Got the D&D 4e Starter Set...So whatcha wanna know?

[Imaro]

Just arrived today, Now that I'm home from work...have cracked it open...but not read it thoroughly yet. If anyone has questions, fire away and I'll try and answer them.

[Scribble]

how are the monster tiles?

[Grimstaff]

I'm interested in the counters

[Imaro]

Originally Posted by Scribble

how are the monster tiles?

They're similar to the ones Paizo use to periodically put out in Dungeon mag (circular shape w/artwork). However they are on the same material as the dungeon tiles are made from and are double sided (different monster on each side). And they're numbered, so for example there's a kobold w/a small 1...a different kobold w/a small 2...etc. on it

5 player character tokens
51 monster tokens (w/different monster on each side)

EDIT: I like em, seem like they'd be pretty durable, and I just flipped it over and realized the PC tokens have a "bloodied" side.

[Scribble]

Originally Posted by Imaro

They're similar to the ones Paizo use to periodically put out in Dungeon mag (circular shape w/artwork). However they are on the same material as the dungeon tiles are made from and are double sided (different monster on each side). And they're numbered, so for example there's a kobold w/a small 1...a different kobold w/a small 2...etc. on it

5 player character tokens
51 monster tokens (w/different monster on each side)

Interesting... Does the double sided thing appear like it might be an issue?

IE Does it seem like you will most likely want to use both monsters at the same time, or did they split them up pretty well so you'd most likely never find the two together?

[an_idol_mind]

Can players make their own characters, or are they pregenned?

Does the set have rules for advancement beyond 1st level, or is it like the 3.5 set where the game essentially ends at 2nd level?

[Imaro]

OK, some of the bad...The quick start rules are word for word (maybe with some eratta) the exact same as those in KotS (all 6 pages). The pre gens are the same except the cleric is human in the starter set and the wizard is an eladrin. There is new (but not new as in you haven't seen it before) artwork for the pre-gens and the sheets are in full color. I don't like the fact that the sheets are part of the booklet, instead of being actual separate sheets you can hand to players. No character generation rules (but we already knew this.).

[Imaro]

Originally Posted by Scribble

Interesting... Does the double sided thing appear like it might be an issue?

IE Does it seem like you will most likely want to use both monsters at the same time, or did they split them up pretty well so you'd most likely never find the two together?

Hmm...I think there's actually a semi-theme with them. One side are humanoids...orc's, goblins, hobgoblins, undead etc. while the other side is animals/creatures, like stirges, dire rats, wolves, etc...so off hand I would say it doesn't seem like much of an issue, but then what DM's combine in 4e is kinda arbitrary to the particular DM. Hope that helped.

[Imaro]

Originally Posted by an_idol_mind

Can players make their own characters, or are they pregenned?

Does the set have rules for advancement beyond 1st level, or is it like the 3.5 set where the game essentially ends at 2nd level?

From my glance through...only pre-gens, which can advance to 3rd level, but everything (powers, feats, etc.) are already selected for each character. Not liking this at all. I feel this is what killed the 3.x basic sets and don't see this one being any different in that regard.

[Imaro]

OK...Bad number 2. I knew I had seen the tiles before and after a couple minutes it hit me...I just bought them not to long ago...there from DU1 Halls of the Giant King. Not sure how I feel about this one, since it's only some of the tiles and I guess they can supplement what I have...but I do feel a little ripped off.

[Thanee]

Sounds decent enough. It's a starter set after all.

Putting in tiles from another set is a little bad, however it does make sense, I guess, to not have unique tiles in there (aka forcing the DT buyers to get the starter set ). Hopefully they are the ones you actually want extras from.

Bye
Thanee

[Scribble]

Originally Posted by Imaro

OK...Bad number 2. I knew I had seen the tiles before and after a couple minutes it hit me...I just bought them not to long ago...there from DU1 Halls of the Giant King. Not sure how I feel about this one, since it's only some of the tiles and I guess they can supplement what I have...but I do feel a little ripped off.

Scott Rouse actually mentioned the tiles would be from another set. He said this helped keep the prices down.

[Imaro]

Ok, I've just spent the past 10-15min looking through the Dungeon Masters book...They really went all out for this. In fact I would say that if this had been out when the PHB was released you could have run a rudimentary game with just the boxed set and the PHB (It even has a nice mini-monster manual in the back). In fact it's so close to the red box (on the DM's side of things) that I almost feel more disappointed they didn't just go the extra mile and flesh out the PC side of things. I would have paid another five dollars to have some basic character creation and advancement rules.

Included are...
1. Dungeon Master's Quick Start Rules: Same as KotS, but more fleshed out with a listing of conditions, and a step by step guide to Using Monster Stats.

2. Adventure: 3 encounters, a little dialogue to start it, a small area map and home base (Harken village) for the pc's as well as advice on integrating PC's into the setting with backstories, etc.

3. Creating Adventures: A section that discusses the different monster roles, Encounter Components, Encounter Settings, Skill Challenges, Traps and Hazards, Creating Dungeons (utilizing tiles as well as the "parts" of a dungeon like corridors and random encounters)

4. Monsters: 25 pages of monsters (Nothing new, though I wish they had threw in a couple that weren't in the MM).

I definitely think this boxed set will be very good for teaching someone to DM 4e, and in that aspect I give it 4 stars. As far as the PC side I gotta give it 2 stars(it's just KotS revised without the adventure). The Tokens are cool and sturdy though I kinda wish it did have minis of the PC's (just so I can get my hands on a non-rare Dragonborn...lol). The dungeon tiles are a wash, but only because I have DU1 already...hey would be cool (though I wish it were more) for a new player.

One other note though, I'm not sure...but I don't think the errata on skill challenges has been incorporated into the starter set, so this might be an issue to some.

[Thanee]

Originally Posted by Imaro

(Nothing new, though I wish they had threw in a couple that weren't in the MM).

Well, as with the tiles, that would make no sense.

Look at it from the other direction... wouldn't you be annoyed if there was something exclusively in the starter set and not in the (complete) rulebooks, if you didn't plan on buying the starter set, anyways?

Wouldn't that scream a bit like "here, you don't need it, and we know that, but you will buy it anyways, because... heh heh heh".

Bye
Thanee

[justanobody]

Image of contents? I always like to see what comes inside. Last I saw the box was even B&W sketch.