Previously known as D&D Next, 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons is now officially a thing. You can buy the starter set in selected shops now, and everywhere else soon. Plus the basic rules are available for free from the WoTC website. Time for some comments:
First of all, my current campaign and the campaign I'm planning for next year will remain 4th edition. That is not only because me and my players like 4E more; but also because we play in French: 4E has a French translation, 5E is only available in English. Half of my players don't speak English. So our choice in this matter is inherently limited. Distribution being similarly US-centric, I don't expect to be able to pick up a D&D Starter Set before August.
I have downloaded, printed out, and started reading the 5E Basic Rules. I have watched videos on the content of the Starter Set, and seen WotC play the first session of it on YouTube. With the information I have about these two products, I have come to a conclusion: The Starter Set and the Basic Rules *together* form something which could be described as "Basic D&D", that is a full system to play a campaign of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons with somewhat simplified rules. With the Basic Rules being free and the Starter Set $19.99 official retail price, $12.65 currently on Amazon.com, that is extremely good value for money. On the other hand, if you want to play the *full* version of 5E, you will need to buy 3 books (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual) at $50 suggested retail price each, and those haven't even come out yet.
Needless to say I consider the Starter Set / Basic Rules combo to be more suitable for new players, both from a point of view of complexity, and of price. Which leads me to my personal "5E project": I would like to look at the Starter Set and the Basic Rules together, do some simulated play sessions solo, and see how well the combo does in teaching Dungeons & Dragons to a new generation of players. That will presumably happen somewhere after the summer. I'm not in a rush. Besides telling me how good the new edition is for new players, I will probably get to understand the fundamentals of 5E enough for me to decide whether I want to buy the full books. Which, unless WotC announces a French translation, is currently not likely. 5E is now a thing, but not yet a global thing.
First of all, my current campaign and the campaign I'm planning for next year will remain 4th edition. That is not only because me and my players like 4E more; but also because we play in French: 4E has a French translation, 5E is only available in English. Half of my players don't speak English. So our choice in this matter is inherently limited. Distribution being similarly US-centric, I don't expect to be able to pick up a D&D Starter Set before August.
I have downloaded, printed out, and started reading the 5E Basic Rules. I have watched videos on the content of the Starter Set, and seen WotC play the first session of it on YouTube. With the information I have about these two products, I have come to a conclusion: The Starter Set and the Basic Rules *together* form something which could be described as "Basic D&D", that is a full system to play a campaign of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons with somewhat simplified rules. With the Basic Rules being free and the Starter Set $19.99 official retail price, $12.65 currently on Amazon.com, that is extremely good value for money. On the other hand, if you want to play the *full* version of 5E, you will need to buy 3 books (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual) at $50 suggested retail price each, and those haven't even come out yet.
Needless to say I consider the Starter Set / Basic Rules combo to be more suitable for new players, both from a point of view of complexity, and of price. Which leads me to my personal "5E project": I would like to look at the Starter Set and the Basic Rules together, do some simulated play sessions solo, and see how well the combo does in teaching Dungeons & Dragons to a new generation of players. That will presumably happen somewhere after the summer. I'm not in a rush. Besides telling me how good the new edition is for new players, I will probably get to understand the fundamentals of 5E enough for me to decide whether I want to buy the full books. Which, unless WotC announces a French translation, is currently not likely. 5E is now a thing, but not yet a global thing.
I admire your exploratory spirit keeping up with DnD editions.I have trouble excepting new additions, from 2nd ed to pathfinders was quite a jump. I found the combat mechanics better(THACO), but much was the same. Biggest thing I noticed was the streamlining of adventure modules prob cater to a demographic that either has digital distraction, jobs or both.
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