Neuroglyph
First Post
One of the most important facets of any role-playing game system, regardless of genre, is the measure of how well it supports the game master – or in the case of D&D – the dungeon master. Some role-playing game systems I have tried over the years have done an incredible job at tantalizing the Player to pick up a copy and try it out, but ended up to have provided only scanty support for the poor game master trying to host the game.
In late October, Wizards of the Coast released the Dungeon Master’s Kit for the D&D Essentials line of products. With a box claiming that it provides “Everything you need to run the World’s greatest roleplaying game”, it begs the question of just how good is the Dungeon Master’s Kit for D&D 4E gamers wanting to become Dungeon Masters?
Dungeon Master’s Kit
The Dungeon Master’s Kit is a core product for the D&D Essentials line from Wizards of the Coast, and is designed to provide new DMs with materials and content useful to starting a D&D 4E game. The boxed set includes a Dungeon Master’s Book, and two 32-page adventures containing the two-part Reavers of Harkenwood adventure for 2nd to 3rd Level Characters. In addition to the books, the Dungeon Master’s Kit provides two double sided poster-sized maps designed to be used with the Reavers of Harkenwood adventure, a four-panel cardboard DM screen, and three sheets of die-cut monster and character tokens.
Production Quality
The production quality of the Dungeon Master’s Kit is really quite exceptional, and all the components show a high level of design and forethought to making the most of a new DMs gaming experience. The Dungeon Master’s Book is in the new 6x9 inch trade paperback format which has been used throughout the D&D Essentials products. The two-part adventure module, Reavers of Harkenwood, are done in a staple-bound magazine-like style which makes them capable of lying flat on a gaming table for easy reference. As far as the DM Screen goes, it is about 8 inches high, and each of the four panels is about 11 inches wide, making for a considerable “behind the screen” area for a Dungeon Master to work from.
I found that I really liked the artwork on the back of the DM screen, as well as the use of art in the creation of the die-cut tokens. The player-side of the DM screen depicts a remorseless assemblage of Underdark foes, which include drow, a drider, a dragon, an illithid, a roper, and even an umberhulk - all of which look like they mean to do seriously bad things to heroes! The tokens are double sided with the back red-tinged for bloody status, use a variety of art, much of which is pulled from the Monster Vault, as well as from the player’s handbooks.
Disappointingly, there is very little new “original” art used in the Dungeon Master’s Kit. Almost all of the artwork in the Dungeon Master’s Book is borrowed from Traditional D&D 4E sources like the Dungeon Masters Guide and Dungeon Masters Guide 2, and almost all the maps provided for the adventure modules are derived from previously released dungeon tile sets. There is one map of a keep which appears new – at least to me – and I particularly liked, as it could be used in future adventures when heroes are forced to storm the castle.
The Dungeon Master’s Book
The heart of the Dungeon Master’s Kit is the Dungeon Master’s Book, a 272-page work containing six chapters of useful DM material:
Chapter 2 deals with running a fantasy world and specifically the D&D 4E Core World setting. For the most part, it is an edited-down content contained in Chapter 9 (The World) and Chapter 11 (Fallcrest) from the Traditional 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide, which even includes the maps of Fallcrest and the Nentir Vale that are in the original DMG.
Chapter 3 deals with starting up a game, using props, and improvising rules, important rules about reading powers, and offers the exploration tables for handling lighting, breaking things, and other DM content used to run an adventure. This information is found in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 in the DMG, and in Chapter 5 of the Rules Compendium.
Chapter 4 deals with running a combat encounter, including rules on maneuvers, statuses, and other useful information. Interestingly, this chapter is almost exactly the same information as Chapter 9 (Combat) from the original Player’s Handbook, which was revised with Update changes included where appropriate, the same as Chapter 5 of the Rules Compendium.
Chapter 5 pertains to building an adventure, and expanding it into a campaign. It also discusses encounter building and monster roles, traps, hazards, unusual terrain features, and skill challenges. It is a streamlined selection of parts of Chapters 4 (Buidling Encounters), 5 (Non Combat Encounters), 6 (Adventures), and 7 (Campaigns) from the original Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Chapter 6 completes this Dungeon Master’s primer with information about rewards: experience points, quest rewards, milestones and action points, treasure and magic items. This information is a revised version of the information in Chapter 7 (Rewards) found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and uses the new "random" method found in Appendix 2 of the Rules Compendium. The Dungeon Master Book also includes nearly 50 magic item entries ranging through all tiers of play – although almost all these items have appeared in the Player’s Handbook and Adventurers Vault, but the Dungeon Master’s Kit offers updated versions to include item rarity.
Overall Grade: A-
Taken from the perspective of a new Dungeon Master who is just getting into D&D 4E using the Essentials line, the Dungeon Master’s Kit is a solid starting point. It provides all the basic information for setting up and running D&D 4E for players, including giving the new DM a sample setting and adventures to get his heroes into the middle of the Heroic Teir.
But it definitely lacks much of the great content imparted by the Dungeon Master’s Guide and the Dungeon Master’s Guide 2, particularly with regard to new types of skill challenges, monster themes and elite templates, and making traps and hazards. In fact, of all the Essentials products I have reviewed thus far, this is the one that feels like it is a gateway to Traditional 4E D&D. There is definitely enough here in the Dungeon Master’s Kit for a new DM to do a decent job of running a D&D game, but they would be missing out on all the wonderful material in the DMG and DMG 2 – and hopefully, as a DM, they crave more content and will consider buying those two books!
For experienced DMs, as well as for gamers who have already purchased the Traditional 4E Dungeon Master Guide books, the Dungeon Master’s Kit offers little new information. Certainly the screen, tokens, and adventure module is nice, but would hardly justify the cost. Picking up a Rules Compendium and a Monster Vault would be money better spent for the veteran 4E gamers – the Dungeon Master’s Kit is definitely a product aimed at the newbie Dungeon Master.
So until next review… I wish you Happy Gaming!
Grade Card
In late October, Wizards of the Coast released the Dungeon Master’s Kit for the D&D Essentials line of products. With a box claiming that it provides “Everything you need to run the World’s greatest roleplaying game”, it begs the question of just how good is the Dungeon Master’s Kit for D&D 4E gamers wanting to become Dungeon Masters?
Dungeon Master’s Kit
- Authors: James Wyatt, Jeremy Crawford
- Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
- Year: 2010
- Media: Boxed Set (includes 272 page book)
- Cost: $39.99 MSRP (Amazon, $26.39)
The Dungeon Master’s Kit is a core product for the D&D Essentials line from Wizards of the Coast, and is designed to provide new DMs with materials and content useful to starting a D&D 4E game. The boxed set includes a Dungeon Master’s Book, and two 32-page adventures containing the two-part Reavers of Harkenwood adventure for 2nd to 3rd Level Characters. In addition to the books, the Dungeon Master’s Kit provides two double sided poster-sized maps designed to be used with the Reavers of Harkenwood adventure, a four-panel cardboard DM screen, and three sheets of die-cut monster and character tokens.
Production Quality
The production quality of the Dungeon Master’s Kit is really quite exceptional, and all the components show a high level of design and forethought to making the most of a new DMs gaming experience. The Dungeon Master’s Book is in the new 6x9 inch trade paperback format which has been used throughout the D&D Essentials products. The two-part adventure module, Reavers of Harkenwood, are done in a staple-bound magazine-like style which makes them capable of lying flat on a gaming table for easy reference. As far as the DM Screen goes, it is about 8 inches high, and each of the four panels is about 11 inches wide, making for a considerable “behind the screen” area for a Dungeon Master to work from.
I found that I really liked the artwork on the back of the DM screen, as well as the use of art in the creation of the die-cut tokens. The player-side of the DM screen depicts a remorseless assemblage of Underdark foes, which include drow, a drider, a dragon, an illithid, a roper, and even an umberhulk - all of which look like they mean to do seriously bad things to heroes! The tokens are double sided with the back red-tinged for bloody status, use a variety of art, much of which is pulled from the Monster Vault, as well as from the player’s handbooks.
Disappointingly, there is very little new “original” art used in the Dungeon Master’s Kit. Almost all of the artwork in the Dungeon Master’s Book is borrowed from Traditional D&D 4E sources like the Dungeon Masters Guide and Dungeon Masters Guide 2, and almost all the maps provided for the adventure modules are derived from previously released dungeon tile sets. There is one map of a keep which appears new – at least to me – and I particularly liked, as it could be used in future adventures when heroes are forced to storm the castle.
The Dungeon Master’s Book
The heart of the Dungeon Master’s Kit is the Dungeon Master’s Book, a 272-page work containing six chapters of useful DM material:
- Chapter 1: Playing the Game
- Chapter 2: The Dungeon & Dragons World
- Chapter 3: Running the Game
- Chapter 4: Combat Encounters
- Chapter 5: Building Adventures
- Chapter 6: Rewards
Chapter 2 deals with running a fantasy world and specifically the D&D 4E Core World setting. For the most part, it is an edited-down content contained in Chapter 9 (The World) and Chapter 11 (Fallcrest) from the Traditional 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide, which even includes the maps of Fallcrest and the Nentir Vale that are in the original DMG.
Chapter 3 deals with starting up a game, using props, and improvising rules, important rules about reading powers, and offers the exploration tables for handling lighting, breaking things, and other DM content used to run an adventure. This information is found in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 in the DMG, and in Chapter 5 of the Rules Compendium.
Chapter 4 deals with running a combat encounter, including rules on maneuvers, statuses, and other useful information. Interestingly, this chapter is almost exactly the same information as Chapter 9 (Combat) from the original Player’s Handbook, which was revised with Update changes included where appropriate, the same as Chapter 5 of the Rules Compendium.
Chapter 5 pertains to building an adventure, and expanding it into a campaign. It also discusses encounter building and monster roles, traps, hazards, unusual terrain features, and skill challenges. It is a streamlined selection of parts of Chapters 4 (Buidling Encounters), 5 (Non Combat Encounters), 6 (Adventures), and 7 (Campaigns) from the original Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Chapter 6 completes this Dungeon Master’s primer with information about rewards: experience points, quest rewards, milestones and action points, treasure and magic items. This information is a revised version of the information in Chapter 7 (Rewards) found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and uses the new "random" method found in Appendix 2 of the Rules Compendium. The Dungeon Master Book also includes nearly 50 magic item entries ranging through all tiers of play – although almost all these items have appeared in the Player’s Handbook and Adventurers Vault, but the Dungeon Master’s Kit offers updated versions to include item rarity.
Overall Grade: A-
Taken from the perspective of a new Dungeon Master who is just getting into D&D 4E using the Essentials line, the Dungeon Master’s Kit is a solid starting point. It provides all the basic information for setting up and running D&D 4E for players, including giving the new DM a sample setting and adventures to get his heroes into the middle of the Heroic Teir.
But it definitely lacks much of the great content imparted by the Dungeon Master’s Guide and the Dungeon Master’s Guide 2, particularly with regard to new types of skill challenges, monster themes and elite templates, and making traps and hazards. In fact, of all the Essentials products I have reviewed thus far, this is the one that feels like it is a gateway to Traditional 4E D&D. There is definitely enough here in the Dungeon Master’s Kit for a new DM to do a decent job of running a D&D game, but they would be missing out on all the wonderful material in the DMG and DMG 2 – and hopefully, as a DM, they crave more content and will consider buying those two books!
For experienced DMs, as well as for gamers who have already purchased the Traditional 4E Dungeon Master Guide books, the Dungeon Master’s Kit offers little new information. Certainly the screen, tokens, and adventure module is nice, but would hardly justify the cost. Picking up a Rules Compendium and a Monster Vault would be money better spent for the veteran 4E gamers – the Dungeon Master’s Kit is definitely a product aimed at the newbie Dungeon Master.
So until next review… I wish you Happy Gaming!
Grade Card
- Presentation: B+
- -Design: A
- -Illustrations: B
- Content: A-
- -Crunch: A
- -Fluff: B+
- Value: A-
