Playing Essentials-Only

[Rahlious]

Has anybody played a campaign with only Essentials? It's something my group is considering doing in January. It might get us using some powers/feats/options/etc that we wouldn't have tried normally since we'll have less "must-have" stuff to take.

Will I miss certain pieces of equipment, feats and some of the classes? Yeah, probably. Will I miss frostcheese? Yeah... I mean, no. Not really. Will I miss discussions about how all this stuff made *before* Essentials (like things that improve basic attacks) is really powerful when combined with Essentials classes Definitely not

 

[Droogie128]

I'd miss having martial classes that actually have options instead of being railroaded into a cookie cutter build.

 

[Kzach]

It really depends on what you classify as "Essentials-only".

If you build a character using an 'essentials' class in the character builder, you have carte-blanche to the entirety of feats and utility powers, not to mention many 'essentials' classes have dailies that can be chosen from the base-class lists.

It sounds like, however, that what you mean is the soft-cover rules books only. In that case, I'd say, "Why?"

 

[MerricB]

Has anybody played a campaign with only Essentials? It's something my group is considering doing in January. It might get us using some powers/feats/options/etc that we wouldn't have tried normally since we'll have less "must-have" stuff to take.

I think it's an excellent idea. (Speaking as someone who has just started an AD&D campaign) You always have the option to add in additional material if you find it unsatisfying.

Restrictions on material allow you to help understand the gaming habits of your group. It'll give the DM slightly better control over encounters, as there aren't as many variables to worry about. With any luck, it'll also speed up encounters - which is one of my ongoing problems with 4e.

Just be aware of how the rest of the group is handling it. D&D is very much a group activity, and it's no good trying an experiment when you annoy most of the players.

D&D Encounters is mostly Essentials-only... plus one book. And it works well from levels 1-3. Beyond that I haven't seen how the campaigns go.

Cheers!

 

[OnlineDM]

Funny you should ask; a blogger put up a post about this just today: Back to Basics Daily Encounter

 

[Dice4Hire]

I'd miss having martial classes that actually have options instead of being railroaded into a cookie cutter build.

In the spirit of Christmas can we can the edition warring?

Or whatever holiday is coming up in your religious or ethnic group?


As for the OP's question, I do not think it is clear what is really essentials. But I think it can work as the two base books (even inf not adding in the heroes books or MME) have enough classes to play the game, and offers a couple of choices for each role.

The lack of magic might be a problem there, though.

Still, if your group wants it, I am sure it will work out to some extent, though I like more options myself.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In the spirit of Christmas can we can the edition warring?

I don't see that as edition warring: if I'm reading that post correctly, he feels Essentials versions of classes have fewer options than the broader 4Ed system as a whole allows.

In a sense, it would be kind of like asking about playing a no PHB campaign in 3.5Ed, and someone lamenting the loss of classes like Wizards & Druids.

 

[Rahlious]

Arg, I can't figure Wizards out. Bracers of Mighty Striking was printed in PHB1 and Heroes of the Fallen Lands. Bracers of the Perfect Shot was printed in PHB1 and... not printed again. I just don't understand it.

 

[MerricB]

Magic Items are the biggest problem with going Essentials-only. If I ran such a campaign, I'd definitely include Mordenkainen's Magnificent Emporium, as it completes the Essentials magic item list.

Cheers!

 

[Larrin]

Yes I've done it, and yes it works fine. Its simple and clean and choosing feats is easy, and you can get a good feel for the system (great for beginners). Definitely add magic items from other sources, though, you'll find the ones in book limited in a very clunky way.

If everyone's on board with the idea then there's really no problems at all.