Should You Buy The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide?

With the 2014 5e Dungeon Master’s guide everywhere, it might be hard trying to justify making the switch. After all, Dungeons & Dragons does have many different editions, so another edition named “5e” probably doesn’t seem all that different.

However, with updated rules and more examples, the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is definitely different and deserving of its own appraisal before being written off. Being a Dungeon Master is not the easiest thing in the world, so having a good guide is important. However, whether the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is actually worth it, is totally up to you as a player and a creator.

Review

One of our editors here at TheGamer, Jerel Levy, shared his opinion and review of the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. As Jerel notes, when you pick up the role as a Dungeon Master, people generally already assume that you either know how to be a Dungeon Master or that you know the rules of the game really well.

There’s assumed knowledge that comes with the DM role, and it’s always been a struggle when 50 years of gameplay isn’t beginner-friendly.

It’s hard to understand the baseline of how the worlds Wizards of the Coast have crafted are supposed to work. However, this isn’t just a guide for new players — this new Dungeon Master’s guide also addresses player complaints like the fluidity of alignments.

This is done really easily through a simple note within the book that helps to encourage breaking rigidity in favor of fun. Another complaint that was readily addressed with how intimidating all of Dungeon & Dragon’s history can really be.

Not everyone has time to delve through the origins and history of D&D in a huge textbook-style tome.

With the inclusion of a lore glossary, the 2024 Dungeon Master’s guide is fully equipping both new and old Dungeon Masters with an entire armory’s worth of knowledge. This new book is really good about breaking things down and laying them all out clearly so new and old players will have a solid foundation to work with.

However, despite Jerel’s high praise for this new iteration of Dungeons & Dragons 5e, he does have some critiques. Notably, some of the new inclusions — like the Bastions — feel more like bland distractions that will add more work than necessary for the Dungeon Master, rather than meaningful additions to enhance gameplay and immersion.

Cost

The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide can be found in two editions: Digital and Physical. If purchased through Wizard of the Coast’s official Dungeons & Dragons store or D&D Beyond, then you can get both the Digital and Physical guides in a bundle with a USD$10 discount.

If you only want the digital copy, you will need to get it through D&D Beyond. The digital copy costs $29.99.

The physical copy can be bought wherever you buy most of your books or TTRPG supplies. If you want it, it can be purchased for $49.99, which is a hefty chunk of change.

What Are Dungeon Masters Are Saying?

A Proper Guide – Alfredo Robelo

It’s hard to put yourself in the shoes of a new Dungeon Master when you’ve been doing this for quite some time, but the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide really feels perfect for newcomers. The adventure examples in particular are tailor-made for people to just start playing and worry about making their own thing later.

The book also has the depth needed for experienced DMs, with a plethora of items and creative rules that get the imagination going. The Bastion system in particular is something I want to experiment a lot with in the future, even if it ended a little bit raw in the final product.

Excellent Examples At A High Price – Tallis Spalding

The 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide has some absolutely brilliant examples that are certain to ease newcomers into the game. This is, without a doubt, the perfect guide if you’re brand new to Dungeons & Dragons — and possibly if you’re brand new to TTRPGs in general. Some of the best examples can be found as soon as you open up the book, literally walking you through a session step-by-step.

Of course, there’s one con to this guidebook, and it’s that the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is expensive. It’s on par with other guidebooks and adventure modules that Wizard’s of the Coast publishes, but that’s not easy money to put down. That stands doubly true if you’re a newbie who isn’t sure whether or not you’ll like the game.