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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Burnside" data-source="post: 7783382" data-attributes="member: 6910340">Picked it up this evening. There is no disputing that it is an amazing value for $25.Quick comparison to the Starter Set, to which it will inevitably compared:The rulebook is similar to the one included in the Starter Set, but it's an improvement - most significantly because it includes rules for character creation and adds the bard (in addition to the cleric, fighter, rogue, and wizard). Race options are same as Starter Set.It also offers two archetype options for each class (Starter set had only 1 per class):Bard - Lore or ValorCleric - Life or WarFighter - Champion or Eldritch KnightRogue - Thief or Arcane TricksterWizard - Evoker or TransmuterThe Starter Set contained six background options (Acolyte, Criminal, Folk Hero, Noble, Sage, or Soldier). Folk Hero and Noble are absent here, and Entertainer has been added. Poster map, DMs screen, quest cards, condition cards, magic items cards, combat guide cards are all new and awesome additions.More dice - an extra D20 for advantage/disadvantage rolls, and 4 D6sMagic item selection I think is slightly better/more interesting that the Starter Set.The Starter Set did include a broader and more classic selection of monsters & stat blocks (the Essentials Kit is missing staples like goblin, zombie, skeleton, owlbear, bandit, mage, and others). In addition to the in-package material, you're also getting the DNDBeyond version of Dragon of Icespire Peak as well as three additional DNDBeyond adventures: Storm Lord's Wrath (level 7), Sleeping Dragon's Wake (level 9), and Divine Contention (level 11). These are not yet accessible on DNDBeyond, which says they "will be written" by Shawn Merwin, James Introcaso, and Will Doyle (who are all generally great, so high hopes there). PLUS 50% off the DNDBeyond PHB.The included "rules" for playing one-on-one have either been over-hyped by WoTC or blown out of proportion by RPG press and commentators. It's literally "give them a sidekick and take some monsters out of encounters". There's like two pages of material devoted to this "system" - and 75% of that is stablocks for sidekicks. Which frankly makes sense. We already know how to play one-on-one and people have been doing so for 40+ years.I've read 1/3rd of the adventure. Will need to consider it further, but my initial impression is that LMoP is superior. LMoP offers a mini-campaign that somehow caught lighting in a bottle and is still a near-perfect first experience. Dragon of Icespire Peak is a loosely connected series of one-shots of varying quality (none of the quests I've read so far a bad, but some are certainly better than others) and length (1-4 pages each). But there is an upside - it offers and ever more casual, beer-and-pretzels style than LMoP which will be just right for some groups, and can largely be played through in what feels to me like shorter, self-contained sessions of 2-3 hours in length which I also suspect might be great for some players, and also groups whose attendees may vary week-to-week.Location maps in the adventure book are often printed comically small and hard to read a la Tales from the Yawning Portal. Maps themselves are simple but serviceable and in color (Chris Perkins made them). Easier to view on DNDBeyond.Given the sheer amount of stuff you're getting for $25, a great product.</blockquote>

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