I Just Pre-Ordered the 4.5 Red Box...

[FireLance]

The problem with "4.5e" is that WotC has gone on record to say that there wouldn't be a 4.5e, and so, it is generally used in a negative context to imply "WotC lied!" or sentiments to that effect. Without these unfortunate connotations, I wouldn't have any problems with anyone who decided to call Essentials "4.5e".

 

[FireLance]

And what are "V-shaped" classes?

Classes with two primary ability scores (and one secondary ability score), such as Strength and Charisma for paladins (Wisdom secondary) and Constitution and Charisma for warlocks (Intelligence secondary).

Classes with one primary ability score and two secondary ability scores are called "A-shaped" classes.

 

[Festivus]

Edit: Also I think its out as of today, so you shouldn't have needed to pre-order.

Not out as of today. There are demonstration copies at your WOTC Premiere stores that you can check out and play around with. I had my hands on it yesterday, so I know that is the case.

I bet the premiere stores get the product for sale on September 1st. Amazon on Sept 11th or around there, the worldwide gameday event is Sept 11th.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I don't believe this is a formal dot version upgrade but it does seem to be a major revision. I have pre-ordered 2 of these suckers.

 

[thalmin]

Not out as of today. There are demonstration copies at your WOTC Premiere stores that you can check out and play around with. I had my hands on it yesterday, so I know that is the case.

I bet the premiere stores get the product for sale on September 1st. Amazon on Sept 11th or around there, the worldwide gameday event is Sept 11th.

Demo copies at SOME Premiere stores. Core Stores sale date Aug 27, regular street date Sept. 7.

 

[TerraDave]

ah semantics. Just say ...zuchini...

You will need some of the other essentials products for some of your goals.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I pre-ordered the 4.5 red box from Chapters yesterday and I'm so exited about it!

... snip...

Holy nostalgia Batman!

Hi Josha,

It is always nice to see new people at ENworld, welcome!

Something I need to mention to you though - in the past a lot of bad feeling had been generated by "Edition wars", which includes baiting between 3.xe and 4e afficionados amongst other things.

One of the problematic strands was people going on about '4.5e' or '5e' and so in the interests of keeping the workload of the poor moderators low, please could you refrain from such jibes in the future, thanks!

e.g. this would be a better way of expressing your thoughts here:

"I know there is quite a bit of controversy about it I think "essentials" was necessary for several reasons. 4e has so many rules updates my core rulebooks need to be updated beforehand for me to even use them, V-shaped classes are banned in some of the games I play (but not DM), and whenever I use something that didn't come out recently I need to basically redo all the math.
Essentials hopefullly fixes all of this, now when I use a red dragon I don't have to recalculate attack rolls, defenses, hit points, and damage rolls as well as making a stat-block in the new format and when I make a character I can use classic classes such as paladins without worrying about it's V-shaped design."

Please feel free to email or PM me if you've got any other questions.

Cheers

 

[josha]

Hi Josha,

It is always nice to see new people at ENworld, welcome!

Something I need to mention to you though - in the past a lot of bad feeling had been generated by "Edition wars", which includes baiting between 3.xe and 4e afficionados amongst other things.

One of the problematic strands was people going on about '4.5e' or '5e' and so in the interests of keeping the workload of the poor moderators low, please could you refrain from such jibes in the future, thanks!

e.g. this would be a better way of expressing your thoughts here:

"I know there is quite a bit of controversy about it I think "essentials" was necessary for several reasons. 4e has so many rules updates my core rulebooks need to be updated beforehand for me to even use them, V-shaped classes are banned in some of the games I play (but not DM), and whenever I use something that didn't come out recently I need to basically redo all the math.
Essentials hopefullly fixes all of this, now when I use a red dragon I don't have to recalculate attack rolls, defenses, hit points, and damage rolls as well as making a stat-block in the new format and when I make a character I can use classic classes such as paladins without worrying about it's V-shaped design."

Please feel free to email or PM me if you've got any other questions.

Cheers

Thank you, I know of the edition wars.
I wasn't trying to start something, just express my opinion.

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

There's nothing wrong with thinking of the Essentials Line as 4.5e.

Just as the Unearthed Arcana era of AD&D 1e has been retroactively referred to as 1.5e and the Skills & Powers as 2.5e, we don't need "official" permission to think of this as a revised version of 4th edition.

Love or loathe the 4.5essentials line, there are some really cool products coming out during this new marketing push: the red "basic" box, boardgames, new tiles, etc.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

<girly voice>

When I heard the Essentials line announced I was all "Ohnoes! 4.5! "

Then I saw class progression tables and no melee dailies and then I was all "Mhmm, 3.9 "

Then I saw the latest excerpts and the assurances of compatibility and I'm all like "Oh, mebbe its a 4.15 "

</girly voice>

Anyway, I am excited about the Red Box, but not for myself, but as a gift for some kids I know...

I am actually excited about the Rules Compendium and the boxes of tiles and tokens (having never been a minis buyer)