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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
4E: Recommended Books
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<blockquote data-quote="Jer" data-source="post: 8599822" data-attributes="member: 19857"><p>I agree that it depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to see the game in its original glory, with its math and other internal organs spread out for easy analysis and modification, I'd get the original PHB and that's sufficient for player options unless you've got someone who wants to play something that isn't in the 4e PHB - one of the big complaints about the 4e rollout is that the 4e PHB left out the Barbarian, Druid, Sorcerer and Bard and the Gnome and the Half-Orc - they show up in the PHB2.</p><p></p><p>If you want to see where it landed, you can get one of the essentials books - Heroes of the Fallen Lands has the "core" D&D classes and races that you'd expect to see from a Basic Set (Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue, Human, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling and Eladrin (High Elf in 4e). I prefer the original presentation because I like to tinker - with Essentials you can see the trend towards how 5e is presented, though it's only about halfway there. (My personal preference remains the original PHB and PHB2 when I run games, but YMMV).</p><p></p><p>For Monster books I'd skip the original MMs for a trial experience and go straight to Monster Vault - the math in the original 4e MM was off, and by Monster Vault they'd fixed it. MV has the kind of monsters you'd expect to see in a D&D game. I'd also personally recommend Monster Value: Threats to the Nentir Vale because it's got a lot of great lore and hooks in it and is one of my favorite monster books to pull down off the shelf when I'm looking for ideas.</p><p></p><p>For DM's books - I'd go with the original DMG even if you're using the Essentials books for the players. The DM's Kit from Essentials is fine, but I think the DMG is just overall better.</p><p></p><p>That's the core, and all you really need to try the system out. If you look beyond that, Monster Manual 3 is quite good and has the fixed math for monsters in it. PHB2 gives a full range of classes (PHB3 is less necessary IMO). I also like the DMG2 for its ideas on higher level play. I'd also put a pitch out for the Plane Above and the Plane Below for an interesting take on the Outer and Inner planes that is very different from standard D&D. I also liked the various Player's Options books but I think I'm in the minority on that.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jer, post: 8599822, member: 19857"] I agree that it depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to see the game in its original glory, with its math and other internal organs spread out for easy analysis and modification, I'd get the original PHB and that's sufficient for player options unless you've got someone who wants to play something that isn't in the 4e PHB - one of the big complaints about the 4e rollout is that the 4e PHB left out the Barbarian, Druid, Sorcerer and Bard and the Gnome and the Half-Orc - they show up in the PHB2. If you want to see where it landed, you can get one of the essentials books - Heroes of the Fallen Lands has the "core" D&D classes and races that you'd expect to see from a Basic Set (Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue, Human, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling and Eladrin (High Elf in 4e). I prefer the original presentation because I like to tinker - with Essentials you can see the trend towards how 5e is presented, though it's only about halfway there. (My personal preference remains the original PHB and PHB2 when I run games, but YMMV). For Monster books I'd skip the original MMs for a trial experience and go straight to Monster Vault - the math in the original 4e MM was off, and by Monster Vault they'd fixed it. MV has the kind of monsters you'd expect to see in a D&D game. I'd also personally recommend Monster Value: Threats to the Nentir Vale because it's got a lot of great lore and hooks in it and is one of my favorite monster books to pull down off the shelf when I'm looking for ideas. For DM's books - I'd go with the original DMG even if you're using the Essentials books for the players. The DM's Kit from Essentials is fine, but I think the DMG is just overall better. That's the core, and all you really need to try the system out. If you look beyond that, Monster Manual 3 is quite good and has the fixed math for monsters in it. PHB2 gives a full range of classes (PHB3 is less necessary IMO). I also like the DMG2 for its ideas on higher level play. I'd also put a pitch out for the Plane Above and the Plane Below for an interesting take on the Outer and Inner planes that is very different from standard D&D. I also liked the various Player's Options books but I think I'm in the minority on that. [/QUOTE]
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