D&D 4E PURE SPECULATION: 4E and Dungeon Survival Guide

[JeffB]

From WOTC product description

This lavishly illustrated guide explores the fantastic dungeons of the fictional D&D world, from the perilous Tomb of Horrors to the Sunless Citadel and the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Aimed at the novice dungeoneer, this book provides tips and tricks for surviving deadly dungeons of all sorts, enticing would-be dungeon explorers with stories of fabulous treasures guarded by fierce monsters and terrible traps!

A novices guide to many famous Dungeons of D&D's History. Why?

OK sure it kind of appeals to us old timers as a nostalgia trip and could be a "last hurrah" before WOTC moves on for good. But why re-hash over *for novices* this information? These modules, even the 3E one mentioned, are long out of print. Chances are these novices will never play them or see them. Why hype up something to newbees thats pretty much irrelevant?

Unless...we are going to see a few of these revisited in 4E's future? Maybe in print, but more likely in the new D&DI, I'd think.

OK Class, discuss

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I hope so, but lordy, the Dungeon Survival Guide previews look pretty much ... not good. At all.

I'd prefer they either gave a lot more fluffy detail or they were more useful as statless dungeons. Instead, we get something in the middle that, frankly, I'm not sure will appeal to almost anyone. (And I say this as someone who really dug the Practical Guides and counts Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide as my favorite statless gaming book ever.)

 

[MerricB]

These books are aimed at introducing children to the game; see also the Practical Guide to Monsters.

Cheers!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

These books are aimed at introducing children to the game; see also the Practical Guide to Monsters.

The preview of the Dungeon Survival Guide is NOTHING like the Practical Guide to Monsters (I have both in the series) and I highly doubt any 10 year old is going to look at the reprint of the cover of Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl and squeal that he wants to play this game.

Great idea, bizarre execution.

 

[FireLance]

Great idea, bizarre execution.

It's an experiment.

 

[TerraDave]

I hope so (for those in 4th ed, and when I look at the book in the store it is not as bad as the previews).

 

[morbiczer]

I saw this book in my FLGS last Friday. I didn't know it wasn't supposed to be out yet.

I just skimmed through it and don't remember much, but from what I do it was something like 2 (or 4?) pages per dungeon, with some maps, some tips about difficult parts of it, and maybe some background.

From the 30 or so seconds I looked in it it didn't really look useful.

 

[BBQ]

My girlfriend and I are actually getting the Dungeon Survival Guide because in actuality, it's a coffee table book, and while she keeps any number of coffee table books in the living room, I didn't have any. Soon, I will. Many of our guests are D&D gamers, and we're both gamers ourselves, so we figured our guests would get a kick out of it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My girlfriend and I are actually getting the Dungeon Survival Guide because in actuality, it's a coffee table book, and while she keeps any number of coffee table books in the living room, I didn't have any. Soon, I will. Many of our guests are D&D gamers, and we're both gamers ourselves, so we figured our guests would get a kick out of it.

I'd love a detailed review once you get it.

May I also strongly recommend WotC's two Practical Guides (dragons and monsters) and the Tony DeTerlizzi art book Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide?

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

As mentioned above, it sounds like a neat coffee table book. I'd put it out with my copy of 30 Years of Adventure if I find it half-off at a used bookstore.