D&D 4E 4E Core or Essentials?

[sst187]

Hello to all. Just a simple question. I started playing D&D in 1978. I am just now returning to it after a 20 year absence. My youngest son expressed interest so I became interested again. I have spent some time reading and researching so I feel like I have some idea of what is what. I grabbed one of the new Red Boxes so that I could let my son experience the game without investing too much $$$ and for the simplicity of teaching him and re familiarizing me. He loves it and I realized how much I missed it. So, we need to move beyond the box now. Would it be better to get the core 4E books as I am inclined to or would we be better served by picking up the Essentials line, or is it really just a personal preference? I'm really just wanting to hear some thoughts on this. Being away for so long at least spares me from being involved in the 3.5 vs 4E debate!

 

[renau1g]

the problem with the core 3 is that there's been so much errata to them there are significant changes to the PHB stuff. If you don't care (which I suspect you don't) than it's really a matter of personal preference. How old is your son? Essentials has some easier to play classes (like the Knight & Thief classes), but I don't want to be patronizing if he is like 12 or something where he'd be fine with the core classes.

 

[Nifft]

4e has been errata'd extensively, and at least some of the errata has been very good, so I'd recommend Essentials. They learned a lot since the initial release of 4e, and the results of that knowledge have been applied to Essentials (and to their supplements like Divine Power, but if you aren't buying those then you won't get those fixes).

Cheers, -- N

 

[mneme]

Get the Essentials line--it's an easier on-ramp into the game and has all the latest eratta.

Going from there, they're reissuing the lion's share of the PH1 content at some point, I think in the spring, in a fashion that both encorporates current eratta and matches the Essentials format (but is still the same rules they started with). Of course, if you're interested in the later material you'll want to get the Power books and PH2/3 (at least until/unless they do remakes of those as well).

 

[sst187]

Thank you all for such thoughtful replies. My son is 12 almost 13 and he seems to be grasping it all fairly well. So, if I just go with the Essentials, we wouldn't be missing anything? I had also considered that it might be best to grab them both ...

 

[Dice4Hire]

Thank you all for such thoughtful replies. My son is 12 almost 13 and he seems to be grasping it all fairly well. So, if I just go with the Essentials, we wouldn't be missing anything? I had also considered that it might be best to grab them both ...

Well, as soon as your son starts complaining of a lack of options, then go for regular 4E. The essentials classes have far fewer options with power and build selection and especially Paragon paths and epic destinies.

Add in magical items and it is even worse.

But some people prefer that simplicity.

I'd jsut wait nad see what he seems to like. Doing only essentials is a lot cheaper, also.

 

[OnlineDM]

Yes, definitely start with Essentials - that's the current on-ramp for 4th Edition, and it's good. The core books will present additional options when you want them.

I recommend getting Heroes of the Fallen Lands, the Dungeon Master's Kit, the Rules Compendium and the Monster Vault. I don't have the DM Kit (if you already have the core DM books, you don't need it), but I have the others and I highly recommend them. Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms is good, too - it just presents additional races and classes that aren't in Fallen Lands. If you want the classics, though, go with Fallen Lands first.

 

[sst187]

Well, as soon as your son starts complaining of a lack of options, then go for regular 4E. The essentials classes have far fewer options with power and build selection and especially Paragon paths and epic destinies.

Add in magical items and it is even worse.

But some people prefer that simplicity.

I'd jsut wait nad see what he seems to like. Doing only essentials is a lot cheaper, also.

Well, I know how we both are and I am sure we both would end up complaining about the lack of options. So perhaps we do acquire both the core books and Essentials. Perhaps Essentials first followed shortly by the core. I will say that so much has changed in 20 years! I mean 3 PHBs?

 

[sst187]

Yes, definitely start with Essentials - that's the current on-ramp for 4th Edition, and it's good. The core books will present additional options when you want them.

I recommend getting Heroes of the Fallen Lands, the Dungeon Master's Kit, the Rules Compendium and the Monster Vault. I don't have the DM Kit (if you already have the core DM books, you don't need it), but I have the others and I highly recommend them. Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms is good, too - it just presents additional races and classes that aren't in Fallen Lands. If you want the classics, though, go with Fallen Lands first.

Sounds like everyone is pretty much in favor of going with Essentials first. I was wondering about the Dungeon Master's Kit ... whether to get it or get the core DM books with everything else being from Essentials.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Well, I know how we both are and I am sure we both would end up complaining about the lack of options. So perhaps we do acquire both the core books and Essentials. Perhaps Essentials first followed shortly by the core. I will say that so much has changed in 20 years! I mean 3 PHBs?

Just be glad they changed the original rollout schedule, which called for a new DMG, MM, PHB, and all power books each year. We only got one power book II, and only MM and PHBIII.