Starting the new Dungeons and Dragons 5E 2024
I tried to play Dungeons and Dragons 5E for the first time in May 2024. Honestly, I was skeptical. The system of rules looked quite complicated and utterly new to me, and I didn’t have the energy or motivation to dive deep into the books.
Sure, I have known about D&D for many years (not all fifty; I’m not that old). However, I played many computer games based on D&D rules, so I gained some foundational knowledge, mostly from older edit
Our game master chose Candlekeep Mysteries for our group, and that experience gave me some nostalgic feelings. It was great. I wanted more. My wife surprised me with the new 2024 edition, and while waiting for it, I started researching more about D&D on the internet. Before I found some lovely blogs focusing on the hobby, I was bombarded by tons and tons of YouTube videos. My wife was already watching some D&D creators, so I got some recommendations from her and then from the algorithm.
Eventually, the machine started bombarding me with videos of people expressing frustration with the game, especially the new edition. While I can understand some of their frustration with various changes (as nobody likes change), I’ve seen very few of these videos. As a newcomer with no emotional bond to it, I find the system good enough for my needs. Yes, you can discover some unbelievably overpowered combos, but that’s not the point of the game; the point is to have fun and not to beat the rules.
There were also many amazing videos and channels covering D&D from various perspectives: DMing, world building, map making and, of course, playing… there’s so much to explore. It was inspiring, and I decided to become a game master once again. Embracing my inner megalomaniac, I started by creating my own world, probably reusing some of the ideas I had 25 years ago, making maps, drawing, and then running my first session.