A bit of a weird question but...since this version of the DM guide doesn't appeal to a lot of players, can't you homebrew your own campaign WITHOUT the manual?
In the past year I bought the physical hardcovers of the player guide, monster grimoire, and campaign guide. If I'm not planning on updating to OneD&D, is there anything explicitly new in the new Grim Hollow books that I would have to look forward to?
This book isn’t for me, I am still a Dungeon Apprentice. Even though I am on the Dungeon Council. How can I be on the Council and not be a Master? It’s not fair.
I can't believe they actually made a guide on how to be a DM instead of "here are some suggestions and stuff, I guess, whatever. Listen kid, me and your mom are together now. You're just gonna have to deal with it."
One of my biggest problems with 5E in general is that so much of the rules are just " _shrug_ DM makes the call". I get that they wanted to get away from 3rd/3.5's crunch and 4th's video gamification, but where basic rules are basically just "DM calls it", it means that adjusting the rules for the table is a struggle for most.
What I liked about this DMG of what I've seen so far is that unlike the 2014 DMG...it actually guides DMs. I am a forever-DM and read the 2014 DMG and really learned very little from it, if anything my young self got super overwhelmed because one of the first chapters goes into different realms of the multiverse, while this one starts small and builds up the scale like an adventure would
It's what I loved about 3.0/3.5 DMG and community. Giants playground and order of stick where fantastic for getting tips for how to manage a party and such.
what i am stoked by is the fact they notice how happy you were. you've talked about and joked on how you do in fact prefer to be happy about things related to D&D, and I'm glad they recognize your enthusiasm and genuine nature. keep being unapologetically yourself, man. people need to see it.
Did anyone else catch James Wyatt saying "thanks for your enthusiasm, it was really a bright spot in the middle of this" Like what is this man going through? 😭
The last 3 years in the TTRPG space have been brutal for the vibes at WotC, entirely Hasbro’s and WotC’s fault. Any employees still left at WotC are going to be quite starved of good news and positive feedback.
I would imagine they’re having trouble knowing what feedback is coming from a place of “f- you hasbro” and what feedback is coming from a place of genuine love of the game, especially right now. Hearing someone enjoy their work is probably important. I hope other people like it too, it might help them realize that other people might actually have some legitimate feedback on things like the backgrounds being tied to ability scores by default being an issue. Personal gripes with 5.5 aside, it’s mostly technically fine, it’s just got a handful of changes I don’t feel like learning right now, but there are a few issues that I think really impact people who haven’t run the game before that aren’t obvious like the backgrounds thing and some weirdness with classes since they moved all subclasses to level 3 without really rebalancing the classes fully.
@@connorblack99 People don't give feedback for something because they dislike it, they do it because they want to see it improve. Even then, not liking something doesn't make your criticism suddenly less valid. I'd wager that most criticism comes from both a place of love for the game _and_ discontent for it's owners.
Can I just point out how amazing your videos have been recently? Yes we’ve got some old classics like wizard sketches, but also the class read ups are great, the new dungeon delve series must be a huge amount of work, and now he INTERVIEWED CHRIS PERKINS AND JAMES WHITE??? Thanks man
@@XPtoLevel3 yes my dude, you are not stagnant at all. Been following for years and you are still one of those where I see upload, I click no matter the title and thumbnail. Dungeon delve specially is amazing
1:55 Disembodied Jacob Voice layered on top of Smiling Jacob Face freaks me the hell out. It's like you are telepathically adding onto your sentence, and if the entire video was just that for the remainder of the runtime, I think I would have lost my frigging mind.
@@XPtoLevel3 Counterpoint: It's an interesting editing style for videos such as this. It can show the contemplation of the following point without impacting the flow of the video. If we can watch B-roll with voice over, why not add facial emotion and context to the words being said? I feel like it actually adds to the professional documentary vibe of the video. I actually thought that it was on purpose and was impressed with the editing. I felt that this was an excellent video for Jacob's perspective.
8:30 Hi, yes, that's me. I don't care how many people will say that those pages are wasted, but I'm exactly their target audience. I struggle so much to put my ideas on paper if I'm not 100% sure on _how_ to do it, and to me a visual aid is 100 times more helpful than 30 pages of written explanation.
Seeing their reactions to the ‘doorngeon’ and Jame’s “I always have weird babies” was priceless! Awesome opportunity. (Also I’m glad you got contact before/or spite of their content creator contact person getting laid off last week)
Enough comments! We need you to crack the whip @BobWorldBuilder and 'encourage' your team to finish Delve! In all seriousness - I cannot wait for Delve for Shadowdark! You the man Bob!
I love that they added that you can enchant spells onto armor and weapons because I had already homebrewed that for the last 4 years and it's nice to see it officially instated.
Don't worry, the rules were in previous additions. They're spoon feeding modified versions of older rules and selling it as a new addition. Shocked Pikachu Face.
At this point that really isn't a positive, I have zero faith in their ability to do Dark Sun justice, they've proven that with both Spelljammer and Dragonlance.
They would ruin Dark Sun. So much of the world is too raw and unfiltered. They would make it unicorns and woke rainbows. Look how they ruined Orcs and the new god awful artwork.
The fact that Chris Perkins list the Cloak of Billowing as one of his favorite magic items made my day. I got to have at least one of them in every DnD campaign I run. :D
Having read the book myself (just flipping through and seeingwhat was there, I was not spending my entire time reading it cover to cover), it is so, so much better than the old book, very logical and lots of great information for new DMs plus great ongoing information and reference material, great new magic items and mechanics, just fantastic, not worth $50 imo, but fantastic nonetheless.
Edit: -as a new player and DM-, it didn't feel like you could. With the time and other costs and all the hunting for "how"... crafting simply felt too daunting for anyone, in any game I've played in, to try. It still seems time consuming and expensive, but the mechanism (from what I understand) is more clear.
Honestly after watching yours and Ginny Di's videos on the PHB and the DMG. I kind of just want a big round table discussion between all the UA-cam dm's to compare and contrast your different opinions on these two books. I want to know what you guys would say to eachother.
It would all just be a bunch of wotc boot throating. There’s a clear bias on the ‘totally not paid by wotc but clearly enjoys the benefits of being on their good side’ side of dnd UA-cam.
@@Gormforklook I hate most of the new edition, I’m not planning on moving to it. The book seems objectively a much better guide to being a gamemaster than the 2014 dmg ever was.
I’m glad new (and old) players will get a good Dungeon Master Guide that is an actual guide on how to run games. I’m just sad it took us 16 years to return to what 4e gave us. Oh my god, that was such a good book on how to actually run games.
Ok, this review changed my entire perspective on the D&D 2024 revisions. Having been there during Ye Olden Days, and learned to DM with nothing more than a 64 page book and a boat load of enthusiasm for the game, I'm probably a bit jaded on the whole "new rules" thing that seems to keep coming around every decade or so. That being said, I like the sound of the "this is actually how to run the game" presentation of the material. I'll give it a chance, but I'm probably still gonna wait for the three book set to arrive.
Chris is 100*,000* % correct about PC's liking cosmetic options... when we hit level 18 in our previous homebrew campaign we were allowed to "suggest" to the DM what we would "hope" to find in a horde... and he had a system set where the higher rarity gave a lower % chance of it being there, but we would get a similar if weaker item if we failed... i just wanted glamoured armour.... i liked being able to poof my armour to match that of the local guardsmen, or cultists, or whatever... SOOOOOOOO fun
As a long time player/GM (over 35 years) I have to say that finding your channel helps me appreciate how much we all love this great game. Your comedy, dedication in appreciating the older epic modules like Tomb of horrors and your enthusiasm when running is fantastic. I hope you are finally over the whole Ranger done dirty bit now ;o) - personally I cannot wait to hand out Presto's hat to someone in my current game and ofc all my BBEG's will have a cloak of billowing to add flair to their monologue (assuming they have over 6 seconds to deliver it)!!
@@adfdasdfadfadsfareae Not really, 2024 helps people who never run a game. 2014 was more about helping with world-building (How to create your own gods and cities), and not on "what to do when a player has X idea" and how to say no or incorporate in your game.
@@adfdasdfadfadsfareae No. You can run a game without homebrew at all, and in fact that's exactly how the official Adventure League operates. You could also run one of the official campaigns such as Raveloft yourself without modifying it. You cannot, however, run a game without DMing it. Homebrew is when you as a DM create either rules content or world building content that isn't printed in a book that Wizards writes, or other content that contradicts something in a Wizards book (like changing the plot of an adventure). DMing is homebrewing, and also everything else you do as a DM, and the 2024 book focuses on the 'everything else' part. That said, Wizards is bad at writing adventures and also even with 2024 a lot of the rules are either unclear or have problems so while you technically could, I would not recommend playing without homebrew. (If you want to run a premade adventure consider looking at 3rd party adventures like the 5e bestiary conversion for Kingmaker or Abomination Vaults).
You could also save a bunch of money by going on many of the free sites that inform you how to DM. Or just buy the much cheaper PDF of the original D and D
James' final comment before the audio cut off was a bit heartbreaking 'thank you for your enthusiasm, Jacob, it was a bright spot in the middle of all this ...'
I am loving what I’m hearing here, learning to DM is seriously the biggest obstacle for everyone I have around me to play, myself included. We’re all brand spanking new, aside from my sister, to DnD and tabletop in general. I have stumbled a way through a couple of one shot adventures now but having a real resource to lean on for running a game that isn’t 100 different UA-cam videos and can be referenced on the spot will be literally game changing for our group!
I like to think this actually happened because Jacob earned their respect as a game designer as well as a dungeon master when he uploaded fallout 0, which is basically low key the best possible way to get "D&D but Fallout" as an experience.
It's weird we're in this spot where we have kind of sigh and put our hands up like "guys what can I say? the new Dungeons and Dragons product is good. Sorry."
The guide on how you could decide to DM is one of the coolest things ever, honestly. It feels so real to just be like "Hey, this is a game and there are some things you're going to need to decide on for yourself. Words on a page and you can choose to do with them what you will for what you and your friends like"
17:53 My wizard in our last campaign used a Cube of Force to great effect. Combined it with a Carpet of Flying and Globe of Invulnerability to become a floating untouchable magic blasting fortress. If the enemy had arrows or armor, set the cube to nonliving matter. If they were a big monster with claws or tentacles, set it to living matter.
I will say, the biggest improvements of both books thus far, and hopefully also for the Monster Manual, is how excellently the books are laid out and formatted. Extremely easy to reference for whatever you're looking for.
I’ve been playing D&D since the ‘80s (DMing since the ‘90s) and I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen of the new DMG. And I REALLY love the fact that they included the Greyhawk setting. :) I know so many people are down on Hasbro & WotC these days, but I think the team working on these new core books is doing some great work. I’m excited to start my group in a new Greyhawk 5.5 campaign - all new characters from the ground up. Been years since we’ve made 1st level characters. :)
@Carnagepwnz Same. I stopped buying WotC products after the OGL and it breaks my heart to hear that the management responsible didn’t lose their jobs but the designers did. Support game designers, not multinational conglomerates
I'm loving this new book. The best DM guide so far for me. I remember the Advance D&D from back in the day and I loved that book but I had a hard time making it work. Still... I would love to see more when it comes to Greyhawk. I'm guessing we'll get a full campaign setting in the future? Thanks for the video! Great work!
I bought the 2014 dmg three years ago and have run a couple seasons just going in blind. I now am going to explain to my wife why ill have two monster manuals and DMGs
My favorite Dungeons and Dragons art was the covers of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons books. Now it's the stuff inside the new Player's Handbook. It is just so beautifully done.❤😊
@@brookejon3695No, the villain is a toxic ideology that pushed away actual paying fans and left behind trend chasers excited over the popularity of D&D, not the actual game of D&D. Also, capitalism =/= corporatism.
Dude, you’ve been killing it lately. I’ve been watching you for a few years and the recent videos feel like you’re really hit a creative stride, and it comes through in your videos as joy. GREAT to see you getting recognition from the larger D&D old guard. #teamjacob 😂😂😂
I love the Chris and James duo. The DMG on YT was a great opportunity to meet this duo and show us how awesome they are. And this "Thank you for your enthusiasm "? This guy just loves to have fun :D
@@rogerwilco2 we support good work and we punish bad work, it's all too simple. I think if they do good work we should reward that so they keep making good work, and when they do fucked up shit we call them out, take a stance and not support them till they stop. Dnd is our game, not theirs, they just have the rights to be making it for us.
You've been lied to by TTRPG UA-camrs. All the correct information about the things you THINK they've done is freely available online for people who take pride in not being manipulated.
The huge magic items section (100 pages) was great. They really went all in to introduce new people to Greyhawk, and included that sweet map. The firearms section is good and includes future weaponry and "Alien Technology". The bastions section, looks good but I'm still dissecting. The book is definitely worth it, for a DM and even for a player curious on learning the system a bit more in depth, perhaps dipping into the idea of running games.
I am glad you are excited about this book. I think it's good but only a few things that I gleaned from it so far that I found novel or worth the $50 price tag. At 5:44 for example, that is admittedly good helpful info, but that type of stuff has been in previous DMGs before, as recently as 4th edition. I am still going through it, but so far the section on mob combat and training to level up are the best parts of it imo, though again the latter is just a modified concept first present in AD&D 1st edition in the early 80s. Everythign classic is new again, even the setting of Grayhawk.
Very excited to pick up the new DMG, I like the 2014 one but I always felt a little overwhelmed by how it presented information. Interested to see if the 2024 DMG is more user friendly.
It very much is, I believe it's far better laid out though I didn't look at that in top much detail, but lots of great reference material and things you can pick up and run.
I'm so excited for this! I loved the 2024 Players Handbook and the art. The only thing I really missed was the amount of lore they cut from each species (compared to the 2014 one). Stuff like naming suggestions and so on. Really bummed that Dwarves went from have 3 full pages to half a page of description (because the other half is filled with art). So I'm really interested to see what the Dungeon Master Guide adds to the player handbook.
@@abbygaleforcewind Yeah. They've also been overwhelmingly implicit and non-verbal. My friends and I have a social contract. We didn't sit down and draw up a document about what our "soft lines" and "hard lines" are. We learned that by doing this cool thing called "being a human". Y'all have become so averse to any amount of discomfort, that even hearing things you don't like will cause you to grind any momentum of a game to a halt. Fun fact, whenever someone does the X, the game's over for the night. No amount of DM reorienting can salvage the vibe of the session.
@@blobjorn3248 I mean, if that's the way you wanna interact with your friends then you do you, great you've found what works. Don't get pissy cause other people do things differently. Fun fact: how people interact with each other changes over time, the world isn't gonna stay frozen in 2015 because you feel like it should.
@@crimson-.-9906 So it's bad that I don't like people regressing into infantile social behaviors? Alright. And no, it's not a "2015" thing. It's a thing that has been present for literally all of human history. You would know that if you actually went outside.
My "Weird Baby" is my Lore for Magic in my Setting. Basically the Original God of Magic split himself into three to give balance and stability to an unthinking World but is in itself something whimsical and thinking. So there are three Moons which represent three dragon Gods of the three Casting Stats which each mirror the Material Plane in weird ways where just being there makes the place react to you. The blue Moon of Intellegence represents Arcane Magic, it represents the Planet in a 1:1 basis and when you think of something and can reason it to happen, it will happen, sort of magic bending physics, the Goddess of this Moon is the Goddess of Crystal Dragons and the creator of most abbarations and gave Humanoids curiosity. The Crimson Moon of Wisdom represents Primal Magic, on its surface it shows the Material Plane, how it is percieved by the individual and manifests on how you feel, sort of how your mood can change your perception of your surroundings, the God of this Moon was a God of War and Chromatic Dragons and became the God of Adventure and survival and Beasts and gave Humanoids the instinct to survive. The golden Moon of Charisma represents intuitive Magic, its surface shows how an individual influences their surroundings through their mannerisms and ideals, magic there is very intuitive and forms how you want to be percieved, the God of Metallic Dragons, wanderers and Storytellers, he created shapeshifters and gave humanoids the understanding of "Self" and the longing for community. The first dragons were initially born from each of these seperated Magics and because of that Chromatic Dragons were very animalistic at first, Metallic Dragons loved being arround Humanoids and created whole nations and Crystal Dragons traversed the Planes to understand the Universe. As beings of pure Magic they reproduce asexually by combining their Magic into an Egg and Wizards of this World found out to recreate this Ancient Ritual so even couples who could not have children sexually could reproduce. (Yes this last part is the Actual Weird Baby and I tricked you into reading my Loreeeeeeee >:3)
The new DMG seems to finally be a great book for new DMs. I have personally been playing/running D&D since 1983, so this no longer really applies to me. Then again, experienced DMs is NOT who this book is really intended for. It was great to see that they actually try to help new DMs this time around. FWIW and in regards to the Kickstarter you mention... Its too bad that Grim Hollow now includes work from a 'writer' who was 13 months late on her own Kickstarter. I would normally have backed, but this was a deal breaker for me. I was 'this' close to backing for $1 just to be able to leave comments, but Ghostfire Gaming didn't deserve that.
I respect that while plugging Grim Hollow, you mentioned the VTTs and mentioned DNDbeyond last with a LAUGH, as if to suggest that someone would be stupid for using it. Thank you for doing your part.
Out of all the WOTC staff interviews with UA-camrs, I don't think I've heard the devs have so much fun until this interview with Jacob. It sounded like they found a lot to relate to.
I'm still on 3.5. Mostly because I also run Pathfinder and it's just easier to introduce it to the players when they inevitably ask to play since the books are right beside my DnD books. I do occasionally run 5th, but it's rare.
Sounds like the new DMG goes back to the rules light design ala B/X and BECMI, empowering newer DMs to combat rules lawyer players as well as reigning in murder hobo players. I always felt the 2014 DMG was merely a reference tool, and the game could easily be played with just an MM and PHB rendering that particular DMG useless (IF you have DMed before, or other editions of D&D.) Great review and interview, I may actually pick this book up.
Because you have been manipulated and misinformed by TTRPG UA-camrs. If you have any pride, just look up whether they actually did any of the stuff you were told they were doing.
I love where Chris is talking about magic items and mentions the Cloak of Billowing. I, too, am of the mind that magic items don't always need to be functional to be enjoyable. I think a character of mine years ago actually had that very cloak. And most of my characters like/wear cloaks because I as a player like cloaks lol A character of mine also had a Skin of Endless Ale once. Which was, just as it sounds, a waterskin that's actually like a bag of holding but connects to the Elemental Plane of Ale. So I just had an endless supply of ale at all times. Practically functional? No. Fun? Absolutely.
I think of all the 'celebrities' in the world, if given the choice of a couple hour conversation about stuff, I would pick Chris Perkins. That dude has forgotten more about D&D than most of us will ever know and I am 100% certain he could tell the most insane stories ever. Kudos, Jacob, on keeping the interview about the book...there is a 0% chance I could focus on one topic the entire time. I'm also sure that at some point I would giggle and say YOU'RE CHRIS PERKINS! right to his face, as if he did not know what his name was...
Go back Grim Hollow: Transformed and get tons of cool stuff like dice, pins, and a DM screen! ghostfiregaming.com/XPT3_GHRF_2024_10_031
A bit of a weird question but...since this version of the DM guide doesn't appeal to a lot of players, can't you homebrew your own campaign WITHOUT the manual?
no you go back
I have the OG Grim Hollow, so far I haven't seen anything in the information about the redone books that would make me want to update.
What did you not like about the new book and I dont mean that to shit on the new book, I am just asking about the changes in general you did not like?
In the past year I bought the physical hardcovers of the player guide, monster grimoire, and campaign guide. If I'm not planning on updating to OneD&D, is there anything explicitly new in the new Grim Hollow books that I would have to look forward to?
This book isn’t for me, I am still a Dungeon Apprentice. Even though I am on the Dungeon Council. How can I be on the Council and not be a Master? It’s not fair.
The fact that this is the first time I've ever seen anyone make this joke is criminal
Take a feat, young Skywanker.
I dong get it
I blame sand
@@joseaugustoleonardemoreira9798it’s a Star Wars reference
I can't believe they actually made a guide on how to be a DM instead of "here are some suggestions and stuff, I guess, whatever. Listen kid, me and your mom are together now. You're just gonna have to deal with it."
2024 guide not fucking my mom is a pretty big improvement over 2014 now that you mention it
That seems oddly specific... Is Chris Perkins your stepdad?
@@SariusxX no, but JCraw is.
@@SariusxX| I got the spectre of Gary Gygax. He's alright, but I'm afraid he's going to ghost my mom...
One of my biggest problems with 5E in general is that so much of the rules are just " _shrug_ DM makes the call".
I get that they wanted to get away from 3rd/3.5's crunch and 4th's video gamification, but where basic rules are basically just "DM calls it", it means that adjusting the rules for the table is a struggle for most.
What I liked about this DMG of what I've seen so far is that unlike the 2014 DMG...it actually guides DMs. I am a forever-DM and read the 2014 DMG and really learned very little from it, if anything my young self got super overwhelmed because one of the first chapters goes into different realms of the multiverse, while this one starts small and builds up the scale like an adventure would
The new one is a fantastic guide for new players and has some useful stuff for returning DMs.
Apparently when making this new DMG they reached out to a lot of big DMs from the community (like Matt Mercer) to help them improve it
A forever DM??? ALL HAIL @MollymaukT
Shame i got the 2014 one for like $17 but lets see how wellit goes.
It's what I loved about 3.0/3.5 DMG and community. Giants playground and order of stick where fantastic for getting tips for how to manage a party and such.
what i am stoked by is the fact they notice how happy you were. you've talked about and joked on how you do in fact prefer to be happy about things related to D&D, and I'm glad they recognize your enthusiasm and genuine nature. keep being unapologetically yourself, man. people need to see it.
Did anyone else catch James Wyatt saying "thanks for your enthusiasm, it was really a bright spot in the middle of this" Like what is this man going through? 😭
Frankly everything happening over at Hasbro over the past 2-3 years.
The last 3 years in the TTRPG space have been brutal for the vibes at WotC, entirely Hasbro’s and WotC’s fault. Any employees still left at WotC are going to be quite starved of good news and positive feedback.
I would imagine they’re having trouble knowing what feedback is coming from a place of “f- you hasbro” and what feedback is coming from a place of genuine love of the game, especially right now. Hearing someone enjoy their work is probably important. I hope other people like it too, it might help them realize that other people might actually have some legitimate feedback on things like the backgrounds being tied to ability scores by default being an issue. Personal gripes with 5.5 aside, it’s mostly technically fine, it’s just got a handful of changes I don’t feel like learning right now, but there are a few issues that I think really impact people who haven’t run the game before that aren’t obvious like the backgrounds thing and some weirdness with classes since they moved all subclasses to level 3 without really rebalancing the classes fully.
@@connorblack99 People don't give feedback for something because they dislike it, they do it because they want to see it improve. Even then, not liking something doesn't make your criticism suddenly less valid. I'd wager that most criticism comes from both a place of love for the game _and_ discontent for it's owners.
Probably they just had many other interviews with UA-camrs and media previous to this one where the interviewer wasn’t as enthusiastic as Jacob
Can I just point out how amazing your videos have been recently? Yes we’ve got some old classics like wizard sketches, but also the class read ups are great, the new dungeon delve series must be a huge amount of work, and now he INTERVIEWED CHRIS PERKINS AND JAMES WHITE???
Thanks man
yes, you can. compliments are allowed.
this means a lot, thanks so much 🥹
@@XPtoLevel3 yes my dude, you are not stagnant at all. Been following for years and you are still one of those where I see upload, I click no matter the title and thumbnail.
Dungeon delve specially is amazing
I agree! I am so happy with the dungeon delver stuff
@@XPtoLevel3We're living through the XPtL3 Renaissance
This is the first interview ive seen with the wotc team that looked like they had fun. James even called it out. Cute.
1:55 Disembodied Jacob Voice layered on top of Smiling Jacob Face freaks me the hell out. It's like you are telepathically adding onto your sentence, and if the entire video was just that for the remainder of the runtime, I think I would have lost my frigging mind.
LMAO editing mistake whoops
@@XPtoLevel3 Boromir: No... it is a gift!
@@XPtoLevel3I thought it was just a really long J cut
But like, it is really funny that he just starts projecting his voice directly into your brain for two seconds while smiling endearingly
@@XPtoLevel3 Counterpoint: It's an interesting editing style for videos such as this. It can show the contemplation of the following point without impacting the flow of the video. If we can watch B-roll with voice over, why not add facial emotion and context to the words being said? I feel like it actually adds to the professional documentary vibe of the video. I actually thought that it was on purpose and was impressed with the editing. I felt that this was an excellent video for Jacob's perspective.
8:30 Hi, yes, that's me.
I don't care how many people will say that those pages are wasted, but I'm exactly their target audience. I struggle so much to put my ideas on paper if I'm not 100% sure on _how_ to do it, and to me a visual aid is 100 times more helpful than 30 pages of written explanation.
Seeing their reactions to the ‘doorngeon’ and Jame’s “I always have weird babies” was priceless! Awesome opportunity. (Also I’m glad you got contact before/or spite of their content creator contact person getting laid off last week)
Enough comments! We need you to crack the whip @BobWorldBuilder and 'encourage' your team to finish Delve! In all seriousness - I cannot wait for Delve for Shadowdark! You the man Bob!
I would like to publically apologize on behalf of @@Flint138 & the wider community
I love that they added that you can enchant spells onto armor and weapons because I had already homebrewed that for the last 4 years and it's nice to see it officially instated.
Don't worry, the rules were in previous additions. They're spoon feeding modified versions of older rules and selling it as a new addition. Shocked Pikachu Face.
My biggest take away - they at least mention Dark Sun exists.
So they forgot about Dark Souls? Typical.
WHERE'S OUR DARK SUN CAMPAIGN GUIDE
WE KNOW MIKE MEARLS CONVERTED IT TO 5E FOR AN OFFICE CAMPAIGN YOU CAN'T KEEP IT AWAY FROM US
At this point that really isn't a positive, I have zero faith in their ability to do Dark Sun justice, they've proven that with both Spelljammer and Dragonlance.
They would ruin Dark Sun. So much of the world is too raw and unfiltered. They would make it unicorns and woke rainbows. Look how they ruined Orcs and the new god awful artwork.
The 2014 DMG and several other books mention Dark Sun and Athas
The fact that Chris Perkins list the Cloak of Billowing as one of his favorite magic items made my day. I got to have at least one of them in every DnD campaign I run. :D
What is more important? A number of good abilities, or STYLE?
It's a well known fact that even Lord Vader himself had this item!! see end of rogue one and his cloak billowing in space, magic item not the force ;)
I love that stupid thing, and so do players I give them to.
Going back to 3.5 art style where the "Class" art actors are used throughout all the books I missed Krusk the barbarian.
Not so much the elf wizard though. Never liked her design.
Krusk was legit
I believe that was called the "class iconics", was the phrasing used for 3e as well as for PF2e's iconics.
9:55 D&D developers know about a dungeon I took a part in creating… that wasn’t on my 2024 Bingo card.
Our boy is moving up in the world.
Having read the book myself (just flipping through and seeingwhat was there, I was not spending my entire time reading it cover to cover), it is so, so much better than the old book, very logical and lots of great information for new DMs plus great ongoing information and reference material, great new magic items and mechanics, just fantastic, not worth $50 imo, but fantastic nonetheless.
Crafting magic items is THE BEST SINCE ANYONE CAN DO IT, IT'S SO COOL!!!
You couldnt do that before? lol
@@coolboy9979you could, but with so much hassle. also I think only a few classes
That’s always been a thing
Edit: -as a new player and DM-, it didn't feel like you could.
With the time and other costs and all the hunting for "how"... crafting simply felt too daunting for anyone, in any game I've played in, to try.
It still seems time consuming and expensive, but the mechanism (from what I understand) is more clear.
@@coolboy9979 the rules around magic item crafting were goofy as heck so DMs just didn't allow it
Honestly after watching yours and Ginny Di's videos on the PHB and the DMG. I kind of just want a big round table discussion between all the UA-cam dm's to compare and contrast your different opinions on these two books. I want to know what you guys would say to eachother.
It would all just be a bunch of wotc boot throating. There’s a clear bias on the ‘totally not paid by wotc but clearly enjoys the benefits of being on their good side’ side of dnd UA-cam.
@@Gormfork this guy criticizes wotc constantly. Just because he likes something they made doesnt mean he holds back when they mess up.
@@Gormforkyour comment gives "how dare they enjoy something WotC created" and it's kinda sad.
@@Gormforklook I hate most of the new edition, I’m not planning on moving to it. The book seems objectively a much better guide to being a gamemaster than the 2014 dmg ever was.
Ginny Di is a grifter.
I’m glad new (and old) players will get a good Dungeon Master Guide that is an actual guide on how to run games. I’m just sad it took us 16 years to return to what 4e gave us. Oh my god, that was such a good book on how to actually run games.
They really threw the baby out with the bathwater when they didn't use more of the 4e DM's guide.
Man, I wasn't going to get any of the new books but hearing the new focus of this DMG really makes me want to get it.
Ok, this review changed my entire perspective on the D&D 2024 revisions. Having been there during Ye Olden Days, and learned to DM with nothing more than a 64 page book and a boat load of enthusiasm for the game, I'm probably a bit jaded on the whole "new rules" thing that seems to keep coming around every decade or so.
That being said, I like the sound of the "this is actually how to run the game" presentation of the material. I'll give it a chance, but I'm probably still gonna wait for the three book set to arrive.
Chris is 100*,000* % correct about PC's liking cosmetic options... when we hit level 18 in our previous homebrew campaign we were allowed to "suggest" to the DM what we would "hope" to find in a horde... and he had a system set where the higher rarity gave a lower % chance of it being there, but we would get a similar if weaker item if we failed... i just wanted glamoured armour.... i liked being able to poof my armour to match that of the local guardsmen, or cultists, or whatever... SOOOOOOOO fun
Hoard, not horde.
@@rogerwilco2oh shit, you right…
I hope we get more of Chris Perkins despite his “promotion.”
Such an amazing wealth of knowledge for everything DnD.
The fact that Christopher Perkins now knows about the Doorngeon is the best thing ever. Jacob, you've made it.
As a long time player/GM (over 35 years) I have to say that finding your channel helps me appreciate how much we all love this great game. Your comedy, dedication in appreciating the older epic modules like Tomb of horrors and your enthusiasm when running is fantastic. I hope you are finally over the whole Ranger done dirty bit now ;o) - personally I cannot wait to hand out Presto's hat to someone in my current game and ofc all my BBEG's will have a cloak of billowing to add flair to their monologue (assuming they have over 6 seconds to deliver it)!!
DMG 2014 is a "Guide to homebrew" DMG 2024 is a "How to DM"
So, use them both. I'll get the 2024 DMG but I'm keeping the 2014 DMG.
Aren't those the same thing though?
@@adfdasdfadfadsfareae Not really, 2024 helps people who never run a game. 2014 was more about helping with world-building (How to create your own gods and cities), and not on "what to do when a player has X idea" and how to say no or incorporate in your game.
@@adfdasdfadfadsfareae No. You can run a game without homebrew at all, and in fact that's exactly how the official Adventure League operates. You could also run one of the official campaigns such as Raveloft yourself without modifying it. You cannot, however, run a game without DMing it. Homebrew is when you as a DM create either rules content or world building content that isn't printed in a book that Wizards writes, or other content that contradicts something in a Wizards book (like changing the plot of an adventure). DMing is homebrewing, and also everything else you do as a DM, and the 2024 book focuses on the 'everything else' part. That said, Wizards is bad at writing adventures and also even with 2024 a lot of the rules are either unclear or have problems so while you technically could, I would not recommend playing without homebrew. (If you want to run a premade adventure consider looking at 3rd party adventures like the 5e bestiary conversion for Kingmaker or Abomination Vaults).
You could also save a bunch of money by going on many of the free sites that inform you how to DM. Or just buy the much cheaper PDF of the original D and D
awesome you got to speak to them! must have been fun
It was!
Jacoob ask them about the ranger for all of us @@XPtoLevel3
James' final comment before the audio cut off was a bit heartbreaking
'thank you for your enthusiasm, Jacob, it was a bright spot in the middle of all this ...'
Thanks for your videos, I am still working on becoming the noble Chad at my table 😅
Me too
REALLY excellent content Jacob. really feels like youre stepping up your editing and videos to another level! Keep up the great work!
I am loving what I’m hearing here, learning to DM is seriously the biggest obstacle for everyone I have around me to play, myself included. We’re all brand spanking new, aside from my sister, to DnD and tabletop in general. I have stumbled a way through a couple of one shot adventures now but having a real resource to lean on for running a game that isn’t 100 different UA-cam videos and can be referenced on the spot will be literally game changing for our group!
When they dragged on my dungeon I came like a dragon
Like a WHAT?
@@ribofenLike a bad dragon.
Sometimes thoughts are for keeping inside
I cant like this bc its at 69
Just no
Holy shit you got the guy that played the most important character in all of dnd history SPURT
Oh dead gods I forgot about my precious weird baby Spurt!
@@brookejon3695
How can anyone forget the seminal moment Spurt won DnD?!
I like to think this actually happened because Jacob earned their respect as a game designer as well as a dungeon master when he uploaded fallout 0, which is basically low key the best possible way to get "D&D but Fallout" as an experience.
Earn their respect... realized he had a large following and got him to enter into an access journalism pact... same thing really.
This is my favorite DMG breakdown so far! Inclusion of the actual interview is perfect.
It's weird we're in this spot where we have kind of sigh and put our hands up like "guys what can I say? the new Dungeons and Dragons product is good. Sorry."
Well after the 5e DMG, the 5.5e version could only be better.
I would expect it to be the exact opposite. After 3.5e DnD has been only worse and worse.
It's only weird if you've allowed yourself to be manipulated by TTRPG UA-camrs spreading outrage and misinformation for clicks and clout.
The guide on how you could decide to DM is one of the coolest things ever, honestly.
It feels so real to just be like "Hey, this is a game and there are some things you're going to need to decide on for yourself. Words on a page and you can choose to do with them what you will for what you and your friends like"
The more I see of James Wyatt, the more I just love that goofy, nerdy, passionate man.
cheers for this video, you helped me decide to pick a copy up now instead of waiting until after xmas.
17:53 My wizard in our last campaign used a Cube of Force to great effect. Combined it with a Carpet of Flying and Globe of Invulnerability to become a floating untouchable magic blasting fortress. If the enemy had arrows or armor, set the cube to nonliving matter. If they were a big monster with claws or tentacles, set it to living matter.
I will say, the biggest improvements of both books thus far, and hopefully also for the Monster Manual, is how excellently the books are laid out and formatted. Extremely easy to reference for whatever you're looking for.
...unironically might have to track down a copy now, solely because you showed the doors page {dungeon generation}
Jacob just seems so happy talking with guys! I'm happy for him.
everyone knows the best way to be a Dungeon Master, is to watch the Dungeon Strike VHS Dungeon Master tape from the 80's
This has been my favorite interview from all these DnD 2024 release interviews. Great work, Jacob!
Seeing "cooked" in the thumbnail is the most roller coaster of emotions
the vibes between youse during the interview are so good, hello?? i burst out laughing when you pointed out Chris was dying
I’ve been playing D&D since the ‘80s (DMing since the ‘90s) and I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen of the new DMG. And I REALLY love the fact that they included the Greyhawk setting. :) I know so many people are down on Hasbro & WotC these days, but I think the team working on these new core books is doing some great work. I’m excited to start my group in a new Greyhawk 5.5 campaign - all new characters from the ground up. Been years since we’ve made 1st level characters. :)
Pitty it feels like they all got fired once they were done.
@Carnagepwnz Same. I stopped buying WotC products after the OGL and it breaks my heart to hear that the management responsible didn’t lose their jobs but the designers did. Support game designers, not multinational conglomerates
I'm loving this new book. The best DM guide so far for me. I remember the Advance D&D from back in the day and I loved that book but I had a hard time making it work. Still... I would love to see more when it comes to Greyhawk. I'm guessing we'll get a full campaign setting in the future? Thanks for the video! Great work!
The variety of art also includes an adventurer in a wheelchair atop a flight of stairs. Funny Stuff.
I bought the 2014 dmg three years ago and have run a couple seasons just going in blind. I now am going to explain to my wife why ill have two monster manuals and DMGs
Ooookaay they have artwork of fkn Venger!? And they reference the peasant railgun? Wtf is wotc on? Lol
Edit: Greyhawk & Dark Sun mentions also?
as soon as I heard this on the game I ctrl+F "railgun" I'm not dissapointed someone also clocked this
Hey, I love Venger!
Jacob mentioning they added Dark Sun into the book actually had me whooping and hollering like a kid on Christmas morning.
My favorite Dungeons and Dragons art was the covers of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons books. Now it's the stuff inside the new Player's Handbook. It is just so beautifully done.❤😊
As a forever DM, I am more excited for this book than the new PHB, and I like the new one a lot
If only the talent behind this book still had jobs... OMEGALUL
In real life, much like a Dimension 20 campaign, the villain is capitalism.
@@brookejon3695No, the villain is a toxic ideology that pushed away actual paying fans and left behind trend chasers excited over the popularity of D&D, not the actual game of D&D.
Also, capitalism =/= corporatism.
It'd be nice if they form their own company to do third party products, and not just for DND.
They do. The design team was not affected by layoffs. You're spreading misinformation.
@hawkname1234 Yeah, because they're subsidizing it with desperate MtG cash grabs 🤣
Dude, you’ve been killing it lately. I’ve been watching you for a few years and the recent videos feel like you’re really hit a creative stride, and it comes through in your videos as joy. GREAT to see you getting recognition from the larger D&D old guard. #teamjacob 😂😂😂
great video and all but chris nodding his head intensely for 25 seconds straight is killing me 7:05
I love the Chris and James duo. The DMG on YT was a great opportunity to meet this duo and show us how awesome they are.
And this "Thank you for your enthusiasm "? This guy just loves to have fun :D
I fear I'm never going to touch a Wizards of the Coast product again after all they've done, but I'm glad you like it.
Yeah. I'm on the fence. I've decided not to buy any 5.5e books at least until all three core books are out.
@@rogerwilco2 we support good work and we punish bad work, it's all too simple. I think if they do good work we should reward that so they keep making good work, and when they do fucked up shit we call them out, take a stance and not support them till they stop.
Dnd is our game, not theirs, they just have the rights to be making it for us.
You've been lied to by TTRPG UA-camrs. All the correct information about the things you THINK they've done is freely available online for people who take pride in not being manipulated.
@@Anegor And without its fans, this game would not have been so popular as it is now. They owe us a part of their success.
The huge magic items section (100 pages) was great. They really went all in to introduce new people to Greyhawk, and included that sweet map. The firearms section is good and includes future weaponry and "Alien Technology". The bastions section, looks good but I'm still dissecting. The book is definitely worth it, for a DM and even for a player curious on learning the system a bit more in depth, perhaps dipping into the idea of running games.
That first chapter sounds like it should be read by every manager who supervises anyone.
I am glad you are excited about this book. I think it's good but only a few things that I gleaned from it so far that I found novel or worth the $50 price tag. At 5:44 for example, that is admittedly good helpful info, but that type of stuff has been in previous DMGs before, as recently as 4th edition. I am still going through it, but so far the section on mob combat and training to level up are the best parts of it imo, though again the latter is just a modified concept first present in AD&D 1st edition in the early 80s. Everythign classic is new again, even the setting of Grayhawk.
"I always have weird babies." -James Wyatt, 2024
It’s amazing just how much this man’s channel has grown to the point where he can now have these amazing chats with both Kevin Feige AND George Lucas!
Very excited to pick up the new DMG, I like the 2014 one but I always felt a little overwhelmed by how it presented information. Interested to see if the 2024 DMG is more user friendly.
It very much is, I believe it's far better laid out though I didn't look at that in top much detail, but lots of great reference material and things you can pick up and run.
They needed this.
Their PR was *not* good recently. A well designed GUIDE to be DUNGEON MASTER, is a smart idea.
I think this is the earliest I’ve ever made it to a new video
I’m very excited to watch it
Congrats on getting the interview with these guys. It's cool to hear their thoughts on these things.
0:18 dark and griddy
I'm so excited for this! I loved the 2024 Players Handbook and the art. The only thing I really missed was the amount of lore they cut from each species (compared to the 2014 one). Stuff like naming suggestions and so on. Really bummed that Dwarves went from have 3 full pages to half a page of description (because the other half is filled with art). So I'm really interested to see what the Dungeon Master Guide adds to the player handbook.
Social contract? Prepare for a TPK.
It's amazing how no one needed "social contracts" before 2015.
Now they're everywhere.
@@blobjorn3248 They've existed for as long as human beings have interacted with each other, dude.
@@abbygaleforcewind Yeah. They've also been overwhelmingly implicit and non-verbal.
My friends and I have a social contract. We didn't sit down and draw up a document about what our "soft lines" and "hard lines" are. We learned that by doing this cool thing called "being a human".
Y'all have become so averse to any amount of discomfort, that even hearing things you don't like will cause you to grind any momentum of a game to a halt.
Fun fact, whenever someone does the X, the game's over for the night. No amount of DM reorienting can salvage the vibe of the session.
@@blobjorn3248 I mean, if that's the way you wanna interact with your friends then you do you, great you've found what works. Don't get pissy cause other people do things differently. Fun fact: how people interact with each other changes over time, the world isn't gonna stay frozen in 2015 because you feel like it should.
@@crimson-.-9906 So it's bad that I don't like people regressing into infantile social behaviors? Alright.
And no, it's not a "2015" thing. It's a thing that has been present for literally all of human history.
You would know that if you actually went outside.
I love the joy! I await my dmg though this video is a true celebration! Thank you. Love seeing Chris And James with you!
My "Weird Baby" is my Lore for Magic in my Setting.
Basically the Original God of Magic split himself into three to give balance and stability to an unthinking World but is in itself something whimsical and thinking.
So there are three Moons which represent three dragon Gods of the three Casting Stats which each mirror the Material Plane in weird ways where just being there makes the place react to you.
The blue Moon of Intellegence represents Arcane Magic, it represents the Planet in a 1:1 basis and when you think of something and can reason it to happen, it will happen, sort of magic bending physics, the Goddess of this Moon is the Goddess of Crystal Dragons and the creator of most abbarations and gave Humanoids curiosity.
The Crimson Moon of Wisdom represents Primal Magic, on its surface it shows the Material Plane, how it is percieved by the individual and manifests on how you feel, sort of how your mood can change your perception of your surroundings, the God of this Moon was a God of War and Chromatic Dragons and became the God of Adventure and survival and Beasts and gave Humanoids the instinct to survive.
The golden Moon of Charisma represents intuitive Magic, its surface shows how an individual influences their surroundings through their mannerisms and ideals, magic there is very intuitive and forms how you want to be percieved, the God of Metallic Dragons, wanderers and Storytellers, he created shapeshifters and gave humanoids the understanding of "Self" and the longing for community.
The first dragons were initially born from each of these seperated Magics and because of that Chromatic Dragons were very animalistic at first, Metallic Dragons loved being arround Humanoids and created whole nations and Crystal Dragons traversed the Planes to understand the Universe. As beings of pure Magic they reproduce asexually by combining their Magic into an Egg and Wizards of this World found out to recreate this Ancient Ritual so even couples who could not have children sexually could reproduce.
(Yes this last part is the Actual Weird Baby and I tricked you into reading my Loreeeeeeee >:3)
The new DMG seems to finally be a great book for new DMs. I have personally been playing/running D&D since 1983, so this no longer really applies to me. Then again, experienced DMs is NOT who this book is really intended for. It was great to see that they actually try to help new DMs this time around.
FWIW and in regards to the Kickstarter you mention... Its too bad that Grim Hollow now includes work from a 'writer' who was 13 months late on her own Kickstarter. I would normally have backed, but this was a deal breaker for me. I was 'this' close to backing for $1 just to be able to leave comments, but Ghostfire Gaming didn't deserve that.
For the love of all that is good what song is that at 14:40 !???!
I love how James just instantly comes back with "oh yea page 64, its all about doors"
also his quote at 11:34 out-of-context is amazing 😆
"WotC and Hasbro didnt pay me."
Checks out.
One of the corpo moments of all time.
Don't be an ass, dude.
"I did not in any way profit from this definitely an agreement I made with a multinational greedy af corporation" face meet Palm
@@danielp.2213 dude what is the issue here. Like Jesus Christ. Do you not understand that getting the book is not the same as sponsorship?
They dont even like paying their employees let alone youtubers
Types of players was up front in the 4e DMG. Glad they brought that back, it was good.
I respect that while plugging Grim Hollow, you mentioned the VTTs and mentioned DNDbeyond last with a LAUGH, as if to suggest that someone would be stupid for using it. Thank you for doing your part.
Out of all the WOTC staff interviews with UA-camrs, I don't think I've heard the devs have so much fun until this interview with Jacob. It sounded like they found a lot to relate to.
Video starts at 1:10
C'mon it's 1 minute, it's really not that much of a hassle
@ a minute of irrelevant yapping
@@strbourne some people just wanna get to the meat and potatoes. To each their own. Nothing wrong with that
This is such a cool video. Just so many good vibes and fun.
10:26 Dear god... not again
I see we meet again, my greatest foe
I came into this video wanting to hate the new handbook and left frustratingly loving it. I want it now, gosh darn it Jacob.
"I come with grave news m'lord the coastal wizards hath cookedth! Our cheffs shudderuth with fear m'lord!"
You said two positive things and I instantly went "oh they're going back to how they did it in 3.5. Good idea"
I'm still on 3.5.
Mostly because I also run Pathfinder and it's just easier to introduce it to the players when they inevitably ask to play since the books are right beside my DnD books. I do occasionally run 5th, but it's rare.
it the best one imo. TRUENAMER FOR LIYFE
You have taste, good sir. To quote a modern genius: "5th edition can eat my entire @ss".
Thanks for making sure we know.
Sounds like the new DMG goes back to the rules light design ala B/X and BECMI, empowering newer DMs to combat rules lawyer players as well as reigning in murder hobo players. I always felt the 2014 DMG was merely a reference tool, and the game could easily be played with just an MM and PHB rendering that particular DMG useless (IF you have DMed before, or other editions of D&D.)
Great review and interview, I may actually pick this book up.
Doesn't matter. Still WoTC and I refuse to back them anymore.
Because you have been manipulated and misinformed by TTRPG UA-camrs. If you have any pride, just look up whether they actually did any of the stuff you were told they were doing.
I love where Chris is talking about magic items and mentions the Cloak of Billowing. I, too, am of the mind that magic items don't always need to be functional to be enjoyable. I think a character of mine years ago actually had that very cloak. And most of my characters like/wear cloaks because I as a player like cloaks lol A character of mine also had a Skin of Endless Ale once. Which was, just as it sounds, a waterskin that's actually like a bag of holding but connects to the Elemental Plane of Ale. So I just had an endless supply of ale at all times. Practically functional? No. Fun? Absolutely.
ads over at 1:10 everyone
Lame af, it's less than a minute and a half.
I've got sponsor block ;)
Not all heroes wear capes
@@calebilo8825bro loves watching ads
Ahh thank you my good sir.
You're my favorite D&D channel.
Bomb Arasaka
Love the shoutout for the Cloak of Billowing. Easily the coolest more useless item in the game. I will always give it to a player who wants it.
From all the reviews I've seen, this is shaping up to be the best DMG of my lifetime and I'm a cranky old dude who's been involved with D&D since 2e
I think of all the 'celebrities' in the world, if given the choice of a couple hour conversation about stuff, I would pick Chris Perkins. That dude has forgotten more about D&D than most of us will ever know and I am 100% certain he could tell the most insane stories ever. Kudos, Jacob, on keeping the interview about the book...there is a 0% chance I could focus on one topic the entire time. I'm also sure that at some point I would giggle and say YOU'RE CHRIS PERKINS! right to his face, as if he did not know what his name was...
0:27 RDJ? Is that you?