D&D General Take A Look At The Class Boards From The New D&D Starter Set

Heroes of the Borderlands, which is Dungeons & Dragons' upcoming new starter set, is one of the largest starter sets the game has ever produced--not least in part to the card-based character creation pops. One essential part of that card-based process is the class board--as D&D Beyond puts it, "a dashboard that clearly lays out everything you need to play, from your Armor Class to your spells and features, with card slots and token trackers that keep the game moving fast".

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There's a board for each class in the boxed set (the example above is the cleric). In the bottom left you can see a 'What You Need To Play' section which lists the additional cards you need to play a cleric--in this case, two equipment cards, 7 spell cards, and a bunch of gold pieces.

The card itself includes your basic stats--ability scores, saving throws, skills, hit points, speed, and so on. There are also clearly marked spots where you can place cards for your armor, your spells, and other things. There's also a space over on the far right for species and origin cards.

Once you reach level 2, you flip the card cover. That automatically increases your hit points and other features.

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Finally, at level 3, you choose your subclass and you swap your class board for a more specialised one. The included cleric includes boards for the Life and Light domains. The new board not only updates your stats (like when you leveleled up to level 2) it also adds in the subclass features.

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Heroes of the Borderlands comes out September 16th for $49.99.

 

[Jimmy Dick]

The class boards look interesting. Are they really an improvement on the character sheet though? Now, we do know that a lot of people play TCGs like Magic, Pokemon, Lorcana, etc. In fact, it's pretty ridiculous just how many people do play TCGs. Is there something about a card game like those that draws players to it? While the use of class boards and cards for character aspects is not the same as a TCG or even close to it other than cards, I am wondering if this will draw more players to D&D.

Also, this looks to be a cross between an RPG and the cooperative board games. We know that Gloomhaven and Frosthaven sold extremely well. Will developing D&D along these lines result in a new version of the game or just a different way to play it?

 

[ECMO3]

View attachment 416173
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There's a board for each class in the boxed set (the example above is the cleric). In the bottom left you can see a 'What You Need To Play' section which lists the additional cards you need to play a cleric--in this case, two equipment cards, 7 spell cards, and a bunch of gold pieces.

The card itself includes your basic stats--ability scores, saving throws, skills, hit points, speed, and so on. There are also clearly marked spots where you can place cards for your armor, your spells, and other things. There's also a space over on the far right for species and origin cards.

Once you reach level 2, you flip the card cover. That automatically increases your hit points and other features.

View attachment 416174
​

Finally, at level 3, you choose your subclass and you swap your class board for a more specialised one. The included cleric includes boards for the Life and Light domains. The new board not only updates your stats (like when you leveleled up to level 2) it also adds in the subclass features.

View attachment 416175
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Heroes of the Borderlands comes out September 16th for $49.99.

Is this any more useful in play than a character sheet?

What if you want your cleric to have a higher Dexterity (and lower intelligence or Charisma).

 

[Morrus]

What if you want your cleric to have a higher Dexterity (and lower intelligence or Charisma).

That’s not how pre-gens work.

 

[bedir than]

Will developing D&D along these lines result in a new version of the game or just a different way to play it?

It's a starter set, not a new edition.

 

[Dire Bare]

There seems to be a misunderstanding with some folks . . .

This new starter set is just that, a starter set. Not a new edition of the game, not D&D translated into a card game, not D&D trying to integrate Magic the Gathering style of mechanics or collectible cards like the "Fortune Cards" in 4E D&D.

This is not a card game, it is D&D using cards as references in place of looking things up in the PHB. That's it.

 

[Cadence]

That said, I've recommended against my group buying it -- we're experienced gamers who mostly play online. We have enough challenges with different virtual tabletops. While I also understand WotC's interest in merging aspects of Magic: the Gathering, MMORPGs, and D&D, I don't want to get burned again shelling out for card sets that may or may not be useful to my entire group before the next edition change.

I am very doubtful I will ever use this one...but I am a huge fan of B2, and and so am a getting it to sit next to my OG B2, 2e revisited, and GG B1/B2. I can't think of any other thing they could have made the starter set about that I would have done that for (barring some properties I don't see them ever getting the rights to).

 

[Jimmy Dick]

It's a starter set, not a new edition.

I know it is a starter set. However, it is a different approach to how players play the game. I am wondering if this might cause WotC to adapt D&D to a different version such as crossing the game with cooperative board games like Gloomhaven and Frosthaven.

 

[Li Shenron]

I think the classboards are cool. Unfortunately they are a bit specific to the box pregens. Shouldn't be too difficult to turn them into templates. Even then, there are classes with fairly different needs, so I don't think a one-size-fit-all exists, just like with character sheets.

I already use my own DIY spells/actions cards in 5e, and when I was figuring out my own design solution, I contemplated also the idea of making cards for weapons and armors, but eventually decided not to.

 

[Morrus]

I know it is a starter set. However, it is a different approach to how players play the game.

It’s really not. It’s just a different character sheet.