This document outlines what has changed between the 2014 and 2024 versions of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Using This Book with Older Books
When you play D&D with the Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024), it replaces all rules in the 2014 version of the book.
Updated Structure and Information
The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide has been reorganized to go from playing an individual game session to running a campaign. In addition, the guidance in this book has been updated and improved. The book’s chapters and contents are as follows:
Chapter 1: The Basics introduces the core duties of a Dungeon Master, as well as how to prepare for an individual game session.
Chapter 2: Running the Game discusses how to run combat, exploration, and social interaction encounters and adjudicate outcomes.
Chapter 3: DM’s Toolbox contains rules elements, subsystems, and topics that come up frequently in games (see the “DM’s Toolbox” section below for more information).
Chapter 4: Creating Adventures provides guidance on how to create a full adventure, from its premise to its encounters and rewards. It includes five example adventure outlines.
Chapter 5: Creating Campaigns explores how to create a campaign and campaign setting. It includes an extensive section on the Greyhawk campaign setting.
Chapter 6: Cosmology contains updated information on the planes of existence.
Chapter 7: Treasure discusses types of treasures that characters can find, including numerous new and updated magic items (see the “Magic Items” section below for these items).
Chapter 8: Bastions describes Bastions, locations where player characters can craft items, conduct research, recruit allies, and more. DMs and players can use Bastions as shared storytelling spaces between the party’s adventures.
Appendix A is a lore glossary featuring some of the D&D game’s most iconic characters and locations.
Appendix B contains new maps of various dungeons and structures.
DM’s Toolbox
Chapter 3 includes updated rules elements and subsystems, including the following:
- Chases
- Creating a background
- Creating a creature
- Creating a magic item
- Creating a spell
- Curses and magical contagions
- Doors
- Environmental effects
- Fear and mental stress
- Firearms and explosives
- Hazards
- Marks of prestige
- Mobs
- Poison
- Renown
- Siege equipment
- Supernatural gifts
- Traps
Magic Items
Chapter 7 contains new and revised magic items. The following lists note new, redesigned, and revised magic items.
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2024 New Magic Items
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2024 Redesigned Magic Items
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2024 Revised Magic Items
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Posted Feb 20, 2025Neat!
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Posted Feb 21, 2025Not quite sure what the purpose of this article is. Also, I doubt you can claim that the 2024 dmg replaces ALL the rules in the 2014 book, seeing as there are many rules that were decent but simply omitted. You did not provide a list of what was changed/left the same/or left out, so... yeah, not quite sure the purpose here.
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Posted Feb 21, 2025Is this why my character builder hasn't been allowing me to use my subscription 2024 manual?
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Posted Feb 21, 2025What's the difference between "redesigned" and "revised" in this context?
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Posted Feb 21, 2025Did you sync your entitlements on your account page? That's usually the reason you wouldn't have access if you should.
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Posted Feb 21, 2025Sounds like a new edition to me.
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Posted Feb 21, 2025Also not clear what the difference between "revised" and "redesigned" is here, even after checking a few of the items myself.
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Posted Feb 21, 2025I haven't read the 2024 DMG, but if I had to take a guess, I would say that a "revised" item is one that is largely the same as the 2014 version, with some updated wording or a couple of small tweaks. But if the item has been fully reworked, meaning that it operates in a new way, then it's been "redesigned."
I imagine it's similar to the 2024 PHB, where some rules are basically the same as they were in the 2014 manual, while other rules have been entirely changed. These rules might have the same name as an equivalent rule in the previous version, but are effectively new rules with a similar flavor.
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Posted Feb 26, 2025I tried to answer this by comparing entries, and it is largely a distinction without a difference. There are times when the new specified action types (Magic, Utilize, etc) have caused an item to be redesigned, but other times it is listed as revised. I am bored and procrastinating on real work, so here are some examples of the only real difference I can see.
Redesigned items have changes in the way they function:
Revised items have changes in wording to conform with rules definitions in the 2024 updates:
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Posted Feb 27, 2025This doesn't help at all...
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Posted Feb 27, 2025I love how silvered weapons are now something you can sell.
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Posted Feb 28, 2025okay.......
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Posted Mar 27, 2025Does mean that the SRD 5.2 will finally get released? :D