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<blockquote data-quote="cavalier973" data-source="post: 5351754" data-attributes="member: 91595">I've been playing the Red Box adventure with my kids (ages 8, 5, and 3; they love, it, I love it, it's lots of fun and it keeps them from burning their eyes out watching TV), and comparing the rules with what I read from HotFL and the PHB.&nbsp; I was under the impression that the Red Box powers would be duplicated in HotFL, but I was mistaken.&nbsp; There are several powers in the RB that kick tail, but aren't in the HotFL (&quot;Slimy Transmutation&quot; comes to mind, but there are others).&nbsp;I like the Red Box thief a lot, especially the at-will &quot;trick&quot; to shift two squares around an enemy.&nbsp; The PHB doesn't have something similar to this, from what I'm reading.&nbsp; The HotFL does have a similar power, where the thief can shift two squares, attack, then shift two more square and then do a Stealth Check.&nbsp; The HotFL does not have the RB thief trick &quot;Defensive Strike&quot;, which gives the thief a +1 bonus to all defenses until the end of the next turn, a useful trick, and one that I'm curious was not included in HotFL.&nbsp;From what I can tell, the RB fighter(slayer)'s powers are all included in HotFL.&nbsp; I will take the time here to declare my preference for the Essentials fighter over the PHB fighter, because of the Essential's simplicity.&nbsp; One doesn't get the interesting range of options that a PHB fighter gets, but there is enough variety, I think, to still make an E-Fighter fun to play, and the E-fighter's powers make more sense in terms of gameplay.&nbsp; But then, I haven't really played the PHB fighter, so perhaps it's not a fair comparison.&nbsp;The HotFL Warpriest (and RB version) seem to me superior to the PHB cleric in one sense, as he (the Warpriest) uses his Wisdom modifier for attack rolls, while the PHB uses strength.&nbsp; On the other hand, the PHB allows for missile attacks as well as melee, while the Warpriest seems to be exclusively melee (he can use a sling, sure, but only to make basic attacks with Dex modifier).&nbsp; The Warpriest also gets &quot;Resurrection&quot; at level 8, which means the Warpriest doesn't need to gather ritual components, but I assume that the PHB cleric could snag this prayer as well, once reaching level 8, based on feats selection, etc.&nbsp; I've noticed that the &quot;Brand of the Burning Sun&quot; at-will prayer is different in RB and HotFL; in RB it grants allies +2 temporary hit points; in HotFL it allows allies to make a saving throw.&nbsp;The PHB wizard seems to be clearly superior to the HotFL/RB mage, because of flexibility, the free ritual casting feat, getting all cantrips (instead of picking 3--that really bugs me for some reason), better &quot;control&quot; at-will spells (I'm thinking &quot;Cloud of Daggers&quot;, then &quot;Thunderwaving&quot; enemies into the cloud).&nbsp; The RB mage has one superior spell--&quot;Slimy Transmutation&quot;--but I'm pretty sure that a PHB mage could pick this one up in place of &quot;Sleep&quot; or whatever.&nbsp; Because &quot;Slimy Transmutation&quot; is cool.&nbsp; A 1st level wizard could turn Orcus into a toad, even if he misses.&nbsp; Assuming, of course, that he lucks out on initiative.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="cavalier973, post: 5351754, member: 91595"] I've been playing the Red Box adventure with my kids (ages 8, 5, and 3; they love, it, I love it, it's lots of fun and it keeps them from burning their eyes out watching TV), and comparing the rules with what I read from HotFL and the PHB. I was under the impression that the Red Box powers would be duplicated in HotFL, but I was mistaken. There are several powers in the RB that kick tail, but aren't in the HotFL ("Slimy Transmutation" comes to mind, but there are others). I like the Red Box thief a lot, especially the at-will "trick" to shift two squares around an enemy. The PHB doesn't have something similar to this, from what I'm reading. The HotFL [I]does[/I] have a similar power, where the thief can shift two squares, attack, then shift two more square and then do a Stealth Check. The HotFL does not have the RB thief trick "Defensive Strike", which gives the thief a +1 bonus to all defenses until the end of the next turn, a useful trick, and one that I'm curious was not included in HotFL. From what I can tell, the RB fighter(slayer)'s powers are all included in HotFL. I will take the time here to declare my preference for the Essentials fighter over the PHB fighter, because of the Essential's simplicity. One doesn't get the interesting range of options that a PHB fighter gets, but there is enough variety, I think, to still make an E-Fighter fun to play, and the E-fighter's powers make more sense in terms of gameplay. But then, I haven't really played the PHB fighter, so perhaps it's not a fair comparison. The HotFL Warpriest (and RB version) seem to me superior to the PHB cleric in one sense, as he (the Warpriest) uses his Wisdom modifier for attack rolls, while the PHB uses strength. On the other hand, the PHB allows for missile attacks as well as melee, while the Warpriest seems to be exclusively melee (he can use a sling, sure, but only to make basic attacks with Dex modifier). The Warpriest also gets "Resurrection" at level 8, which means the Warpriest doesn't need to gather ritual components, but I assume that the PHB cleric could snag this prayer as well, once reaching level 8, based on feats selection, etc. I've noticed that the "Brand of the Burning Sun" at-will prayer is different in RB and HotFL; in RB it grants allies +2 temporary hit points; in HotFL it allows allies to make a saving throw. The PHB wizard seems to be clearly superior to the HotFL/RB mage, because of flexibility, the free ritual casting feat, getting all cantrips (instead of picking 3--that really bugs me for some reason), better "control" at-will spells (I'm thinking "Cloud of Daggers", then "Thunderwaving" enemies into the cloud). The RB mage has one superior spell--"Slimy Transmutation"--but I'm pretty sure that a PHB mage could pick this one up in place of "Sleep" or whatever. Because "Slimy Transmutation" is cool. A 1st level wizard could turn Orcus into a toad, [I]even if he misses[/I]. Assuming, of course, that he lucks out on initiative. [/QUOTE]

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