Dungeon of Dread Starter - No roleplay stats

[Novem5er]

I wanted to throw my 2 cents in that the actual DDM is a very fun game. I've bought a couple of boosters and the starter set, and played a few games now. I also had some of the Desert of Desolation boosters and downloaded the updated stat cards. I've been very impressed at the depth of tactics and options, for such a simple and quick game. If anyone's played the OLD DDM, throw that old hatred away and check out the new version.

If 4e plays half as smooth as the new DDM, I'll be a happy camper.

I do regret that there are no RPG stats on the starter set minis, as instead they have some DDM hints on how to use that model in the game. However, the normal boosters all have RPG stats on the backside of the DDM card.

 

[OgreBane99]

That was my experience with the boosters also. I have not been able to open one yet, without destroying the box. Granted it could be done cleanly with a knife but that would still be noticeable.

I was the same way. I tore the crap out of my booster packs to get them. Of course, I also have problems with "child-proof" stuff....

Didn't see it mentioned yet, but I bought 6 booster packs (I know, I'm a sucker) and all of them had RPG stats.

 

[Novem5er]

If 4e plays half as smooth as the new DDM, I'll be a happy camper.

I wanted to qualify my above statement: If 4e COMBAT plays half as smooth and is as interesting as the DDM, I'll be a happy camper. 4e is a full-fledged RPG, and as such, needs rules to handle roleplaying, character growth, skills, and other non-combat encounters. Without that, it will just be a board game.

I actually have a concern that the 4e combat rules will be so smooth that, when ran with miniatures, the players will get "drawn down" to the battle mat and will stop thinking in 1st person or outside the box.

That said, if anyone wants a basic preview of the 4e combat system without using the pregens and low levels monsters we've seen, then I seriously suggest trying out DDM. Yes, the RPG characters and monsters will have more options, but enough of the mechanics are the same that I think it works.

-Everyone moves with spaces (not feet).
-All the attack icons are the same (melee, range, close, burst, etc).
-Most of the conditions are the same (if not dumbed down a little in DDM).
-And most important - Every monster or character has it's own "thing" that makes it stand out on the battlefield. These powers or attack options are mostly worded clearly and are succinct enough to fit on the little cards.

 

[Jhaelen]

I have not been able to open one yet, without destroying the box.

Well, what I DID manage to do is this: open a booster up wide enough without damaging it to take a peek inside. That's how I spotted the bulette was in one of my boosters. This wasn't possible with the old boosters; those were sturdier.

About the new starter set: It's regrettable the product description didn't mention there wouldn't be any rpg stats. I can understand why they decided not to include them, though. It might have had the potential to confuse someone buying it to start playing the skirmish game.
All of the minis in my starter had an excellent paint-job, btw. Easily as good or better than the typical rare mini.

 

[Voss]

Really? My dwarf's chin is the same color as his beard, and several areas of bronze fall off the lines and into the iron areas of armor.

The sellsword's main weapon is solid gold all the way up, his spare is the same color as his pants and the leather strap on his back is grey like the 'fur' around it. He also has some weird mutations (of plastic bubbles, or something) poking out of his forehead and right cheek.

The fighter's skin is the same color as the leather he is wearing, his bow and arrows are indistinguishably black.
The yawn-ti is just got missed with green paint in places, so the undercoat is showing through, and the warlock apparently couldn't decide if she was wearing gloves or not- part of her hands are painted like fabric, part like skin, part of the jacket (on the side) is painting like a second midriff, and one side of her face (and ear) is a different flesh tone from the rest.

These aren't well painted in my book. And yes, before anyone asks, I can do better. This is roughly the level I was painting at when I was 12.

 

[Ulthwithian]

Call in the Quality Inspectors. It sounds like you have a bad batch of minis, Voss; more Quality Control!

 

[Novem5er]

These aren't well painted in my book. And yes, before anyone asks, I can do better. This is roughly the level I was painting at when I was 12.

I can do better too, as I'm known as one of "the" painters in my local gaming store, be it 40k, Warmachine, or Hordes. I've never entered any contests, but most people tell me I should, and I've been offered upwards of $50 to paint single minis for people.

That said, MOST of the DDM miniatures are good enough for me. I will admit, there are some that are just gawd-awful (troglodyte, I'm looking at you), but most of them are passable enough to play with.

That's the key: "to play with". These are not shelf-quality collections. These are game pieces. I've played a few games of DDM now and I can tell you that I've spent exactly 0 minutes in-game caring about the paint quality of the miniatures.

That's not to say that paint quality doesn't matter! Of course, there would be a level that I would refuse to play out of principle, but so far this DDM set is well above that level. The best thing about these figs is that I could add a little paint of my own and make them look 3x as good, spending just a few minutes on a job rather than the hours I would have normally.

Yes, some of the paint jobs are horrible, but most are good enough to play with. I certainly wish the quality was better on all the figs, but that would always be the case.

As it is now:
-Buy a booster
-Open it up
-Roll some dice!

 

[Scott_Rouse]

The minis in this set do not have RPG stats because the set was done long before the Monster Manual was finished. Future sets will have them again.

The boosters are meant to rip apart when you open them. Before they could be re-sealed and stores were getting them returned full of commons or worse. One store (a Walden Books) took back a booster of rocks.

 

[mach1.9pants]

One store (a Walden Books) took back a booster of rocks.

LOL, Gotta admire the cojones of the perpetrator returning them!
Just one question, will we get the RP stats for those 5 on DDI anytime soon?

 

[Festivus]

The minis in this set do not have RPG stats because the set was done long before the Monster Manual was finished. Future sets will have them again.

The boosters are meant to rip apart when you open them. Before they could be re-sealed and stores were getting them returned full of commons or worse. One store (a Walden Books) took back a booster of rocks.

Any chance we will be able to download the RPG side of the card now that the MM is done?