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This fits pretty well with my pet theory: Many GMs that play/played D&D for a long time had to deal with this problem (in much smaller form) since 1st edition and they learned how to adapt. At this point they have multiple tricks/table rules/ unwritten agreements that control the problem. Many...

So, just out of curiosity, how many players and DMs need to have a problem with the imbalance of spellcasters and warriors for it to be a problem with D&D rather than a problem of the individuals? I don't think anybody claims that it is a universal problem or an unsolvable problem, but...

Narrative control by their player? A couple of times, the player gets to say "And next, X happens". For example, "The Dragon when trying to gain height fast tears open an old injury in a wing and has to land". Of course you need to limit what exactly X could be, to make sure this ability is...

I'm pretty sure that's what it is. In earlier phases of the beta, this MB allowed you to slightly alter monsters that could then be directly imported into the VT, without the need of data entry. I think they wanted that functionality available when rolling out the VT to a wider audience, even...

I think though, you can do even better in this situation and that involves saying yes. Say you have established that there are no Magic Emporium type stores in your campaign. There are likely still wisewomen or charlatans selling "magic" gear to the guillible. The player could therefore be...

The Plane Above and Underdark are the two best generic fluff books that were written for 4the edition. Underdark is a very atmospherically dense description of the Subterranean kingdom.And The Plane Above is among the best books on the planes written for any edition of the game. Particularily if...

I think your pol is conflating two issues: The utility of the new format and the initial reaction it provoked. In the short run, the difference in format alienated many people. I was for example irritated by the similarity it had to many computer game guides. In the long run though, it is a...

The Plane Above is one of the best book on planes in any edition of D&D. The Manual of the Planes is very strong, but a little to brief. The Plane Below is a little meh, especially when compared to the other two.

I agree, Wizards has produced a stellar lineup of outstanding gaming books this year, among the best product ever produced for D&D (I'm thinking of Planes Above and the Monster Vault). So one could say, they got the most important thing right?

Those are rules for accounting, not for role-playing. D&D never had any rules to support role playing except alignments. I think you are mixing up role-playing with non-combat activity. Moreover, you focus on non-combat activities that usually happen between adventures and thus are of minor...

The adventures? I am somewhat surprised you don't even mention the mini-campaign included in the box. Glancing through it, I had the impression that they took everything that worked about the Red Hand of Doom and turned it into a very cool tool to teach DMs how to write adventures.

Not in my experience. At 10 HD, monsters have a THACO of ~10, so if you don't have an AC of at least -5, you get hit a lot. With no cleric to heal you, that is not good. And IIRC, fighter saves are ~10 as well giving you a 50-50 chance on every effect you run into, again with no neutralize...

Actually, they need the whole enchilada of magical items; Ring of protection, magic armor and magic shields as well as magic weapons, otherwise the first monster that can do status effects will destroy them. Moreover they need magic bows otherwise anything that flies and has a ranged attack will...

All you have to do is to apply the same logic to Magic users: "Fireball" may just be a big Molotov cocktail, the "magic missile" was fired from a crossbow and Fly spells only work in special magic areas that yo will find once in your adventuring career. This is the type of wizard you would...

Play 4th and use inherent boni? Suddenly you can do without any magic items and hand out as much money as you want.

I believe, this perception is influenced by the fact that you got the original red box when you knew nothing about what else is out there, but today you are comparing the new red box against all possible available material. I agree that having a sheet that tells you how to build characters...

Is it obvious that allowing the fighter to pick equipment and attributes provides more replay value than allowing the fighter to pick feats, skills and powers? I would think that two old redbox fighters will be more similar to each other than two new redbox fighters. The same is true for Thiefs...

While I don't agree that classes play very similar, essentials character look less similar than classic classes and also play even less similar. So your first concern may be addressed by essentials.

I would also guess that you are facing a lot of monsters that have a higher level than your party. This is an unfortunate effect of starting monster level at 1: the GM will have to choose more monsters above your party level because there are no monsters below your party level. This problem...

This time the spoilers there are Americans. I think it has to do with other things.