Holy cow I'm playing D&D again | Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th...

Great Edition--Well Balanced, Fun to Learn and Teach | Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition | Wizards RPG Team

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	• Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition Wizards RPG Team Wizards of the Coast, 2008 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 183 reviews view larger image
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Mixed Feelings

Just when I had gotten used to 3rd Edition (3.5, really), another edition of the rules came out. Some of the other people I play with were rather excited about the game, so I wanted to give it a fair chance.

PROS: Some of the rules have been simplified, which should make the game even more accessible to new players than 3rd Edition was. Every character class has special powers and abilities, even at 1st level, so everyone has something to do. Spell memorization is gone, so spellcasters don't have to worry about blowing their one spell at 1st level and not being able to do anything. Spell power, or at least the ability for a creature to resist a spell, is now more dependent on caster level, which is a big fix from previous editions. Characters also have some ability to heal themselves, giving healers a chance to do more than just heal during combat. The artwork is pretty good, better than that from the latter days of 2nd Edition, but if you're looking for some of the classic artists (Easley, Elmore, Parkinson, etc.), I haven't found them yet.

CONS: It doesn't feel much like Dungeons and Dragons any more. The change to 3rd Edition was a big step, but WotC maintained much of the character and heritage of the game, from bringing back old races (half orcs) and character classes (barbarians) to resurrecting old titles (Deities & Demigods, Fiend Folio, etc.). They even added details like bookcover colors (blue for DM, brown for players), so while it took some time to get used to the new armor classes, initiatives, and saving throws, it still felt like D&D. The new game is so simplified that it feels odd (not to mention the bookcover colors don't make sense anymore!). There are far fewer spells for spellcasters to choose from, and far fewer magic items as well. So far some of the classic character classes have been removed (druid, bard, barbarian) though some new classes have appeared (warlord, warlock), but the biggest blow is character races. Half orcs and gnomes are gone, though you can now play a warforged (from Eberron), a dragonborn (draconians, anyone?) or an eladrin (as if elves weren't exotic enough). While some of these missing things may reappear as future supplements for 4th Edition are released, the game currently feels too much like trying to emulate a videogame on paper. Parties of characters are more likely to fight mobs of creatures than individual monsters, and combats don't seem to run any faster: a recent six hour gaming session only got our party of six characters through two encounters, with one character dying and another character almost dying. I'm hoping things will improve as the characters advance in levels, but I'm not optimistic.

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Holy cow I'm playing D&D again

I'll cop to it immediately, as someone who is far more of a fan of r-o-l-e playing than r-o-l-l playing I abandoned Dungeons and Dragons a while ago. I got my start gaming in 2nd ed, and the shift to 3rd ed left me very VERY cold so I sought out other systems where character creation (well rounded characters not bardrogueages) was more paramount.

Suffice to say I was skeptical of fourth edition when a friend suggested we give it a whirl on an off day from our current weekly campaign.

What I found was a pleasant mix of easy character creation, well rounded party play and just a hint of most of the things I liked about 2nd edition, and none of the things I didn't.

One of the things I admire this edition for is something I don't think we've ever gotten from D&D before. It seems as if in creating this new edition, the developers actually looked around at the competition and drew from some of the things that makes those systems good. There is a fair bit of Storyteller's skill focus mixed in with the standard D&D in this and I like that a great deal.

I also like the consolidation of skills. Running, Climbing, Swimming, etc. don't need to all be separate skills and they never really needed to be so seeing them all gone and in their place: athletics is a long overdue breath of fresh air.

Immensely playable, I highly recommend it for the limited reasons above and more. I do however offer some caveats.

It's still D&D to an extent so if your goal is a dice light, in-character role playing experience where playing your character out is your main goal - this still may not be the perfect fit for your gaming group.

And since it still is D&D, character creation will still have you hunting all over the Players Hand Book in order to build your character. To learn how to do this go to page 16, to do this go to page 119, then to page 45, then 86, then 245, then page 2 is still very much a common theme in the books layout just as it always has been. So that much hasn't changed.

Despite these two issues so far, I'm very happy with it and again do recommend it.

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Great Edition--Well Balanced, Fun to Learn and Teach

Up until last year, I hadn't played D&D in years. I started off getting the 3.5 books which were great, but this latest (4E) edition from Wizards of the Coast is the best since the originals.

The game is much more balanced--giving the non-wizard classes more responsibility--and more fun. The key is powers: at-will, encounter, utility, and daily. (Note: they vary in name by class: spells/prayers for magic users and clerics, exploits for brawling classes for "Arcane, Divine, and Martial Heroes"). Powers allow each class to weigh their options and decide when and how they're going to use their heavy artilery. The wizard has had this benefit/dilemma since the begging. Now all the PCs can join in the agonizing/more dramatic game play.

Also, I'm impressed with the rules explanations. 3.5 tended to cause confusion and this is a fun set to learn as well as teach to novice players. So far my group is liking the gameplay a lot--easy, quick, and keeps the action flowing. So much so that we can concentrate more on the storytelling aspects.

Cons?
I'm personally not a huge fan of dragonborn as a PC race (seemed more appropriate for a later supplement) but that's a personal preference. I think the tieflings aren't so bad. Though I'd have preferred gnomes were included in this book, they are actually quite compelling.

Best of the Pros?
Eladrin vs. elf? You'll have to decide for yourself, but basically it's city mouse vs. country mouse. I think the idea of making them opposites is actually a great idea, it's more than elf kind and drow, it's several complex layers of D&D's most versatile PC culture.

Which leads me to...character creation. This book is fun and easy to read and the players love it. There's enough material to spark imagination and get the gears going. That's the point really, isn't it? Making it fun!

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Roleplaying moves forward

I have played roleplaying games since 1977 including every version of D&D. I have been DMing since 1978 and have waited to write a review of this book (and 4ed in general) until I played and/or DMed for a short period of time. Overall I think the new system streamlines character creation, envounter creation and balances all the classes fairly evenly. I think this is a good base upon which to build a strong library of rules and additions. I think WotC failed in one respect which is in not having enough material available when the rules came out. 3.5 had years and many third parties developing content and there was a huge amount of material (I must admit I did not like researching through all those splat books for feats or prestige classes). I think in time when 4ed has a similar library built up some of the complaints will die down.

I like how item and monster stat blocks are laid out - it is easy to read and use. Combat seems to run pretty quick and i havent encountered one of those 2 hour long 3.5 combats that i dreaded. I enjoy some of the new variants and have to say the game is definitely not World of Warcraft. It is a slimmer skeleton of a system that WotC will build on. I think it is easier to introduce new gamers to the system and is definitely easier to pick it up and play on short notice. I also appreciate that the Player's Handbook is really the only book needed for character creation (currently) and a DM really only needs the PHB and the Monster Manual. DM's guide is much more geared towards coaching DM's about style, how to run a game etc. Player's Handbook is laid out nicely and I liked the artwork. I especially liked the introdution of Ritual Magic and already have ideas about Rituals to create and how I can challenge players with Rituals and as a player how I can confound the DM through the use of Rituals.

Overall - i like the game and the new edition - Good book!

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