Another Look at the D&D Essentials Kit

sevenbastard · May 21, 2019

Most exciting thing I've seen this year. A true starter box for D&D with character creation rules. Much needed and long overdue. Hopefully this will be the Moldvay or Metzer basic set for. New generation.

My only complaint is the DMs screen. One DMs should roll in the open and a screen leads to fudging and that's not how the game should be played (or taught). Two it is probably an expensive add on and a small book of monsters and adventure design would be better add on. IMHO.

Vexorg · May 21, 2019

Jer said:
It's going to be exclusive to Target for the first few months, so Amazon may not even be able to put a pre-order link up for it yet.

I am sort of shocked that Target gets to sell these a full three months before hobby stores. It seems to be a sudden and major reversal of a long standing policy of putting FLGSes first.

in-store play is still the only games available for many people.

Morrus · May 21, 2019

sevenbastard said:
One DMs should roll in the open and a screen leads to fudging and that's not how the game should be played (or taught).

Now, now. "Badwrongfun" is so out of fashion these days. Let's not tell people how they should play, eh?

vpuigdoller · May 21, 2019

I love this set. I specially love it includes maps. Now to wait for it to be available.

Wrathamon · May 21, 2019

I think its basic box set then expert box set sorta experience.

Buy the starter and essentials and run both

Jer · May 21, 2019

Vexorg said:
I am sort of shocked that Target gets to sell these a full three months before hobby stores. It seems to be a sudden and major reversal of a long standing policy of putting FLGSes first.

Eh - this is a product designed for outreach to new audiences - the kind of product where you are snagging people who don't play these kinds of games. Having it on retail shelves is valuable to grow the hobby - it isn't like Target is going to be suddenly setting up shelves in their stores to sell the rest of the D&D line. Some of the folks who buy the set at Target will eventually become FLGS patrons (I know that's how it worked for me - I'm pretty sure that my mom bought my first Basic D&D boxed set from Target.)

I always smile when I see a Starter Set on the shelves at Target or Meijer when I'm out shopping - it reminds me that the hobby is in a growth phase again and it's not just a hobby for grumpy old men to complain about

in-store play is still the only games available for many people.

I suspect that's why they've put the 1-on-1 rules into the boxed set as well - to give folks who don't have a local store a way to play the game with the one other person they can find who is interested.

MartyW · May 21, 2019

I wrote a bit more about it here:
http://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2019/05/dnd-essentials-kit-announced.html

There is a rumor that it includes a D&D Beyond key for people who purchase the box set, but I have not yet been able to confirm that. [EDIT: It was confirmed by Adam Bradford the other day on Twitter.]

MartyW · May 21, 2019

Jer said:
Eh - this is a product designed for outreach to new audiences - the kind of product where you are snagging people who don't play these kinds of games.

Regardless of the "intended audience", everyone knows this set is going to sell like hot fire to existing D&D fans too. The Target exclusivity cuts that sales spike completely out of the FLGS' bottom line.

By the way, for everyone else, there is nothing that says this box set will replace the Starter Set. Quite the contrary. Perkins even noted that this set can be used together with LMoP to enhance the adventure with other quest hooks and objectives. On the stream, they called it a "next step" from the Starter Set before a consumer might purchase the core books.

You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/Kk_S8jU3Hhc?t=3631

There's going to be the original Starter Set, the Stranger Things box set, the Rick & Morty box set, and the Essentials Kit all selling at the same time.

darjr · May 21, 2019

I roll in the open but still use a DM screen. Keep it folded on the table for quick reference.

lostsanityreturned · May 21, 2019

And cannot get it in Australia till september... The wizards store advantage stuff was bad enough (they don't seem to exist over here, regardless of how many AL games are run, MTG tourneys or sales... at least not when I was looking back when volos released)

But why? It isn't like WotC needed target's shilling to do this. It would have sold well and not competed for the third quarter adventure sale... -groans-
New audience arguments don't work either, as Target would have sold it without it being an exclusive product.

Also, DM screens are great. I don't fudge rolls (I have, but it is increeeedddibly rare... single digits still in 15+ years of DMing)

I don't roll openly in 5e though, players don't need to know what the rolls are as it becomes way too clear as to the mechanics of foes. Which hinders the roleplay element imo.

Giving DMs a choice is always better than going the "BADWRONGFUN" route imo.