Summary
The 2024Dungeons & DragonsPlayer’s Handbookwill be coming out soon and bringing some changes with it. Unlike past updates toD&D, this new round of sourcebooks is not the end of the fifth edition, they are more like an update. Players won’t have to learn an entirely new game system; instead,they are just going to begiven some new tools and a set of updated 5e rulesto bring somewelcome updates to theD&Dexperience.
Though some lucky players already have their hands on the2024 Player’s Handbook, most will have to wait for it to be officially released. For those who don’t want to wait as long, there is also a way toget early access to several newDungeons & Dragonssourcebooksincluding the newDungeon Master’s GuideandMonster Manual. Players and dungeon masters alike are likely eager to see the new rules that this latest round of books will bring toD&D, and how they can use it to craft new characters.
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D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook Release Date & Price
The 2024 Player’s Handbook Will Be Released In September
The2024 Player’s Handbookwill be released on August 22, 2025. This is the first of the new sourcebooks. While it will be exciting for players to start planning out their characters earlier, there are likely many DMs who wish theDungeon Master’s Guidecould come out alongside it, so they can start planning campaigns around the new rule changes. Of course, the new book is still largely compatible withD&D’s Fifth Edition, so it probably won’t be too much of a headache trying to incorporate new characters with the old rules.
A physical copy of the2024 Player’s Handbookwill cost $49.99, while a digital copy is only $29.99through D&D Beyond. Players can also get the digital version for the same price on the popular virtual tabletop, Roll20. D&D Beyond also offers a bundle of both the digital and physical versions for $59.99, which is a solid discount for players who want both versions.
If players want all of the newD&Dsourcebooks together, they can also buy the2024 Digital & Physical Core Rulebook Bundle. Thisbundle costs $179.97 and includes both the digital and physical versions of all three of the new books. While this saves players $60 if they want both versions of each book, it is more expensive than buying all three in just one format. If players just want three physical books, and especially if they just want three digital books, they should stick to buying them individually.
D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook: How To Get Early Access
Players Can Get Early Access With A D&D Beyond Subscription
Dungeons & Dragonsplayers who were lucky enough to attend Gen Con already had a chance to snag the new player’s handbook early at the start of August. However, players who couldn’t attend the convention still have an option for getting the books early.start using the2024 Player’s Handbookas early as August 02, 2025.
Class Updates In The D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook
Class Building And Individual Classes Have Received New Rules
There is an extensive number of changes to classes being made in the newPlayer’s Handbook. Wizards of the Coast has donea large rebalancing of classes and seems to be trying to change some of the ways that the game is played. For example, spell casters won’t have as easy access to armor or weaponsas they did inD&D’s Fifth Edition, which makes them feel less overpowered when compared to martial classes.
One class that players have been wanting to see major changes to for a while now is the Ranger.The2024 Player’s Handbookhas made some good progress in making Rangers a better option, like giving them more spell slots and the ability to cast spells at level one. However, the Beastmaster subclass still ties animal companions’ actions to a bonus action. While the class as a whole has seen some improvement, one of its most popular subclasses is still a bit underwhelming.
Druids are another class that has a notable update, as they now have extended options for the types of animals they can transform into. If players want a more extensive look at these and the many more changes being made in the new book, they should check out YouTuberd4: D&D Deep Dive’svideo on the subject. That way, players can start planning out their new characters early, or start discussing with their DMs which changes they will and will not be implementing in their existing games.
There have also been some changes made tomakebuilding characters of each class easier for newer players. Each class will now have suggested ability scores, instead of just some suggested attributes. This can be good for groups of players who are learning, and individual players who have never built their own character.
Other Changes In The D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook
Basic Rules Have Been Changed And Spells Have Been Added
Aside from the changes made to player classes, the2024 Player’s Handbookalso includes a lot of other great resources. There are nownearly 400 spells in thePlayer’s Handbook, which includes reworked versions of spells from supplemental sourcebooks likeXanathar’s Guide to EverythingandTasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Having all of these spells in one place will make building characters much easier, especially when playing in theD&DAdventurer’s League, which limits the number of sourcebooks players can use when building characters.
The newPlayer’s Handbookalso includes a lot of handy resources that make it more of a one-stop shop for players. For instance, the book now includes stat blocks for mounts, familiars, and summoned creatures. Having all of this information in one place helps keep play moving, instead of players having to wait for their DM to look through a stack of books.
Several changes to the game will also be familiar to players who have playedBaldur’s Gate 3. For instance, healing potions are now a bonus action. Inspiration can also be used to re-roll a check instead of giving a check advantage.Dungeons & Dragonsplayers will likely want to give this sourcebook a thorough read for all the new changes when it is released.
