook is an incredible update to the classic rulebook! Whether you’re a newcomer to Dungeons & Dragons or a seasoned player, this edition offers everything you need to dive into the game with ease. The new layout is clean and intuitive, making it easier than ever to find the rules and character options you’re looking for. The expanded character creation options allow for more customization, and the updated mechanics make the game flow more smoothly. I love the clearer explanations and examples of gameplay, which makes it less intimidating for beginners. The art and lore throughout the book are inspiring, bringing the world of D&D to life. Overall, it’s a must-have for any player looking to enhance their adventure!

It’s a book and it has pages in it. It’s easily learned by the age range it specifies. Updated for 2024. Not sure what else to review about it. If you’re reading an Amazon review to decide whether or not you should play DnD, then I suggest saving time and flipping a coin instead.

I got this for my brother and he can’t stop reading it, thank you for keeping him quiet!

After much thinking, I picked up a physical copy of the 2024 handbook. A few thoughts off the rip:• Love the art.• Easy to navigate.• Don't see what all the fuss is over.There are a few changes that have been made that I am not personally a fan of, but at the same time, the complaints about them seem somewhat nit-picked to me. Things like changing the term "Races" to "Species," and the outright absence of some of the core races from the 2014 edition. However, there have been things added such as weapon mastery, which I, and everyone at my table personally love. If you aren't a fan of the changes, feel free to keep using 2014, but I personally love it. Recommend.

Excellent condition and arrived on time

Perfect condition and fast!

Well if you want the new rules you need the new guide. Lots of things changed, you decide if for the better or not. Handbook is larger than the old one. It seems to be laid out better for smoother game play. I highly recommend searching this site for the TABs they make a world of difference.