No comments about Against the Giants: A Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Huge pack (D&D Miniatures Product).

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Character Record Sheets: Roleplaying Game Character Sheets, 4th Edition.

1. I am pretty disgusted with the Character sheets package that came today as well. I just cant believe 4 sheets! Arent the encounters based on having 5 players in a party? They could have at least gone the rote of the 3rd Ed and made a sheet for each class with the class info.
   The cover is useless as it falls off as soon as you take off the shrink wrap. Its nice they put the "permission to copy for personal use" on the character shet, but that isnt anywhere else, so some big Copy chains will probably give you grief about putting the cards on a good card stock, and I have no idea what the expense might be for that.
   This was a blatant money-grab. I wish I could give it Negative Stars it is that bad, and I have been a big D&D fan since the 70s. DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM.



2. Ok. I do like, to some extent, the new 4th edition rules. Be that as it may, this suppliment is almost worthless. Yes I do like the Power Cards that you can write various powers on. HOWEVER. If I recall, in the past, Character Record Sheets suppliments would have a pretty decent amount of stuff for you. The first edition CRS has character generation information, along with key definitions of parts on the sheets, along with lists of spells (which, I guess, the Power Cards replace, but still, the original lists were far more specific instead of blank cards you write on). The second edition CRS suppliment also has character generation information, a fairly good amount of sheets (from character sheets forward). The third edition, I could be wrong, had both general character sheets and class specific character sheets (again, I think that is what it held, hadn't used 3rd edition for a while sooo). What do you get here? The product costs roughly 10 dollars. I would consider 65% of what you get with this product is the cost is the artwork. 20% of what you get with the product is the name D&D. 15% of what you get with the product is the actual "character sheets and power cards." That is to say...Yes, you do, as I said before, get blank Power Cards. But. Horrifyingly. You only get a few character sheets. Count them, 4 character sheets. Weee. Do not buy this product. It is this: Worthless. Photocopy the character sheet in the Player's Handbook.



3. If I could give this a lower review I would. I was VERY diappointed that I wasted $9.95 + tax and shipping on 4 measley character sheets (that's right...4!!!) that I could have run off a boatload of copies at Kinkos for the smae price. At the very least it would have been nice to see a complete set of power cards or something to enhance the package. Wizards of the Coast has really dropped the ball here.



4. If you purchased the 3.5 Character Record Sheets, you know how good this product could have been. With the 3.5 Character Record Sheets, each record sheet was redesigned based on a specific character class. In the 4th Edition Character Record Sheets (this product), you get a few copies of the same character sheet you can print off from the website. You also get standard-playing-card-size cards for keeping track of powers (at-will, encounter, utility, and daily) and a few of the same size cards for magic items. If your group is anything like my group, each person has already created his or her own index cards for powers and magic items, making the playing-card-size cards relatively useless (not that anyone could write small enough to get the information on the playing-card-size cards in the first place).
   
   Personally, I could not believe WotC actually released this product in its current form, and I (like many others) feel that I have wasted ten bucks. As past releases have shown, this product could have been so much better. WotC really dropped the ball with this one.



5. I am extremely disappointed in WOTC for this offering. It is a simple character sheet and a few 3 x 5 type cards.
   
   I was looking forward to and expecting the product to be similar to the 3.5 character sheet version, which were excellent.
   
   This is something that should be given free to people who purchase the core books. I love the system but now have my doubts about WOTC's business practices.

No comments about Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Screen.

No comments about Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, 4th Edition.

5 comments about Keep on the Shadowfell (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H1).

1. I've run this module for two different groups now. They have both hated it. In 25 years of running D&D this is the first module I've had a group simply quit in the middle of it. It is a series of miniatures battles almost incoherently stuck together. There is almost no roleplaying, exploring etc.
   
   Here is a sample of how the module basically works. The characters start out immediately in combat on a map. After winning this battle, they arrive in town. Then they can talk to various NPCs who have little depth or information. If you ask the right questions, the NPCs gve you directions of where to go next, like "The keep is northeast of here." Then, if the characters want to go to the keep, they are instantly there (well, they get ambushed first, using the first map again).
   
   What if the characters don't ask the right questions? It doesn't matter. My players wished to find the hidden lair of the kobold brigands. How hard is it to find this hidden lair? Well, the module says if the characters decide to search for the hidden lair, pull out the lair map and start the lair encounter. I felt like I was in a bad 1980's computer game "click here to go to hidden lair."
   
   So essentially the module is all about combat. Is it fun combat? My players haven't enjoyed it. The worst part of the module is it makes it hard to tell if 4th edition is flawed or if just this module is bad.



2. For a long I hadnt seen a D&D product so beautiful.
   Made me remember of the old campaign box, wich came along maps and other utilities. Not quite the same thing as the past but as much as nice.
   Better than the 3rd edition commom paperback adventures.



3. I've dabbled in DnD since it first came out and couldn't wait until my kids were old enough to play. I had introduced them to the 3rd edition, and it was fun, but the rules seemed so daunting to them, they never felt like they could do more than scratch the surface. So we all were looking forward to the 4th edition rule set.
   
   I have to say that I was a little taken aback when I first started reading the 4th edition rules. They seemed a bit too simplistic and were more streamlined than I anticipated. But once we started playing....
   
   It actually took a few sessions to for the spirit of game to really sink in. This version is all about letting the players try anything they want. They are heros! And the rules are there to support that mindset. They made my job as the DM so easy. I could focus on the encounters and the players were spinning the story as they went!
   
   As for the Keep on the Shadowfell module, I think it provides a wonderful example of how to design compelling story lines. The encounters were well balanced with a good mix of interesting creatures and great settings. The tactical options were countless. Our group wanted to run through some of the scenarios multiple times because new strategies and tactics were constantly being discovered. I've never had so much fun DM'ing! The encounters are well laid out. They will serve as a great model for me as I dabble in creating some of my own encounters. There are many threads in the story that will make compelling jump off points for an ongoing campaign.
   
   Another great thing about the module are the concise 4th edition rules summaries that are included. They have made it really easy to get new players up and running in just a few minutes. It really is all a group needs to get started with DnD.
   
   The long and short of it is this: My kids and I are having a blast! We only play once a week, but they now talk about DnD all the time. They have gotten so many of their friends excited, we don't enough room to let them all come over and play at once. This has convinced me that the new rules are the best yet at striking the right balance between having an approachable game for newbies, a compelling game for gamers, and a wonderful vehicle for DM's to participate in the unfolding of epic adventures! Keep on the Shadowfell serves as a good example of how various 4th edition elements can be mixed up to produce compelling encounters that will keep players retelling their stories for years to come!



4. Keep on the Shadowfell is was a very good product and is useful even without the other core books. Definitely worth the money.



5. Great product! Very easy to read through. It does a good job of explaining how the adventure should be run, but also allows for changes that you deem appropriate. If you're thinking of DMing an adventure for the first time, start with this. Even if you've been DMing for awhile and would like a campaign to run, try this one, you'll enjoy it.

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition.

1. The dungeon master's guide for 4th edition is truly designed with the dungeon master in mind. Gone are the days where the players would need their own DMG for referencing their magic items, item creation feats, prestige classes, and other odds and ends. The DMG now focuses on the how to building encounters, adventures, campaigns, and settings. It starts with an introduction to DMing for new game masters. It runs through the purpose of a dungeon master, expectations that you should have for your group, and how to make the game work for your players. For a new DM, this will help get you off to a good start. For an experienced DM, the section will mostly feel like old hat, but is not without its own insightful tidbits.
   
   The next sections of the book focus on encounters. They talk about combat encounters. They tell you how to build encounters for a given group size and party level. Give you advice and guidelines on how to make encounters that are challenging, interesting, and easy to run. It takes a lot of the guess work out of building encounters, and is a lot more intuitive than the CR system used in the last edition. Let me put it this way, you can throw together a really interesting combat encounter in five minutes that will match well with your party. If you are an improvisational DM, then you know just how awesome that is. After a long discussion on terrain, an oft-overlooked component of combat design, they go into non-combat encounters. Skill challenges are a great concept that gets a lot of development. They formalize what was previously a nebulous concept, using skills to resolve an encounter. They give examples of skill challenges, target DCs by level, advice on building them, and advice on how to improvise along with player ingenuity. They also give some time to traps and puzzles. The puzzles section, in my opinion, was a little bit lacking. They left out entires classes of puzzles, such as spacial puzzles, and focused only on the most esoteric forms that, quite frankly, are very jarring to come across. In the end, though, most of the encounter section gives nothing but useful guidelines and sound advice.
   
   Similar statements can be made on the rest of the book, it's filled with rules of thumb and thoughtful advice. The only really bad thing that I have to say about the book, however, is that it has some blatant advertisement in it. For example, as opposed to saying that you need "something to represent characters and monsters," or even just saying "miniatures," the DMG says that you need "D&D Miniatures." Similarly, references are dropped regularly to other materials like Dungeon Tiles and DnDinsider. Admittedly, these are all nice luxuries for a game, but the product placement seems out of place.
   
   Dungeon Masters should definitely give this book a read through, it will improve your games and make preparation super easy. Don't expect the DMG of generations past, though.



2. I borrowed a copy of this and the PHB from someone and read the pair of them from cover to cover just so I could say that I had read them. I've got all the 3rd edition books (some of which I wish I hadn't bought). Even if I had liked what I read in 4e I wouldn't drop 3.5 to play it simply because, for me and my group, 3.5 isn't broken and we've invested too much and effort into it to drop it for another system. 4e is, as many here have said, Wizards' desperate attempt to appeal to all those kiddies who'd rather be playing WoW or some other MMORG. They're clever buggers though. They raped an rpg called Earthdawn for 3rd edition, why not do the same to the most popular video game of the day. Im sure it'll work for them on the money side. It made them rich with 3.5. Im wondering what Wrath of the Lich King will do to their sales though. Who wants to play WoW without the graphics?
   4e? Its a streamlined, dumbed down, annoyingly uncomplicated DnD. Gone are all the cool things I love about 3.5. Where 3.5 allows for an endless array of characters, 4e looks to me to be not unlike WoW characters who come in about 3 versions per class, one of which is always going to be toted as the best 'build'.
   I've heard a lot of people criticize 3.5 over wizards having spells per day and it being limiting. I play a lot of successful wizards and I never have a problem. 4e though has spells that per day, per encounter, per round, etc. That's no less absurd to me. What the heck is a per encounter spell? That's absurd. What if the encounter is 1 rd and the next 25 rds? Not to mention they removed spells from the game. Its just sad.
   Thank you Wizards for 3.5. I don't need this latest dire wolf in WoW's clothing.



3. Wow, it has been 20+ years since I felt the urge to write a letter to the creators of my favorite game. Back then I wrote to TSR in Lake Geneva to ask a simple rules question and got a hand typed letter back signed by the "Big Guy" himself. I was awed and shocked to get such a response.
   
   Unfortunately this time I feel compelled to write not asking a simple question but to say a complicated good bye.
   
   I have been playing since the very early days of TSR, since that time I have taken my D&D campaign everywhere with me; College, eight years flying around the world in the USMC, through the several moves across five states and now teaching the game to my three children. I am not the streotypical gamer, living in mom's basement and driving a 1977 AMC Pacer-wagon (though my Mom and Dad actually bought a powder blue one when I was in high school, needless to say I walked to school). I am a manager for a multi-billion dollar, multi-national corporation and make a very nice living at it. As such I have been able to collect over the years a rather large RPG library and have sitting on my desk almost every title WOTC has published, with the exception of the Eberron and Dragonlance series which I just not got into for one reason or antoher.
   
   But now it appears that it time for us to part ways.
   
   I purchased the new Fourth Edition rules and devoured them while on vacation. I read the books cover to cover and was completely disheartened at the end of my read. I could have cried. The game that I have played and loved since the 8th grade is dead. It hit me just as it did when GDW switched to the Traveller: New Era rules, the game I loved was gone and the publisher stumbled along with a similarly titled game that was but a shadow of the original.
   
   When my wife, who after a year of MMORPG'ing has only recently switched to tabletop gaming, saw how distressed I was she picked up the books and started skimming through. Although a veteran of only a few D&D 3.5 sessions she too saw this was not the same game we had played with my kids. After an hour or so she looked over the top of the PHB and asked me, "Do you think the guys at World of Warcraft know WOTC stole their game?" We discussed the new rules for quite a while and I began to make a list of what I would need to change in my current campaign so that I could bring the kids into the new edition. That list soon turned into a list titled "GOOD CHANGES" and "BAD CHANGES", thinking I could simply devise some house rules or cobble the 3.5 rules into place where the new 4E rule went against the grain.
   
   As the list progressed I soon found that there was little point.
   
   Lets face it you have shifted your target audience away from gamers like me to the new generation who demand instant gratification and who find that grinding through the lower levels is beneath them. I have had a few of these types play in my games over the years, the "Dave Bozwell type" from Knights of the Dinner Table, who B.A. lures to the gaming table by giving him a +12 Hackmaster Sword as a first-level fighter. As a manager of a business I understand that you have to set your sights on where the money is in the marketplace and it is apparent that you are going after Blizzard's 9-million WoW subscribers.
   
   I am sure you have read many of the naysayers on the forums and reviews of the new books on sites such as Amazon.com. While you will always have those who resist a change from a previous edition, I can honestly say that my objections to 4E are not because of some grognard stubbornness or wistful reminiscences for times gone by, but purely for mechanical and stylistic reasons.
   
   Stylistic? Yes. The theme of the game has changed, the mood, the ambiance if you will. As an example, in the DMG on page 124 under monetary treasure the portion reads, "By the time characters reach epic level, they rarely see gold anymore." Hmmm, so do they shop at Epic Level merchants and eat at Epic Level taverns? When I read this I could just imagine every merchant in town with a hand written sign in their stall at the market "NOTHING LARGER THAN A SILVER PIECE". That would throw a loop into Mr. Tough Guy trying to buy 50' length of rope at the bazaar with an Astral Diamond. Clearly a case of catering to this new generation, and where do I even begin with the pandering to the "It's KEWL to be evil" crowd with the inclusion of the Dragonborn and Tiefling.
   
   After all the years of my mother asking me when I am going to grow up and stop playing games, I am sorry to see that that time is here. I shouldn't say that I am going to stop, that is not true. My campaign will continue, sadly though without your support. I purchased the DMG and PHB the first day they were released with every intention of continuing my support of WOTC and 4E only to find that I was left behind. It all happened so fast I wasn't prepared to say good bye, but now after a few weeks of reading and re-reading the 4E material I have been able to justify my position and can now finally come to grips with the fact that this is the end of an era.



4. You can read all the bad decisions Hasbro made on this dog in other reviews, but to be susinct: DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. I have never pre-judged any of the D&D editions, loved 3.5 despite the wave of initial anger over it, but this time the critics are right. This is a video game, not an RPG, not even a good wargame. It is dumbed down D&D and really, really, silly. It reads alomst as a parody of the game - it plays like a shadow of it.



5. D&D continues to refine, define and improve the icon of all role playing games. 4th edition proves to be the best rendition of the game yet. It offers smoother combat mechanics, easy to "learn and play" rules and best of all a revamped and, gratefully, improved Magic system! And for classes, there are no more "to be avoided" classes as they are all good to play and balanced. Monsters in the series are easier to plan and run with the new streamlined system and its dependance on minitures to operate combat. And the Dungeons Master Guide, once relagated to the "other stuff" book, now actually tells you how to narrate the system and tips on how to be a better Dungeon Master! The only drawback to this otherwise superior system, is that it seems to have removed most of the background roleplaying aspects that rounded out a character, such as the Craft, Perform and even Ride skiils that were present in previous editions. But, given the overall improvement of the system, it's well worth the investment!

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition.

1. While there are a few monsters that I feel don't belong in the first of the 4th edition Monster Manuals, and there are a few monsters that I feel should have been there that didn't make it, this is still the best Monster Manual yet. The art is fantastic (well, most of it) and the seem to have made sure their is art for every entry this time. The layout is better with entries starting at the top of the left page instead of just "wherever" like the previous books. The new stat blocks are much simpler and straight forward, easier to read and to build encounters with. Great book!



2. D&D continues to refine, define and improve the icon of all role playing games. 4th edition proves to be the best rendition of the game yet. It offers smoother combat mechanics, easy to "learn and play" rules and best of all a revamped and, gratefully, improved Magic system! And for classes, there are no more "to be avoided" classes as they are all good to play and balanced. Monsters in the series are easier to plan and run with the new streamlined system and its dependance on minitures to operate combat. And the Dungeons Master Guide, once relagated to the "other stuff" book, now actually tells you how to narrate the system and tips on how to be a better Dungeon Master! The only drawback to this otherwise superior system, is that it seems to have removed most of the background roleplaying aspects that rounded out a character, such as the Craft, Perform and even Ride skiils that were present in previous editions. But, given the overall improvement of the system, it's well worth the investment!



3. I've been playing DnD for over 15 years, going all the way back to Advanced DnD 2nd ed. with my parents their friends when I was only 7. What has always fascinated me the most is the artwork that TSR (the company that made DnD before Wizards bought them out) would put out with their book. The artwork has obviously evolved over the years, and it's very intersting to see how my peers view the monsters I've been fighting for over a decade.
   
   I strongly recomend you or your playing group but 4th ed. My group was sceptical at first, but the more we learn, the better it's getting.
   
   3.25 for life!
   
   -Chris Morse



4. I waited until I actually used the 4th Edition Monster Manual in play before commenting, but it has been an absolute dream. Overall this powerful tool allows for the rapid creation of interesting encounters. The inclusion of knowledge check data, encounter suggestions, tactics and the format is incredibly succinct. If your prep time is at a minimum I have to believe you will love this rulebook. Not only is it fast and easy, but I have yet to see a monster whether they be the old standard or something very new that is hum-drum. Everything has a twist that worked for my gaming group. I was able to engage a gaming group who've been playing since Gary Gygax wrote everything himself and that was just with the goblins. Nothing's perfect but this is a lot of fun to play.



5. A better title for this book would be either "DMing for Dummies" or "DND Basics: DMing" If you are new to dnd or roleplaying in general then it is a great book , but for the veteran gamers. This book has little to offer other than some trap stats and the fictional setting. If you had to chose a core book to skip, this would be the one. Although the artwork is nice and most people do like having the whole set.

3 comments about Thunderspire Labyrinth (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H2).

1. this is my first D&D4E module purchase, I never picked up H1 because of all the negative reviews on it and so I got the one, from the looks and quick run through, it looks very good and I cant wait to really read it thru and thru and then run it with my group (when they reach 4th level at least, there all 1st still). Product overall is very well made, I wish it was a HB book but oh well, for what it is, thats cool. 4 stars IMO since its not a book.



2. The Wizards adventure team had me worried with Keep on the Shadowfell. The poor quality material, recycled maps, multiple discrepencies between module rules and the core books, and overall poor production value had me concerned about the future of the adventure path. Thunderspire Labyrinth goes a long way to ease those fears.
   
   First thing I noticed was the booklet material. MUCH nicer than the KotS booklets. The pages feel firm, and both the cover and interior pages are much more resistant to smudging and ink transfer. This was a huge problem for me with KotS, and I'm glad to see it corrected.
   
   The map was both exciting and dissapointing. On one hand, it is a very nice map with multiple important areas from the adventure on it. On the other, it is only one double-sided map. KotS boasted 3 double sided full color poster maps, impressive even if they were mostly reprints of D&D miniature's maps with new markings.
   
   The booklets are nicely organized. Book One contains the adventure hooks, first encounter, new monsters, important NPCs, a bird's-eye map of the area the adventure takes place, and a map with call-outs of the adventure's 'town'. It's nice to see these laid out all in their own section, as it makes the module much more useful for folks who just want the locations for inspiration. Book One also contains a random encounter table for overland travel, something sorely missed from the first adventure. Most eye-catching is the final 5 pages, which contain artwork of the area arrayed in an easy to cut out or photocopy section. This adds a great layer to the read-aloud text in the booklet, as you can hand your players a picture showing some of the most important locations in detail. There is also a section giving some direction in expanding the area around the Labyrinth, giving short descriptions of areas not directly covered by this adventure.
   
   Booklet two is somewhat less impressive. Right off the bat, I noticed that it suffers from the same problem as the KotS adventure booklet: there is no back cover. The rear of the booklet is dedicated to details of the final encounter. The adventure's conclusion and aftermath is handled on the same page, in a single 7-line paragraph. While this is sufficient for the module, some might wish for more.
   
   The bulk of Booklet Two is given over to details on the encounters in the adventure. Each area is presented much as it was in KotS: an overview, with full map and description of general features, followed by individual encounters. The overall maps have clearly marked features detailing encounters, and you could easily copy them and chop it up to hand to the players as they explore. The maps in general feel as if they were designed with a maximum of utility in mind: 10 foot wide halls are the norm, and everything looks as if it would be easy to recreate with a drawn playmat or with Dungeon Tiles.
   
   The encounter entries are fairly standard. If you enjoyed the layout in KotS, you'll like these. They have been polished, brought to a higher standard of conformity. Seperated into sections for Setup, Roleplaying, monster stat blocks, Tactics, Features of the Area (including treasure), and Conclusion for lingering details that need handling, the encounters seem made to run smoothly out of the box. I anticipate very little advance prep-work needed for these encounters.
   
   Overall, the adventure seems well written. I'll know more after we've been through it, but I'm looking forward to running it at this time. There is still room for improvement. In my opinion, the lack of a back cover, inclusion of only a single map, and heavy focus on combat encounters drop this product to 4 stars.



3. The other posters explained this in detail but I wanted to add a few items. H2 still comes in the folder form, probably printed before complaints about the first one arose. Compared to H1 this one has less maps, less role playing and less reason to participate (in my opinion).
   
   The quality of the products is comparable. The paper is similar in quality as H1.
   
   In the adventure book 1 there are some neat pictures of the rooms to help descriptions, some DM's will like this, I thought of it as filler. Book 1 also introduced some new monsters, which were valuable. 31 pages.
   
   The second book is basically a series of combat encounters, maybe 2 skill challenges and a lot of trap-like challenges for the PC's. 64 pages vs 80 for H1: KotS. Your group may differ, but usually after the Pc's get caught in one trap the game slows to a crawl and becomes a tedious series of perception tests and thievery skill checks.
   
   Pros: easy to run, many types of combat/trap encounters, new monsters
   Cons: more work for the DM to include role playing opportunities, skill challenges, cost.
   
   Even at the pre-order price, I feel I paid too much for so little material. The numerous H1 maps (while pre-released elsewhere) were helpful and useful outside of the module. The SINGLE double sided map in H2 is not really useful outside of the H2 adventure which is basically a dungeon crawl with lots of traps.
   
   If you're looking for a great adventure for a good price, check out Red Hand of Doom. It would be worth the effort to take the time to modify the monsters in RHoD to 4th ed. and play it that way. The $25 list price for a module that is half of H1 is not worth it.

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition.

1. A lot of reviewers who come from 3.5 have left negative reviews for the 4th edition, stating a plethora of silly reasons that because this isn't the same game, it cannot be justified.
   
   If you love 3.5, stay there. It's difficult to adapt a campaign into this new ruleset/outlook. You won't be able to tweak the system all day to manage the best damage output, your feats will not make you have a 5 hour long ego fit about how awesome you are.
   
   The game is simplified, in a lot of clear and perfectly nice ways. Changes in alignment remove the confusion that alignment rules are never meant to be a straightjacket.. changes in gameplay make for an even playing field with you and your fellow players, who all have a decent role in group success.
   
   Experience is encouraged to be rewarded for achievements in the story, rather than just through smashing and looting.
   
   In short, D&D has gone back to it's roots in deceptively complex manner. They've simplified and abolished all the little things that took away from the fun, for both your GM and any casual gamer. If you're looking for a way to have a ton of fun with a group of friends, this is it. If you're looking to be the star of the show, and you just can't manage having fun without being the most predictably potent member of your party, you'll hate this book.
   
   D&D is back to be an enjoyable game for more than just the problem players, who were given their time with the 3.5 ruleset. If you were a fan of AD&D, and/or you can appreciate anything about game balance, this is the game for you.



2. This is not D&D. As a DM since 1976 (Blue Box Basic anyone?) I have been with this game (and others...Palladium RPG...Warhammer...Jorune...the list goes on) since practically the beginning. I have purchased each edition as it came out hoping that it would be a vast improvement over what has come before it. I have a bookcase filled with 2nd Ed., 3rd Ed.& 3.5 Ed. core rules, modules, supplements and "essentials" that now all sit uselessly on the shelves. The only game my players want to play (and the only one I want to DM) is the original AD&D 1st edition. It was role playing at its core. Simple rules, but not too simple. Three core books and a host of modules. Our imagination and intelligence handled the rest. If we wanted more gaming ideas or new classes we always had Dragon magazine (a publication that until about issue 250 actually served a purpose).
   
   Now we have WotC bring us D&D 4th ed. Let the money grab begin!!! I preordered all three core books as well as the character sheets (DO NOT BUY THESE SHEETS!!! Read the reviews)and the first two modules (mediocre, but H2 was better than H1). After reading and dry run playtesting the classes (such as they were) and combat system (such as it is) I have to say that this is NOT D&D. This is a miniatures based tabletop game, with a little character advancement capability. All of the spells are resolved as attacks. All measurements are in spaces (as in tabletop game board). This is not what I was hoping it would be. I have Warhammer Fantasy Battle for my tabletop miniatures game, I don't need my roleplaying game to horn in on that territory. Thanks, anyway. Warhammer does a better job of it anyhow.
   
   The classes (no multiclassing?...WTF is a Warlord good for in a dungeon, on a battlefield ala Warhammer...hmmm), the races (Three elf variants?...no half orc?...what do you mean my Dwarf can't see in the dark?),spells and exploits...argh!
   
   It is not a roleplaying game anymore, and that means it's just not D&D anymore. Thanks WotC for putting out such a crappy idea. I can see I'll be saving a lot of money in the near future (as in cancel the rest of my preorders). Once again to 1st Edition I go.



3. I have played D&D for many years. I playtested 4th edition and feel troubled with the results of Wotc's efforts. 4e is not the game we know as D&D. It's not even close. If you have played this game for any amount of time you will no doubt be surprised by the changes they made to the system. Not THAT many people wanted these changes, but here they are nonetheless. I have combined many of my own observations with those from fellow players.
   
   - The PhB no longer includes gnomes or half-orcs. You'll have to buy ANOTHER player's handbook if you want to play those races. Instead we get dragonborn and eladrin, some kind of super-elf that makes the other races weak by comparison.
   
   - Dwarves no longer can see in the dark. Go figure.
   
   - You no longer have the option of rolling for hit points. If so, then what's the point of hit dice?
   
   - Greyhawk is dead. The setting will no longer be supported by the company and yet they have the audacity to keep Greyhawk deities in the core pantheon (whatever that is) and include the names of Greyhawk mages in the spells. This is clearly lip-service for old-school fans who aren't really paying attention when skimming the books. The people who helped launch the brand are now the least important in Wotc's eyes.
   
   - Once a character is affected, savings throws are now a 55/45 affair, and that includes escaping a grapple (strength no longer comes into it, nor does dex.). Bad game design. Period.
   
   - The alignment system, once a wonderful hallmark of the game, has been dumbed down to the point that it no longer matters. Neutral and its sense of balance no longer exist. Guess the designers are fading out the concept of roleplaying, too.
   
   - Paladins are no longer exclusively lawful good but assume the deity's alignment. Paladins were a staple of this game. Now they're gone. That just killed about 5000 Paladin threads over the next five years. 3e respected the sacred cows enough to keep them. Wotc just diluted the entire notion of the class.
   
   - Almost everyone can now raise the dead.
   
   - Rogues can only tumble through the use of a feat, and then only in a particular way. Prepare to have many of your Rogue skills redefines or eliminated altogether.
   
   - There are no druids, bards, or barbarians in the "Core Player's Handbook." If you want to play any of these, you'll have to buy ANOTHER "core" book.
   
   - Rogues and fighters now have magic powers to rival wizards.
   
   - Magic Missile is now a roll to hit spell. WTF?
   
   - Character creation is now quite limited and awkward. The book does not lay things out in a straightforward or coherent manner. The charts and graphs have been replaced with boxed powers for each level. Some may like this change, but if you're used to the charts of old, get ready to scratch your head repeatedly.
   
   - Feats have been replaced with a limited number of powers. I'm sure this will be supplemented by additional books, but to choose only one or two at your character's inception is limiting.
   
   - Wizards are heavilly neutered. But don't take my word for it, just open the book and you'll see.
   
   - Cross-class skills are gone.
   
   - The basics of this game are now spread thinly across multiple books. As I said before, if you want to play a druid of a gnome, wait til they release another book. This is where Wotc's greed shines through the strongest. They know how to bleed you dry.
   
   - There is a general reworking of terminology in line with games like World of Warcraft. I no longer play a fighter but a "striker." My wizard is no longer a mage but a "controller." No, sorry Wotc, I don't think so. A wizard is a wizard, not some battlefield role solely designed for minis.
   
   Anyway, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If any of these changes surprise or disappoint you, you may want to consider keeping your 3.5 books. As for myself, I won't be giving this company anymore money for destroying a game I once loved.



4. I have been playing D&D since 98 (just before 3rd Edition) and DMing most of that time. In my opinion, 4th Edition is a great leap forward. It has quickly become by favorite system to run and is the most fun to play I've seen yet.
   
   The good points (in no particular order):
   *No more useless/overshadowing characters. A lot of people claim all the classes are the same (many of whom haven't actually played the game) and while they all have a similar structure they play incredibly well. And the best part is that they are all on par despite being different. Gone are the days of the wizard having lackeys or the fighter who is pointless without his full attack.
   
   *So amazing to prepare sessions. I hated Challenge Ratings and didn't even know it. In 4th Edition you are given an XP budget (based on how difficult you want the fight to be) and you simply buy monsters with that budget. Creating/improving/weakening monsters is a breeze. In all my years of gaming this is the best system I have run yet. I never want to prepare another 3rd Edition game again.
   
   *Powers make me feel more like a hero than a set of stats. About the time my 1st level wizard cast his 3rd Magic Missile I realized that this is how a wizard should be. A wizard should never have to become a bad crossbowman. Merlin never runs out of spells he can do in a day. And when my fighter pulls into his guy to unleash a Brutal Strike because it's a life or death struggle, I feel... I feel like a hero at long last and I'm only level 1!
   
   *What's a glass character? Characters can now take a beating like never before. Assuming you have no issue with abstracting hit points to mean far more than physical wounds, a fight can feel truly epic. The sword duel from Princess Bride, where there is only one physical blow is a good example. But characters have enough hit points that I don't have to coddle them nor do I have to worry about them walking out of a fight unscathed. Characters fall in battle more often and rise most of the time.
   
   *Defeat is no longer lethal. In 3E I couldn't defeat my players without DM fiat. In 4E if they are fighting a creature who should win, they will fall and likely not be killed. This allows me to say "You awaken in a holding cell" much more often to very cool effects.
   
   The system isn't perfect but it's a big improvement and a great step forward. I highly recommend it.



5. I have played D&D for 30 years and have played all editions. I am currently DMing a 3.5 edition Forgotten Reams campaign. My group has been highly anticipating the new edition. Sadly, we are all disappointed with what the new edition has become. One member of the group even called it blasphemous. The game has changed so much now that it is almost not recognizable as our beloved D&D. It is so different than any of the earlier editions. No backward compatibility and really no comparison.
   
   I have read the Player's Handbook from cover to cover and tried to have an open mind. I summarized my thoughts while reading and many of these thoughts were not favorable. I know that many people will like it and many new people will be brought to the game but there will also be many players that will dislike it. The few that are on the fence will most likely admit that it is a very different game but will play it because it will still be a fun game to play. The following are my thoughts:
   
   Things I like
   * Ability Scores - seem balanced across classes and realistic.
   * Difficulty Checks - d20 is still a Core Mechanic which is great.
   * The powers are intricately thought out and balanced. Keywords in powers are informative and clear and provide the balance in the game. They are also well written and easy to understand. Spells in 3rd edition should be written like this.
   * Milestone and Action Points - I like the idea that characters can earn extra action if they are more successful. Somewhat like being more inspired.
   * Rituals are cool because they are the most like spells and have a unique feeling.
   * Action types seem to be the same which I have liked. They are actually much more flushed out with actions such as Delay Action, Ready an Action, and Shifting.
   * The wizard class still seems cool though not as varied as the old rules. They still wield mighty powers but so does every character.
   * Great strategy is now involved in combat. Each combat round is now an opportunity to be unpredictable, cooperative, and creative in your use of attack and utility powers.
   
   Things I don't like
   * Healing surges - Every character should not have the ability to heal themselves. This is the most ridiculous new rule in my opinion. Also, after an extended rest, a character can regain all hit points. What happens to that deep gash on your leg? Oh, just sleep it off.
   * Alignment - Some alignments are no longer valid (Lawful Evil, Chaotic Good, Neutral). This does not sit well with me because I very much like the old alignment system. Mentions in the rules that similar aligned people are on the same "team". Also mentioned when "law becomes exploitation, it crosses into evil territory" which sounds like Lawful Evil. Without Lawful Evil, where can Darth Vader turn? Chaotic Good gone? What happens to all the planes? Alignment was an area of brilliance in the game and was another way to completely customize your character. By simplifying this formula, it can be seen how the game is catering to those who don't have the patience to learn a rich and complex system.
   * Retraining - Apparently, when a character goes up a level, you can discard an old feat, power, or skill and learn a new one. Characters should not be able to discard things they already know. It is not very realistic and doesn't make sense. I used to be an Olympic quality swimmer but one day I forget how to swim well so I dumped my athletics skill and really have been into history lately.
   * Powers - I don't like that so many attack powers also give bonuses to others while attacking. Too much to keep track of and all characters become much too powerful. Within blast areas, quite often enemies take damage and allies get bonuses... not very realistic. How is this determined? If you have a bad thought about one of the members in your party, are you no longer an ally so that fireball turns your skin black? Not to worry though because you can just spend a healing surge and shake your ally's hand and all is well. There are also so many numbers (bonuses, penalties, conditions) that need to be remembered for each character every round that it seems complicated. A computer would be able to keep track of these which may be the point.
   * Combat - Almost required to play on a grid map. This must have been the way it had to be to make the game successful online. Putting together a party is starting to feel like putting together a Magic The Gathering deck and then people can battle parties (and powers) online.
   * Skills - Very limited list now and no way to customize proficiency in each skill. Seems like each skill now includes a group of skills from edition 3.5.
   * Magic Items - They can be identified after a short rest. Disenchanting an item provides a fine silvery dust that can be sold for gold pieces. This dust is considered concentrated magic and is used in rituals. A magic item power can be recharged by spending a healing surge. Huh? Thrown magic weapons rematerialize in the character's hand after the combat round. Double huh?? Magic items are very different now and there are not nearly as many Wondrous Items and Potions.
   * Seems like the powers of the Ranger are very geared towards either being a two-weapon fighter or a ranged fighter. What if I want a Ranger for the roleplaying aspects but don't want to be forced to fight with two weapons or ranged attack. The biggest problem with this arrangement is that you become pigeon-holed into playing a Ranger in a very limited number of ways.
   * Warlords are mandated to be leaders. I always felt that leadership was earned in a party through respect of the other characters. Paladins can already be pretty pretentious. If a Warlord attempts to join your party, run away as fast as you can.
   * Most wizard spell powers do not increase in damage as a character goes up in levels. This is a huge change from the old rules. No longer can you do 40d6 with a single spell. Bummer!
   * The Destiny Quest and achieving immortality at 30th level is silly. Not all characters need to move on out of the world when they reach 30th level and the fact that it can only happen when all characters of the party reach 30th level is stupid.
   * Savings throws are too simplified. Everyone has the same chance of success or failure regardless of level or the type of save being performed.
   * Keywords seem very related to keywords in Magic The Gathering and have the same sort of effect in the game. Actually, the entire game has a checks & balances similar to Magic The Gathering. The game also seems like a battle in a Warlords video game. One member of my group even considered the Player's Handbook a strategy guide for Diablo II.
   
   General Thoughts
   * Some of the magic and mystique of what make D&D so great is gone from the game. It seems to be more about how well you can beat up on those around you. Very combat focused now.
   * Seems like there are very limited character choices from the Player's Handbook. This might be intentional in order to sell additional books.
   * This game is now so different that it should not have been called D&D. It's as though this was a new game system from another manufacturer. It would be like someone telling me that someone rewrote The Lord of the Rings such that Gandalf decided to wear the ring and battle Sauron himself. This may have made a good video game but I can't see playing with this system for the long-term. Too restrictive so I would be moving on to the next game.
   * Seems like some of the mystery is taken out of the game. Used to be that a character might not know why attacks were not affecting monsters. Now it looks like some of that will go away. Do characters and monsters always know what effects are in play?
   
   General Information
   * I looked at the difference between 3rd and 4th editions for a particular class. In 3rd edition, there are 405 choices of spells for the cleric. In 4th edition, there are only 94 different powers. This limits creativity, options, and customization of cleric characters. The Fighter, however, goes from having virtually no special abilities (except bonus feats) to having 89 powers which provides much more variety to that character class. The Paladin has gone from 53 spells and special abilities to 83 powers. Rangers go from 51 to 88. Rogues go from 12 (and extra skill points) to 87. The wizard goes from 371 spells (and bonus feats and spells from other supplements) to 101 class features and powers. The 4th edition does not contain the Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Monk, and Sorcerer classes from the 3rd edition. Warlock and Warlord are new character classes in the 4th edition.

5 comments about Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition.

1. I haven't been this excited to play D&D since 1987. Gone are all of time consuming +1 this and that welcome to the latest version of D&D, the game that you actually get to play rather than debate.
   
   This version of the game is quick and easy to play. Every class has something to do EVERY round and not just fire the crossbow. 4E brings D&D back to its basics with out the power munchkin factor that 3.0 & 3.5 became overburdened with.
   
   People are going to complain that they can't play a 5th level Fighter/7th Level Wizard/ 8th Level Rogue. Well guess what? You shouldn't have been playing one to begin with. These same folks probably got upset when the wheel was invented too.
   
   Try D&D 4.0 out... I think you will love it. Unless you hate the wheel...in that case go back to your cave and grunt about the good old days.



2. I have been looking over the 4th edition have a lot of complementary things to say about it. One is it reminds me of first edition. It is simple to play and get started. Characters are created quickly and all of a role in the game.
   
   Here are the positives:
   All players are useful during combat. No longer is your mage the weakest member of the party at low level. The at will powers for each member allows them to contribute to combat through out combat. Encounter powers allow players to unleash a big spell for each fight. Daily powers are their signature powers, but are limited.
   
   Character creation is fast. You can roll or you can use a point buy system. If you use the point buy system you don't feel vastly inferior to other characters. The game now gives players 3 stats to focus on for their powers.
   
   Feats are similar to the 3.5. If you pick correct feats you can sort of multiclass or make your character more unique. Wizards can begin to train up to plate armor or use a sword. You can get some abilities of other classes, but it is not a true multiclass, but rather a mixture of abilities. You generally won't get fireball casting fighters, but it only takes 2 skills (as feats) to get a fighter who can cast utility spells called rituals.
   
   Combat favors levels. Some can argue against that, but it is nice that your 30th level fighter is not screwed if he doesn't have armor. Players heal quickly so this helps speed the game to more heroic combats.
   
   They cut down on skills and languages. They also made it so each player has some training in basic skills. Training represents a bigger advantage (+5). Also weapon skills make more sense so a wizard can use a crossbow because it is simple rather than arbitrarily limit them. No longer does it make you have to focus on a few core skills just to keep pace with a skill requirements. Also makes character creation much faster.
   
   Rituals are cool as they allow players to cast utility spells outside of combat and aren't wasting spell slots. If you need comprehend languages you don't stop for the day and relearn a spell for comprehend languages. It was one thing when there were multiple players who were wizards, but basic party of 4 or 5 usually meant you were either prepared for combat or for utility and if you picked wrong you were screwed or slowed the game down.
   
   1st level characters are decent and meaningful. No longer are the first 2 levels sneeze and die levels. You can be heroic from the start.
   
   The dungeon master's guide is improved. It has advice for new DMs, but the ability to modify the monsters for -+3 levels it works well. Some people complain about the monsters not being like they remember there are rules to help fix that in the DMs guide. I think this is a big improvement where you know what happens. Traps are good as well and XP is better explained.
   
   For the monster manual the mnsters are given clear xp and you have minions (basically fodder) and other monsters in different roles. At the end are helpful hints if you want to make them PCs.
   
   Now for the negatives of the system.
   Only a few classes. Everyone has particular classes they favor and many have been omitted. There is PHB2 coming out next year and truthfully I think that is ok. It is a problem is you only have a few players (2-3) who can't fill all roles.
   
   Combat runs on miniature expectations. I like miniatures myself, but I would be happy without having to have tiles and miniatures to run combat. At least it is not WYSIWYG.
   
   Players lack powers outside of combat. Almost all of the powers involve combat. Almost every power does damage and they are intended for a violent confrontation. Rituals help offset that for spellcasters. Still the games seems to focus more on combat and less about influence, charms, etc. The xp system says to overcome a monster/trap gives xp as long as the threat of failure has some consequence. There do not seem to be bonuses for talking or overcoming through non violent means others than the bluff skill.
   
   The DMs guide for experienced DMs has maybe 40 pages worth reading. The rest is fluff, advice or examples.
   
   The monster manual lacks fluff. It does not seem like much, but there is very little as far as history, social organization or anything that gives flavor to monsters. It is hard to get excited. Fine for experienced DMs, but not so good for those who want a 3 dimensional world ready for them.
   
   Overall it is a good system. Level based class systems aren't my favorite, but players who play have a distinct role. The DM will worry less about rule lawyers and he can focus on making a believable world. If you want to play a quick pickup game you can do that. No player will be sitting around because he can't hit a monster because he ran out of spells. The point of roleplaying is to spend time with friends and have a good social activity and this fosters that kind of activity.



3. Love the newest edition of D&D. So far its been a blast to play, and i can't wait for more books to come out. I highly recommend to anyone that likes D&D, RPGs and even for fans of MMO RPGs. I find it easier to learn than 3rd edition.



4. This is a great product for anyone who is going to be DMing. While everything you really need to play as a player is in the PHB, the Monster Manual and the DMG will be indispensable to any DM. The slipcase is made of a great cardboard that is about as thick as the covers of the books. I actually dropped mine when I got it and the case took all the shock and kept the books in perfect condition. I highly recommend this product for its price, looks, and quality.



5. First off, yes I have played using the 4E rules, not once, but twice and never again.
   
   Secondly, before I get accused of being some old-school, hard-core grognard (despite my 20+ years of D&D campaigning) I should say that I play World of Warcraft (WoW) regularly, even more than I play D&D. I like WoW for what it is , and like D&D even more so for what WoW is not. WoW and it's ilk are not role playing games in the sense that there is no character development. Yes there is statistical development, but not character; personality, traits, habits and so forth. And therein lies my chief complaint about 4E.
   
   While many reviewers have said that 4E is an attempt at making a tabletop game out of a MMORPG, I think it is just the opposite. I beleive WOTC/Hasbro had every intention from the start of design to take D&D into the MMORPG world. Just look at the rules, it reads like a video game manual already.
   
   Gone are all of the background information and flavor text, replaced by statistics and mechanical rules which easily translate into hot keys for the computer or console controller. No thinking or problem solving required here, you just keeep hitting the hot key until the monster drops.
   
   The most glaring proof that the designers have given up on role playing and are eyeing taking D&D to an electronic format is the almost linear character developement, which forces players into preset roles. Tanks, Crowd Controllers, yaddy yadda, yadda, again its like reading a WoW manual. These limiting factors are clearly present to set parameters that are easily written in code by some programmer.
   
   It is also evident that the designers have gone after the younger "Instant-Gratification" generation by handing out gonzo powers from the moment your character sheet is filled out. 1st level characters need not fear death no matter the odds unless they run into a streak of bad die rolls (and even then maybe not).
   
   The designers in their efforts to build a game that is cross-platform capable forgot that at its heart D&D is not a game about gaining powers and increasing your character's ability scores. It is about developing your character and the interactions with your fellow adventurers.
   
   4E's focus is clearly not in this vein and any role playing that may occur while using this version of the game is probably a bug that they will fix in patch 4.1.000123133.