D&D 2024 New Rules Guide
Heroic Inspiration
Inspiration from 2014 has been renamed and has a new mechanic:
Re-roll any die immediately after rolling it, and you must use the new roll.
Actions
Actions have been expanded to provide more clarity of the options available.
| Action | Summary |
|---|---|
| Attack | Attack with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike. |
| Dash | For the rest of the turn, give yourself extra movement equal to your Speed. |
| Disengage | Your movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attack for the rest of the turn. |
| Dodge | Until the start of your next turn, attack rolls against you have Disadvantage, and you make Dexterity saving throws with Advantage. You lose this benefit if you have the Incapacitated condition or if your Speed is 0. |
| Help | Help another creature’s ability check or attack roll, or administer first aid. |
| Hide | Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. |
| Influence | Make a Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to alter a creature’s attitude. |
| Magic | Cast a spell, use a magic item, or use a magical feature. |
| Ready | Prepare to take an action in response to a trigger you define. |
| Search | Make a Wisdom (Insight, Medicine, Perception, or Survival) check. |
| Study | Make an Intelligence (Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, or Religion) check. |
| Utilize | Use a nonmagical object. |
Each action can be used only one at a time, either in a social encounter, exploration phase or combat round.
Social Interaction
In order to make social interaction better structured, consider the possible NPC's attitudes towards the player characters:
| Attitude | Disposition | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Friendly | Views the PCs favourably | Advantage on ability checks to Influence |
| Indifferent | Doesn't want to help or hinder the PCs | Default attitude |
| Hostile | Views the PCs unfavourably | Disadvantage on ability checks to Influence |
Surprise
A surprised creature has disadvantage on initiative rolls.
Moving Around Other Creatures
Pass through other creature's space if:
- Ally
- Incapacitated
- Tiny creature
- Creature 2x larger or smaller
Difficult Terrain if not an ally.
If movement ends in a hostile creature's space, you have the Prone condition.
Cover
Cover didn't really change, however it's always good to get reminded:
| Degree | Benefit to Target | Offered By... |
|---|---|---|
| Half | +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws | Another creature or an object that covers at least half of the target |
| Three-Quarters | +5 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws | An object that covers at least three-quarters of the target |
| Total | Can’t be targeted directly | An object that covers the whole target |
Weapon Mastery
Each weapon has a mastery property, which is usable only by a character who has a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks the property for the character.
Putting on/away Armour and Shield
Now, donning and doffing armour has the requirements listed on the table below. Note, in case of the shield, doff means putting the shield away strapped to yourself.
| Armour | Don | Doff |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 1 min | 1 min |
| Medium | 5 min | 1 min |
| Heavy | 10 min | 5 min |
| Shield | 1 action | 1 action |
Utilize action.
Dropping the shield, as well as any other item, to the floor is a free action. However, if you move away from it, you can't retrieve it.
Tools
A tool helps you make specialized ability checks, craft certain items, or both. A tool’s description includes the tool’s cost and weight, as well as the following entries:
- Ability
- Utilize
- Craft
- Variants
Example:
Alchemist’s Supplies (50 GP)
Ability: Intelligence
Utilize: Identify a substance (DC 15), or start a fire (DC 15)
Craft: Acid, Alchemist’s Fire, Component Pouch, Oil, Paper, Perfume
Adventuring Gear
Now each item of gear describes how it can be used, if it requires an ability check, or another action. As well as the effects it provides.
Example:
Acid (25 GP)
When you take the Attack action, you can replace one of your attacks with throwing a vial of Acid. Target one creature or object you can see within 20 feet of yourself. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 plus your Dexterity modifier and Proficiency Bonus) or take 2d6 Acid damage.
Crafting
Crafting now is more structured, and several items can be crafted: nonmagical items, potions of healing and spell scrolls.
The main mechanics require a tool, raw materials, and time.
Spell Casting Time
The rules now clarify:
- Only one spell with spell slot can be cast per turn
- Reaction and Bonus Action spells use now the trigger and effect format:
Example:
Level 1 Evocation (Warlock)
Casting Time: Reaction, which you take in response to taking damage from a creature that you can see within 60 feet of yourself