Is PHB 2 really "Core?"

[Glyfair]

And are the varying definitions of "core" really so confusing? Haven't we been using the term "level" with even more definitions since day one, anyway?

I got a new spell level when I gained a level for clearing the monsters in the dungeon level, and the only treasure was a magic level.

 

[Ariosto]

The only treasure was a carpenter's tool? Gives "spirit" level new meaning!

(Pretty handy for dungeon exploration, actually.)

 

[Glyfair]

What's a "magic level" treasure??

A little (poorly thought out) joke:

 

[Ariosto]

No, that was splendid!

It took me a few minutes to get (old brain syndrome?), but I actually didn't see the picture until just now.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

The Next Big Thing: The "collectible" RPG?

"Never mind editions; didn't anyone get the opportunity attack rules?"

"Uh, nope ... but we do have three different hit point systems. The 'rare' stacks nicely with this 'common' healing chapter."

At last, a M:tG joke. I feared the thread would have to do without one. And in two posts to boot!

 

[hexgrid]

RPGs are guaranteed to cause confusion to completely new players, on several levels.

New players are at least as smart as we are. We all figured it out, and so will they.

If they can't, they probably don't want to be playing RPGs in the first place.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Sorry, I got the source wrong. It's in the DMG, one of the first pages. It says you need a Dungeon Master's Screen and D&D miniatures to play

I have a player who only reads portions of text and then claims everyone else is wrong. I don't have my books handy, but I'm sure if someone actually puts up the quoted text from the DMG it won't state that you need D&D miniatures to play. It will instead probably state that you need something to mark the characters' and monsters' positions on the battlemap and suggest DDM as one way to do so. If I'm wrong I'll gladly give you 1 XP DarkMasterBR (otherwise it'll go to whoever can quote the relevant text before I get to my books).

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

"Beyond players, to play the D&D game you need space to play, rulebooks, and supplies such as dice, paper, pencils, a battle grid, and miniatures."

P.6 DMG


So yes it does say you need mini's

Later on down that page it has a list

WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY

A place to play

Rulebooks

Dice

Paper and pencils

Battle grid or D&D Dungeon Tiles

Dungeon Master’s Screen

D&D Miniatures

USEFUL ADDITIONS

Character sheets

Snacks

Laptop computer, PDA, smart phone, or digital camera

D&D Insider

 

[Estlor]

Do you have a source for this?

Well, here's a start (from this month's Ampersand):

In case you missed the memo, or if we haven't been as clear as I think we have (which is a distinct possibility), I wanted to make sure I put this out there for D&D Insiders everywhere to read and digest.

...

Everything that appears through the online magazines that make up part of your D&D Insider subscription is official D&D material and part of the core rules of the game.

...

That makes everything you see here official and core

Everything is core. PHB1, PHB2, MM, MM2, DMG, AV, MP, AP, Dragon, Dungeon. Everything.

Core != Required to play. That's just the PHB, MM, and DMG.

Core = Official material designed or "debugged" by the WotC design staff that requires no special permission to use in baseline D&D/RPGA events.

Core != Required to be permitted in your game. Core or not, the DM's word is still final.

 

[fba827]

I have a player who only reads portions of text and then claims everyone else is wrong. I don't have my books handy, but I'm sure if someone actually puts up the quoted text from the DMG it won't state that you need D&D miniatures to play. It will instead probably state that you need something to mark the characters' and monsters' positions on the battlemap and suggest DDM as one way to do so. If I'm wrong I'll gladly give you 1 XP DarkMasterBR (otherwise it'll go to whoever can quote the relevant text before I get to my books).

I don't have my books handy either, but you're not imagining it - or else we are both having the same hallucination because I recall that as well.

I think it is a sidebar or paragraph in either the DMG or PHB. True, it does state in the "needed to play" part on the back of the books and in the intro as quoted above, but I think in the chapter text somewhere (probably in combat or elsewhere) it gives suggestions for alternatives if you don't have minis.

Or else, I am just recalling text from a previous edition book or something ...