Running PHB Only

[Pickles JG]

There are a few balance issues, even if you included the errata the PHB paladin is a lot worse than the PHB fighter for example. Still doable though. I'd recommend widening your to net to PHBs 1 & 2. PHB2 is often thought of as WOTC's class design pinnacle.

I would prefer to have the 3 power books rather than the PHB2. They add breadth of options which can be a bit limited in just a PHB, though this may not be as much of a problem as it is playing in LFR where you meet lots of characters that would otherwise tend to the same choices.

I am surprised by the love for PHB2 classes. I always feel it's overshadowed by the Shaman & it's extreme incomprehensible fiddliness. Druids too I felt should have had natural weapons in beast form so their attacks are not all wis vs ref. Plus noone seems to know wha they do.

 

[Garthanos]

Creating a .camp file is not that much work actually. Though it is a bit stupid that new stuff gets added by default, thus you have to update it once a month.

The difficult part for me really is deciding because there is some really cool worthwhile content... I see things like brawling fighter builds and duelist rogues... archer priestess (clerics and avengers of Sehanine) and many other bits enabled by new stuff. That I would feel a little like a horses hiney if they got excluded.

It would be different if I thought I need to memorise and get my head around "everything" instead of just what is being used by the players

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I feel like PHB by itself is pretty limited. Some classes (the martial ones in general) feel pretty complete and work fine, but others have significant problems.

The PHB cleric works pretty well, but the STR build is a bit too limited. Paladins have some issues, and STR paladins are practically non-viable (at best you have essentially no choices of powers at all at most levels and IIRC at 7th level there is NO power at all usable by a STR paladin). Wizards work but are also quite limited and its tough to get a good build. Warlords work fine. Warlocks are OK build-wise but are severely gimped by the lack of good equipment, which is vital to running an effective warlock.

I think you're better off allowing AV, MP, AP, and DP. All of the PHB classes gain a lot of basic flexibility that way and all of them are far more viable. Honestly our group tends to like to stick to the same characters mostly and progress at a measured pace, so we haven't even used the majority of PHB2 classes at all in regular play. There is certainly enough variety in PHB1 to support a campaign all the way through with the above mentioned splatbooks. I think with JUST the PHB1 you may find upper levels a bit constrained.

 

[Shadowslayer]

Sorry, I didn't explain myself fully above, but our table operates on as long as anyone at the table has the book, then the options are available to ALL players via the Character Builder.

Ditto here. As long as the book can be produced at the table for reference, it doesn't matter who owns it.

I'd maintain that a perfectly excellent campaign can be run with just the core 3 books. Maybe thats my age showing, but we played for years with the same single PHB to draw from. Sometimes I think the limitation spurred our creativity. (when two guys are essentially playing the same fighter stat/mechanics-wise, you work harder to make your guy different.)

But in this day and age, I'm inclined to just let them do whatever the DDI will let them do, although I have been inclined to want to limit races to PHB1 races only. I find too many PC races feels silly....but thats just a matter of personal taste. It doesn't necessarily feel right to foist that on players that may not share my perspective.

And I agree with some of the other guys that enforcing it might be more trouble than its worth.

 

[Garthanos]

I'd maintain that a perfectly excellent campaign can be run with just the core 3 books. Maybe thats my age showing, but we played for years with the same single PHB to draw from.

The cleave works perfectly fine as a punch and slash or even a kick and slash with no limits on having hands free (as opposed to the brawling fighter) ;p. In some ways I quite agree. But on the other hand I dont let more options limit me either. It occurs to me I feel like another thread like the following to touch on newer content.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-dis...c-visualization-skinning-fly.html#post4763039

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

As a DM, I quite like having access to the Adventurer Vaults - I find the magic items in the PH to be quite limited and on the most part rather bland.

 

[LostSoul]

I am planning to do a PHB-only campaign.

The other character-build material will become available, but only through play:

• a Wizard may have to seek out another Wizard to learn a specific Arcane Power spell or spend time and resources in his lab creating it
• a Fighter might find a sword that teaches him a new power
• you can't create a Druid until (for example) you find a druid's grove and recruit one of the initiates of nature as a henchman
• you can't make a Goliath until (for example) you find a small isolated clan of them living in the mountains.

Once something is introduced into the game like this, everyone will have access to it.

 

[Rechan]

I think that many PHB1 classes suffer without help from the various splats. Later classes are just designed better.

Wizards are subpar controllers, and only really become strong controllers with the newer options making them more robust than their first printing. This is because WotC redesigned what they thought a controller "Should be" after making the other controller classes.

Paladins (particularly Str Paladins) have very few options (including NO Str option at one level for dailies).

Also you're looking at a dearth of feats, particularly feats for classes.

You can do it but I think it's a shame.

 

[Mithreinmaethor]

It sounds like the D&D Essentials is what your group will be looking for. All of the books should be released prior to the end of the year.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

Good point on Adventurer's Vault!

I think that many PHB1 classes suffer without help from the various splats. Later classes are just designed better...

...Also you're looking at a dearth of feats, particularly feats for classes...

I've found my appreciation for the PHB1 classes has grown more over time, I'm not sure why. As far as the lack of feats, I'd prefer a smaller, finite set to a ridiculous overload. Just the PHB might be a bit harsh though, that's fair to say. I'm definitely leaning toward at least PHB1+2, if nothing else.

I am planning to do a PHB-only campaign.

The other character-build material will become available, but only through play...
...Once something is introduced into the game like this, everyone will have access to it.

That sounds... pretty awesome, actually! I'll have to try out the concept some time