D&D 5E Why I'm Buying the Starter Set

[Uller]

Do we actually know the full D&D basic game will be free online? All I've heard so far is the character creation stuff.

I think what he means is the character creation rules are available free online...so if you want the full "basic set" experience, you buy the starter kit (32 page Rulebook, 64 page adventure) and download the character creation rules. That should give you enough material to run the game for levels 1-5.

 

[Morrus]

Holy cow, that's...I don't even...I feel so sorry for everyone who's excited about 5e! I know that the PHB is all that one supposedly needs to 'run a full campaign,' but this release schedule is just asinine.

Has WotC claimed some sort of pretense for releasing the core books months apart, or is it just a bald attempt to make as much money from the starter set as possible before releasing the full game?

Leaving aside the hyperbole and emotive language, yes, they have. You can find all that info and much more here:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/conten...ing-Fundamentals-(D-D-Boxed-Game)-Hits-Amazon!

 

[Mistwell]

I think what he means is the character creation rules are available free online...so if you want the full "basic set" experience, you buy the starter kit (32 page Rulebook, 64 page adventure) and download the character creation rules. That should give you enough material to run the game for levels 1-5.

No pretty sure he meant Basic set. Which is what I am 90% sure is what is coming, based on what was recently mentioned at two locations (Twitter, and the Retail Conference). The PDF is probably the Basic set, which contains character creation rules AND rules for those characters up to level 20 (but only the Basic rules), and other material supporting a Basic game.

 

[Lanefan]

No pretty sure he meant Basic set. Which is what I am 90% sure is what is coming, based on what was recently mentioned at two locations (Twitter, and the Retail Conference). The PDF is probably the Basic set, which contains character creation rules AND rules for those characters up to level 20 (but only the Basic rules), and other material supporting a Basic game.

Personally I'd far prefer the Basic game to be hard-copy from the start as that's the version I'm most likely to want.

That said, I'll almost certainly buy the starter set if only to get a feel how 5e is going to look and-or play:
- what sort of adventure layout are they using (delve format? detachable maps? short concise statblocks for monsters? etc.)
- how tweakable is the system and-or adventure and with what consequences
- can I convert characters from 1e into 5e without too much headache
- how basic is the basic game really going to be
- how simple/complex are the character sheets (and, by extension, character generation)

Answering these will determine how eager I am to get the books a few months later.

Lan-"and if all else fails one can never have too many dice"-efan

 

[GX.Sigma]

Do we actually know the full D&D basic game will be free online? All I've heard so far is the character creation stuff.

Well, that's all they've announced so far, but they keep saying there's more than that. Apparently you'll be able to run "a full campaign." If that's not a full basic game, I don't know what is.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

I think Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle on DnDClassics has all the relevant rules from the latest playtest packet.

Thanks! I'll snap that up.

 

[Hussar]

Y'know, that point about am dice isn't far off. A set of dice is about six bucks where I live. So, really, I'm getting a 64 page adventure, which is nice and meaty, for about fourteen dollars.

That's not bad.

 

[Riley]

No pretty sure he meant Basic set. Which is what I am 90% sure is what is coming, based on what was recently mentioned at two locations (Twitter, and the Retail Conference).

Link? I missed that... and I desperately want it to exist.

 

[Kinak]

I think what he means is the character creation rules are available free online...so if you want the full "basic set" experience, you buy the starter kit (32 page Rulebook, 64 page adventure) and download the character creation rules. That should give you enough material to run the game for levels 1-5.

That didn't sound like what he meant, but it is definitely an option I've considered.

Well, that's all they've announced so far, but they keep saying there's more than that. Apparently you'll be able to run "a full campaign." If that's not a full basic game, I don't know what is.

That's what I'd mean, but it could also mean 5e tools on DDI. Or free web tools. Or the vestigial DMG/MM in the back of the PHB like 3rd. Or something else they think meets those needs that I don't think does.

I don't say that to be argumentative. I think it's very likely you're right. I've just been burnt enough times by "trust us, it'll be awesome" to want something concrete.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[Mistwell]

Link? I missed that... and I desperately want it to exist.

One link.