this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2024
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2024 Players Handbook, release date/embargo (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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So the 2024 Players Handbook (PHB) is set to release in September. I've already bought and paid for the book. In fact I get early access in early September.

However a bunch of YouTube and other folks got the books much earlier and the embargo for them to talk about it lifted in early August.

So now I have to learn piecemeal how the new rules work. I have to hope whatever YouTube video I watch got the rules right. My only reference is random videos.

Luckily someone did write down a rough outline at https://rpgbot.net/2024-dnd-5e-transition-guide-and-change-log-everything-thats-different-in-the-new-players-handbook/

Anyone else find this to be bullshit? It's like Christmas morning for "influencers" but my gifts arrive in a month.

In short if folks know of a good copy of the 2024 PHB I'd love to read it.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Funny I see this post now, because Justin Alexander just posted a video about this exact topic

I have to say, I love the direction he takes this commentary. If you're tired of getting treated like garbage by Hasbro, there are hundreds of games out there which will not only respect you more, but are probably actually more fun for you and your group.

If you just want something that feels like D&D, come join us on the Pathfinder 2e side of the fence! Its rules are 100% free (both the base game and all expansions), the combat is way more satisfying, and there is a ton more variety in terms of character building and theorycrafting!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah the lawyer nonsense is just extra on top of it all.

I've spent the past hour or so reading up on Pathfinder 2e and I think I understand the basics of it (at least as much as you can in a short time vs the years I've had to learn 5e).

I'm probably not going to switch anytime soon, but I'm more open to the idea now.

I don't feel like I'm being treated like garbage by Hasbro. Not to say I trust them or that I feel like I'm being treated super well, more like they are idiots. I'm aware of the previous issues with the company regarding licensing, so I suppose this is just another mark against them.

I've been pretty happy with 5e as a whole, as have the other DMs and players I play with. Switching would require a lot of effort, which is why I'm inclined to stick with it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

Maybe not you personally, but locking people's digital character sheets behind a subscription service, refusing to provide PDFs of their printed materials, and most recently DMCAing content creators who showed any footage of the inside of the new PHB (which was being sold at GenCon), all strike me as anti-consumer behavior. Meanwhile, like he said, you can find the rules for just about everything Paizo has published online, legally, and they encourage you to do so. You can buy a PDF version of all their books on their website for a fraction of the cost of the physical volume. There are so many third-party tools available for free thanks to their generous use of the OGL/ORC licenses that it's hard to know which one to use.

I do understand the point about familiarity, though. If you're already running a game, or multiple games even, that's going to be a huge hurdle.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yeah, DnD is easily the worst game I've ever played, ran, or read. By such a huge margin it isn't even funny. Even vampire 5th edition is better.

Speaking of vampire, World of Darkness 20th edition is my personal recommendation for a better game. It's actually simple, unlike 5e, and is actually designed for roleplay, unlike 5e. Maybe exalted if someone wants more fantasy and combat.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What's the rush? Just play good ol' 5e (with or without homebrew content) for a few more weeks. World's not going to end.

I agree it sucks to see people enjoying the product they got for free before paying customers, but like, it's WotC we're talking about, here. It's the least shitty thing they have done in the past two years. If you don't want to get kicked in the shins, don't pre-order from them. Be glad you don't have the Pinkertons knocking at your door right now.

I'll just wait for the Pirate subclass to make an appearance. I've been playing it for the past few years and enjoyed it very much.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

It's mostly that I love making characters and theory crafting.

In terms of actually playing, all the games I'm in at the moment are sticking with the current rules for a while.

But also doesn't this just seem like a terrible way to roll out a product? A product that has the term Rules As Written (RAW) and then not having the written rules available, but presumably paying people to make videos about them? Just annoying I guess.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Tech and video games do the same thing. It's so the influencers have time to make proper informed content prior to the release date and so channel partners who develop things like online support tools have time to match the launch date with updates to their tools.

If the influencers/reviewers get a long period both before the embargo lifts and before the actual launch it means they're pretty confident in their product and believe it will be reviewed favorably. The smaller those windows are the more likely they're trying to get you to preorder something half baked that will get ripped apart on review.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So I agree with your first part, but for the second part, why make me wait?

If I wasn't going to buy it or was going to wait for the reviews. Now that they are out and I want to buy it, why make me wait?

The correct behavior here seems to be ignore all of influencers and ignore all of the news and ignore all the hype. Ignore all of the things the company wants me to pay attention to, because of I do pay attention then all I get is annoyed that I don't have it yet.

Maybe what I find so frustrating is the influencer part. Specifically that YouTube videos are a terrible terrible terrible method to convince me to buy your product, this specific product.

Like if I wanted to see a film, I might watch a trailer. But in this case someone has already seen the film, and to understand what it is I have to watch them give an interpretive dance. They can't tell me exactly what was in the film, but they can sort of dance to it and I can probably figure it out.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

The company doesn't care if you're happy, they care that you're going to spend money. Most people don't have the self control to not pay attention to the hype and the delay makes people talk about the product. The delayed gratification only makes you want it more as now you have to wait and think about how you don't have the thing that you want.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It's actually a great way to roll out a product. The reason they are paying content creators is to drive engagement on their product so that people get excited and pre-order/buy said product. They don't care about fairness or rules or whatever. They just want to make more money.

If you don't like it, try to remember it next time they release a new product.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Sure, but if the embargo was September 1st, or even the same day I get my book, that all would still apply; and I would have access to the product.

What is the purpose of building hype for a product I can't have?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What is the purpose of building hype for a product I can't have?

If you still want to buy it after them doing this, then that's exactly the purpose.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I mean I already bought it, before I knew about any of this pre-release or embargo stuff.

I'm also not sure your logic tracks even if I hadn't bought it.

I am excited for a product. They build hype. I'm still excited, but also annoyed.

But if I weren't excited. They build hype. Now I am excited, but also annoyed.

I fully understand why they release it to "influencers", but why prevent me from having the product? They've made the sale. I'm in. All they're doing is preventing further sales. If I can't have the thing I bought then I can't want more of a similar thing.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

I found the mark.