Image via Wizards of the Coast
It has been ten years since 5th Edition debuted in Dungeons & Dragons, and since then so much has been added to the popular tabletop game. Now, the Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player’s Handbook combines everything added over the years with fresh tweaks perfect for reinvigorating fans.
One of my favorite elements of jumping into a new D&D campaign is character creation. I am always looking for new ways to build a character, and unique angles to try and play from. The 2024 Player’s Handbook has expanded everything I am already familiar with while ensuring that access for new players isn’t lost.
While we can’t yet pair it with the updated Dungeon Master’s Guide or Monster Manual, just the info in Player’s Handbook is enough to get fans excited for their next campaign.
Key Details
- Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
- Edition: 5th
- Where to Buy: Digital – DnDBeyond/ Physical – DnDBeyond & Amazon
- Price: $49.99+ (Bundles for digital copies increase price)
- Review Copy Provided: Yes
Doubles The Size, Double The Resources
The first thing players are going to notice when picking up the Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player’s Handbook for the first time is the size. It is easily twice what the 2014 5th Edition Player’s Handbook is and with good reason.
The volume starts players off with a deep dive into the gameplay mechanics required of party members. This includes how to join a game, what items you will need to get started, basic rules, and character creation.
The back portion of the book includes a spell list and basic guide on monsters, offering those interested in learning more about encounters a look at some of the bad critters they might bump into on their journey.
What I have always loved about the 5th Edition core rulebooks is how digestible they are. For a rulebook the size of a textbook, it doesn’t at all read like one. The explanations are clear and concise, and I found the combat section particularly easy to follow.
More Races, Classes, Subclasses, and Backstories
When I first started playing Dungeons & Dragons in 2018, I was quite put out on the basic options for character creation. The 2014 core rulebook didn’t feel very creative, and I often found it leaned too far into long-standing tropes developed by the tabletop community.
The 2024 Player’s Handbook does not have this problem. While the standard character classes are still the primary options listed, each class feels more fleshed out, with added specializations that encourage players to think outside of the box.
However, where this updated rulebook shines is in the species selection. Not only do we have new options like Goliath and Aasimar, but portrayals of older species have received a much-needed update.
I am delighted with the direction taken with Orcs. Years ago, my partner and I completely rewrote how Orcs functioned as a species in 5th Edition. We homebrewed an entire culture devoid of the unpleasant stereotypes and negative racial coding that frankly, was just embarrassingly outdated and offensive.
I love the 2024 Orcs. I love their designs, their colorations, and the descriptions of their lives and abilities. I am so glad to see such an amazing change in an under-represented species, and I can’t wait to make dozens for campaigns in the future.
Not Quite Complete
While I am through the moon about the Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player’s Handbook and everything it has to offer, without the other core rulebooks it is going to be tricky to use the information inside. I do wish the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual had been released at the same time, as it feels like we are missing half the information for how to run these new additions to characters, rules, and spells.
We will get the Dungeon Master’s Guide on November 12, 2024, and the new Monster Manual on February 18, 2025. This means players will need to wait at least a few more months to get the full picture of how the core rulebooks will run together. In the meantime, they will need to do their best with the older editions and make amendments or changes as needed at the DM’s discretion.
Final Score – 10/10
While it is rough having to wait for the other core ruleset volumes, the Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player’s Handbook is a perfected and polished version of 5th Edition gameplay. It elevates existing rules and expands options in a way that enriches the D&D experience.
With important updates to classes and races, D&D has never felt more inclusive, and fans of 5th Edition adventures will need to grab a copy of this core rulebook to ensure they are getting the most out of their character-building.
It’s a much-needed refresh, and one I can’t celebrate enough as an invested Dungeons & Dragons fan.
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**A sample copy of the Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player’s Handbook was provided to Bonus Action for the purpose of this review**
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