Dungeons & Dragons releases more proposed changes for 5th edition

A glut of Dungeons & Dragons playtest materials launched on Thursday, representing the biggest batch of proposed changes so far to the game’s popular 5th edition ruleset. Unearthed Arcana is a 77-page document that includes substantial changes to the seven classes in 5th edition. Player’s Handbook (2014) — bard, cleric, druid, monk, paladin, ranger, and rogue. The playtest will begin with an online survey starting on 11th July.

D&D publisher Wizards of the Coast is in the middle of a realignment of the iconic role-playing game’s core rules. Initially dubbed “One D&D,” the Seattle-based Hasbro subsidiary is now referring to these updates as the revised 2024 Core Rulebooks. Three such revised rulebooks will roll out throughout next year, and will be referred to by their original names with the year of their revision appended to the title — thus Player’s Handbook (2024), Dungeon Master’s Guide 2024, and Monster Manual (2024). While these books will be wholly compatible with the 2014 versions that came before — as well as every 5th edition book yet published for the TTRPG — they also represent a new starting point for future content.

Chris Perkins explained why the new books, which were released in May after nearly a decade of a new, highly successful edition, are necessary.

“For so many people, those books are their introductory experience to the game,” said game design architect Chris Perkins in a group interview with press in May. “Those books are denser than some of our later books, the monsters aren’t as easy or as fun to play as some of our more recent books, and finding things is not as easy. […]We want to make sure our entrance is beautiful and strong. [and] as accessible as possible I think is very important for the longevity of the game — and just for people’s enjoyment.”

Accompanying today’s release is a nearly hour-long video with game design architect Jeremy Crawford, as well as shorter class-specific videos. It’s important to note that none of these changes are final, and that the team at Wizards depends on feedback from its players before design decisions get finalized. You can download the playtest materials for free at the D&D Beyond website.

The next D&D book on the docket to be published is Bigby Presents: Glory of the GiantsA treasure chest of revised and new giants, along with other goodies such as spells and new character backgrounds. Wizards of the Coast will give a free digital copy of the book to those who pre-order through their website. You can read more in our round-up of Wizards’ 2023 and 2024 publishing calendar.