D&D Rules Compendium (Hardcover) - October 2007

[thedungeondelver]

I think the Rules Compendium will be 'just barely D&D'. It will feature four classes* and four races** and be a stepping stone between Basic Sets/boardgames and fully fledged D&D 3.5. It will have feats, spells, monsters, and conditions in a limited fashion. I only wonder if the spells will be limited in level or in breadth? Oh and there will be new art, yay!!! And, alas it will be heavy on the minis.

It's just 160 pages because they do not dare have more for fear of scaring away newcomers. The point is to make the game available without the three core books.

Isn't $27 quite cheap? -Subsidised cheap?

* My guess is fighter, rogue, cleric, sorcerer.
** Human, dwarf, elf, half-orc.

No way man, they'll have halflings in there!

 

[Nellisir]

I think the Rules Compendium will be 'just barely D&D'. It will feature four classes* and four races** and be a stepping stone between Basic Sets/boardgames and fully fledged D&D 3.5. It will have feats, spells, monsters, and conditions in a limited fashion. I only wonder if the spells will be limited in level or in breadth? Oh and there will be new art, yay!!! And, alas it will be heavy on the minis.

It's just 160 pages because they do not dare have more for fear of scaring away newcomers. The point is to make the game available without the three core books.

Isn't $27 quite cheap? -Subsidised cheap?

* My guess is fighter, rogue, cleric, sorcerer.
** Human, dwarf, elf, half-orc.

$27 is a little low. It's usually $29.95. It might be a nod to the fact that the rules aren't new; the original design work is already paid for.
I really, really, really don't think it's a new "Basic" D&D, though. For one thing, there's already a game by that name. For another, it'd be called something other than the "Rules Compendium". That's not a name to inspire a new audience.

 

[ivocaliban]

Why do classes, races and feats count as "rules"?

Basically quoting this because I think it bears repeating. I'm certainly not interested in any collection of classes, races and feats, because chances are I've got the majority of them already. Having actual rules in one place (such as expanded environmental rules from the various books in that series, a smattering of the good material from books like DMGII, Minatures Handbook and the like, and perhaps some updated web enhancement materials) seems like a great idea, but just another box of "crunch" isn't going to do the trick. Particularly, if I already own the majority of it.

 

[Nightfall]

In my case, I have no interest in Eberron (or Faerun for that matter).

Yeah and this Rule Compendium is SOO much more interesting right?

Lord T,

Yeah well I had similiar hopes on Faiths of Eberron. Didn't quite do it for me.