Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DunegonMaester Feb 10, 2015 16:12:36	So after giving up on 4e, I turned to the D&D Next playtest. I currently have the latest playest and am currently trying to get a new group together. Since then there's been the official release of D&D 5e. I've glanced around, but haven't really found a comprehensive answer to a couple questions I have:   How does DnD Next, (the latest and final playtest, to make clear) compare to the official release? What's different? Is it worth getting the $30 Player's Handbook? The other books? The $10 beginner's box?
#2 CCS Feb 10, 2015 16:25:44	Yes, buy the PHB.
#3 Artifact Feb 10, 2015 16:39:14	Or, just download the free Basic D&D from this page.   Compare the differences in the PDF with the final playtest packet.   Then decide if it's worth in plunking down for the PHB.  If you're gonna DM, then you'll definately want the DMG and MM o'course   = = =   The Starter Set is nice BTW (but not required).
(Reply to #3) DunegonMaester	Artifact wrote:
#5 Cyber-Dave Feb 10, 2015 17:11:03	I would buy the PHB, DMG, MM. There is a lot of great stuff in there that is not in the basic rules. But, you can look at the basic rules to get a feel for how the edition turned out before buying the PHB, DMG, MM.
#6 Torg_Smith Feb 10, 2015 17:27:44	Yeah, if you like the basic rules, the core books are good. I have always liked the look of the books WotC produces. They add some nice features over and above the basic rules as well.
#7 Reius Feb 10, 2015 18:17:17	The PHB is the core rulebook and contains all the rules. Even DMs need access to it.   The MM is the monster book and almost every DM will want a copy. There are monsters in the free rules, though. There are just more in the MM.   The DMG is filled almost completely with optional rules. But, it is a great book that most DMs will want to pick up for any type of extended campaign. If you're just trying it out, wait until you decide that 5e is for you before buying it. If you plan on running anything even remotely home-made, this book will be almost indispensible. This is also where the magic items are (but magic items are optional in 5e).   The Basic Rules contain most of the necessary rules, but fewer PC choices (Race, Class and Background) and sparser DM support (fewer monsters, fewer magic items, less info about customizing things).   To get started, all you really need are the free PDFs. There's something unsatisfying about them, though. So, to get a "real" game going, you need at least the PHB and some monsters from either the DM Basic Rules, an adventure (LMoP, ToD) or the MM. You'll want the DMG eventually, but you don't really need it to get started.
#8 BoldItalic Feb 11, 2015 5:02:53	DunegonMaester wrote:
#9 joeburgos Feb 11, 2015 5:54:27	DunegonMaester wrote:
#10 Xguild Feb 11, 2015 7:44:48	If nothing else if you are a DM for 5th edition you have to buy the DMG, its ... well fantastic.  Its easily one of the best DMG's ever made for the game of D&D any edition.   Though I agree with CCS .. just buy the Players Handbook. It sells the system.
#11 alienux Feb 11, 2015 8:10:15	To answer the original question, in my opinion, it seems like the last playtest packet was probably the closest of all the packets to the final release, but there were, of course, quite a few changes. And the final release, even just the free Basic pdf and free Basic DM pdf, is more comprehensive.   But, as others have said, the books are well worth purchasing and have far more information and options, all of which are very useful (but still not required if you're happy with just using the free Basic edition).
#12 Devils-Advocate Feb 11, 2015 8:56:18	joeburgos wrote:
#13 FFSAA Feb 11, 2015 10:02:39	Devils-Advocate wrote:
#14 Eldren73 Feb 11, 2015 13:31:22	If I had one complaint about the difference between the playtest and the final product, it's the shift in how critical damage was handled.  I personally liked that a crit was "maximize one damage die and roll it again, then add them together."  I get that "just rolling two dice" sounds simpler, but in theory you could at that point wind up with a total lower than what you could get off one die, which sort of keeps it from feeling like an actual critical hit.  Crits should be "OMG" damage, IMO.   Otherwise, yes, the PHB is definitely worth purchasing.
#15 Devils-Advocate Feb 12, 2015 7:26:37	Eldren73 wrote:
#16 Devils-Advocate Feb 12, 2015 7:51:04	FFSAA wrote:
#17 AaronOfBarbaria Feb 12, 2015 9:21:54	Maybe it is an experience similar to one that I had regarding a player I know and the playtest vs. final product.   To elaborate:   I know a guy that was constantly mentioning that when he looked over the playtest materials that he wasn't impressed, didn't like it, thought it was going the wrong direction, "took away all the cool powers," and many other statements of disinterest and more negative feelings towards the game.   At the same time, he was making constant complaints about Pathfinder which we were playing at the time because particular rules here and there irked him, and every last one of the complaints that he made were things which were not true of the D&D playtest (example: "I hate that fighters get so many less skills than other classes." and "Great, I wasted another smite.").   Then, when we got the Starter Set and began to play it he complained that it wasn't the full game all at once and kept harping on the release schedule and yet finding no faults in the actual game to complain about.   I don't actually know if he is still complaining now that the entire game is out, however, since he isn't welcome in my house for reasons unrelated to his nonsensical complaints about RPGs.
(Reply to #15) Coredump00	Devils-Advocate wrote: