Summary

• DnD is releasing revised core rulebooks in 2024 for the first time since 2014.
• Pre-orders for the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual start on June 18, each priced at $49.99.
• Updated rulebooks will offer cross-compatibility with major revisions, ensuring campaigns built on 5e can continue without issue.

2024 is a big year for Dungeons & Dragons, marking the 50th anniversary of the game, and it's consequently a busy one for DnD fans. There's already been a lot to keep track of, from surprising brand collaborations to the new adventure Vecna: Eve of Ruin. The biggest releases are still yet to come, however, and the not-so-distant future holds an important event for anyone anticipating the major changes that DnD is set to undergo later in the year.

DnD has been using the same core rulebooks for nearly a decade now, and it isn't out of laziness. The fifth edition of the game has proven especially popular thanks to its accessibility and flexibility, and rocking an exceptionally stable boat hasn't necessarily been a priority. Some aspects of the current ruleset are getting a little long in the tooth, however, and DnD is finally shaking things up with some revised core rulebooks that maintain 5e compatibility while evolving some key aspects of the game.

New D&D Core Rulebook Pre-Orders Open On June 18

The Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, & Monster Manual Are Coming Soon

As reported by Game Informer, pre-orders will open for the new Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual on June 18, with each book being available for an MSRP of $49.99. The first one of these to actually hit store shelves will be the Player's Handbook, which officially releases on September 17, with the Dungeon Master's Guide following on November 12. The wait for the Monster Manual will be a bit longer, as the last of the trio isn't coming out until February 18, 2025.

Like all modern DnD books, the new core rulebooks for 2024 and 2025 will be available both as physical copies and digital releases on D&D Beyond, offering easy reference options for any form of play. Locking in a D&D Beyond pre-order for the physical/digital bundles of the books will make it possible to access each a couple of weeks early, an incentivization system that's been in place for a while.

With 2024's line-up, that concept has also been extended to local game stores, so those who just want physical copies and aren't interested in the D&D Beyond side of things still have an option. Through either of these avenues, the respective release dates shift to September 3, 2024, October 29, 2024, and February 4, 2025.

The campaign Vecna: Eve of Ruin is the first book to follow the new local game store early access initiative.

What To Expect From The Updated D&D Core Rulebooks

Cross-Compatibility Paired With Some Major Revisions

Carving out the future of DnD has been a touchy affair, with a series of missteps generating a fair amount of reluctance toward future shifts. Unwelcome changes to the Open Game License and the stained One D&D branding have both been left in the past, however, and Unearthed Arcana playtest releases have showcased a continual improvement in design for upcoming class revisions and rule changes. Just how well the new books work in practice remains to be seen, but there are definitely legitimate reasons to be excited for them.

The best thing about the updated rulebooks is that players won't need to abandon campaigns built on 5e to switch over, as everything is intended to achieve the same basic balance and function despite some key shifts. In the Monster Manual, for example, a creature might end up with some more exciting attacks while losing some HP to meet the familiar level of difficulty. Converting a character to a new version of their class could be difficult mid-campaign, but dropping a new one in alongside classic 5e builds shouldn't be a problem.

At any rate, the new DnD rulebooks mark the biggest shakeup for the game since 2014, so it's something that every group would be well-advised keep their eyes on. More is sure to be revealed about the books ahead of their release, from the yet-unveiled covers for the Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual to more details about their contents across the board. Anyone already set on jumping into the new version of the game should mark down June 18 as the pre-order date, an important step in gearing up for the new Dungeons & Dragons adventures to come.

Source: Game Informer