D&D 5E What Would You Put In a 5E Red Box?

[Dausuul]

Pretty much what it says in the title. Let's say you're in charge of designing a "red box" for 5E. This boxed set will be aimed at newbies who've never played D&D before, and marketed to the public at large. The primary goal is to recruit new gamers to the D&D universe (i.e., you want people to graduate from the red box to the Player's Handbook).

As such, the red box does not have to be a big money-maker, but Wizards does not want to actually lose money on it. On the other hand, it is imperative that the transition from red box to full-fledged D&D is smooth and easy.

What do you put in the red box?

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Pretty much what it says in the title. Let's say you're in charge of designing a "red box" for 5E. This boxed set will be aimed at newbies who've never played D&D before, and marketed to the public at large. The primary goal is to recruit new gamers to the D&D universe (i.e., you want people to graduate from the red box to the Player's Handbook).

As such, the red box does not have to be a big money-maker, but Wizards does not want to actually lose money on it. On the other hand, it is imperative that the transition from red box to full-fledged D&D is smooth and easy.

What do you put in the red box?

The Player's Handbook, an adventure booklet (with several simple adventures, supporting monsters, and DM advice), and some dice.

Basically, the Red Box equivalent shouldn't be a subset of the game. If I were in charge of products, this would be the core product. New and old players alike would start here.

 

[Halivar]

The Player's Handbook, an adventure booklet (with several simple adventures, supporting monsters, and DM advice), and some dice.

Basically, the Red Box equivalent shouldn't be a subset of the game. If I were in charge of products, this would be the core product. New and old players alike would start here.

I like this.

Make it a mini paperback, though, and maybe throw in value-adds like a fold-up map and monster tokens. Make new players feel like they're buying into something big.

Something old wargames used to do was include a booklet on making your own scenarios; I would add a booklet on world creation and making your own adventures and worlds to grab the imagination of new players.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

A players rulebook covering levels 1-5, a GM's rulebook for running the game and containing monster stats, an adventure (or book containing several adventures), plus a set of dice. A fold out map/battlemap and punch-out tokens optional.

The original introductory box for 3E did quite well, minus the fact that it only had levels 1-2. The old BD&D Basic set box was a good one too, for its time.

 

[Quartz]

A players rulebook covering levels 1-5, a GM's rulebook for running the game and containing monster stats, an adventure (or book containing several adventures), plus a set of dice. A fold out map/battlemap and punch-out tokens optional.

This. The rulebook should be severely cut down, though to excise all the rules that aren't necessary for a purely low-level game. The adventure should be a mini adventure path, leading GM and players through levels 1-4 or so. It's got to appeal to parents so extended play is a must.

 

[delericho]

Ideally, the "Starter Box" should contain the same rulebook as everyone else uses for the 'real' game - that is, it should include the same Core Rulebook.

Assuming that's not possible (probably for cost reasons), they could do a lot worse than getting a copy of the Pathfinder box, replace the rules material with 5e equivalents, and printing that.

 

[TrippyHippy]

A players rulebook covering levels 1-5, a GM's rulebook for running the game and containing monster stats, an adventure (or book containing several adventures), plus a set of dice. A fold out map/battlemap and punch-out tokens optional.

The original introductory box for 3E did quite well, minus the fact that it only had levels 1-2. The old BD&D Basic set box was a good one too, for its time.

I know this is a perceived wisdom for a lot of people, but I just find it a really frustrating way of doing things. The game should be 'complete' insofar that it is self contained and doesn't need expansion to reach nominally higher levels and such. Levels 1-5 is too small, 1-2 is pathetic. I'd also be guarded from the maps 'n' tokens concept as the presentation of D&D as just a type of skirmish war-game has got to be squashed this time round. Save that stuff for expansions.

I'd understand the whole '4x4' notion of using just the base Classes (Fighter, Cleric, Rogue and Mage) and Races (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling), and could see an 'Advanced D&D book' expand in all sorts of ideas (including the other Classes and Races) - but frankly the last attempt at a basic box set (Essentials) was very poor and incomplete. I'm not surprised that people would be put off the idea.

 

[Jester David]

I'm with [MENTION=32867]jeff[/MENTION]-Carlsen.
Don't make it a separate product but take the Core Rulebook, add a tube of dice along one side and some sheets in a folio at the back. Then shrinkwrap the lot.
Include a coupon for dndclassics.com and a link to the "learn to play" section of the website.

Really, the best way to get new players into the game is to make sure the website is super newbie friendly and answers all their questions. A really solid FAQ that explains what you need to play, where you might be able to find the books, and how to play. Along with adventures and videos of play and so much more. Include PDFs of starter rules.
So anyone who hears about this strange game called "Dungeons & Dragons" finds a nice, simple, and clean website and can download the game and start playing immediately.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I'm with [MENTION=32867]jeff[/MENTION]-Carlsen.
Don't make it a separate product but take the Core Rulebook, add a tube of dice along one side and some sheets in a folio at the back. Then shrinkwrap the lot.
Include a coupon for dndclassics.com and a link to the "learn to play" section of the website.

Really, the best way to get new players into the game is to make sure the website is super newbie friendly and answers all their questions. A really solid FAQ that explains what you need to play, where you might be able to find the books, and how to play. Along with adventures and videos of play and so much more. Include PDFs of starter rules.
So anyone who hears about this strange game called "Dungeons & Dragons" finds a nice, simple, and clean website and can download the game and start playing immediately.

The trouble is that not everybody uses the internet for tabletop gaming. In itself, it's a good idea, but there needs to be other avenues in.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I know this is a perceived wisdom for a lot of people, but I just find it a really frustrating way of doing things. The game should be 'complete' insofar that it is self contained and doesn't need expansion to reach nominally higher levels and such. Levels 1-5 is too small, 1-2 is pathetic. I'd also be guarded from the maps 'n' tokens concept as the presentation of D&D as just a type of skirmish war-game has got to be squashed this time round. Save that stuff for expansions.

I'd understand the whole '4x4' notion of using just the base Classes (Fighter, Cleric, Rogue and Mage) and Races (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling), and could see an 'Advanced D&D book' expand in all sorts of ideas (including the other Classes and Races) - but frankly the last attempt at a basic box set (Essentials) was very poor and incomplete. I'm not surprised that people would be put off the idea.

I really think it depends on who the target audience is for the product. If you're going for hard-core gamers, don't bother with an introductory boxed set, because nothing you can do is right. If you're going for casual gamers who are RPG-familiar, you need a complete but somewhat cut down product. If you are trying to introduce new RPG gamers, you want enough game to get them hooked and understand that they can expand the game and continue to play, but you don't want to drive them away by dropping a 400-page book on them.

If you're cutting the game down, there's really only two choices: maintain breadth and sacrifice depth (the BECMI multiple-interlocking set model) or maintain depth and sacrifice breadth (the 4x4 full 20+ level model). Regardless of which one you pick some group walks away dissatisfied. If your favorite class is ranger, you'll be pretty disappointed to find out its in the second book of a 4x4 product. If you don't want to buy another product for your 20-level campaign, you'll be disappointed with a 5-level product. If you want both, you're not the target audience for an intro set.