Dungeons & Dragons: 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide
Hardcover | Alt Cover Hardcover
D&D Accessory
Publisher: Wizards Of The Coast
Release Date: November 12, 2024

And away we go, folks! The day has finally arrived for the much-needed revamp of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. In this particular instance, Wizards of the Coast has decided to throw caution to the wind and do a hard reboot on a lot of things. In fact, there are so many that I will not even begin to touch on them all. But is it better, you ask? Arguably so, I think. A lot of improvements and level setting of spells, items, and more. But the real change is in the approach. Allow me to explain.

In times past, the guidebooks have sometimes felt like they were just data dumps, with little flourish to make it appealing. Not everything, but a lot felt like the nuance was gone and they were just wanting to give you the stat blocks and story, forcing newer game runners to essentially flail about. Well, they have learned a thing or two in the last ten years. This updated DMG feels like the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons DMG of old. It is easy to read, gives a great setup, and generally does not expect the reader to know everything all the time. Let me go out on a limb and say I felt like this release put the fun back into functional. It is not in any way perfect, but it is leaps and bounds better than the previous one.

I normally would break this down chapter by chapter, but I want to do something different here — I want to approach it from a gameplay vantage point. The very first thing we get is the Basics emphasizing fun and entertainment. So many people take this far too seriously; let us never forget we are here to have a good time. In my teens, it involved Domino’s Pizza and Big Gulps, whereas in my later years, it has been barbecue and Shiner Bock. The perspective of this seems simple but is, in fact, a series of layers that build the skills of the DM and hopefully present a better experience to all involved. The sections throughout the book entitled Sound Advice are exactly that. Different elements are sprinkled in to help strengthen the advice, such as new balanced encounter tables, new tracking tools, and above all a more balanced array of items and powers. I love, love, love the way it reads and plays out for a new showrunner. We all remember the first time we ran a game and the stress of wanting it to be perfect. Of course, we all know it will never be without challenges. To help mitigate this, Wizards has included more advice on prepping for the event. But even better, how to deal with a crisis in the game that was unexpected. I could have used this awesome advice forty years ago, just saying.

Driving home the importance of storytelling, we are given a plethora of examples of how to redirect, encourage, and even refocus the players. Keeping some players focused on the main task is a lot like herding cats, honestly. I’m looking at you, Jason. Exploring the nuances of the game mechanics is often boring, but necessary. Here we get schooled on the right way to do this while explaining why it is needed for game balance. I feel like the “Why” is probably one of the better lessons in this tome. Everyone benefits when they know why something needs to happen, be they the player or the DM.

I mentioned encounters earlier, and it was always those random encounters that the tables threw at the party that would cause me grief. I am a planner and I love having contingency plans for when something goes awry. Seldom do we ever hear of TPKs, total party kills, but they do happen. Here we are given options if such unforeseen circumstances were to occur. Not just that but engaging players who might otherwise have been left out for one reason or another, ramping up the fun for everyone. Again, that feels like the theme here.
Sections and tables abound with regards to homebrew adventures and world-building. That said, tables of odd names felt like a waste of space, as I would hope that even the greenest of players or DMs has enough of an imagination to create a good name. Legitimately, this entire game works on the premise of imagination. But the trackers that are everywhere are as handy as can be. I know a lot of folks love to do this digitally, but I am old school and love the pencil and paper style. But you do what feels right for you, this game is nothing if not flexible.

Greyhawk. Yep, it is included here. I absolutely love Wizards for including it in this rulebook. You are not obligated to use it, but come on, why would you not? As I explained in another review, this is one of my all-time favorites and one that I cut my teeth on, metaphorically speaking. I mean, there is even a full poster included. We get important locations, interesting people, and of course all of the internal conflicts that enable you to create a ready-to-play storyline in short order.

There is a bit of information regarding the various planes of existence, though nothing comprehensive as that is explored in depth within other rulebooks. Another point I need to make is that while this is an updated rulebook, all of your 5th Edition books will be just fine, with minor tweaks. If you are wanting more coverage on a particular plane, I advise you to pick up one of the myriad sourcebooks that have come out this past decade. There are some details here, but you will need to rely on imagination if you are not fully entrenched in the lore of the particular area you are engaging.

There is a massive section on treasure, both financial and magical, but the real treat comes from the tables that tweak what each magic item does or how it can affect the user. A side note, though. If you really are crazy enough to introduce the Deck of Many Things into your game, get the expansion book for it. It has the actual cards and truly creates a story within a story when used. Personally, I would have to be bat crap crazy to willingly add it in, but some folks live for chaos. There are so many new and restructured artifacts and magical treasures, that they seem to go on forever. This is, by far, the largest chapter.

We now reach a point where I have to voice my displeasure. Bastions may seem like a great idea for setting up a home base, allowing the player to have a refuge and allow the DM to have a starting point for the next adventure if needed. In my reality, they are a hot mess. It arguably adds a level of complication that defies the overarching theme of fun. It’s convoluted and off-putting, at least to me. I would rather introduce random psionic abilities and deal with that travesty than set up bastions for my players. It is also nearly impossible to lose one once it is created. I reference here the Deck of Many Things again, in all of its chaotic glory.

The book wraps up with a lore section that is more of a Who’s Who than a usable reference, maps that you can use in any random adventure for whatever needs you might have, and an index of course. My advice here is to sprinkle the scary names from the Lore into your story. Draw your own maps, if you can. You will be more invested if you do. And you will definitely use the index repeatedly, we all do.

Hot take: I enjoyed the new DMG. Imperfect, but far superior to the last one. Ten years and a lot of feedback will do that for anything, though. I appreciate the release of the big three books at this time. Of course, the Monster Manual is coming soon, but at least we got the new Player’s Handbook a couple of months ago. My review of that is right here if you want to read it. If you play often or are a new Dungeon Master, this is beneficial for you. Regular players have little need for this, but some folks are completists and like to own everything. I am some folks, by the way. That said, this is well worth the purchase price and feels so much more fluid and welcoming than the previous one, which was not bad but a little rough in comparison. I hope you enjoy it if you pick it up, I know I do.

NIFTY RESOURCES FOR DUNGEON MASTERS—We’ve packed this book with incredibly useful tools and advice for Dungeon Masters of all levels. Make your game sessions special with over 400 total and 18 new magic items, practical solutions for common Dungeon Master pitfalls, and Greyhawk, a customizable premade campaign setting.
WONDERFUL WORLDBUILDING INSPIRATION—Introduce inspiring new mechanics into your game! Tinker away with revised rules for crafting magic items, creating NPCs, and more. Excite your party and keep them engaged between sessions with the new system for bastions, which are strongholds built and controlled by players.
STUNNING ARTWORK—Delight in spectacular artwork featuring new magic items, legendary D&D figures, cinematic fantasy landscapes, a double-sided poster map of the Greyhawk setting, and more!
LEVEL UP YOUR DUNGEON MASTER EXPERIENCE—We’ve built useful handouts and resources to help you keep track of your campaigns and added a Lore Glossary that helps you easily find information about key D&D characters and locations.
PART OF THE 2024 CORE COLLECTION—1 of 3 revised Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks, the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is designed for use with the fifth edition 2024 Player’s Handbook and 2024 Monster Manual