4 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Starter Set
The highlight of the starter set is the adventure, written by Richard Baker and I believe Chris Perkins. It's a bit of a sandbox, with a good hook and starting scenario that unleashes you on the rural areas around Phandelver on the Sword Coast. Each pre-generated character is tied directly into the story as well, making for a very good way for the players to buy in to the campaign.It's a good all around adventure, and one I like better in terms of tone and style than the larger Kobold produced adventures Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat. I feel like it fits in better with what 5th Edition is going for in terms of fun.The rules themselves are fine, though I am not sure of their quality when it comes to teaching new people the game. Unlike similar Starter Boxes, like Edge of the the Empire's Starter Kit, you can't simply open and start playing, but have to read through the books first. (A note, however, that the length of the adventure in this Starter Set is faaaar longer than EotE, which you can finish in a single short session). It still seems as if the best way to learn D&D is from someone who already plays, and I feel like this is a paradigm that really needs to shift. Despite me really liking this Starter Set, I still feel as if it has more use for someone who has Role Playing experience under their belt rather than someone completely new.