Reaper Steve
Explorer
I'm thinking of picking this up, but I'd like to know more about it. All the amazon reviews are for the 3E edition.
Anyone have some insight on the 4E version?
Anyone have some insight on the 4E version?
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D&D 4E for Dummies --anyone have it?
- Thread starter Reaper Steve
- Start date
mechascorpio
First Post
I got it, haven't had a chance to submit my Amazon review for it yet.
In short, I love it. Whether or not you'll love it depends on your background. I think it's perfect for those who either have no experience with RPGs, or have not played D&D (or RPGs) since OD&D (that's me).
I found the new core books well written and organized, for the most part, and certainly more than enough to get in the game. But they're very mechanical, and I'm not sure how accessible they really are for those who meet the backgrounds I outlined above.
D&D 4E for Dummies takes a minimal subset of the information from the PHB and DMG, adds some fluff and friendlier text, makes no assumptions about terminology that the core books do, and represents D&D 4E as a whole game and organized in a different fashion. It only presents a few of the classes and a few of the races, but it picks the obvious ones to build upon concepts such as controller/striker/defender/leader, classes, levels, skills, powers and so on. It presents pregens first, then shows how they evolve over a few labels, then moves on to custom character creation.
The book does a great job at explaining why you might want to choose X vs Y, provides suggestions on how to be a good player, how to be a good DM, and previews the kind of things in a session that the reader may not have experienced yet that promise to make the game fun. Somehow it manages to do it without ever talking down to the reader or sounding stupid.
I'm sure many here would simply look at it with disdain, but I think the book is a great alternative to learning the game when a) the core books aren't enough, or are not appropriate, or b) when there is no existing group or game at a friend's house or FLGS to just jump into. It especially fills the void that currently exists without a Basic Game set available (and goes a lot further than those box sets usually do), and even comes with a small map and counters so that you could conceivably begin playing a "lite" version of the game immediately (with some dice).
In short, if I wanted to introduce someone or a group to the game for the first time (or for the first time in a very long time), I'd sooner sit down with them and start with this, and loan them the book afterwards, then try to convince them to gamble and buy the PHB on their own ('cuz I certainly wouldn't loan them that!).
D&D 4E for Dummies isn't for everybody. It's really not for 99.9% of the people on this board, because it assumes you don't know about this board, 3PP, 3x vs 4E, Drow, Feywild, munchkins, roll vs role, OGL, and so on. But it may very well be a great book for someone you know.
In short, I love it. Whether or not you'll love it depends on your background. I think it's perfect for those who either have no experience with RPGs, or have not played D&D (or RPGs) since OD&D (that's me).
I found the new core books well written and organized, for the most part, and certainly more than enough to get in the game. But they're very mechanical, and I'm not sure how accessible they really are for those who meet the backgrounds I outlined above.
D&D 4E for Dummies takes a minimal subset of the information from the PHB and DMG, adds some fluff and friendlier text, makes no assumptions about terminology that the core books do, and represents D&D 4E as a whole game and organized in a different fashion. It only presents a few of the classes and a few of the races, but it picks the obvious ones to build upon concepts such as controller/striker/defender/leader, classes, levels, skills, powers and so on. It presents pregens first, then shows how they evolve over a few labels, then moves on to custom character creation.
The book does a great job at explaining why you might want to choose X vs Y, provides suggestions on how to be a good player, how to be a good DM, and previews the kind of things in a session that the reader may not have experienced yet that promise to make the game fun. Somehow it manages to do it without ever talking down to the reader or sounding stupid.
I'm sure many here would simply look at it with disdain, but I think the book is a great alternative to learning the game when a) the core books aren't enough, or are not appropriate, or b) when there is no existing group or game at a friend's house or FLGS to just jump into. It especially fills the void that currently exists without a Basic Game set available (and goes a lot further than those box sets usually do), and even comes with a small map and counters so that you could conceivably begin playing a "lite" version of the game immediately (with some dice).
In short, if I wanted to introduce someone or a group to the game for the first time (or for the first time in a very long time), I'd sooner sit down with them and start with this, and loan them the book afterwards, then try to convince them to gamble and buy the PHB on their own ('cuz I certainly wouldn't loan them that!).
D&D 4E for Dummies isn't for everybody. It's really not for 99.9% of the people on this board, because it assumes you don't know about this board, 3PP, 3x vs 4E, Drow, Feywild, munchkins, roll vs role, OGL, and so on. But it may very well be a great book for someone you know.
questing gm
First Post
Any comparisons with the 3.x version? 
Reaper Steve
Explorer
mechascorpio... thanks!
This book may be the ticket to get my wife to play.
This book may be the ticket to get my wife to play.
Mathew_Freeman
First Post
I got this a couple of days ago, and I'd second what mechascorpio said - it's an excellent book if you need someone to get some information on the real basics of how D&D works.
It's more simply written than the PHB, for a start, and assumes you know pretty much nothing about any roleplaying games. If I had a totally novice player, this book would be an excellent place to start with helping them understand what's going on.
Gotham Gamemaster
First Post
I have it and recommend it. I particularly enjoyed its suggestions for party composition for larger groups.
The 3.5 version had a better adventure and little starter area--but since this is better covered in the 4e DMG, it's not much of a drawback.
The 3.5 version had a better adventure and little starter area--but since this is better covered in the 4e DMG, it's not much of a drawback.
