Essentials Rules Compendium preview copy in hand

[thalmin]

Amazon is still saying the release date is Sept 21. Where is Sept 10 coming from?

Sept 21 is the regular street date. Starting with PHB3, WotC has been making it possible for the brick & mortar stores that provide play space and promote their products to receive and sell most D&D products 11 days early. Stores that meet certain criteria of organized play, sales rates, and play space can qualify. This is the Premier Store program of WotC. There are three tiers: Gateway, Core, and Advanced. Only Core level or higher get the early release dates. It's WotC's way of recognizing and thanking the stores that promote their games.

 

[Saracenus]

Amazon is still saying the release date is Sept 21. Where is Sept 10 coming from?

Game Stores that have become Premier stores get D&D product 11 days before street date. Sept 21 - 11 days = Sept 10.

You can look up your local premier store at the WotC website here:
Store & Event Locator - Wizards of the Coast

Hope this helps,

 

[Phreddkroe]

Does it go into any kind of depth on rare items other than what you posted earlier? For instance, does it hint at what kind of powers they have or any special rules governing them. Also, does it mention the variant tables for random magic item distribution. Finally, are the only ads for other products for Essentials books or does it mention pre-Essenials products/DDI?

Sorry for all the questions, and thank you very much for giving us these previews.

 

[thalmin]

Does it go into any kind of depth on rare items other than what you posted earlier? For instance, does it hint at what kind of powers they have or any special rules governing them. Also, does it mention the variant tables for random magic item distribution.

Not much more depth. No mention of variant tables.

Finally, are the only ads for other products for Essentials books or does it mention pre-Essenials products/DDI?

Only the one page for Essentials.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I am starting to see the Essentials books a little differently now. The 3.5 books made the 3.0 books obsolete. The Essential books might make some of the pre-Essential books redundant.

Can you explain how? You still cannot make a PC using the RC, so you need either the books or the DDi. IMO the RC will make the older books as obsolete as DDi does, almost personal preference. I reckon it will certainly make them obsolete at the table in game time.

 

[Reaper Steve]

One more:
Anything in the RC that indicates whether the Thief Rogue will use Movement Tricks (like the ampersand preview) or Attack Manuevers (like the Red Box)?

Or, will we have to wait for HotFL to finally clear that up?

 

[ArcaneSpringboard]

Have the treasure parcel values changed at all? IE are the Epic levels reduced in treasure?

 

[thalmin]

One more:
Anything in the RC that indicates whether the Thief Rogue will use Movement Tricks (like the ampersand preview) or Attack Manuevers (like the Red Box)?

Or, will we have to wait for HotFL to finally clear that up?

No class info here.

 

[Hawke]

If there ever was a D&D book that just screams for a kindle version, this is it. Have any future errata auto updated, and you're good to go.

Please please please wizards, make it happen!

 

[SquareKnot]

Looking at the Rules Compendium, could this book be used for any 4th Edition genre? For example, is the content clearly tied to D&D fantasy, or could it be used for Gamma World? Or a western setting (a la Boot Hill) or a space setting (Star Frontiers) or ...?

I'm just curious if they tried to keep the game rules as presented in the Compendium fairly generic.

Thanks