Rules Compendium

[fanboy2000]

This week's ampersand cover's what I'm most looking forward to from Essentials.

This is the go-to book for how to make a character, decipher a monster stat block, play through a skill challenge, launch into a battle, and engage in any of the other fundamental activities of the game.

Based on the product description, I suspected that the RC had more info on it than the 3.5 RC. Or, at least, different info.

A lot of the buzz on Essentials is with the new and updated classes, but what I'm most interested in are the DM tools. Though, I suppose that the Rules Compendium is equally useful for DMs and Players.

 

[OnlineDM]

Interestingly, I just learned from my local store that the Rules Compendium will be a part of the Dungeon Master Boxed Set from the Essentials line, so you don't have to buy it separately if you're interested in the DM kit. I don't think I'll have any need for the red box, for instance, but I, like you, am interested in what Essentials brings for DMs. The Rules Compendium should be quite nice, and I'll most likely get it through the DM set.

Edit: From looking at the description on Amazon, I think I got some bad information from my store. I don't think the compendium is part of the DM kit at all. Never mind!

 

[doctorhook]

Interestingly, I just learned from my local store that the Rules Compendium will be a part of the Dungeon Master Boxed Set from the Essentials line, so you don't have to buy it separately if you're interested in the DM kit. I don't think I'll have any need for the red box, for instance, but I, like you, am interested in what Essentials brings for DMs. The Rules Compendium should be quite nice, and I'll most likely get it through the DM set.

Edit: From looking at the description on Amazon, I think I got some bad information from my store. I don't think the compendium is part of the DM kit at all. Never mind!

If that had turned out to be true, it would've been quite the scoop!

 

[Markn]

I think they missed an opportunity to further clarify Immunity rules. It would have been better if they included an example of a creature being immune to, say fire, and it took fire and cold damage. This example still gets some debate here at EN World.

It's a shame.

I do look forward to the book though.

 

[keterys]

Yeah, they also missed the opportunity to say what happens when you have vulnerable 5 thunder and lightning, and get hit for 10 thunder and lightning.

 

[Klaus]

If that had turned out to be true, it would've been quite the scoop!

The Essentials ad in the D&D comic book lists the RC in the "For Players" section only.

 

[ggroy]

4E Rules Compendium preview.

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Rules Compendium)

 

[Nebten]

If they don't include the errata in the reprinting of their future books (such as PHB 1 or MM 1), the Rules Compendium is only going to make things worse. The default buy for any new player is going to be a PHB. It has everything somebody can play D&D with. If new PHBs are not errated, people going to learn the game with the PHB then realize that there are difference in rules that they learned and will need to figure out either through RC or online errata. That is a lot to ask somebody who wants to get into the game for a system that tries to promote it self as being symblistic.

 

[YRUSirius]

That's why I think that the decision to reprint PHB or not hasn't been made yet - atleast officially. But when the decision has to be made, they will decide to not reprint PHB, cause they'll have a new basis for new and old players going forward with the one rule book called Rules Compendium. All given the D&D Essentials line will be successful. If not - well, they'll reprint the PHB with errata.

- YRUSirius

 

[Markn]

I think the decision to reprint the PH has not been made because they need to sell all the current PH's they currently have. Once you choose to reprint, you get no more sales of the current PH and you get stuck with dead stock that will NEVER sell. It's simple economics really.