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Hi there
I dont know if this is the right forum for answers to this but I figure there's got to be some D&D players here who might shed some light on this.
So Ive never played a real game of Dungeons and Dragons but after having played a couple of games of WoA and LoD and watch a couple of YouTube videos of people playing D&D Im thinking it could be fun.
So there is the Red Starter Box but is it worth it?
I mean I might quickly go out and invest in the Dungeon Masters handbook and a Monster Manual or something anyway.
I guess the question is is there enough content in that box to even get a game going?
And an extra question. The web shop Im using has a Dungeons Master Guide and a Dungeons Master Guide 2. This is also true for the Monster Manual and the Players Handbook.
What does book 2 include? Everything the first book has plus fixes and extra info or is it a supplement to the first meaning its still necessary to buy the first book?
Im totally new to D&D accept for these board games.
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Bear in mind that in actual D&D you need someone to be the dungeon master, unlike the adventure board games.
In terms of purchases, get the red box. It is good value. Play the first adventure and decide how much you like it. If you want to heavily invest after, then get all the handbooks/manuals etc. If you want to go light, I would suggest the new 'essentials' books which are more streamlined.
Also, the subscription to D&D online makes it much easier. Good luck  It's takes much more commitment than the board game, that's for sure.
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Vayda
United States
New Jersey
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I have playing DnD since 1984 in all it's versions. Feel free to message me about RPGs so as to not muddle the forums.
A quick answer: the new red box is a starter set for the Essentials line. It is a seperate product line from standard 4e.
It is a matter of opinion which is better. Essentials is easier to use due to layout and content spread. Both lines are similar and use the same base mechanics, but treat same content (races, classes, monsters) differently.
It is the 4e rebirth of the old basic DnD line and the ADnD line.
The books you asked about are sequels. All the number 2s and up do not contain the info from the earlier numbers. They contain new options.
You might be better off (value wise) looking on eBay for a used set of books. Sometimes you can find a players, DMs, and monster books for cheap.
But as Mydnight mentioned, you need a player to be the DM as well as other players to run heroes.
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delattre alain
France
orleans
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virferrorum wrote: I have playing DnD since 1984 in all it's versions. Feel free to message me about RPGs so as to not muddle the forums.
A quick answer: the new red box is a starter set for the Essentials line. It is a seperate product line from standard 4e.
It is a matter of opinion which is better. Essentials is easier to use due to layout and content spread. Both lines are similar and use the same base mechanics, but treat same content (races, classes, monsters) differently.
It is the 4e rebirth of the old basic DnD line and the ADnD line.
The books you asked about are sequels. All the number 2s and up do not contain the info from the earlier numbers. They contain new options.
You might be better off (value wise) looking on eBay for a used set of books. Sometimes you can find a players, DMs, and monster books for cheap.
But as Mydnight mentioned, you need a player to be the DM as well as other players to run heroes.
i also play to Ad&d since the begining, and exept if i consider the fourth edition isn't a RPG but a fig game, i m' agree with that.
i just add this : you easily find a med fan rpg cheaper and easier to learn than D&d, and if you like it, you eventualy come later to this game. RPG is a spirit not a set of rules
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Yes of course all. I know that in the board game you play against the game where as in a 'real' D&D game heroes play with (or against) a Dungeon Master running the game.
Its just that I dont know anyone already a Dungeon Master but I know some how would like to try it too so I figure I'd be the Dungeon Master having played a little of the board games.
And since I have played any of the previous editions I dont really have a stance on the changes they made.
Im thinking more of what is needed to get started playing just 4th edition.
But the you say that the Starter Set is build on the Essential rules?
Does that mean that if I start playing with the Starter Set Ill have to relearn some other rules if we move to regular 4th edition?
Well fact is I already ordered the Starter Set. So no turning back
Who knows... maybe we will never even get a play through of the Starter Set.
I want to be a player but if there is no DMs around I guess I have to stand up and become a DM. Maybe I could persuade some of my friends to take over once in a while so I can try to be a player also.
I read somewhere that having been a player first is advisable but when all else fails
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J
United States
San Diego
California
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Moved to the D&D family General forum on RPGGeek
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This geeklist explains how the starter set and red box fit in with Essentials and 4th edition:
What's the best way to start Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition?
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The Harnish
Germany
Duisburg
NRW
Cult of The Harnish Leader
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Holm76 wrote: So there is the Red Starter Box but is it worth it?
IMHO, the starter box is garbage. It's a dead end product that only gives you a couple of sessions worth of play and then you have to buy the real books and start all over again.
Quote: What does book 2 include? Everything the first book has plus fixes and extra info or is it a supplement to the first meaning its still necessary to buy the first book?
The latter - it adds additional classes and such. You need the core rule books, or the D&D essentials books to play.
If you're not completely set on 4th edtion D&D (which is enjoyable but poorly supported IMO by WotC), the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box is a much better entry product in to the hobby - my 9-year-old son got it for Christmas and we're playing our first game (I'm GMing) on Sunday. Paizo's support for the Pathfinder RPG is much better than WotC's of the D&D line.
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The first fantasy rpg must surely look pretty and it must be called dnd. So try it out, it will be great fun for a while. Then you gonna see it's flaws and get irritated with the cartoony graphics, cartoony rules ...
Read further:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ro3/20111107
If you've got that out of the way and want a real introduction to frpg look into Dragon Warriors Rulebook. It is much simpler than dnd4, has everything in one book, is very inspiring read, simple but logical rules.
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MJ Harnish wrote: Holm76 wrote: So there is the Red Starter Box but is it worth it? IMHO, the starter box is garbage. It's a dead end product that only gives you a couple of sessions worth of play and then you have to buy the real books and start all over again.
The old Basic starter box, on the other hand, is brilliant. Shouldn't set you back very much on one of those online auction sites, and still the best way of getting into D&D.
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Dave Bernazzani (@rpggeek)
United States
Plainville
Massachusetts
I wish to provide legendary service to the RPG community to help grow our hobby and enrich the lives of gamers everywhere.
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E Decker wrote: MJ Harnish wrote: Holm76 wrote: So there is the Red Starter Box but is it worth it? IMHO, the starter box is garbage. It's a dead end product that only gives you a couple of sessions worth of play and then you have to buy the real books and start all over again. The old Basic starter box, on the other hand, is brilliant. Shouldn't set you back very much on one of those online auction sites, and still the best way of getting into D&D.
Agreed - the original Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules Red Box is fantastic as was its predecessor Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (Second Edition) Magenta Box (this is where I started in 1981 or so). For something more modern with a similar feel to an all-in-one boxed fantasy game, try Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box which is a spiritual sequel to those old D&D box sets but is not D&D in name (it is derived from the D&D 3.5 ruleset and currently well supported by Paizo with a number of free adventures, add-ons and free character building tools).
-Dave
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Rob A
United States
DFW
Texas
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I too think the new Red Box is too limited, but I'm not just starting out in D&D.
If you want to play 4E here are the base options of what you need to play:
-New Red Box
-Essentials Line Rules Compendium, and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms or Heroes of the Fallen Lands (or both) the books are $20 a piece new
-The Core Books: Dungeon Masters Guide, Players Handbook and Monster Manual These books are about $35 a piece new but usually you can buy them bundled for less.
You can probably get all these items used, which is what I recommend unless you are a collector or OCD.
You will also need dice, a map or mat with 1" squares and something to represent the players and monsters, usually tokens or miniatures but could be dice or coins.
The red box comes with tokens, a map, and dice.
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Freelance Police
United States
Palo Alto
California
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Strange that no one's told you about the *free* QuickStart and module:
http://www.wizards.com/DnD/TryDnD.aspx
EDIT: The QS should come with pregenerated characters. If not, google for "D&D encounters characters". If you can't find the Shadowfell PDF tokens, lemme know and I'll do a search!
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