2024 Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook - Initial Thoughts

[@XanderHarris1023]

For Wild Shape, if we take the wording from the playtest, you should be able to max out your Temp HP every round. When you are in Wild Shape you maintain all of your class features which includes Wild Shape so at the beginning of your turn you use your bonus action to Wild Shape into a different animal (or a different version of that same animal) and that will trigger the granting of temp hp (3 x Druid level). If you are out of uses of Wild Shape you can burn a spell slot to grant you an additional use, no action required, so you still have your bonus action to trigger the Wild Shape and your action to attack. Now enemies will have to burn through your temp HP before they get to your HP pool.

[@RichtheFirst-TimeDM]

We will have to see how the actual wording is in the new PHB - may have to drop the shape first and I can’t remember off top of my head how that works but you may be 100% right about maxing out temp HP

[@tryout3420]

overall, i think that how ppl met the changes was how computer game's players think about mods in games - you either expect the game itself to be 100% ready and fresh and new and stuff (and do not want to use any mods to better your experience) or you use the game as a source for your own inspiration and "mod" it to better suit your preferences. For me it seems that wotc were on a crunch deadline (10y anniversary) and also decided to play it safe. They market the 2024 version as compatible with 2014 version. Basically it's 5.5e, Tascha v2. Because why would they do it otherwise - OneDnd is coming (maybe, someday). I think that ppl will play with 2024v for few months, tweak this and that and the game will be played for most ppl with like at least 50% of its mechanics homebrewed. Honestly, i'm ok with that.

[@RichtheFirst-TimeDM]

This is one dnd. I think going forward we won’t see versions anymore (wotc has said as much) so we can see new rules with the year as the divider. I don’t think they rushed it and they did take the playtest feedback seriously, just think some things like the Ranger fell through the cracks due to layoff and then it got rushed due to deadlines. By keeping pretty much everything as it was and improving the glaring things this “version” will be better with homebrew to fix the issues (ranger etc) along with fixes in the books to come as they always do. Thanks as always for the comment! Hope all is well!

[@XanderHarris1023]

That is how most people play 5e now. Just look at the number and success of 5e 3rd party content creators. One DnD was the name they gave the playtest for 2024v/ 5.5. Sure, they backed off on some major changes after the OGL scandal but who's to say that was because of that or from the survey results they received.

[@RichtheFirst-TimeDM]

Based on everything I have read, they took the surveys seriously but who knows. Wotc lost trust sadly after the ogl so who knows for sure

[@tryout3420]

Rich, a question / suggestion - have you tried other game systems except 5e? I'm curious about your opinion on Daggerheart and DC20 in particular. The latter is generally praised among other TTRPG bloggers and few mechanics from it seems quite curious (and possibly usable in 5e :) )

[@RichtheFirst-TimeDM]

I have watched daggerheart but not played it but do love some of the things they do. Have not tried DC20 but if it matches the hype it may be as close to a perfect system there is

[@XanderHarris1023]

If DC20 is up your alley check out D&D 4th edition. With all the hype around DC20 I think 4e was just ahead of its time.

[@RichtheFirst-TimeDM]

I was not a big fan of 4th ed but have heard good things about dc20