D&D 4E [4e] List of Classes and Races in the Essentials product line

[YourSwordIsMine]

With the coming release of the D&D Essentials product line I am trying to put together a list of what products are coming out and what races/classes are going to be available compared to the PHB1. This is what we know so far:

(note, this is info taken from WoTC product page)

The basic Starter Set is releasing on Sept 7 2010. It contains play through levels 1-3.

Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game
The Essential Dungeons & Dragons Starter
Mike Mearls, Bill Slavicsek and James Wyatt
The best way to start playing the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
Designed for 1–5 players, this boxed game contains everything needed to start playing the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game, including rules for creating heroes, advice for playing the Dungeon Master, a solo play adventure, and group-play adventure content. Learning the game has never been so easy!
Several different character races (dwarf, elf, halfling, and human) and classes (cleric, fighter, rogue, and wizard) are presented, along with powers for each race and class.
Game components:
• 32-page book for players, with rules for character creation and a solo adventure
• 64-page book for Dungeon Masters, with the rules of the game, advice on how to run the game, and adventure content
• 2 sheets of die-cut tokens for characters and monsters
• Cardstock character sheets and power cards
• Double-sided dungeon map
• 6 polyhedral dice

Item Details
Item Code: 244660000
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Format: Box
Price: $19.99 C$23.99
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5629-6

Races: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling and Human
Classes: Cleric, Fighter, Rogue and Wizard

Pretty standard and I'm glad they went with these 4. Very iconic.


The next product (for players) is Heroes of the Fallen Lands on Sept 21 2010.

Player Essentials: Heroes of the Fallen Lands
An Essential D&D Game Supplement
Mike Mearls and Bill Slavicsek
Exciting new builds and character options for the cleric, fighter, ranger, rogue, and wizard classes.
This essential player product for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game presents exciting new builds for the most iconic classes: the cleric, the fighter, the ranger, the rogue, and the wizard. Each class comes with a set of new powers, class features, paragon paths, epic destinies, and more that beginning players can use to build the characters they want to play and experienced players can plunder for existing 4th Edition characters.
In addition to new builds, this book presents expanded information and racial traits for some of the game’s most popular races, including dwarves, eladrin, elves, halflings, and humans.
Item Details
Item Code: 247520000
Release Date: September 21, 2010
Series: Essential D&D Game Supplement
Format: Trade Paperback
Page Count: 352
Price: $19.95 C$23.95
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5620-3

Races: Eladrin, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling and Human
Classes: Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue and Wizard.

So by the end of September they will have added one new Race (Eladrin) and one new Class (Ranger).


The next Player based supplement doesn't come out until November 16th, Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms.

Player Essentials: Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms
An Essential D&D Game Supplement
Mike Mearls and Rodney Thompson
Exciting new builds and character options for the cleric, druid, paladin, ranger, and warlock classes.
This essential supplement for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game presents exciting new builds for the game’s most popular classes: the cleric, the druid, the paladin, the ranger, and the warlock. Each class comes with a set of new powers, class features, paragon paths, epic destinies, and more that beginning players can use to build the characters they want to play and experienced players can plunder for existing 4th Edition characters.
In addition to new builds, this book presents expanded information and racial traits for some of the game’s most popular races, including dragonborn, drow, half-elves, half-orcs, and tieflings.
Item Details
Item Code: 247510000
Release Date: November 16, 2010
Series: Essential D&D Game Supplement
Format: Trade Paperback
Page Count: 352
Price: $19.95 C$35.00
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5619-7

Races: Dragonborn, Drow, Half-Elf, Half-Orc and Tiefling
Classes: Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Warlock.

So by the end of November the currently listed Essentials Players products will be out. For the most part everything from the PHB will be available to players with a few additions and one subtraction.

For Races there will be 10 available, the original 8 from PHB: Dragonborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human and Tiefling. They also add Drow and Half-Orc.

Classes come out a bit oddly with: Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock and Wizard. Oddly enough the Warlord has been replaced with the Druid. I wonder why.

My one concern is there seems to be a lot of duplication. Dwarf, Elf, Halfling and Human seems to be covered twice between 3 books while Cleric is covered 3 times; Fighter, Ranger, Rogue and Wizard are covered twice while Druid, Paladin and Warlock are only done once...

I am looking forward to these products, I think they should have done this a lot sooner (though I'm a firm believer the first PHB should have only covered L1-10). I still have the uneasy feeling this Essentials line is 4.5e (IMHO) especially with the release of the Rules Compendium book but oh well... I'm glad to see they are at least trying to make the game easier for new players.

Rules Compendium
D&D Rules Supplement
Jeremy Crawford
A quick and handy rules reference and guide for the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
This handy and comprehensive Dungeons & Dragons book is intended as a quick rules reference. It contains the complete core rules for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
In addition to providing an overview of the game and how it’s played, this book presents the core rules in a format that is easily referenced during a game. It includes information on level advancement, combat, experience points, treasure, skills, equipment, and more.
Item Details
Item Code: 247530000
Release Date: September 21, 2010
Series: D&D Rules Supplement
Format: Trade Paperback
Page Count: 320
Price: $19.95 C$23.95
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5621-0

 

[mkill]

The information blurb may be outdated. Amazon has the covers for both books, note how Ranger and Cleric are only in one book each. I suggest we wait until the books ship, then we'll know which class is in which.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Fallen-Lands-Essential-Supplement/dp/0786956208"]Amazon.com: Heroes of the Fallen Lands: An Essential Dungeons & Dragons Supplement (4th Edition…[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Forgotten-Kingdoms-Essential-Supplement/dp/0786956194"]Amazon.com: Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms: An Essential Dungeons & Dragons…[/ame]


Something I find interesting is that they publish a reboot/alternate line of D&D line which ONLY includes the Cleric as leader right at the same time the publish a new setting (Dark Sun) which includes all leader classes EXCEPT Clerics. This will sure confuse some new players. At least it would confuse me if I grabbed the books from the new products shelf in the store and tried to figure it out at home.

 

[vagabundo]

ohh I forgot about the rules compendium... Just what I need.

 

[Istar]

Anything new coming out in these books.

If not, whats the point.

Or are they using this to provide a final edited version of the game that doesnt need monthly errata.

If yes, anything for Rogue ?

 

[vagabundo]

Anything new coming out in these books.

If not, whats the point.

Or are they using this to provide a final edited version of the game that doesnt need monthly errata.

If yes, anything for Rogue ?

Pretty much all new stuff apart from some essential feats; that's what's been said by the team.

The point of the essentials is to broaden the audience, get some new gamers into the fold.

 

[Jack99]

Anything new coming out in these books.

If not, whats the point.

Or are they using this to provide a final edited version of the game that doesnt need monthly errata.

If yes, anything for Rogue ?

Have you considered playing something else besides 4e? Because all you seem to do is whine about how slow you think the game is, whine about rules that you do not understand and whine about errata that ruins your über leet builds.

Do not get me wrong, its very entertaining (much like watching a train-wreck) to read your posts, but since you are obviously quite displeased with the game, why not just play something else? After all, D&D is about having fun with friends - if you aren't having fun, why bother playing?

Admin here. This is both off topic and insulting; we encourage the use of the Ignore feature if you aren't enjoying someone's posts, but calling them out in-thread isn't appropriate. PM me if this is in any way unclear. ~ PCat

 

[Shazman]

What? I didn't see anything in his post about how slow the game is. He's just asking if the essentials will have complete and final errata in it.

 

[Cormacolinde]

Asking for a "complete and final errata" is like asking when the OED will publish their "final edition" with "every word included". These yearly editions with whole new words are very annoying to keep up with.

Notice how latin dictionaries don't get new words? That's because it's a dead language. 4e will stop getting new materials and errata published when it's dead - which would be when 5e will come out.

 

[TerraDave]

Yes, supposed to have all current errata. Thats supposed to be one reason we are having the current errata rush. But of course that doesn't mean it will stop.

Also supposed to have new content. On this, we will have to see how new.

After the essentials, there will be a new "option" series, starting with Players Option: Heroes of Shadow with the Assassin, Hexblade and Necromancer. Unclear if they will use later option products to bring in the barbarian, psion, and the many other classes out there.

 

[Oldtimer]

The basic Starter Set is releasing on Sept 7 2010. It contains play through levels 1-5.

I must be going blind. Where did you find "levels 1-5" in the quoted blurb?