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| Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition | 
 enlarge | Author: Wizards Rpg Team
Brand: Wizards of the Coast
Category: Book
List Price: $104.95
Buy New: $56.88
You Save: $48.07 (46%)
New (36) Used (11) from $56.88
Avg. Customer Rating:  183 reviews
Sales Rank: 1776
Format: Box Set
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 4th
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 832
Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.9
Dimensions (in): 11.6 x 8.7 x 2.4
ISBN: 0786950633
Dewey Decimal Number: 793
EAN: 9780786950638
ASIN: 0786950633
Publication Date: June 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 I really want to like these books June 10, 2008
20 out of 39 found this review helpful
Pros:
The new rules are interesting, moving further away from 2nd edition style mechanics and more towards World of Warcraft. There are many positive changes that I think make these books worth reading. The new class mechanics are interesting, the new combat system seems simplified and streamlined, and the loot system looks more fair. In addition, they have made character advancement more tangible and rewarding and they have added a quest system which makes it easier to design scenarios that aren't as heavy on hack 'n slash.
Cons:
Physically, the binding is poor and the books do not close without significant pressure, which could be an artifact of shipping. As far as content, much is left to be desired. It seems that most of the flavor has been drained out of the books leaving for a very dry read. The page layout and design is horribly bland and they are the most visually underwhelming role playing books I have ever read. The Monsters Manual, which while is a cornucopia of statistics, fails to in most cases adequately describe monsters, giving most only a few (1-4) terse sentences.
On The Balance:
If you want to try the new rules, buy the set.
If you don't care too much for the flavor or setting, buy the set.
If you think that Wizards couldn't possibly cram more tables into a single book and you want to be disillusioned, buy the set.
If you want to transition from a World of Warcraft like MMO to table top gaming, buy the set.
If this is your introduction to D&D I would recommend starting with 3.5 or perhaps waiting until more content is produced for version 4.
I worry about the subscription service being the driving force behind D&D in the future, and the distinct possibility that the reason that these books are so perfunctory is because they are simply a framework for that subscription service.
The Good and The Bad June 9, 2008
36 out of 52 found this review helpful
I really wanted to like this edition but I can't get over the fact that some of the 'fixes' to streamline the system either were unneeded or are very limiting. It gives you the feel that it is more of a supplement designed for the D&D Insider, then a stand alone game system.
A few notes about the individual books.
The Players Handbook: Being a new system, with new terminology and definitions, a glossary should have been included. I have spent far too much time paging through the book `double checking' to see if I understood some of the new terms. I enjoyed the power system, it opened play to some fun tactical options and cinematic abilities, but it really neutered the flexibility of spell casters. The skill system is okay at best. Most skills are well defined and are duly compressed, like stealth, but others are out of place, like Dungeoneering, or poorly defined, like Diplomacy. I still can not figure out the need to fix the healing system, and completely dislike the surge idea.
The Monster Manual: My favorite parts of the MM are the new powers and the glossary =). Averaging about two pages per creature and giving differing level examples, the space doesn't feel too wasted, but at the same time there is a distinct feeling you are missing out on a lot of monsters.
The Dungeon Masters Guide: Wow, Ummm... Yeah. I would like to balance the good with the bad in my review but I find it difficult to do with this book. I enjoyed the experience point system, the artwork is nice, and I like the system for traps, but I can honestly tell you I don't think I will ever use the book. I was also very disappointed with the near destruction of the magic items system. I understand the `balance' concept they were trying to achieve, but magic items are one of the core untouchables of the D&D system. I think they forgot the fact that the ultimate balance within the magic item system was the DM =).
Overall I think the system is a great source to `borrow' ideas from to supplement your current 3.5 system, but it doesn't have enough substance to stand on it own.
 4th edition D&D -- a great game June 9, 2008
45 out of 64 found this review helpful
I call the new rule set:
"Everything that is old is new again"
As other reviewers have mentioned, there are significant changes to the rules. Having lived with the rules for the past 6 months, I can say that the game is much more balanced (in general) and most importantly -- REALLY FUN TO PLAY AND DM.
I played and ran a significant amount of 3.5 rules and the system had come to the natural conclusion. There were so many rules and options that it was becoming unplayable.
I'll give a few examples:
* The "Dunkin Donuts" effect of prestige classes was getting silly. The "I'm a fighter...well, really a Fighter 4, Barbarian 1, Occult Slayer 2, Reaping Mauler 2, etc..." was becoming the normal with high level characters...fighter types in particular.
This was a nightmare for the DM to keep track of everyone's abilities at high level
* Monsters had too much to do...that's right, monsters, especially complicated or high level monsters, were just a pain to run. I can cast this laundry list of spells -- but really, I only cast 3-4 of my most powerful spells ever
* One word -- grappling. Let's use it in a sentence:
In 3.5, some of the most difficult and annoying rules revolve around...grappling.
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I have already heard the complaints -- it's too simple, it doesn't allow flexibility, etc..
At least for me, I am more than willing to give up flexibility (at least for now...you know there are more books on the way in the next year) for now in order to have a system that is fast and fun to play
What's great about 4th edition?
* Skill Challenges -- awesome mechanic -- basically allows you to abstract almost any situation and roleplay with very little restrictions.
Negotiations with the town council -- skill challenge
Trying to get out of a maze -- skill challenge
Playing a game of poker against an opponent -- skill challenge
You can use just about any skill or ability to try to influence the challenge -- one person used streetwise in the poker game to try to tip me off on the other person's hand.
* Race matters -- just like in the original rule books, race plays a big part. A dwarven fighter really is different than an elf or eladrin fighter and that's just cool
* The DMG is a great book. They are not afraid to call it as they see it and "expose" the various types of gamers, what they want and how to handle them well in a group.
* Easy for the target market (12+ -- especially on the lower end of the age range) to pick up the game and run with it.
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I was a huge skeptic going into this new editon but I have converted and become an advocate for 4th edition
A Nice Update June 9, 2008
5 out of 31 found this review helpful
I like the way this system plays. It plays A LOT like the new Star Wars Game... which my gaming buddies love. It has simplified things and lets us move forward to the fun parts without tedium. I mean hey, if you spent your fortune on 3.5 edition books and hate this version, there isnt some supreme being that says you cant still play 3rd edition. my gaming buddies and i play dead systems all the time. We might even start a 3.5 ed game just because it's now archaic... who knows. I like this new system all the classes are pretty friggin cool from the get go. No more cr*ppy 1st level adventures!
A Review from a DM June 8, 2008
46 out of 70 found this review helpful
Alright, here's a warning: if you do like 3.5, don't look at this. If you've found all the flaws I have, then do look.
3.5's flaws were painfully clear. Powergamers were frequent and cheap, using tactics that allow 16th level characters to one shot monsters double their level. The system actually discouraged roleplaying and skill use, since the wizard could just do all of that. Long live the wizard and the sorcerer, they were the only classes really worth using. Story took a backseat because roleplaying took a backseat.
4th has fixed these flaws. Every class has been made even. This means that non-casters can actually do cool stuff.
The main power of powergamers, multiclassing, has been made fair. You wanna multiclass? Take a feat for it. Granted, I don't like the actual feats given, but that's what houserules are for.
The skills have been consolidated into a sensible few. C'mon, if you're gonna be good at climbing you'll be good at swimming. The skill point system has been removed, turning it from the longest to the shortest area you spend on your character sheet.
Combat has sped up, and has gotten alot better. Movement is expected and encouraged, giving the game a more cinematic feel.
There are a few flaws besides the multiclassing feats, and here they are:
Most of the classes are more homogeneous, with the descriptive text and name being the only difference in some powers.
There just isn't...enough, to the system, but it's really not a flaw, it's a fact. The Player's Hand is so full of stuff that it couldn't hold anymore, which is why there are supplements coming out. As time goes on, the homogeneous feel of the classes will vanish, since new options will open up as time goes on. And that's what homebrewing's for anyway.
My two games of 4th have been better than the last two years of 3.5. Long live 4th. Don't listen to the others, this is the real deal. This is fantasy roleplaying. This is Dungeons and Dragons.
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