Dungeons and Dragons Basic Game
 

The D&D Basic Game is designed as an introduction to the Dungeons and Dragons Roleplaying Game.It covers the first two levels of experience. The set is designed so that initial scenarios areplayed much like you would a boardgame, and progressively more role-playing elements are introduced.

After the Basic Game is mastered, players are directed to the full Dungeons & Dragons game, which consists of three core rulebooks:the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Monster Manual. These bookscover play to 20th level, with some notes for play at levels higher than that!

This brand-new boxed set is designed to give those new to roleplaying an introduction to, and a good understanding of, the D&D game experience. It contains everything needed to play including exciting adventures, a complete set of roleplaying dice, streamlined rules drawn straight from the Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks, and 16 miniatures from the D&D Miniatures line.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, this box was named for a classic boxed set from the first years of the game's history and is a great way for current players to share the game with a whole new generation.

The Basic Game is due out in September 2004, and should retail for $24.99.

Official Wizards product page

"In the Works" preview

Play D&D - introduction to D&D

Issue #320 of Dragon Magazine had a feature on the Basic Game:

The Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game walks first-time gamers into the realms of fantasy adventure by introducing game concepts and rules over the course of several adventures. Beginning with pre-generated characters, plastic miniatures, and a single map tile, the first adventure is relatively simple - almost board-gamelike - in order to give new players a chanceto grow comfortable with rolling dice, making decisions, and taking actions with their characters.

As game play progresses through the 12-page Adventure Book, more map tiles are used, tougher monsters are encountered, and adventures grow progressively more complex. Characters slowly accumulate experience and eventually accumulate enough XPs to "level up" using the rules insihde the Expanded Rulebook. (The 64-page Expanded Rulebook also offers character generation rules, more detailed game play rules, and guidelines for creating original adventures). At this point, players have fully-functional 2nd-level characters that can be played in any Dungeons & Dragons campaign until they're ready for 3rd level and the Player's Handbook.

Charles Ryan, Brand Manager of Dungeons and Dragons:

The Basic Game is a huge step for us because the Basic Game is a product designed to bring role-playing to people who aren't already familiar with the concept. I think most people know what fantasy is; those people, who aren't in our market, the twelve year-old kid, know Lord of the Rings. They know what a game is. I don't think that person understands the idea of a game where you have a character that gets better over time or a game where you can do anything that you want instead of moving a piece into a square and only having a couple of options. I don't think he knows what those funny dice are all about. I don't think he understands the idea that you aren't trying to win after a couple of hours. All those concepts are so simple to us because we're very comfortable with them, but to the new player who is not familiar with it, (those concepts) are all kind of weird. [Its] not what they think of when they think of a game.

The Basic Game is a really cool product because it hides all of those concepts in a box that looks like a board game. Here again, you're a twelve year-old kid and you're interested in fantasy and you play games and you've heard of D&D, you go out and buy this box and open up this game and inside you see a game that has miniatures - you're used to figures, and these are like figures that you get in other games, but these are much cooler. It has maps that are board-like with tiles that you can use to put together dungeons in different ways. That's a lot like a board for a board game, so that's something that you are used to. It starts off with simple scenarios that introduce ideas. In the first scenario, you get to move in and fight some things and it is very much like a board game, you move to a certain space and you do a certain thing. The next stuff that you do introduces the idea that you can do stuff on a freeform basis. The next thing that you do introduces the idea that you get something, a piece of treasure or something, that you are going to be able to use whenever you want and you keep track of it. From there, we go to the idea that your character is going to grow and develop and become better. Basic Game is going to prove to be an excellent acquisition tool.

(From the Silven Crossroads interview with Charles Ryan)

Set Contents:

Sixteen Pre-painted plastic Miniatures:

• Aramil, Adventurer (D&DB1) - originally an uncommon from Giants of Legend
• Eberk, Adventurer (D&DB2) - originally an uncommon from Giants of Legend
• Regdar, Adventurer (D&DB3) - originally an uncommon from Giants of Legend
• Lidda, Adventurer (D&DB4) - originally an uncommon from Giants of Legend
• Dire Rat (D&DB5) - originally from Giants of Legend
• Kobold Skirmisher (x2) (D&DB6) - originally from Dragoneye
• Kobold Warrior (x2) (D&DB7) - originally from Harbinger
• Skeleton Warrior (x2) (D&DB8) - originally from Archfiends
• Wolf Skeleton (D&DB9) - originally from Harbinger
• Black Dragon (D&DB10) - originally a rare from Dragoneye
• Orc Warrior (x2) (D&DB11) - originally from Harbinger
• Troglodyte (D&DB12) - originally from Dragoneye

These miniatures come with their stat cards, which are on a perforated sheet that must be detached from the Adventure book

Other contents:

4 double-sided map tiles
4 character cards
7 dice
Quick-start Rulebook
Adventure Book
Expanded Rulebook

Comments

Thalmin: This game is basic 3.5. Aside from only covering 4 races and 4 classes, the game narrows down all options. Fewer spells, skills, feats, etc. It doesn't start out with character creation. (Here are 4 complete characters. Choose one and lets start playing.) The idea is for someone brand new to RPGs, or even someone starting 3E or 3.5 for the first time, they just read the 8-page pamphlet-sized rule book (half of it is illustrations,) The DM only has to read a 10-page First Adventure Book (DM guide/adventure pamphlet) before he is ready to start.

The 64-page Advanced Rule Book (full-sized) fleshes out the rules and allows character creation. It also continues the 1-room adventure from the First Adventure booklet.

Of benefit to regular players, besides being a guide for introducing new players to the game (i.e. don't overwhelm them with too many rules and options the first time out!) The minis are equivalent to what might be found in a D&D Miniatures Entry box, plus there are four 10"x10" double-sided dungeon tiles on extra-heavy card stock.

Mighty Halfling:

Books, booklets & sheets: Advanced Rule Book (64 p.), Quick Start Rules (6 p.), First Adventure Book (10 p.), Read this first (1 sheet), Regdar (1 sheet), Lidda (1 sheet), Eberk (1 sheet), Aramil (1 sheet), Map boards (4 boards)

Miniatures: Each mini is plastic and fully painted. They come with little cards that correspond to this game and the D&D minis game. All the minis are on a single grid square.

Dice: The set includes seven color-coded dice. d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d%. Each die is color-coded so that players know which one to roll. The pregenerated character sheets have color pictures to show which dice they are.

Character generation: The game shows you how to make up to second level characters.

Races: Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Halflings are detailed. Not all of the "advanced" racial traits are here.

Classes: Clerics, Fighters, Rogues and Sorcerers are detailed. These basically seem to mesh with the "advanced" version.

Feats: Feats are included, but only 11 of them.

Skills: Eight skills are included. I don't find any details on how they advance upon a new level.

Map tiles: Four double-sided color map tiles are included. Basically, you link up hallways to build your own dungeon.

"Exploring:" To make this stand out from a board game, the game explains in detail things you should do besides killing people. This concept is called exploring.

Quick Start Guides: Two short booklets explain the basics of the rules. The DM booklet has a brief encounter with two kobolds.

Sample Dungeon: A Sample Dungeon has 17 room and is fully detailed with monsters, treasure and traps.

Weapons, Armor & Equipment: 12 melee weapons are detailed. Three ranged weapons, all bows, are detailed. Weapon sizing for halflings is included. There is no dagger included (which I thought was strange). Eight types of armor are detailed. Two shields are detailed. A small selection of equipment is offered. Masterwork items are explained.

Spells: Up to third level spells are explained. Fireball is among them. Not all spells from the "advanced" edition are included.

Magic items: A small selection of magic items are included. Magic weapons and armor are briefly explained. Potions, Scrolls and Unusual items are included.

Combat: The following "headlines" are in the combat chapter.

• Choose a weapon
• Who goes first? (Initiative)
• Actions
• Move
• Attack
• Cast a spell
• Switch weapons
• Reload a crossbow
• Special Combat rules
• Saving throws
• Fleeing
• Making a sneak attack

Brazenwood:

I just bought the set yesterday while at the game store just because my kid (almost 9 years old) expressed a lot of interest in DMing a young group of his 3rd grader class mates with it. He is an old soul 9, so even though the age is for 12+, he can figure it out and I had him prove it to me by DMing me as the four characters that come with printed full-color character sheets...It went well, and now he's ready to DM the first two rooms because the rules are aimed at young gamers and getting them to appreciate and apply the finer aspects of the game... (how to think situationally, if the players do this, then the encounter changes this way, etc.)

The minis, even though I have all four sets so far already including two black dragons, are really cool, and you can't complain about 3 black dragons in your horde. For $25, this game is a steal for a kid for Christmas... it even comes with a mini quick start book, a cool little dungeon crawl to recover the baron's signet ring, and a mini Pplayer's handbook + DM Guide all in one cool 64 page book, which of course advertises the Player's Handbook at the very end...the four tiles are high quality for use by seasoned veterans of the game, 10 by 10 squares, very good art, very thick board, and double sided for multiple use... Fun to get the minis with D&DB on the bottom, feels like something special... and heck we all had our basic and expert sets, so mainly I hope my son treasures the memory of his first basic Set for the rest of his life...