With the new updated Player's Handbook being released by Wizards of the Coast on September 17th, the question on every D&D player's mind is whether or not to invest in the new set of books or keep using 5e. Here, we'll break down some of the pros and cons of switching, and discuss some ways that you can determine which choice is best for you.
The New Player's Handbook
TLDR:
- The new Player's Handbook is not a new edition but an updated 5e ruleset releasing in September
D&D has three core rulebooks, the Player's Handbook, the Monster Manual and the Dungeon Master's Guide. All are being updated, with the first and most important book, the Player's Handbook, being released on September 17th. The Player's Handbook will provide you with everything you need to play, save for pre-built D&D monsters, which will be in the updated Monster Manual releasing in 2025, to put your players into combat with. The new Player's Handbook will not be a new edition of the game, but an update to the D&D Player's Handbook that was released in 2014 with the purpose of smoothing out the gameplay kinks of 5e. It is being referred to by WotC as backwards compatible with everything in 5e, because it is not a new edition but an update. So, is it worth it?
The Disadvantages of getting the New PHB
TLDR:
- Many of the updates are already available through Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and other already-released sourcebooks
- All three books aren't releasing at the same time, so you'll have to wait for the MM and DMG
- The books are quite expensive in both physical and digital form
It has been pointed out by many within the community that a significant number of the changes made in the new Player's Handbook are drawn from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, which was published in November of 2020. This earlier sourcebook made significant improvements to a number of classes through its new subclass options, and many of those changes are being rolled directly into the base class in the new PHB. So, if you already use Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, purchasing the new PHB may not be worth the money.
Additionally, because not all three of the books are releasing at the same time if you spring for the updated PHB you'll have to wait until 2025 to complete the set. While this isn't that big of a deal because the new rules are still compatible with all previous D&D 5e material, it is worth noting before making a decision.
Finally, the price point of the books is worth noting. Currently if you pre-order the digital and physical set the cost is $179 for all three books, which is going to go up after release to $240. The digital-only copy of the Player's Handbook is $29.99, knocked down to $10 if you bundle it with the physical copy which is $49.99. None of these amounts are inconsequential when considering that this is an update and not a new edition of the game.
The Advantages of getting the New PHB
TLDR:
- The updates are generally good and improve balance
- You'll be able to stay up to date with new content released in the future
The updates in general are good. The balance of most of classes has been improved. Some classes like the Paladin have been nerfed, but this should benefit the health of the party as a whole because it brings them more in line with the power output of the rest of the playable classes. Small tweaks have been made to the races, which have also been renamed to "Species", to bring them more in line with the modern style of play to focus more on combat and roleplay and less on adventuring days. An update is good for the health of the game, keeping things fresh and maintaining contact with the community to ensure D&D players are getting what they want from the PHB.
Staying up to date with the most modern version of the game will also ensure you don't get left behind as both Wizards of the Coast as well as third party sources begin to create and release content more specifically tailored for the updated Player's Handbook rules rather than the 2014 release.
How to choose
TLDR:
- Communicate with your table
- Consider how much homebrew and third party material you use
- Read the playtest and prerelease content already available
The updates are designed to keep Rules as Written game fresh and up to date. If your games have been adjusted by you and your players to add new content, whether that's playing with Tasha's, using third party sources or consistently homebrewing material yourself, switching rules may cause more work than is worth. If you adhere pretty closely to the Player's Handbook rules and not much else, this update may be beneficial to your games. Additionally, make sure you understand the table as a whole, if not everyone can commit to using the updated rules or simply doesn't want to, it may cause a group fracture that's unnecessary if everyone's having fun using the 2014 Player's Handbook. Much of the material found in the new version is already available through various playtests and pre-releases, so if you're looking to pick and choose the new rules that you like without having to invest in the whole new book, that is also an option.
At the end of the day the rules that you should use are the ones that you have the most fun using. For some this will mean being as up to date as possible, finding new ideal builds and mining the depths of a new version of the rules. For others, consistency is key, and changing rules will be no advantage to the actual game. Some people will want to wait and see what is said about the full release, to get the full set of books once they're all published. For some, the current price point isn't worth it and will be waiting for a fully new edition before the buy a new set of D&D books. Before you decide anything, talk to the players at your table and consider what suits you best.
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