Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition
Rating:  -
I'll get right to it... as a fan of many versions of D&D to one degree or another, and a long-time player of 3rd edition, how does the new one stack up? Well, this game is certainly different than all the others. In fact, I think that had it not the D&D brand on it, it would scarcely be recognized. This game takes some new design directions with the game, some of which I like, and many I do not.
One of the main changes WotC set out to make with the new edition was to "reboot" the game, and make it simpler to play. Indeed, in the former respect, they succeeded. Old D&D material, at least those involving game rules, will be largely incompatible. The rest might fit into the new system with some rationale tweaking, but that's left up to the DM.
Is the game actually simpler to play? In a word, no. A new player sitting down to his first character sheet will find it a veritable grid of blanks which must be rolled for, calculated and filled in. During this time they will choose a race and class, arrange their scores, fetch modifiers from tables, and choose from a new menu of combat powers to employ. Players who are itching to get their characters into a fight (and who wouldn't be, with the impressive array of strengths a new character has right out of the gate?) will find themselves lost in the same jungle of tactical combat that they were in 3rd edition. This game still can most certainly not be played without miniatures by 95% of the gaming population, which is a minus in my book.
It is clear that combat is the focus of the game here. One of the big intentions of the edition is that each character's involvement in combat would be overhauled, giving characters of every ilk "something to do" at every level. By "something to do" they mean employ some sort of combat based power, of which every class has several to choose from. Gone are the days when the fighter has nothing to do but fight head-to-head, and gone are the days when the non-combatant classes are ineffective in battle. Every character is tough as nails, and has an assortment of impressive powers to use, all of which are carefully balanced. This makes the tactical aspects of play rather satisfying regardless of your character's chosen profession, but it damages the simulation aspects of the game a bit. Characters are superheroes, no longer is the adventure burdened by the lack of consumable resources. Wizards always have access to battle magic. Clerics no longer have to worry about using healing magic, as characters only need a short break to recover hit points. Rogues do more than sneak and pick locks, they are now effective offensively as well. Fighters are better than ever at holding back the flood of enemies until the other classes manage to accomplish all this. Oh, and you can do stuff outside of battle, too.
The rules changes make it a better combat game, but fail when trying replicate the goings-on of a fantasy world. Take for example the "marking" power. How exactly does one "mark" an enemy in battle? Point at him and say "hey you!"? And why does this translate into a tangible bonus? It works fine mechanic wise, but it doesn't really simulate anything... its there just for sake of making a mechanic. Along the same line, most environmental hazards (and encounters, if you blindly follow the advice of the DMG and MM) all scale to the character's current power level, destroying a bit of consistency that would make the world more believable.
D&D changes the default assumptions about the game setting too, a great many of the classic tropes of the game were destroyed in favor of a new D&D-brand fantasy. Dragonborns and Tieflings (draconic and fiendish humanoids, respectively) step out of the pages of expansion campaign settings into the world of Generic Hasbro D&D. Classic monster definitions and backstories are completely overhauled. These ain't your grandaddy's hobbits, for sure. Everything is suped up with some degree of combat functionality too, letting DMs get in on the tactical frenzy.
I spend so much time talking about combat, because that's what the books do. Though I suspect most campaigns run with this rules set will be rather combat-heavy, the other 90% of adventuring life has not received a proportional amount of detail. Only surface detail has been given to the DM for the creation of cities, people (at least, non-heroic ones), items (at least, "boring" non-magical or non-weapon ones), creating stories, dungeons, or anything really. I think when people say this game has an "old-school feel", this is what they mean... where little is detailed except battle and adventuring rules. Be that as it may, this game certainly doesn't "feel" like old-school D&D in practice at all. The games were designed with very different principals in mind. The definition of what role-playing is changes with the times. Looking at the new art describes this for you right away. Characters are no longer farmers who beat plowshares into swords and go on a quest for power and wealth. They are sleek, sexy, and larger-than-life, dazzling foes with powerful magic weapons and spells, and on a quest to get even sexier.
With all these complaints I've made, I've left little room to discuss what I DO like. The things they actually DID simplify (like saving throws and skills and the like) were actually approached well. Despite this game almost being a slap in the face to DMs, its also a smaller, quieter slap in the face of munchkins, since its difficult to spend hours poring over the books to squeeze out combat advantage instead of roleplaying.
I'd play 4e, but only if no other fantasy game was available. The "base" material really doesn't fit with any setting but its own, so some work will need to be done by imaginative DMs. The game is still complicated and tactical, and bogs down in combat. It slays a lot of D&D's sacred cows, for burger or worse. It's a new P&P game world for the video game age, where everyone you meet is the most impressive bad-*** mofo ever. Players will love all the shiny new powers and magic items they get to pick from. DMs will have to be on their toes more than ever to keep the challenges flowing. I don't really think they took the right steps here... instead of trying to make D&D something special in a world dominated by steriod-pumping-video-game-elf-supermen, they seek to emulate it in hope of drawing from the fanbase. D&D used to be capable of so much that computers could never simulate, but now more than ever the game seeks to take power out of the DM and player imagination.
A 4e game can be successful if the players cut their DM some slack and look for creative solutions to problems instead of trying to bash it with Tide of Iron or Lance of Light. The DM needs to think outside the box, create a good story both on and off the battlemat. There's more to dungeons than monsters and traps, and more to worlds than dungeons and shops. D&D was never about "balance" and it never will be. Its about a bunch of dudes who decided to go into a dungeon one day.
It may not be worth $90 to get a system which really doesn't change the core, except for focusing it. Of the rest they mutate or eliminate just about everything though. Or better yet, get a better printing, because the ink smudges. To talk briefly on the book workmanship here... its adequate, but not $90 adequate. I would have liked to have seen a more inventive layout, better inking, and stiffer covers. The text and artwork is nice though, if you like the sleek comic book style. I did notice a few pictures from the 3e Monster Manual pop up again here, though. I guess I'll forgive it though... there's a lot of pictures in these books. I could also do without the not-so-subtle advertisements for miniatures and other supplement products, but hey, can't blame them for wanting to make more money, right?
If you're a new player, I suppose you could jump in here if you like stylized superhero fantasy with lots of tactical combat, or you want to be able to buy new and current supplements later. If you're looking for a classic experience, or a fantasy game with a broader scope, just about any other edition of D&D, or many other fantasy games, will suit you as well or better.
Rating:  -
I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons since the first boxed set and I have looked forward to each new version and this is no exception. Each new version has tried to improve on the core Dungeon and Dragon experience until now. This new version is not really a new version but an entirely new game with very little of the flavor or magic feeling of the original. Now it feels more like a version of WOW or another of the online games. I am not knocking the online games they can be great if that is what you want to play but if you are looking for an intense good old fashioned role playing session with a group of your friends this new version is not for you unless you are under 12. If you are an experienced role player I would suggest that you save your money and stick to 3.5 there should be a lot of second hand material for that around and several other good companies are still supporting it like Necromancer Games. I wish those people bought Dungeons and Dragons as they know what D&D should feel like. Also look for the games put out by pazzio publishing the company that used to put out the Dragon and Dungeon. In short if you are a veteran of the Dungeons and Dragons and enjoyed the old game save your money or better yet spend it elsceware there are a lot of fine games out there unfortunately this company is no longer make such products.
Rating:  -
Definitively this new edition is a big improvement on the gameplay mechanics, from both the player and DM perspectives. Fighter players love to have more options now (not just the Wizards), all characters classes are enjoyable, and for the DM is much easier to prepare encounters.
It does not affect role-playing at all, it is still D&D, the books just not make rules to cover everything, only the areas where rules are actually needed to be.
Rating: -
A very good bargain. Beautiful books. Easy to use and very user friendly. I definitely recommend them.
Rating:  -
Everyone enjoys gaming in different ways. I won't cast my opinion on the rules content of 4th edition, but what I will say is that this three-volume set is very well made. The sleeve is nice and sturdy, and the books are exactly the same as the individually-purchased books. Definately a much better value than just paying coverprice. The only thing that would have made this a super awesome item, would have been if the sleeve had a closing flap, and a carrying strap. If you are thinking about buying the 4th edition set, check WOTC's website. They have already (as of August 26, 2008) posted 20+ pages of errata for these books (mostly Player's Handbook (PHB)). You may want to see if they are going to start publishing books with this errata already included.
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