| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 03:05:27
So I took some pics, and happy to answer any questions about quality or impressions I may have, I hope it helps ease whatever issues some may have if on the fence.
http://imgur.com/N92RB10,g4Jwkhb,wXDrKvZ,zD0W4ko,QZuo6F3,XNy1QBY,F9txfsZ,L1VosJX,yLGliAo,cCXZmBC,AaUwvN0#0 |
| 29 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Artemel |
Posted - 25 Jul 2014 : 02:46:30
Well... I finally read through most of the Starter Set and I must say, I am livid! Did you know dwarves were using children as miners!?
Nah, not really, but a typo in the description of one room in the mine talked about paying "minors" for their work hauling in ore. =p
The adventure was really good, and I am liking the concepts for 5e that I am seeing. It seems to make it a slightly less high fantasy, high magic system, though. Which, in my mind, is not a bad thing. No more "If you don't have the right magic gear, you are effectively several levels lower" bunk.
Time will tell, but this new system may be able to obliterate the loathing I feel towards 4e. Here's to hoping that whatever they do to Shattered Realms puts it back together into something resembling the Forgotten Realms I love. |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 24 Jul 2014 : 11:58:19
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I was sharing the link more for the sake of comparison and discussion... I'm not weighing in on the comparison myself, because I didn't get the Starter Set for the rules, I didn't get the Beginner Box at all, because I've no interest in the 5E ruleset, and because I'm playing Pathfinder now and plan on sticking with it for a while.
I should also like to note that I'm mostly neutral on the 5E rules. I don't know much about them, but what little I do know I regard favorably. The only reason I'm not going to buy the 5E rulebooks is because I'm satisfied with Pathfinder right now.
I think that's a fair position, Wooly. And, for the record, I wasn't really weighing in, either; just pointing out that the two products in question have different price points to go along with their differing goals. It makes a head to head comparison a little skewed. I'm certainly not commenting on the relative merits of either box, nor in the editions, I don't see any benefit in those debates. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Jul 2014 : 04:54:16
I was sharing the link more for the sake of comparison and discussion... I'm not weighing in on the comparison myself, because I didn't get the Starter Set for the rules, I didn't get the Beginner Box at all, because I've no interest in the 5E ruleset, and because I'm playing Pathfinder now and plan on sticking with it for a while.
I should also like to note that I'm mostly neutral on the 5E rules. I don't know much about them, but what little I do know I regard favorably. The only reason I'm not going to buy the 5E rulebooks is because I'm satisfied with Pathfinder right now. |
| Seethyr |
Posted - 24 Jul 2014 : 00:38:30
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
So this guy got the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the D&D Starter Set, and some newbs, and let them judge each.
Presenting without my own commentary (partially because I don't have the Pathfinder box), his write-up:
The Beginners Choice, D&D Next or Pathfinder?
I'm not ready to accept this battle until I have the new players handbook, DMs guide and monster manual. I am not rich, but I am happily well off enough that the cost difference here will affect much of my opinion (heck, I just want the best product possible!). At the same time though, I don't think the Starter Set and the Basic download is really a complete game yet. It's enough to "get by" but I don't think Pathfinder's set makes that same claim. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 24 Jul 2014 : 00:25:31
As should be expected due to the price difference, but that's what makes the D&D Starter Set so useful. At certain retailers, such as online ones, it's even cheaper than the MSRP. Coupled with the free Basic Rules as a convenient download, the economic barrier to entry is near zero. For those on a budget, this might make all the difference. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 23 Jul 2014 : 15:28:05
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
So this guy got the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the D&D Starter Set, and some newbs, and let them judge each.
Presenting without my own commentary (partially because I don't have the Pathfinder box), his write-up:
The Beginners Choice, D&D Next or Pathfinder?
I've bought both, and read and played through both, and while this is an accurate evaluation, it's not necessarily coming from an even playing field: the D&D set is a $19.99 product, and the Pathfinder box is a $34.99 product.
Personally, I think they are both very good products, but they are designed to serve different masters. The D&D box can get your whole group playing for five bucks a head, and then everyone can go and absorb the Basic rules at their own pace for free.
Agreed, not to mention that I think Next is probably easier to pick up and play compared to Pathfinder. When looking at spells and the like, Pathfinder still goes by 3E's engine of a minutia of modifiers that need keeping track of on a round to round basis where Next is far less so. I also think Next's "free-form" design also encourages more improv than Pathfinder since PF/3E basics really make attempting actions your not proficient in nearly impossible to overcome or succeed in or you pay dearly for it by taking Attacks of Opportunity. |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 23 Jul 2014 : 12:03:08
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
So this guy got the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the D&D Starter Set, and some newbs, and let them judge each.
Presenting without my own commentary (partially because I don't have the Pathfinder box), his write-up:
The Beginners Choice, D&D Next or Pathfinder?
I've bought both, and read and played through both, and while this is an accurate evaluation, it's not necessarily coming from an even playing field: the D&D set is a $19.99 product, and the Pathfinder box is a $34.99 product.
Personally, I think they are both very good products, but they are designed to serve different masters. The D&D box can get your whole group playing for five bucks a head, and then everyone can go and absorb the Basic rules at their own pace for free. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 23 Jul 2014 : 07:18:30
I like the room in the box thing. All my 2E boxed sets have other, appropriate sourcebooks in them so I always know where to look for stuff. As for the boxed set itself, it looked like a good primer. Haven't looked at the Phandelver adventure in any detail yet, other than to see the throwaway line regarding a noble of Phalorm building (was it) Crag's Keep. Props for giving the "realmslore"-thing a go. If they had really wanted to impress me, they would have used a noble from Uthtower.
-- George Krashos |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Jul 2014 : 04:52:01
So this guy got the Pathfinder Beginner Box, the D&D Starter Set, and some newbs, and let them judge each.
Presenting without my own commentary (partially because I don't have the Pathfinder box), his write-up:
The Beginners Choice, D&D Next or Pathfinder? |
| Delwa |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 20:43:52
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
I know it doesn't expain it well, but the insert is the stage for this 'theatre of the mind' thing. You sit around it and imagine everything going on there. I tried it out last night and it's awesome!
It's like a flea circus!
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Heh, I bought plenty of the original boxed sets, and I know they had extra room in them... Just not this much extra room, and they lacked the filler that made the box look more full.
I get that. I do wish the covers were a bit more durable. Maybe like the cardstock covers on some of the older adventures. That would have filled out some of the space. Also, a separate regional map to hang on display while the players adventure so I don't have to keep flipping back to the regional map. I know I can purchase the map from Mike Schley and print it myself, but I would have liked for it to come with a separate map.
I do like the slick pages though, but I get the sense I'm in the minority there. I hate marking up my books, but if I'm using a pencil to follow along, and make notes on a separate paper as is my habit, stray marks still hit the page now and then.  |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 19:49:45
Heh, I bought plenty of the original boxed sets, and I know they had extra room in them... Just not this much extra room, and they lacked the filler that made the box look more full. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 18:15:11
I know it doesn't explain it well, but the insert is the stage for this 'theatre of the mind' thing. You sit around it and imagine everything going on there. I tried it out last night and it's awesome! |
| Delwa |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 16:06:43
Got mine the other day, and I'm quite happy with it. I plan on merging the adventure into a current campaign as an optional quest. The dice were nice. Particularly the d20. First three rolls were 18, 19, and 20. I think I found my new DM dice. (Watch them roll 3, 2, and 1 at the table tonight.) The cardboard insert made my day, actually. (It's the little things.) I'm making a temple of Lathander out of a cardboard box from work, and the insert is the right size and depth for the interior floorplan. Sit the exterior box over it, and if the PC's enter said temple, lift the box off to reveal floorplan.
Like Dark Wizard pointed out, the box also makes it handy for me to keep all my notes in one place and carry to my local game store should I start running a game there.
I did note that the box cover art, while nice, is a fine example of what not to do in the presence of a Green Dragon. I foresee much breath weapon in his future.
Overall, for twelve bucks, I got a rules reference booklet, an adventure, and dice. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 15:30:05
People are printing out the free Basic Rules PDF and spiral binding the pages to put into the boxed set. Fits quite nicely and makes a good addition to the set.
The free PDFs of the pre-gen character sheets were also released on the Wizards site, those can be printed out and included in the set as extras. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 15:12:00
I kind of liked the old 2nd edition boxed sets that were like that, because I could throw all of my books and dice in the oversized box. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Jul 2014 : 14:41:03
I got my Starter Set yesterday, but I just now unboxed it -- I was taking advantage, last night, of the exceedingly rare circumstance of having the house entirely to myself.
I just unboxed the set (which, with a combination of already-discounted price for Barnes & Noble membership and a coupon, only cost me about $10). It does look pretty good. I casually flipped thru the books, and they do look well-made.
The included dice surprised me; rather than being a monochromatic set, they are marbleized -- in fact, I bought the same set many years ago, back in 2E. I'm not bashing the dice; I'm happy that they are not generic. The only reason I don't still use my old ones is because I retired them in favor of a cooler set.
I do have a complaint about the box, though: about a third of it is empty space. There is a shaped piece of filler cardboard that basically makes the interior of the box smaller than the outside.
I dislike the wasted space, and I don't really get the idea of deliberately making the box bigger than it needs to be -- unless it's a weird marketing thing. |
| BARDOBARBAROS |
Posted - 12 Jul 2014 : 13:28:24
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm prolly going to buy it just for the Phandelver adventure.
Me too ..and JUST FOR IT!!!! |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 11 Jul 2014 : 06:37:50
Went and got a copy of it over the weekend. Nice set though I wasn't terribly impressed (but then I'm hard to please these days). |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 06 Jul 2014 : 04:04:39
np |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 21:26:19
Thank you for the offer, but I'll wait a week or two until I get my hands on it. |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 20:42:58
Would you like some pics of the aventure Wooly, it is really nicely done, and tightly packed, they squished things togeather to fit on less pages, instead of leaving spaces to make it seem big. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 14:58:19
I'm prolly going to buy it just for the Phandelver adventure. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 08:23:41
Curious: how is the printing? Does the ink smudge if you rub a page between your fingers? I take it the books are bound by staples?
Thanks for linking to those 11 pictures. Much appreciated. |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 05:40:08
Shall I bring out my chicken infested bomb commoner? |
| Delwa |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 05:30:32
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Ah, the commoner... One of the most challenging monsters a party can face! 
Verily! Given enough of them, and even seasoned role players break the Fourth wall and begin nervous whispers about something they call a TPK!
Edit And thanks, silverwolfer! |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 05:16:08
Ah, the commoner... One of the most challenging monsters a party can face! |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 04:56:48
I did not notice any infalted HD's .
if your use to 3.5 system, sonic damage type got changed to thunder |
| Delwa |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 04:51:43
quote:
Originally posted by silverwolfer
And the monster list is...
Bugbear
Commoner
Cultist
Doppelganger
Evil Mage
Flameskull
Ghoul
Giant Spider
Goblin
Grick
Hobgoblin
Wraith
Nothic
Ochre Jelly
Ogre
Orc
Owlbear
Ruffian
Skelaton
Spectator(sortta a mini beholder)
stirge
twig blight
wolf
green dragon
zombie
Not a bad list. Can't wait for my copy to get here. Out of curiosity, did you participate in the playtest? Based on previews I've seen, monsters gained about 1HD, I was wondering if that observation was true across the board. |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 04 Jul 2014 : 04:08:39
And the monster list is...
Bugbear
Commoner
Cultist
Doppelganger
Evil Mage
Flameskull
Ghoul
Giant Spider
Goblin
Grick
Hobgoblin
Wraith
Nothic
Ochre Jelly
Ogre
Orc
Owlbear
Ruffian
Skelaton
Spectator(sortta a mini beholder)
stirge
twig blight
wolf
green dragon
zombie |
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