many many moons ago I played AD&D 2nd edition. then life happened and I got rid of all that stuff
now more life happened and I am looking forward to playing again, more specifically DM’ing.
now I notice that there will be new guide books in fall/2025. Should I wait for the new books? Or buy manuals now? Is it just an update or a full new version of the rules? I want to start DMing - I have ideas for a campaign and a group of newby players but I need some handbooks. Wait? Or not?
The 2024 rules are going to start being released in about a month (PHB on Sept 17, with the DMG and MM coming at a later date). The new PHB is a 5e release based on the last 10 years of feedback given for the 2014 rules. You can interpret that however you wish, but from what I have seen so far in previews, the rules are a significant improvement over the 2014 rules. If I were in your position, I would simply wait for the new release, but use the current 2014 Basic Rules (which are free, see my signature at the bottom of this post) to get an idea of how to play. This Basic Rules will likely also see an update at some point. I suspect after the release of the MM in early 2025, since the current Basic Rules has snippets from all three current books (PHB, DMG, and MM).
The 2024 rules are going to start being released in about a month (PHB on Sept 17, with the DMG and MM coming at a later date). The new PHB is a 5e released based on the last 10 years of feedback given for the 2014 rules. You can interpret that however you wish, but from what I have seen so far in previews, the rules are a significant improvement over the 2014 rules. If I were in your position, I would simply wait for the new release, but use the current Basic Rules (which are free, see my signature at the bottom of this post) to get an idea of how to play.
Seconding this. All the rules you learn today will still be relevant to 2024 - how to make attacks, how to do skill checks, how combat resolves, etc. are all staying effectively the same between the 2014 and 2024 rules. You can use the free basic rules to learn the basics, then hit the ground running when 2024 drops.
I expect it probably would take a month or so to learn the base rules and set up and schedule a campaign, so you probably are in a good position to start prepping now and begin actually playing right when the new Player Handbook is released.
If you feel the basic rules are not enough, Monsters of the Multiverse is a great purchase - it gives you a lot of monsters, all of which should work fine with the 2024 rules update, but will not be instantly rendered “legacy” when the revised Monster Manual drops early next year.
If you have a strong case of FOMO or like having the broadest suite of options possible, I’d say either pick up the ‘14 PHB now or wait and see if they do one more flash sale to move some final units. Otherwise yeah, just wait on the new one. It’s generally an upgrade although there’s a handful of edge changes I don’t like or content I’m glad I’m keeping from the 2014 book that won’t be reprinted in the upcoming one.
I'm in the 'wait' camp as well. You may as well get comfortable with the latest updates and options vs. learning the 2014 set and then 2024 right after!
The changes that come to mind are fairly minor or additive, so it's not like trying to make the transition from 3.5 to 5e between the two.
Honestly, like I said, if they do one last 50% off sale sometime before the new release then it could be worth splurging for some extra subclass and spell options- the new PHB will have more subclasses overall, but since it also standardized to 4 per class rather than the uneven distribution you got from the current PHB, 4 Wizard subclasses and 3 Cleric subclasses aren't making the jump and will likely be inaccessible for purchase after the release unless and until they get updated in later books. There's also the changes to the Conjure spells, since they dropped summoning a stat block from the MM on those, but that's currently accessible in the Basic Rules so you can at least review those and make reference copies of them without making a purchase. Half Orc and Half Elf also won't be appearing in the new PHB, but those are also accessible under Basic Rules so they also can be saved as notes ahead of time without a purchase if you'd like. Can't think of any other major shifts in available content between the two.
If you want to play, find a game and start playing. It is most likely that any game you start playing now would still be using 5e even after the updated version's release, but if it did change over, you would be learning the new version alongside everyone else https://100001****/.
I'd recommend getting the current PHB if you can afford both. It has some things that will stay relevant even after 2024, such as subclasses that will take a while for them to update (e.g. Necromancer Wizard, Tempest Cleric), unupdated Backgrounds that you can customize in 2024 games (e.g. Folk Hero, Outlander), and even inspirational text you might find useful as a new player, such as the Traits/Ideals/Bonds/Flaws section.
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many many moons ago I played AD&D 2nd edition.
then life happened and I got rid of all that stuff
now more life happened and I am looking forward to playing again, more specifically DM’ing.
now I notice that there will be new guide books in fall/2025. Should I wait for the new books? Or buy manuals now? Is it just an update or a full new version of the rules?
I want to start DMing - I have ideas for a campaign and a group of newby players but I need some handbooks. Wait? Or not?
The 2024 rules are going to start being released in about a month (PHB on Sept 17, with the DMG and MM coming at a later date). The new PHB is a 5e release based on the last 10 years of feedback given for the 2014 rules. You can interpret that however you wish, but from what I have seen so far in previews, the rules are a significant improvement over the 2014 rules. If I were in your position, I would simply wait for the new release, but use the current 2014 Basic Rules (which are free, see my signature at the bottom of this post) to get an idea of how to play. This Basic Rules will likely also see an update at some point. I suspect after the release of the MM in early 2025, since the current Basic Rules has snippets from all three current books (PHB, DMG, and MM).
PHB - Player's Handbook
DMG - Dungeon Master's Guide
MM - Monster Manual
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Seconding this. All the rules you learn today will still be relevant to 2024 - how to make attacks, how to do skill checks, how combat resolves, etc. are all staying effectively the same between the 2014 and 2024 rules. You can use the free basic rules to learn the basics, then hit the ground running when 2024 drops.
I expect it probably would take a month or so to learn the base rules and set up and schedule a campaign, so you probably are in a good position to start prepping now and begin actually playing right when the new Player Handbook is released.
If you feel the basic rules are not enough, Monsters of the Multiverse is a great purchase - it gives you a lot of monsters, all of which should work fine with the 2024 rules update, but will not be instantly rendered “legacy” when the revised Monster Manual drops early next year.
If you have a strong case of FOMO or like having the broadest suite of options possible, I’d say either pick up the ‘14 PHB now or wait and see if they do one more flash sale to move some final units. Otherwise yeah, just wait on the new one. It’s generally an upgrade although there’s a handful of edge changes I don’t like or content I’m glad I’m keeping from the 2014 book that won’t be reprinted in the upcoming one.
I'm in the 'wait' camp as well. You may as well get comfortable with the latest updates and options vs. learning the 2014 set and then 2024 right after!
The changes that come to mind are fairly minor or additive, so it's not like trying to make the transition from 3.5 to 5e between the two.
Honestly, like I said, if they do one last 50% off sale sometime before the new release then it could be worth splurging for some extra subclass and spell options- the new PHB will have more subclasses overall, but since it also standardized to 4 per class rather than the uneven distribution you got from the current PHB, 4 Wizard subclasses and 3 Cleric subclasses aren't making the jump and will likely be inaccessible for purchase after the release unless and until they get updated in later books. There's also the changes to the Conjure spells, since they dropped summoning a stat block from the MM on those, but that's currently accessible in the Basic Rules so you can at least review those and make reference copies of them without making a purchase. Half Orc and Half Elf also won't be appearing in the new PHB, but those are also accessible under Basic Rules so they also can be saved as notes ahead of time without a purchase if you'd like. Can't think of any other major shifts in available content between the two.
Thank you for the replies!
If you want to play, find a game and start playing. It is most likely that any game you start playing now would still be using 5e even after the updated version's release, but if it did change over, you would be learning the new version alongside everyone else https://100001****/.
I'd recommend getting the current PHB if you can afford both. It has some things that will stay relevant even after 2024, such as subclasses that will take a while for them to update (e.g. Necromancer Wizard, Tempest Cleric), unupdated Backgrounds that you can customize in 2024 games (e.g. Folk Hero, Outlander), and even inspirational text you might find useful as a new player, such as the Traits/Ideals/Bonds/Flaws section.