New "Red Box" Starter Set hands-on preview

Our store received a preview copy of the Red Box Starter Set, and I am just getting my first look at it now.

Contents:
32 pg Player's Book
64 pg Dungeon Master's Book
set of 6 black dice (no % die)
double sided poster map of Crossroads and Monster Lair (1/2 each) on one side, large dungeon on the other
one sheet of full-color tokens (PCs, monsters, action points)
7 sheets of power cards, 9/sheet (EDIT) 8 of the cards are treasure cards
4 one-sided character sheets

edit: also a Redemption Code for a Solo Adventure download

edit: adding from later posts in thread
The Player's Book starts with a 1 page intro and the simplest instructions for Character Creation (Imagine a fantasy hero: pick a name, choose a race, gender, appearance. Enter info on character sheet. Rest is done later) Next in the book is a 29-page pick-a-path solo adventure wherein the rules are explained as you need them. The last page explains how to read a Power Card and an explanation of some Keywords.

The Character Sheets are blank. You fill in the sheets for the PreGens as you go through the solo adventure.

The adventure starts with an explanation of the setting. You are attacked. What do you imagine doing? If you choose to grab a weapon and fight, go to 2, where it explains a bit about fighters. If this is what yoiu want, go to 7, if not go back to 1 and make a different choice. Options for Cleric, Wizard, and Rogue are also there. Whichever choice you make, put name of class on Character sheet.

As you go through the adventure, you slowly get the info to fill in the rest of the sheet when the info is first needed.












Here is a breakdown for the Dungeon Master's Book:

• 19 pages are similar to earlier Quick Start rules, like in Keep on the Shadowfell.
• 19 pages are the first adventure, then a page of Level Up info.
• 7 pages cover designing you own adventures, then 16 pages of monsters.
• 2 pages of Rewards (treasure and XP)
• 2 pages about the Nentir Vale
• Last page describes Conditions

The page of Tokens has 53 Medium and 3 Large tokens.

• 12 PC tokens, bloodied back
• 5 double-sided Action Point tokens
• 36 medium and 3 large monster tokens, all with different monsters on the back

Just noticed 4 of the cards are Second Wind.

Human racils: Human Utility power Human Versatility, a Free Action Encounter power giving you a +4 to an attack roll, ability check, or a saving throw that you just failed. Other racials +2 to one Ability, one extra trained skill, and one extra Feat. No surprises.





Fighter Cards:

• Poised Assault: At-Will Stance (+1 to melee weapon attack)
• Battle Fury: At-Will Stance (+2 to weapon damage)
• Power Strike: Encounter Free Action (extra 1W to damage triggered by successful hit)
• Minor Resurgence: Utility 2 Encounter Minor (gain 5 temp HP if bloodied) (Prereq Endurance trained)
• Sudden Sprint: Utility 2 Encounter Minor (move up to CON mod and end up adjacent to enemy) (Prereq Athletics trained)

Only the Wizard and Cleric have Daily Powers.









Rogue Powers:

• Bump and Run; At-Will 1, melee, regular attack and damage plus move target 1 square; move up to half speed.
• Deft Strike; At-Will 1, melee, move up to 2 squares before your attack, regular attack and damge
• Defensive Strike; At-Will 1, melee, normal attack and damage, +1 to all defenses
• Acrobatic Maneuver; Utility At-Will Move Action, move 1+STR mod, gain +4 to all defenses on this move, can move through enemy-occupied spaces.
• Backstab; Utility Encounter, Free action, +3 bonus to attack, used only on combat advantage
• Sudden Leap; Utility 2, Minor Encounter, Leap through the air, landing up to 1/2 movement away. Athletics trained req.
• Tumble; Utility 2, Move Encounter, Shift half speed. Acrobatics trained req.

Racial ability adjustments:

• Dwarf: CON and (STR or WIS)
• Elf: DEX and (INT or WIS)
• Halfling: DEX and (CHA or CON)
• Human: one choice

NOTE all cards paraphrased, and I have omitted flavor text.








Wizard Attack 1 At-Wills:

• Hypnotism: Ranged 10, attack vs WILL, Effect - either Target free attack with bonus against adjacent creature OR Slide target 3 squares
• Magic Missile: Ranged 20, auto-hit, target 1 or 2 creatures, 2+INT mod force damage
• Phantasmal Force: Ranged 10, vs WILL, d10+INT,target grants combat advantage and no OAs
• Stone Blood: Area burst 1 in 10 sq, target all in burst, vs FORT, d6+INT and target is slowed
• Freezing Burst: Area burst 1 in 10 sq, target all in burst, vs REF, d6+iNT and slide 1 sq

Wizard Attack 1 Encounters:

• Burning Hands: Close blast 5, target each in blast, vs REF, 2d6+INT, Miss 1/2 dam
• Charm of Misplaced Wrath: ranged 10, vs WILL, slide target 3 and is dazed, Effect: target attacks creature of caster's choice with free basic attack +2 power bonus
• Illusory Obstacles: Area burst 1 in 10, target each enemy, vs WILL, targets dazed and unable to charge, Miss unable to charge
• Leaden Transformation: Range 10, vs FORT, 2d8+INT, Effect target slowed and no shift

Wizard Attack 1 Daily:

• Fountain of Flame: Burst 1 in 10, Target each enemy, vs REF, 3d8+INT, Miss 1/2, Effect: creates zone that lasts encounter does 5 damage to enemy in zone
• Slimy Transmutation: range 10, vs FORT, Target turns into tiny toad (save ends), Miss: target is toad 1 turn, Effect: target dazed can only move or shift, damage ends.
• Phantom Chasm: burst 1 in 10, target each enemy, vs WILL, 2d6+INT and target prone and immobilized, Miss: 1/2 and target prone, Effect: zone lasts encounter, enemies fall prone
• Sleep: burst 2 in 20, target all, vs WILL, target slowed (save ends), First Failed Save: target unconscious (save ends), Miss: target slowed (save ends)

Wizard Utility 1 At-Will (cantrips):

• Mage Hand
• Light
• Ghost Sound

Wizard Utility 2:

• Shield: Encounter, Immediate interrupt, Trigger: hit by attack, Effect: Immune to Force damage, +4 to AC and REF
• Expeditious Retreat: Daily move action, shift twice speed
• Spectral Image: Encounter minor, range 10, Effect: create illusion up to medium, can move within square and make sounds, ends if hit or touched, Insight to ignore

And last because there are so many and nobody asked me for them, Cleric Powers.






Cleric Utility:

• Healing Word: as 4e

Cleric Attack 1 At-Will: (note: damage given instead of (W) because player could not choose weapon)

• Blessing of Wrath: Melee, vs AC, d8+WIS, Effect: one ally within 5 gains (CON) bonus to damage against target.
• Blessing of Battle: Melee, vs AC, d8+WIS, Effect: you or 1 ally in 5 gains resist (CON) to all damage
• Storm Hammer: Melee, vs FORT, d8+WIS, Special: When charging can be used in plaace of melee basic attack.
• Brand of the Sun: Melee, vs AC, d8+WIS, Effect: You and each ally in 5 gain 2 temp HP

Cleric Attack 1 Encounter:

• Echoes of Thunder: Melee, vs AC, 2d8+WIS, Effect: Whenever you or ally hits target in next turn attack deals 3 extra damage
• Sun Burst: Close burst 1, Target enemies, vs WILL, d8, Effect: you and allies in burst gain 5 temp HP and can make saves

Cleric Utility 1 Encounter:

• Storm Surge: Minor, Close burst 2, you or ally in burst, first hit within turn does 4 extra damage
• Soothing Light: minor, close burst 2, you or ally, target makes save with +2

Cleric Attack 1 Daily:

• Nimbus of Holy Shielding: Close burst 2, Target each enemy, vs WILL, d10+WIS, Effect: Allies in 2 gain +2 to all defenses encounter
• Lesser Aspect of Wrath: Melee, vs AC, d8+WIS, Effect: you gain 10 temp HP, +1 to attacks, all enemies that end adjacent take (CON) damage for encounter
• Levy of Judgement: Melee, vs AC, 2d8+WIS, Miss 1/2, Effect: once during encounter one ally missing target, you can use free action to allow ally to reroll.

Cleric Utility 2 Daily:

• Bless: minor, close burst 20, you and allies, Effect: +1 to attacks for encounter.
• Shield of Faith: minor, close burst 5, you and allies, Effect: +2 to AC for encounter
• Resurgent Strength: minor, close burst 3, you or one ally, target spends healing surge and target gains +4 to damage for turn.

Guess the newbs just have to roll % old school, like we did: ones first, then tens.

Or they could use the d20 for the 10s.

At least they don't have to color the numbers in themselves.

The pregen characters have Elmore art!

I'm a sucker for this; could you post a high-res picture of the power card layouts and character sheets? Pwetty please? =)

No hurry though.

-YRUSirius

Player's Book

Following has been added to first post:

The Player's Book starts with a 1 page intro and the simplest instructions for Character Creation (Imagine a fantasy hero: pick a name, choose a race, gender, appearance. Enter info on character sheet. Rest is done later) Next in the book is a 29-page pick-a-path solo adventure wherein the rules are explained as you need them. The last page explains how to read a Power Card and an explanation of some Keywords.

No need for the percentile die any more anyway.

Does the Solo Adventure feature Bargle? Cuz that would be cool.

Damn!

I am going to have to buy several copies of this product...

One for myself, and a couple for some people I know

This is just perfect for people who always wanted to play but never had access to a nearby gaming group

Player's Book and Character Sheets

Following has been added to first post:

The Character Sheets are blank. You fill in the sheets for the PreGens as you go through the solo adventure.

The adventure starts with an explanation of the setting. You are attacked. What do you imagine doing? If you choose to grab a weapon and fight, go to 2, where it explains a bit about fighters. If this is what yoiu want, go to 7, if not go back to 1 and make a different choice. Options for Cleric, Wizard, and Rogue are also there. Whichever choice you make, put name of class on Character sheet.

As you go through the adventure, you slowly get the info to fill in the rest of the sheet when the info is first needed.

thalmin said:

The Character Sheets are blank. You fill in the sheets for the PreGens as you go through the solo adventure.

The adventure starts with an explanation of the setting. You are attacked. What do you imagine doing? Iff you choose to grab a weapon and fight, go to 2, where it explains a bit about fighters. If this is what yoiu want, go to 7, if not go back to 1 and make a different choice. Options for Cleric, Wizard, and Rogue are also there. Whichever choice you make, put name of class on Character sheet.

As you go through the adventure, you slowly get the info to fill in the rest of the sheet when the info is first needed.

Click to expand...

You know, I had speculated that they would have "ordinary character creation rules" somewhere in there. But now that I think about it, this is probably a better system.

Think about it. Create concept. Decide class. And then they embed the rest of your picks in such a way that they would become instinctive. By the time you'd created 4 characters this way, you could do it without the adventure.

(Side note: I predict here and now that some future Red Box player will come online at some future point to talk about their cool "houserule" of rolling up stats using pools of 6-sided dice. And we'll laugh.)