2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, and the popular roleplaying game has several new releases in store. This year is set to mark the release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, a new Vecna-centric adventure, and more.
“D&D has a rich history, an exciting present, and a great future. This year we’ll be celebrating all three with the 50th Anniversary of the first publication of Dungeons & Dragons. We’ll take you through the making of the game, bring some of the classic adventures to today’s play, visit the most iconic settings in the D&D multiverse, and kick off the future of the game with the new 2024 core rulebooks that are the heart of the game.”
Kyle Brink, Executive Producer of the D&D team at Wizards of the Coast
Vecna: Eve of Ruin
The first new adventure to release in 2024 will be “Vecna: Eve of Ruin.” This adventure is designed for higher-level characters, taking them from levels 10-20, and features the famed archlich Vecna as the primary antagonist.
According to the product description: “Vecna: Eve of Ruin is a high-stakes adventure that takes characters from levels 10-20. You’ll tour the multiverse to revisit beloved settings such as the Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, and Greyhawk, and team up with archmages to put an end to Vecna’s nefarious plot.”
Vecna is a somewhat well-known name even outside of D&D players, with the main villain in “Stranger Things” season 4 taking his name. The original Vecna debuted in 2nd edition, hailing from the world of Oerth in the Greyhawk setting, but has made his way across the multiverse (including Tal’dorei, as he appeared as a primary antagonist in season 1 of “Critical Role”).
D&D players also know Vecna for two powerful artifacts he left behind: his hand and eye, each of which can grant great power at a terrible price. (The “Head of Vecna” is another story, but a popular one among players.) D&D Beyond also released stats for Vecna in The Vecna Dossier, but whether or not those stats will remain the same in “Eve of Ruin” has yet to be seen.
“Vecna: Eve of Ruin” will be released May 21, 2024, and is available for preorder on D&D Beyond, including a digital and physical bundle.
Quests from the Infinite Staircase
The next adventure is an anthology containing adventures for level 1-13 characters. “Quests from the Infinite Staircase” updates six classic D&D adventures for fifth edition, similar to how “Tales from the Yawning Portal” adapted classic adventures like “White Plume Mountain” and “Tomb of Horrors.”
According to the description: “The Infinite Staircase leads to fantastic realms and is home to the noble genie Nafas, who recruits heroes to help fulfill wishes made throughout the multiverse.“
Most adventures in the book have not yet been announced. However, one adventure, “Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth,” will be made available early for play at conventions, in addition to being released free on D&D Beyond.
“Quests from the Infinite Staircase” will be released July 16, 2024.
2024 Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual
When Wizards of the Coast announced “One D&D” (as it was called at the time), part of the initiative was an update to the core rulebooks: the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. Players had the opportunity to preview and provide feedback on the proposed rules and stat changes for the Player’s Handbook over the past year, but as the release date approaches, the changes are preparing to be finalized.
The changes include updates to races and classes (including, controversially, the removal of the half-elf and half-orc races), adjustments to certain mechanics, and a reworking of monster statblocks. However, WotC has made it clear that this is not a new edition, but an update to the current 5th edition, and that all previous books and adventures should remain compatible with the new rules.
The three books will be released separately from late 2024 to early 2025. The 2024 Player’s Handbook will be released September 17, followed by the Dungeon Master’s Guide on November 12. Finally, the Monster Manual will be released February 18, 2025.
And More
The announcement also mentioned new merchandise, partnerships, and more. These include:
- “The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977,” a new book exploring the history of the game, including key documents and an early draft of D&D’s first edition.
- A partnership with Converse to create new footwear and apparel
- A LEGO partnership to create new D&D-themed sets and minifigures
- D&D-themed Pop-Tarts
2024 promises to be a big year for Dungeons & Dragons, as befitting its 50th anniversary. Keep an eye on G33k-HQ as more announcements are revealed.
Source: Dungeons & Dragons Celebrates 50th Anniversary in 2024 with More than 50 Million Fans
