So, how many are avoiding Essentials?

[DMZ2112]

Yeah, CC:HoSS (nice acronym, lol) might straighten it out. Hard to say since it is being released first. They are close enough in time that it could refer to a book not yet released. Or it could provide some generalized rule (hard to think of how, but the devs is smarter 'en me...). I'm pretty interested in seeing HoSS anyway, it sounds useful.

To be completely honest, D&D4/E has been on the outs with me for months, and I think HoSS might be the product that either brings me back into the fold or drives the final nail into the coffin. Either way, I look forward to seeing what they do with it.

It has a lot of ground to cover if it wants to make up for Fortune Cards. :\

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, as they flat-out stated in the HoS preview for the wizard spells that any wizard can take those spells, I don't see this being a problem.

Yes, but we don't know if your PHB1 style Wizard can be a Necromancer or not. That isn't a big deal IF you have HotFL and the new Mage, but it does render the work somewhat less than useful otherwise. Sure you can take the spells and whatever else is in there that isn't class-specific COULD be useful, but you really will want to have at least HotFL to fully utilize it. All assuming no actual rules for PHB style classes it will have whatever powers come with levels, but less than 100% compatibility.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Yeah, CC:HoSS (nice acronym, lol)

Better than HotFK. Seriously? Hot F*K?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Better than HotFK. Seriously? Hot F*K?

lol. I had a beautiful response, but I'd better not post it Oh the temptation! heehee.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Better than HotFK. Seriously? Hot F*K?

I did a search for HotFK online a month ago- not all results were grandma-friendly...

I also pointed out that you probably couldn't get that acronym on a vanity plate.

 

[Thorvald_Grimbjorn]

I don't find the builds in the Essentials books particularly interesting, so I didn't buy any of them - although I don't mind using the revised Feats in the errata. The only Essentials book I'll buy is probably "Monster Vault", and that's only because I'm too lazy to update the pre-MM3 monsters all by myself.
The one thing that greatly irks me about the Essentials line is that it seems to have completely supplanted the regular line. I mean, "Arcane Power 2", "Divine Power 2" and "Primal Power 2", for example, are nowhere in sight, and several regular classes and builds still lack adequate support (Melee Weapon Bards, Battle Clerics, Seekers, etc.).

 

[DMZ2112]

I mean, "Arcane Power 2", "Divine Power 2" and "Primal Power 2", for example, are nowhere in sight, and several regular classes and builds still lack adequate support (Melee Weapon Bards, Battle Clerics, Seekers, etc.).

I'm sure we'll see analogues for these books interspersed with the new-format reprints of already-extant D&D4 material, much like Heroes of Shadow is following Heroes of Sword and Spell.

What they've done here, as I understand it, is reboot the line. They've got to replace all the content they're taking out of print, and that's going to slow the publication of new material.

...Good or bad, it's another reason why I just don't understand this move.

 

[Canor Morum]

Bought the Rules Compendium. Enjoy using it as a quick table reference. Seems to be taking some wear and tear quickly.

Bought the first Heroes book. Liked some of the new class builds. Haven't used any because the offline Character Builder doesn't support them and I'm too lazy to write out powers by hand.

Passed on the DMs Kit. I already have DMs Guide 1 and 2. Hate tokens and write my own adventures. Bought a copy for my son though because he is new to the game and doesn't have any minis or maps. I will probably give him the Heroes Books too. Would prefer hardcover Heroes Books with less reprinted information.

Pass on Monster Vault too. Again, tokens and adventures I won't use. Would like to have the book in a hardcover with the art I've come to expect from a Monster Manual.

Bought the Dungeon Tiles Master Set: Dungeon. Not bad. Box is good for storing other tiles.

 

[Mircoles]

I Likley won't be buying any of the players books.

The new Essentials class style builds just don't impress me and seeing as this is the style they're using for Shadow classes, it's a bit frustrating.

 

[martialclasses]

I actually like the Essentials line - a lot. I just think it's sad that it's coming out so late and seems to have upset so many diehard fans.

I only picked up 4e at the beginning of last summer but I fell in love and played in three different campaigns, several hours per week. I had a blast. I especially liked the Character Builder software because it let me make characters, and play around with them, quickly and easily.

I felt somewhat frustrated, though, with a few things:
1- I came in late enough that there were mountains of feats. On top of that, the "expertise feats," (+1 to hit with xxx weapon) were seemingly standard but I didn't know that coming in.
2- I had this one character design stuck in my head the minute I picked up the PHB 1. I wanted to be a Dwarf Fighter that acted as an awesome, amazing tank/defender.

Here's the thing - With PHB 1, Dwarves were actually not optimized very nicely for this role, since they got a + to wis instead of to strength. Plus, the fighter was burdened with tons and tons of at-wills and utility powers, etc.

I picked up the Heroes of the Fallen Lands and, after my first reading, it was like an epiphany. THERE was the character I had wanted to play all along. Dwarves finally got the + str to make them viable fighters, plus the addition of plate off the bat, plus the new marking aura and the stances, plus the way hammers work ...

It was like FINALLY this iconic concept, which I wasn't able to really do with PHB1, was available. WHY wasn't this PHB1?!

Needless to say, I'm extremely happy with Essentials and hopes Wizards keeps up with Essentials for at least the next few years.