D&D General Who is this made for (Not Beginners) - the New D&D Starter Set

[GreyLord]

This is...hands down, the worst Starter Set, Basic Set, or any other Set for those who never played an RPG before type of box set...EVER.

You say, that's pretty strong words.

Yes...yes they are.

The Rules to play this game are not located in this box. The Rules to create your character are not located in this box.

Yes. You read that correctly. These rules (heck, not even examples) are not found in this box.

This makes the box almost useless.

I got four (Yes, that's FOUR) boxes. One for each player. That should make it easy for them to read the How to Play rules and everything else...right?

Wrong. They had no idea what these cards were supposed to do. They did not even know how the Race or Background cards worked. No idea. It doesn't tell them in the box. It doesn't even tell them that they need them. It shows they have a spot next to their player's board, but doesn't tell them what they are, or how they are used.

So, in I come...luckily I've played the game before. We get that figured out.

Then someone casts a spell...but what's the Save DC? I can figure it out, but we can't find where it is supposed to be. We read the book...IT"S NOT THERE! It simply says to look on the Spell card. The Spell cast was Thunderwave...but it doesn't say on the Card what the Save DC is. It says it's a Constitution Save, but nowhere does it list the Save DC! So...what to do!

I use my experience with 5e to figure it out, then someone goes into combat. That's when the Cleric notices that there is this Spell Save thingy on the bottom of the board...no one told us that in the Book. It doesn't say WHERE to find this stuff.

This is basic stuff. The set doesn't even explain it. It was a Frustrating experience. The players were not prepared and I can understand why. I may have just as well bought the Players Handbook for each of them (it may have even been cheaper if I went on line) and explained the game myself!!!

This is a terrible set for beginners. It's absolutely NOT made for them if they only have the box set.

So...where can they learn to play. You have to scan the QR code (which half of them warned me not to, they said you never do that because it's too easy to put viruses or other things in them...I'm like...I really don't think Hasbro is going to destroy their reputation doing that).

It takes you to a link...

This link dndbeyond webpage for the Starter Set

This is where you actually learn what to do, how to create your character, where things are located. It takes around 17 minutes of watching the videos. Nothing says you have to go there in the box, but that's the only way a new player is going to learn how to play this darn thing.

Then, after that, there's nothing really to guide a New DM on what they are doing. They have a few examples, the video shows how it's done, but as the adventure has no linear parts (and doesn't really give a new DM any idea where to actually start), it's kind of...confusing.

As an experienced DM, I have no problems with it. I slid right in. It's perfect. The adventure as set is actually kind of good for a sandbox.

For a New DM...this has to be one of the worst ways to introduce them to an adventure...ever.

So...who is this thing made for again!?

Not a new player. Most are probably going to get frustrated and give up, or figure this is not worth their time and they wasted a ton of money.

This is who it's made for...

1. Hasbro...if they can just get people to follow the QR code they are hoping they can loop people into DnDbeyond. It's a setup (Its a TRAP). The only way to really figure things out (unless you are pretty smart, and granted, there are many of you out there that are pretty smart...but you can't just assume this) is to follow the QR code and watch the videos.

2. Experienced Players. For an Experienced DM, this adventure is actually decent. It's a great sandbox in my opinion.

However, it's definitely not for the starting player. I was so frustrated at it after trying it out yesterday that....yeah...I came here to vent. Everyone reviewing this thing has to be experienced players because what I saw with new players was an absolute disaster.

 

[cranberry]

I'm surprised that they didn't include rules, but I assumed it was primarily targeting Gen X nostalgia, not new players.

 

[Thommy H-H]

It sounds like you were missing one of the books. No other reviews have mentioned that the set doesn't contain the actual rules.

Edit: I've just checked around. The basic rules are in the Play Guide booklet, which also explains the components and, presumably, some other basic stuff about how to use the contents of the box.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

It sounds like you were missing one of the books. No other reviews have mentioned that the set doesn't contain the actual rules.

I wouldn’t think it was a packing mistake. He bought 4 boxes. Presumably one or more of the boxes would have included everything.

 

[Thommy H-H]

I wouldn’t think it was a packing mistake. He bought 4 boxes. Presumably one or more of the boxes would have included everything.

So if you look at Todd Kenreck's unboxing video, you'll see here he flicks through the Play Guide book. That contains the game rules and an explanation of how to use the components, which is what OP seems to think doesn't exist.

 

[sevenbastard]

Come on they are just setting the expectations for new DMs.

"We haven't included any rules because your players won't read them or even try to remember them, they are just going to copy some build they saw on the internet and fumble through play. Good Luck"

 

[Thommy H-H]

I feel very strongly that this is going to be one of those threads that goes on for 30 pages of people complaining about or attempting to justify the alleged exclusion, even though the initial complaint is - and I cannot stress this enough - factually inaccurate. The set does contain the rules to play the game. You can see them in the video I linked. OP's boxes may have not included that booklet for some reason, but that's a production flaw not a design flaw.

 

[Imaro]

Yeah I have the set and I'm totally confused by this rant and what it's claiming... especially because they are saying there wasn't a single play guide among 4 different sets... That seems...unlikely, maybe user error.


Also why would there be an assumption that a QR code in a sealed boxed set from a major, publicly traded company...would have a virus attached to it?

 

[Parmandur]

The main audience are people familiar with modern board games: the Play Guide booklet is laid out like a modern board game manual, and explains things in ways familiar go people who have played complex board games like Settlers of Catan where reading the manual is required.

Literally have heard of play groups with zero experience getting thianup and running within 20 minutes.

 

[Imaro]

For reference in case the OP overlooked the included rulebook.