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However, the product I am reviewing is not Third Edition D&D. Well, technically, it is, but specifically I am reviewing the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game, which serves as an introduction to the game.
The advertisements for the Basic D&D box set announce that you can use this game to ‘Bring New People to the Party!’ That might be true, and it certainly appears that this is what Wizards had in mind when they released this box. The Basic Game appears to be largely a recruitment device, sort of like a gateway drug. Of course, in this case, the first one is not free. It is affordable, though, so that’s something.
The Game
Third Edition rules have been seriously scaled back for the D&D Basic Game, allowing new gamers to get a feel for the real deal without being overwhelmed by the tomes of knowledge most of us have come to take for granted. Let’s face it, Average Joe non-gamer does not want to wade through a college textbook just to play a game.
A few of the noteworthy Third Edition rules did make it into the Basic Game. Attacks of opportunity are present, as are line of sight rules and a few other details. Feats are present, as are saving throws, but in a much simpler format than we have all come to accept. In fact, if a gamer were looking for a rules-light system that allowed quick combat and simple rules, this is it. Just because it is packaged for kids does not mean the rules are lame. They work quite well, and I actually found their lack of detail refreshing. I’m a big fan of rules that work without being accompanied by huge tomes. Of course, a full spell list and a long list of feats would make the game a lot more versatile, but it might intimidate newbies.
One thing that I believe should have been included in the rules is a little more information on character growth. Experience is included, but stops after second level. That does not give the game far to go, since the monsters are varied enough to provide challenges even for second or third level adventurers. Everything else about this boxed set oozes value - it is a shame to stop short in this crucial area.
Four sample characters are included in the box, and each has its own character sheet. These sample characters should be familiar to most D&D gamers – they are Eberk, Aramil, Lidda and Regdar. These rather iconic characters feature heavily in the D&D Third Edition books, and remain the learning tools for new players.
Unfortunately, the Basic Game also manages to remind me why I no longer play D&D by including a thoroughly nonsensical dungeon. My eight-year-old daughter wondered aloud why the skeletons in one room never went into the next room, where a troglodyte hid behind a pillar. And both of my children wanted to understand why an alchemist would make his house in a monster-infested cavern with no bathroom. The tradition of randomized dungeons continues, and it is not a good tradition. After twenty years, could we not evolve past ‘smash this door, kill those monsters, steal their stuff?’ I have had friends tell me this randomness is one reason they don’t play RPGs. It seems an introductory adventure should make some sense.
Of course, any dungeonmaster worth his dice bag could use these excellent tiles and cool miniatures to make his own dungeon. I just wish that the authors of the adventure had seen fit to make the dungeon a little less anachronistic, and a little more interesting.
The Contents
Silly adventure aside, the extra stuff in this box is great. On top of a drastically abbreviated player’s book, and an equally short DM’s guide, there is also a larger rulebook with the rest of the adventure and more complex rules. There are also four character sheets and a ‘cheat sheet’ that reminds new players how things work.
The dice that come with the D&D Basic Game are pretty much standard for a game – they are not bad, but they are not overwhelming. They are pretty much plain vanilla dice in a variety of solid colors. They do what they are meant to do, but you won’t be pretending they are gemstones. Still, I have a big bag full of dice that are not this nice, so they were a welcome addition to my collection.
Also found inside the box are four double-sided tiles. These are really cool, with cracked flagstones and rubble. There are a few decorations on the floors, but they are mostly quite plain. The tiles do allow for a fairly large dungeon, if the DM plans far enough ahead.
The crowning jewels in the D&D Basic Game are the miniatures included in the box. Sixteen fully-painted plastic miniatures complete the box, and are very cool. There are four heroes and twelve monsters, from orcs and rats to a small black dragon. The figures are lightweight and sturdy, though the paint jobs leave a little to be desired. Having spent many years perfecting my technique for painting eyeballs on pewter minis, I have fairly high standards. The paint is good, but not great. Getting sixteen painted minis included with my game, on the other hand, is pretty cool, even if they are not perfect. In fact, at the per-figure rate, if you only buy the box for the figures, they will cost less than if you got them all in booster packs. If you like the D&D Miniatures, you should own a copy of this game.
Summary
I worry a little about the possibility that new gamers are discovering role-playing games through the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game. I worry that those new gamers will either turn away from the nonsensical adventure, never to game again, or they will think that the random dungeon is how an RPG is played. On the other hand, we could use more gateway drugs, and this will certainly attract new players more easily than the 300 page books required to play the ‘grown-up’ version of D&D.
Whether or not the adventure was weak, the game did its work for me. I played it twice with my kids, and then we went to my gaming bookshelf and picked out a game that we liked. They loved the concept of role-playing, but would not have continued to play if all we played was D&D. We are now enjoying a great game of Dragonlance Fifth Age using the SAGA rules.
My children were a little disappointed when they found out we were not using minis for the Dragonlance game. They really liked the figures in the D&D Basic Game, and these minis would continue to attract new gamers. The tiles are also cool, but we’re not using those, either. In fact, I removed the dice from the box and put the rest on the shelf, behind the other games I do not play any more. I have fond memories of my early days of gaming, but I am afraid I have just outgrown the game that got me started.
Style: 4 – Even when a WOTC product is not as gorgeous as most of their games, it still manages to look really good.
Substance: 3 – Other gamers might mark this a little higher, but an unintelligent dungeon and severely limited experience rules put me off the game.
