Post/Author/DateTime	Post
retroguy90 06-16-07, 08:25 PM	hi, some friends and I spoke recently of playing D&D again after 15 years out of it. Like all D&D gamers we soon moved onto Advanced; however it retrospect the basic D&D games we played were better. The less rules stimulated more creative play and some of the gamers weren't into lots of rules anyways. I guess I would be rare in the D&D community but i actually prefer the basic version, even though i have played Advanced. Still got my old "modules", but wondering if it's worth getting the new version of Basic game. have the rules changed substantially? Improved? Can new adventures be bought for the basic game? Apart from the wikipedia article i just read i haven't got a clue about the post 1990's state of D&D. Thanks
mearrin69 06-16-07, 08:42 PM	The new basic game is probably useful for beginners but I fear you (or anyone with even a little experience) will quickly tire of it. That said, it's maybe a good introduction to the rules and the included minis, map boards, and dice make it worth $20 or so if you can get it for that price (think I paid $19.99 for it - bought mainly for the minis.) For playing I think you'd still be better off going with the PHB, DMG, MMI combo. You can get all three in a set some places (think I got mine on Amazon) for a reasonable discount. Just stick with the basic rules and don't do a lot of add-ons. The nice thing about this is that the rules within these core books are fairly balanced and consistent (which changes as you add more things beyond the core, of course). Not all that much more extensive than the basic game - and you can drop or simplify some of the things you don't like (say, encumberance or complex skill checks, etc.) Hope that helps some. M
MHolland 06-16-07, 10:47 PM	The old Basic boxed set was a set of rules to play the game. The new Basic boxed set is a sales pitch for the regular game. The only rules in it are those needed to play the pregen characters and the few monsters that appear in the adventure. There are no rules for running your own game or developing characters or anything. In fact, once you finish the adventure in the box it launches into the literal sales pitch for the PHB, DMG and MM. The two products may share the same name but they are not the same thing. As mentioned the boxed set does come with some nice miniatures and dungeon tiles. I am using it to introduce my 7 year old son to D&D and it works well for that as well.
Prof. Pacali 06-17-07, 02:08 PM	hi, some friends and I spoke recently of playing D&D again after 15 years out of it. Like all D&D gamers we soon moved onto Advanced; however it retrospect the basic D&D games we played were better. The less rules stimulated more creative play and some of the gamers weren't into lots of rules anyways. I guess I would be rare in the D&D community but i actually prefer the basic version, even though i have played Advanced. Still got my old "modules", but wondering if it's worth getting the new version of Basic game. have the rules changed substantially? Improved? Can new adventures be bought for the basic game? Apart from the wikipedia article i just read i haven't got a clue about the post 1990's state of D&D. Thanks Welcome back to the hobby! A lot has changed. TSR went bankrupt in the mid-90's, and D&D was resuscitated by Wizards of the Coast, the guys who created Magic cards. There is a new edition of the game (if you can call something that's been around 4 years new :) ) called D&D 3.5. 3.5 is a modification of the "Third Edition" rules released in 2000. Essentially the rules were streamlined, and new ideas like skills, feats and Prestige Classes were added. I suggest getting the D&D 3.5 Player's Handbook, and reading it, from cover to cover. Try to find a game to join in your area and see how the rules work. Don't buy the "D&D Basic Game" currently on the market, it's really geared towards children. It is a slimmed down version of the 3.5 rules, with some dice and plastic minis thrown in. If you're hesitant to buy the PHB, you can go here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/welcome), for the SRD, an online copy of the Core rules. If you have any questions, this is the board to ask them on. Good luck!
Oblivion_Herald 06-17-07, 07:19 PM	If you're looking for a D&D that's light on the rules, you're out of luck. The newer edition is very rules heavy, more rules than I'd ever care to memorize. If you want a relatively freeform game, then I'd either stick with what you have (and it'll be difficult to find players) or consider another system entirley. Or you could get the newer edition and pretty much rip it's guts out and restructure it to how you want it to be (that's what I'm doing), but it's a lot of work for a dubious return.
Particle_Man 06-17-07, 10:11 PM	There are simpler d20 games out there. Star Wars Saga edition is one that is worth a look, imho.
Nom 06-18-07, 02:21 AM	If you really prefer the simplicity of "basic" D&D, you can buy a scanned PDF of the Compendium (all 5 rulebooks) from RPGNow for about $US 10. Of course, it comes with no support, errata, or new products, but it's the basic game. As mentioned, the new "basic game" is a D&D Lite intro set. It's "worth it" for the minis, the maps, even if you never use the very simple version of the 3.5 D&D rules and about 6 intro encounters, but is not in any sense of the word a complete D&D ruleset. If you want to get a feel for D&D 3.5 before you buy, you might want to read through the d20 System Reference Document (d20 SRD, an online version is at http://www.d20srd.org/ ). This is the "free" version of the rules, designed for module writers. It contains few examples, no advice or world stuff, and no rules about character creation, XP or levelling, but will let you check out the core mechanics. Or you could just quickly browse a Player's Handbook in a bookstore or gaming store.