Do essentials books provide complete builds?

[babinro]

As someone who has collected 4E books up to the point where essentials was released...i have a few questions that will help determine if I should buy into these books or simply wait for xxxx Power2 books to continue rolling out.

1) Are the builds provided in the essentials books complete builds with options supported from level 1 to level 30?

2) Do they have Paragon Path support options and are there several to choose from?

3) Do they have any Epic Destiny support at this time?

4) I understand feats have been retooled for essentials...does this mean class builds have feats specifically tied to the Knight...much like you'd expect to see feats for Tempest/Battlerager?

5) Is all this information found within a single essentials book? Or do I need the Red Box to see early level mechanics and subsequent books to fill out the rest of the levels?


As a player/DM, I'm simply looking to expand my core base of books (Power Books, Player hand books, Monster Manuals, and adventurer vaults). These crunch books are about all I'm interested for new classes/races/builds/items.

I must say I really disagree with the marketing approach they've taken...4E made a lot of sense to me up until this side series of books came along. I've heard reference that some of these essential books are pretty much the equivalent of a PHB4...if that's the case, I'm all about it...I just don't know which book/books I should be getting and which ones are for beginners with incomplete information. A class is only good to me if it has full support through all 30 levels so any level can be created and played through to the end.

 

[shamsael]

Each class extends from levels 1 to 30. Some classes have more choices at different levels than others.

Each class has one paragon path in the book, or you can pick one from another book.

There is one epic destiny in the book, appropriate for all classes. Again, you can pick one from another book if you want.

There are no class specific feats. The new concept of feats is to make ones that are more universally useful. Tier, race, and class requirements are mostly gone.

 

[babinro]

Thanks for the response...sounds like each new option is pretty much giving the player one solid build choice with very few places to make decisions compared to the typical books.

So for someone who was wanting to purchase the books with the most class details...I assume I'd best to only get the two Heroes books and I'd be good to go?

 

[Pseudopsyche]

Yes, if you already know how to play 4E and just want more build options, you just want the two Heroes books.

If you're just looking for more powers to add to an existing character, note that some of the Essentials builds depart from the pattern of existing 4E classes. For example, for an existing fighter, Heroes of the Fallen Lands offers no new powers, since the Essentials fighter builds don't use encounter or daily attack powers. The books are most useful for creating a new character (or rebuilding one).

 

[Nikosandros]

For example, for an existing fighter, Heroes of the Fallen Lands offers no new powers, since the Essentials fighter builds don't use encounter or daily attack powers.

There are no new attack powers for a 'traditional' fighter, but there are several utilities powers that such a character could take.