There has been a lot of hub-bub regarding WoTC’s upcoming release of the Essential’s Line. The various forums, blogs, and podcasts have sort of exploded into a shit-storm of epic proportions and mass hysteria. There have been strong accusations thrown out that this is a massive and widespread conspiracy by WoTC to release a new edition without actually calling it a new edition and that we should probably get on the horn and call in Kiefer Sutherland to start smacking some people around. There have also been so much inference and wild supposition drawn from very little actual information. The level of distortion is worse than that telephone circle game you used to play in kindergarten where the teacher whispers into the first kids ear “Jim has a blue shirt” and the final message comes out from the last kid in the circle “Jim has a blue gerbil that wears his shirt that Dora the explorer got from Angelina Ballerina..purple hippopotamus”. Although, I can totally understand people’s trepidation, as my initial knee-jerk reaction was to give them the big middle finger and immediately order Pathfinder from Amazon. Then I took a deep breath, stepped away from the keyboard, and really looked at what they were saying and showing us. I don’t think it helped that there are some significant errata accompanying the Essentials release that might be viewed as an attempt to synergize the two product lines. This interview by Neuroglyph I think lays out their intention fairly clearly and succinctly, and probably better than the drips and drabs that have been dropping at WoTC’s website.
I think it is fairly reasonable to have an introductory/starter line that sort of streamlines character creation and contains everything you need to get started in order to make it easier and less daunting for new players to get into the game. After all I had both the old basic and expert box sets before I graduated to the hardcover AD&D books. It is not only good for business but good for the hobby. I have seen the arguments, and quite venomous at times, that D&D doesn’t need to be dumb down, and essentially you’re an idiot if you think the current power mechanics and character creation are confusing because any chimp could be taught it. I don’t think what their attempting to mitigate or simplify is the mechanic of powers being separated into at-wills, encounter, utility, and daily, but rather reducing the dizzying array of choice in powers and feats and their myriad effects and combined effects and interacting combined effects, that eventually end up needing to be errataed because someone finds a way to one shot Orcus; and which I think can be overwhelming for someone new to the game who just wants to get playing and can’t or doesn’t want to devote a significant portion of their waking hours to immersing themselves in the material. Although, it is hard to stuff Pandora back in her box. It is interesting that the way they seem to have handled this is by reverting to older concepts of level progression and the reliance on class features, particularly for non-spell casters.
I think what may have most people up in arms and something that WoTC has been a little more tight-lipped about is the statement in the Essentials promotional line that this will form the principles of their design concept going forward. Does this mean that future classes will built around level progression and reliance on class features seen in the Essential builds? Or will they still be pumping out classes and their myriad associated powers seen in the core products too date? Or will it be something in between? Who knows? If the later happens, then everything that came before will still be compatible as they have promised but it may feel like a different game (although way more balanced than previous editions), and no doubt ignite/revive a horrendous flame war. If everything ends up sucking hard, I think that people need to remind themselves that one of the great things about D&D is that it can be anything you want it to be, you are only really limited by your imagination and creativity (so basically I am screwed, but you might be okay), so add or subtract to the game until it’s to your liking. If you hate Essentials and their design philosophy, stick with what you have already. I know I have enough gear already to run games into the old age home. Some people still only play 1st Edition. I can understand the desire and want to always have the shiny new stuff as it gives you something to get excited about and different to read, but that doesn’t mean you can’t adapt the new stuff to the old stuff. Will I pick up the Essentials products? I don’t know, but probably as we have already covered I am a bit of a compulsive shopper and have a tendency to spend money like it is going to rot. I like the Red Box for nostalgia factor and maybe someday will give it to my son to play with. I am more excited for the Monster Vault and DM’s kit largely for the goodies that come with it like monster tokens (screw you expensive mini’s) and the battle maps….Ahh it’s so cute that I am even trying to bamboozle myself into actually thinking I am not going to end up buying it all. So what are you thoughts on the apparent apocalypse that is the Essential’s Line?
Everyone who doesn’t like WotC KNEW this was going to happen. They are putting out a new edition already, surprise surprise. We know how they market, we know they want to do a new edition every 3-5 years.
That’s one of the reasons why I play Pathfinder, I at least know there won’t be a new edition for 5-10 years (hopefully 10). Also, the fact that I can use it with all of my 3.0 and 3.5 material with minimal modification is also nice.
Anyway, keep us updated, I don’t follow 4E news.
yah man I don’t know what to say about it, particularly because I am inherently skeptical when it comes to information released by corporations, I tend to think marketing spin. They say this isn’t a new edition largely by stateing that everything is compatible and still using the same mechanics, which is true. but I guess it also comes down to what you would consider constituting a new edition? If it is re-releasing new versions of your core classes with altered progression mechanics and a reversion to a focus on modified melee basic attack for martial characters…then this seems like a new edition but who knows, as they say it is just different builds. I think we will have to wait until after the 10 books in the Essential line are out and they go back to regular products. I think then we will see which design philosophy reins supreme when they release new character classes, and if they do re-print the player’s handbook what content will be in there.
sometimes you get the sense that the Essential’s design is maybe what 4th edition should have been all along, but it took a while for them to figure it out. it is like maybe they realized they need to reign things in a little bit as when each class has like a hundred powers and coupled with hundreds of feats it can get a bit difficult to manage without breaking or unbalancing aspects of the game and requiring constant errata, maybe even difficult to do and create new things in such a system.
who knows? all I know is that they could never ever never ever call it a new edition, no matter what, or people would just shit themselves in fits of rage.
on a side note I just picked up the Dark Sun material and it is pretty cool, I think my next campaign will be set in the world of Athas.
Hello everyone. I am knew to the site, but found my way here from another blog (Dungeons Master), and I like what I see here. I am also a middle aged DM, so this is right up my ally.
To the post at hand, my brother will not touch 4th edition for the very reason WoTC is now putting out the essentials line, he is too overwhelmed by all the options. My brother isn’t dumb, but he also isn’t the type of person to sit down for hours, reading on the gaming forums and checking out all of the powers to find ones that fit together and are worthwhile. I on the other hand am a number cruncher in just about every aspect of my life, so it isn’t a big deal to me. I also have more experience than he does, and it is easier for me to find good combos, or even know which powers are just plain bad. Despite my discussion of numbers, he and I both favor role playing over roll playing, and you have to admit a streamlined game CAN help in this regard, especially for new, inexperienced, or just the person who doesn’t have/want to use their time pouring over the books.
One of the great aspects of pen and paper RPG’s is the flexibility. Don’t like a rule, it is gone. Think this aspect needs tweaked, it is tweaked. You are not locked into the rules like you are in a football game.
Essentials is 4.5, and I think we all got along just fine with 3.5, despite having so many 3.0 books. I have twenty or so 4.0 books, and many people have quite a bit more, that is a serious monetary investment, especially if you are like me, and it sounds like you as well middleagedm, despite our grousing, we will most likely pick it up anyway. But, if I do not like it, I can save my money and stay with my 4.0, or play the new D&D Encounters season 3 for free.
Hi Lahrs, thanks for your comments and don’t worry about commenting on past posts I think we are pretty small audience here and I am more than happy to chit chat.
I totally understand how your brother feels at times, as when I open the character builder i get a little nauseated some times. Sometimes I dread when it is time to level my players up as we level everyone at the same time, and sitting there and sifting through powers with each of them is almost mind numbing. I think it is helpful to me in certain aspects that they don’t pour over the books and looking for power and magic item combos as I am not forced to compensate from my side of the screen or even have the chat with them about maybe somethings to powerful, but most of us have been playing for a lot of years together so we have never had as problem being reasonable with something seems broken. i remember this came up at times playing champions, as you got more sophisticated and knowledgeable about character building you could push the boundaries and create some ridiculous heroes. I also think it is more of an issues when only one or two pc’s are really pimped up as it has the potential to lessen the fun of the non-pimped characters. I remember playing in an LFR game and this guy had a ranger that had 4 minor action attacks. I was playing a fighter, and I couldn’t even make it to the enemies fast enough to mark them/lock them down before he dropped them, so i didn’t really feel like I was contributing much, but I still enjoyed myself.
I picked up the red box and it is pretty cool, really reminds me of my old red box. i really think we need to wait and see the shadow book that is coming out in the new year to see what’s what. because right know it could be that this is really just a starter set like basic D&D was and they won’t cross the streams or if the new character classes come out and all the martial characters go off basic melee attacks then I think sir it will speak for itself. i was not really bothered by the essentials classes as I mean really how many more builds/powers do you need for the fighter or ranger there is plenty to chose from.
one of my main problems is WoTC are treating the game now like a computer program with all the different updates and tweaks, except with the computer program all I have to do is click yes when it asks me if I want to update and that is the end of it, it becomes more of a bitch when you have written books…and I will never give up my books…never..don’t even get me started on the fact I don’t have hard copies of dragon mag anymore.
For the first season of Encounters, Wizards gave out drink koozies (I had to look that name up, who knew?). My wife tried to toss mine a few days ago because I wasn’t using it. I wouldn’t let her though, because it is D&D and going in my ever growing collection. I am a sucker for collecting D&D materials. In fact, I just acquired the original red and blue box a few weeks ago. Been meaning to get that for quite some time.
I am both for and against the whole “program and patch” aspect of what Wizards is doing. We have a game, and over time glaring holes emerge. Many video games either patch or come out with a sequel the next year, this isn’t a viable option for D&D. So, I get the patch, I like (usually) the fixes, but it does mean more money out of my pocket rather than just hitting the accept button.
It is interesting, right after my first post I went and spoke to my wife about the essentials line and how it was streamlining the game. She has been playing for the last three or four years, first in 3.5 and now in 4.0, she has experience, so I wasn’t expecting her to light up with a thank goodness. I do not find it difficult, but maybe it is because I have 16 years experience with D&D that I can’t see the how complex it is anymore?
I end up teaching a lot of new players to D&D or older players experiencing 4.0 for the first time in the Encounters sessions. I have been running them since the start of Season 1, and always have the new players at my table, I like teaching the game. I ask how they are coming along, and I always get the nods yes, but maybe they are too embarrassed to say no. I think in the end, the Essentials line has me thinking more and more about how the current game does come across to new players, rather than worrying about 4.5 or whatever. Besides, it is $15, so if it stinks it will just make a nice decoration next to my other D&D collectibles.
I think it is great that your wife plays, I am secretly plotting a way to get my wife to try it (I already bought her dice and she has read “confessions of a part-time sorceress”), she mostly just laughs at me and calls me a nerd.
in looking at the red box, the builds don’t seem that less complex, but it does make creating the character and learning the game a little more accessible I think for someone who is new to pen and paper rpg’s. i think that is the target audience they want or if you have played other rpg’s but not D&D and you want to sort of try i out. it seems reasonable to have a starter kit like this as I was re-starting with 4th edition I was like okay I guess I need both PHBs, both DMGs and Both MMs then I was like oh I guess I need miniatures and tiles, so after the small fortune you have to wade through everything and finally you are like ready to play…so i can see how that might dissuade a noob or two. the red box has everything you need to start playing with what seems like a good interface.
both the red box and blue box, so sweet, i had both of them back in the day, I am pretty sure my mom got rid of mine :(. i have been looking to pick up 1st ed monster manual 1&2 to replace my lost copies. i keep thinking i might play 1st ed game one of these days, as I have been listening to the “role for initiative podcast” lately.
We are nerds, but that is ok. I lucked out with my wife, she loves D&D, mostly the role playing aspect, and she is very good at getting the others to join in. Plus, it makes it MUCH easier to convince her I need to buy the new MM or some more minis for our campaign.
Before the Dark Sun encounters campaign, we were running three full tables, and out of the 21 people, 7 were female regulars. Since Dark Sun, everyone has scattered and we are down to four players, two are male and two are female.
I know like my wife went to Fame in high school and did plays throughout university so you think this would be right up her alley, but what are you gonna do.
I could have used a bit of a break between seasons of encounters, it is tough to go every week despite wanting to go every week. I also think they could have waited until the books came out so if you didn’t want to use the pre-gens you could have made your own character like they have done in the 3rd of the season.