Summary

A new Dungeon Master guide forDungeons & Dragonshas been revealed and is currently available for pre-order. Wizards of the Coast is planning to release the new guide as part ofDungeons & Dragons' 50th-anniversary celebration and is intended to improve the experience for both new and existing DMs.

As reported byMirror,the new DMG will let Wizards of the Coast reorganize content with an updated layout, as well as new content, art, and maps. It will, however, use the 5th Edition core ruleset, making it compatible with thepreviously published 5e materials.

Two massive dragons in flight preparing to blast each other while a party of adventures takes cover within a wizard’s bubble shield

D&D Officially Reveals Its 2024 Player’s Handbook & Pre-Order Info

Wizards of the Coast finally reveals Dungeons & Dragons' 2024 Player’s Handbook and it’s stacking up to be a major upgrade from the previous edition.

The New DMG Cover Art Is All About The Villains

Showing Off Multiple Layers Of Villains

The new DMG cover art focuses heavily on thevillains of theDungeons & Dragonsuniverse,from the lowly skeletons or “grunts” emerging from the water at the bottom of the piece to characters like Skylla and Warduke, who serve as mini-bosses, to Venger - who fans may recognize as the main antagonist from the cartoon series that ran in the mid-1980s - who can be seen standing above them all casting a spell with his wings spread wide. Behind them all lurks a giant Dracolich, hinting at the creature’s role as a potential mastermind.

The back cover art also shows an adventuring party exploring an ancient Mind Flayer temple, further hinting at another iconicDungeons & Dragonsfoe.

Skylla and Warduke surrounded by skeleton grunts on DnD’s 2024 DM guide artwork

Head of Art atD&Dfor Wizards of the Coast, Josh Herman, explained the inspiration behind the new cover art, stating thatthese villains represent “the amazing toolkit that DMs get to play with.“While Herman acknowledges that DM’ing is more than just monsters and combat, he still points out that it’s a really fun part of being a DM, and therefore, Wizards of the Coast wanted the cover art to be something that would let players actually see the options that the book presents to them.

While the new guide isn’t a new edition or a “5.5 edition”, Wizards of the Coast has set out to update it with a familiar but fresh approach that could make it worth picking up for those looking for a modern refresh.Dungeons & Dragons' new DM guide is expected to be released on August 18, 2025, and is available for pre-order on theDnD storestarting August 17, 2025.

Source:Mirror,DnD store