10 D&D Rule Changes In 2024 To Prepare For Now

16.01.2024 - 16:47 / screenrant.com / Ben Brosofsky

2024 is set to be a big year for rule changes, and the transition will be a lot easier for players who get accustomed to some of the more major ones ahead of time. The fifth edition of has undergone some evolution over the years, but mostly in a carefully managed way, with more robust class options or new playable races being drip-fed across a number of books. With the advent of the supposedly perpetual One D&D, however, a sweeping overhaul is happening that could significantly alter the balance of characters or campaigns.

The

Spells like are a bit of a mess in 5e, as adding multiple entities to the initiative order can bog things down, and the summoning spells in tend to be a bit more consistent. Playtest 8 changes the original batch of spells to summon distinct effects rather than entities that enter initiative, simplifying things and making them more distinct from the 's summoning spells. The new has incredibly aggressive scaling, however, so it's likely that it will see some tweaks before the final release.

Cantrips are the bread and butter of low-level magic users in, and they can be a great fallback even at higher levels when resources are running thin. Based on the current status of, 2024 will see changes to key cantrips like and Spellcasters should acquaint themselves with the reworks in advance, as knowing what's been improved can open the door to smarter and more powerful play.

In long adventuring days, one big problem with low-level barbarians is how quickly they can burn through Rage, their most distinct class feature. Playtest 8 lets barbarians regain one Rage charge every short rest, making conservation of the feature a little more manageable. Nothing changes with long rests, which will still fully recharge Rage.

Bastions aren't really a change to the core ruleset of so much as they are an addition, but it's best to get used to the idea in advance. As a method of creating home bases that relies on a specific ruleset, bastions add a new dimension to the gameplay. Dungeon masters at tables that like this part of should prepare for a bigger focus on it, as some parties will no doubt spend more time than ever on their bases.

Monks have been a source of some trouble while working out an updated ruleset for, as their 5e treatment has generally left a lot to be desired despite some powerful items for monks to employ. Playtest 8 seems to have figured out the best balance yet, transforming Deflect Missiles to the more powerful Deflect Attacks and changing some actions to bonus actions. Meanwhile, features like Self Restoration and Superior Defense can be activated without expending either an action or a bonus action.

Scenarios where players might want to fail a saving throw in aren't particularly