Rules Missing from the Rules Compendium

[AbdulAlhazred]

I think the main reason for the missing elements is that the RC is part of the Essentials line. So if it is to be the main rules resource for new players joining the game, they want to make sure everything in it is relevant to Essentials players. So rituals, vehicles, artifacts, certain weapon properties, familiar and companion rules - stuff that doesn't show up in Essentials - is absent.

Which... I don't think was necessary, as they could have found a way to include stuff while noting it is from other sources, and it would have been nice for it to be a truly comprehensive resource.

Still, I understand why they did it, and what is there is excellent and the entire idea of having this portable rulebook is very appealing.

But they didn't bill it that way. They billed it as a comprehensive rules reference for 4e. Honestly it seems more like what they're saying is "well, this old junk is back in the 4e attic somewhere, but it doesn't even rate being in the comprehensive reference." I get there are limits on page count and whatnot, but if you're NOT going to cover 4e and only cover Essentials and maybe haphazardly a few random elements that you happen to have room for from anything older than bill it for what it is, a reference to ESSENTIALS, not 4e.

It seems like the article linked previously here is sort of a retcon of the spin of what the RC is. Now after it's out they say "yeah, well, it isn't ACTUALLY a complete reference, it only includes the stuff we felt you really should be using going forward" (or whatever the logic is for what got in and what didn't). Really, toss in another 20 pages and cover rituals, BCs, Familiars, and 2-3 other fairly minor things that are all that's missing. It really isn't much. Leave all but the bare bones of the SC system to the DM's Kit, explaining how the rules work really isn't REFERENCE material anyway.

 

[The Little Raven]

There's nothing specifically labeled Forced March. But this would probably fall under the Endurance skill -- make an Endurance check every so often, with subsequent checks getting harder.

It's under the movement rules. You can travel for 10 hours without issue, but after that, you need Endurance checks to keep marching.

I think the main reason for the missing elements is that the RC is part of the Essentials line.

We've got keywords that, as far as we know, are not going to be in the Essentials line (Full Discipline, Beast, Rage, etc).

I just think they prioritized what was needed by ALL players, what was needed by DMs only (hence the vehicle rules being in the DM's Kit, apparently), and what was considered unnecessary, since you'd need another book to have game elements that use those rules (such as stout, defensive, etc).

I just wish they had prioritized that really light Encounters appendix out and prioritized some of that other stuff in.

But they didn't bill it that way.

Actually, they did. They flat out listed it as an Essentials item (with Essentials plastered on the front cover), but noted that it's useful to people who aren't playing with any other Essentials material as well.

It is the most comprehensive rules reference for 4e to date.

 

[MrMyth]

But they didn't bill it that way. They billed it as a comprehensive rules reference for 4e. Honestly it seems more like what they're saying is "well, this old junk is back in the 4e attic somewhere, but it doesn't even rate being in the comprehensive reference." I get there are limits on page count and whatnot, but if you're NOT going to cover 4e and only cover Essentials and maybe haphazardly a few random elements that you happen to have room for from anything older than bill it for what it is, a reference to ESSENTIALS, not 4e.

Eh, its a fair cop - like I said, I'd have been a fan of them including those other elements. Still, I don't think it comes across quite as strongly as you mention - it is there to cover the core rules of the game, and once you start getting into class abilities unique to one or two sourcebooks (like familiars, companions, psionic powers), you could get bulkier and bulkier.

I think there was room for more, certainly, but I don't think it quite fair to claim that what they do have is simply a haphazard assortment.

It really isn't much. Leave all but the bare bones of the SC system to the DM's Kit, explaining how the rules work really isn't REFERENCE material anyway.

It is to me. Having stuff like that available to quickly reference during play can be useful in many situations. The less books I need to cart about, the better.

 

[Joshua Randall]

It's under the movement rules. You can travel for 10 hours without issue, but after that, you need Endurance checks to keep marching.

Ah, good find. Glad to see that the official rules match my proposed house rules.

 

[Imaro]

I think the main reason for the missing elements is that the RC is part of the Essentials line. So if it is to be the main rules resource for new players joining the game, they want to make sure everything in it is relevant to Essentials players. So rituals, vehicles, artifacts, certain weapon properties, familiar and companion rules - stuff that doesn't show up in Essentials - is absent.

...
Actually, they did. They flat out listed it as an Essentials item (with Essentials plastered on the front cover), but noted that it's useful to people who aren't playing with any other Essentials material as well.

It is the most comprehensive rules reference for 4e to date...

Only, it really wasn't billed as "Essentials rules only" especially since it was stressed over and over again that... Essentials weren't a different set of rules to core 4e. Below is the blurb from the WotC site... note the bolded part...


Rules Compendium
Core Rules
Jeremy Crawford

A quick and handy rules reference and guide for the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
This handy and comprehensive Dungeons & Dragons book is intended as a quick rules reference. It contains the complete core rules for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game.
In addition to providing an overview of the game and how it’s played, this book presents the core rules in a format that is easily referenced during a game. It includes information on level advancement, combat, experience points, treasure, skills, equipment, and more.


On a side note... The fact that Rodney Thompson (who in my opinion handled the SWSE line extremely well), moreso than Mearls or the rest of the design team, being involved with Essentials has at least guaranteed I will buy the RC, and Heroes books... After reading and playing with these I will decide whether to purchase the other stuff.

 

[Blastin]

We've got keywords that, as far as we know, are not going to be in the Essentials line (Full Discipline, Beast, Rage, etc).

I just read my copy today and rage, beast form, beast and full discipline keywords are all in there....

 

[vic20]

I just read my copy today and rage, beast form, beast and full discipline keywords are all in there....

That's exactly what the person you quoted was saying: that there are terms that are described in the book that aren't necessarily part of the Essentials line (as far as we know).

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I can see WHY they left out some stuff, yes. Sure BCs are not something that gets used as much as some other stuff, but the implication is that you're just not going to need to look these things up anymore. Familiars are awesome and CERTAINLY something that Essentials players are likely to want pretty soon. Not everyone likes the Beast Master rules but it is still a really cool thing. I mean that is the kind of stuff that stands out to me as great 4e stuff. It works SO MUCH better than the equivalents in older editions.

I dunno. It still bugs me. I can't shake the feeling from the tone of the things Mike has said lately and what is and isn't in RC that anything pre-essentials is getting the short end of the stick from now on. I mean it is great and all that Mike has some kind of love affair with 1e but some of us DON'T, we played it for 12 years, we LIKE the direction 4e went in.

 

[The Little Raven]

Familiars are awesome and CERTAINLY something that Essentials players are likely to want pretty soon.

And if they want to get into the game enough to get most of the options, they'll learn all about the previous books and DDI and all that. We may see an Essentials familiar and whatnot, but I sincerely doubt it.

I can't shake the feeling from the tone of the things Mike has said lately and what is and isn't in RC that anything pre-essentials is getting the short end of the stick from now on.

And I can't shake the feeling that people are jumping to conclusions without actual support.

This issue of Dragon has 3 Essentials articles, one of which has feats that non-Essentials classes can use.

All the rest are not Essentials stuff. Sure, the Dwarf article says Essentials-compatible (which it would be simply by being 4e rules), and it uses the feat organization (which I like), but is for any 4e dwarf, Essentials or not. Then we've got the Battlemind, Genasi, Mul, Athas Monster Hunters, Realms Shadar-Kai, Bazaar of the Bizarre, Traveling Athas... I mean, if 3 Essentials articles means pre-Essentials is screwed, then what does 3 Dark Sun articles mean? That all other settings are screwed?

Let's wait until Essentials stuff starts getting at least as many articles as non-Essentials, if not more, before we claim that Essentials is killing "legacy" 4e and taking its stuff.