If WOTC and other companies consistently put as much quality into similarly affordable sets, I think more people would be interested in playing. In my opinion, this set excels on every level.
I too was very impressed with the D&D basic game. I wish they'd gone to 3rd level (even a stripped down 3rd level with some basic options).
What I wonder about this product is, when I was a kid we got the basic D&D boxed set (the "red box") and where so amazed by it. This new D&D basic set is so much superior in every way with dice, dungeon tiles, and miniatures, but can it create as much amazement in kids today?
This new D&D basic set is so much superior in every way with dice, dungeon tiles, and miniatures, but can it create as much amazement in kids today?
I'd say every way but one, and it's a major one: it's very, very limited. The old Red Box was a (mostly) complete role-playing game, while the new box is just the equivalent to a fancy introductory chapter. That said, it's a VERY fancy introductory chapter, and the minis are what's really special about it.
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I'd say every way but one, and it's a major one: it's very, very limited. The old Red Box was a (mostly) complete role-playing game, while the new box is just the equivalent to a fancy introductory chapter. That said, it's a VERY fancy introductory chapter, and the minis are what's really special about it.
That's the answer to the question that came to my mind as well from the review. I had a very clear idea about the status of the physical components, the presentation and the various goodies but I was less clear on the 'substance' aspect. Assuming that this is a watered down version of the D&D3.x rules, how watered down is it? Basic D&D (Moldvay/Cook) did provide a complete game. How does this compare?
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we got the basic D&D boxed set (the "red box") and where so amazed by it. This new D&D basic set is so much superior in every way with dice, dungeon tiles, and miniatures, but can it create as much amazement in kids today?
Well, my daughter loved everything about it except the game.
Been getting use out of the minis and tiles, though.
That's the answer to the question that came to my mind as well from the review. I had a very clear idea about the status of the physical components, the presentation and the various goodies but I was less clear on the 'substance' aspect. Assuming that this is a watered down version of the D&D3.x rules, how watered down is it? Basic D&D (Moldvay/Cook) did provide a complete game. How does this compare?
You basically get everything you need to play at low level IMO. Inventive users could definitely make this work for more advanced stuff if they wanted to make up their own monsters, allow feats from the list to be spread out ---basically invent multi-classing for it.
It's a good base and compares favorably to red box set (but nothing can ever really capture that magic again). YMMV, of course.
I'm not sure what really to say. I thought it was a pretty good set and 90% of what a beginner box-set should be ( although I'd like to have seen another level or two covered, personally-that's the last 10%).
My daughter liked all the physical stuff, thought the dice were interesting, and so on.
Trying to get her to actually dig the game itself? Just wouldn't happen.
Of course, I started her on stuff where players have a huge amount of input and there really isn't much of a GM in a traditional sense, so that probably was a big part of it. I'll try re-introducing it in a year or two when she's 11-12 and see if she digs on the structure more at that point.
Edit: Clarifying the 10% comment-
I really felt that this product comes really close to an ideal boxed set. The way the intro adventure is set up, the color coding of the dice, the step-by-step instructions, plus all the physical stuff is aces. Truly, my only complaint is the lack of a 3rd or 4th level.
Last edited by komradebob; 04-17-2007 at 10:01 AM..
I really felt that this product comes really close to an ideal boxed set. The way the intro adventure is set up, the color coding of the dice, the step-by-step instructions, plus all the physical stuff is aces. Truly, my only complaint is the lack of a 3rd or 4th level.
Yeah my favorite intro D&D sets (Red box isn't really an "intro" product, as you and others said it's the whole game) are the big Black "classic" box from 1991(2?) with Zanzar's dungeon and the 1999 "Dungeons and Dragons Adventure game." The first allowed for character creation and the second one didn't BUT both included quite lenghty adventures; which is the key IMO.
Yeah my favorite intro D&D sets (Red box isn't really an "intro" product, as you and others said it's the whole game) are the big Black "classic" box from 1991(2?) with Zanzar's dungeon...
Piestrio
I have fond memories of that set. I've read the latest two and haven't been as impressed by them, but then again few of the sets include really detailed solo adventures to get the GM into the know on the rules. It was a nice piece of work for the time, drawing on the same style of the Lone Wolf books and the much more commonly known Choose Your Own Adventure books that were available at the same time. That, I thought, was truly its greatest strength: an excellent teaching tool for getting players into the game. It's an element more designers should consider including.
YMMV, of course.
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