I Wish The 2024 D&D Dungeon Master's Guide Avoided Mixed Messages

screenrant.com:

While 2024’s revision for was a disappointment to me, the is a distinct improvement over its 2014 predecessor; it is just a shame the book insists on contradicting itself and taking half measures. When I compared my 2014 to the 2024 version, I noted the numerous areas where 2014 had major gaps in its rules and guidance, and 2024’s version offers answers. There are still a few things the 2014 handled better, and even when 2024 excels, it never reaches its potential, sabotaging itself with contradictory language and half-finished ideas.

The biggest area where 2014 outdid the 2024 was in its clear guidance on multiple combat encounters each adventuring day. 2024 ditches multiple encounter days as a recommendation, and that is a major misstep. The system remains balanced around classes that are challenged through resource attrition, with some Long Rest focused classes, and others centered on Short Rests. Now, the offers guidance on building single encounters, but it does not include the same recommendation of six to eight combats per adventuring day. In fairness, the 2014 version did a poor job illustrating how to facilitate those days.

For any longtime fan of, like myself, it was evident that 5e was a peculiar throwback to archaic tabletop RPG design, foregoing nearly two decades worth of advancement from 3e and 4e. The best Uncommon tier magic items are still the Gauntlets of Ogre Power and the Headband of Intellect, since they fully replace a statistic, allowing players to focus their Point Buy elsewhere. Statistic-replacing items had not been a part of the game since 2e, a system that was retired before the turn of the millennium. Seeing them return was baffling.

Dungeons & Dragons' release of the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide is a noticeable improvement from the 2014 book, and makes it easier than ever to DM.

In 3e, magic items added to a character’s base statistics, and 4e removed items that alter base scores altogether, rolling all statistics increases into the