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Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit (D&D Boxed Set) for
$7.74.
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Target has
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit (D&D Boxed Set) for
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Includes:- 1x Rulebook
- 1x Dragon of Icespire Peak introductory adventure
- 6x Blank character sheets
- 11x Dice
- 1x 33" � 8.5" Dungeon Master's screen
- 81x Cards for magic items sidekicks and more
- 1x 21" x 15" Double-sided poster map for use with the adventure
Features:- Take your first step into the world of Dungeons & Dragons, or get a more expansive D&D experience after playing the Starter Set.
- Play with groups as small as two players (one Dungeon Master & one adventurer) for the first time in D&D fifth edition with the introduction of "sidekicks."
- Battle and plunder your way through Phandalin in the all new D&D adventure, Dragon of Icespire Peak.
- Experience the thrill of being a Dungeon Master behind a four-panel DM screen with at-a-glance game rules for quick and easy reference
- 12 Years and Up
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ESSENTIALS KIT vs STARTER SET
SHORT REVIEW: if you can only buy one set and are new to the game then buy the Starter Set. It explains the rules in a condensed version and easy to read manual--you will be up and running quicker than Essentials Kit. The rules and setup in the Essentials Kit has more steps and might get new players bogged down with too many details. After playing the Starter Set you wil have a feel for the flow and mechanics of the game and can then go deeper into the rules with the Essentials Kit.
After playing the Starter Set and you want to move on, choose the Essentials Kit next before buying the hardcover Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide which have way too much information for new players. The Essentials Kit will build on the Starter Set by introducing magic-using races/classes and character customization.
LONG REVIEW AND COMPARISON: ESSENTIALS KIT vs STARTER SET:
In the Essentials Kit you get a 64-page squarebound rulebook and 64-page Adventure book. The Starter Set has a 32-page staplebound rulebook and 64-page staplebound Adventure book. I'm not going to talk about the Adventure books to avoid spoilers. But both are recommended and both should be played.
The Rulebook differences are significant: in this case shorter (Starter Set) is better.
The Essentials Kit has 6 blank character sheets. Players will use the Rulebook to help create their own custom character. The Starter Set has 5 pre-made characters which is NOT bad and for first time players it might be better to start this way. It forces you to play different races and classes of characters, it shows you what type of background story you might want create for future characters, it gives you an idea of how a character sheet is put together and where everything goes, and most importantly it gets you up and running quickly so you can learn how the game plays out. On your second adventure you can take the extra time to create your own character knowing what you liked or didn't like based on your first character. You can easily download and print blank character sheets online. I personally think the Starter Set's idea to use pre-generated characters is best for first time play.
DICE: There are 11 dice total in the Essentials Kit but there are duplicates; there are only 7 different types. The Essentials includes a percentage die not in the Starter Set which has 6 different dice total. You only need the 6 types of die so both sets are equal to me.
For the Starter Set that's all you get: Rulebook, Adventure book, pre-filled character sheets and dice. It's priced less than the Essentials Kit here on Amazon.
Additional material in the Essentials Kit includes extra cards that come 9 to a sheet and you need will need to separate them. None of these are necessary to play. You could write down the information on the cards on paper, but the cards are a nice convenience and can help move the game along. The different cards are:
9 Initiative cards: these are just cards with a number on them, #1-9.
3 Combat cards: these are cheat sheets of combat rules.
24 Magic Item cards.
9 Quest cards: a description of a mini-quest players might take during the bigger Adventure Book.
9 Sidekick cards: your extra character when running a 2-player game.
14 Condition cards: when characters suffer from a certain condition this card reminds them of the symptoms.
1 Magic Charm card.
Some of the cards are helpful to have and the Starter Set could be improved to include them as well.
Other items in the Essentials Kit: a thin paper Dungeon Master's folding screen. It has a picture on one side and rules/tables on the other. This is very helpful for the Dungeon Master only--it has no use for players. A color map of the world. Maps are fun! And a thin cardboard box to store your dice (not fun).
Both the Essentials Kit and Starter Set are good steps towards introducing new players to the game. I think they are both useful. Starter Set should be first. And the Essentials Kit should come second. After that you can play a few more adventures with the information you currently have. Or if you want to dive into the hardcover books then that's the next step.
I highly recommend the Starter Set and Essentials Kit. Both are worthwhile purchases. I suggest the Starter Set first then Essentials Kit.
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That said, if you plan on running it as DM check out some YouTube channels and websites that help adjust the adventure to be a little more balanced. Some of the encounters at early levels are flat out deadly.
Having a great time. It's fun seeing gruff non-gamers get into role playing their character's motives. It's been a blast, and it's a steal at this price.
Anyone can get into D&D. Think of it like an improv class with goals and combat.
I also recommend watching Harmon Quest as a group of first timers to get somewhat of a vibe for how sessions can go. What's brilliant about D&D is that it can be whatever you want it to be. Rules are only guidelines.
On the Target page it also said this was the second purchase, and that we should buy the starter kit. Should I be getting both of them?
I really appreciate any guidance on this. I want to support him but don't know anything about it.
Link to the starter kit..
https://www.target.com/p/dungeons...A-53318738
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On the Target page it also said this was the second purchase, and that we should buy the starter kit. Should I be getting both of them?
I really appreciate any guidance on this. I want to support him but don't know anything about it.
Link to the starter kit..
https://www.target.com/p/dungeons...A-53318738 [target.com]
ESSENTIALS KIT vs STARTER SET
SHORT REVIEW: if you can only buy one set and are new to the game then buy the Starter Set. It explains the rules in a condensed version and easy to read manual--you will be up and running quicker than Essentials Kit. The rules and setup in the Essentials Kit has more steps and might get new players bogged down with too many details. After playing the Starter Set you wil have a feel for the flow and mechanics of the game and can then go deeper into the rules with the Essentials Kit.
After playing the Starter Set and you want to move on, choose the Essentials Kit next before buying the hardcover Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide which have way too much information for new players. The Essentials Kit will build on the Starter Set by introducing magic-using races/classes and character customization.
LONG REVIEW AND COMPARISON: ESSENTIALS KIT vs STARTER SET:
In the Essentials Kit you get a 64-page squarebound rulebook and 64-page Adventure book. The Starter Set has a 32-page staplebound rulebook and 64-page staplebound Adventure book. I'm not going to talk about the Adventure books to avoid spoilers. But both are recommended and both should be played.
The Rulebook differences are significant: in this case shorter (Starter Set) is better.
The Essentials Kit has 6 blank character sheets. Players will use the Rulebook to help create their own custom character. The Starter Set has 5 pre-made characters which is NOT bad and for first time players it might be better to start this way. It forces you to play different races and classes of characters, it shows you what type of background story you might want create for future characters, it gives you an idea of how a character sheet is put together and where everything goes, and most importantly it gets you up and running quickly so you can learn how the game plays out. On your second adventure you can take the extra time to create your own character knowing what you liked or didn't like based on your first character. You can easily download and print blank character sheets online. I personally think the Starter Set's idea to use pre-generated characters is best for first time play.
DICE: There are 11 dice total in the Essentials Kit but there are duplicates; there are only 7 different types. The Essentials includes a percentage die not in the Starter Set which has 6 different dice total. You only need the 6 types of die so both sets are equal to me.
For the Starter Set that's all you get: Rulebook, Adventure book, pre-filled character sheets and dice. It's priced less than the Essentials Kit here on Amazon.
Additional material in the Essentials Kit includes extra cards that come 9 to a sheet and you need will need to separate them. None of these are necessary to play. You could write down the information on the cards on paper, but the cards are a nice convenience and can help move the game along. The different cards are:
9 Initiative cards: these are just cards with a number on them, #1-9.
3 Combat cards: these are cheat sheets of combat rules.
24 Magic Item cards.
9 Quest cards: a description of a mini-quest players might take during the bigger Adventure Book.
9 Sidekick cards: your extra character when running a 2-player game.
14 Condition cards: when characters suffer from a certain condition this card reminds them of the symptoms.
1 Magic Charm card.
Some of the cards are helpful to have and the Starter Set could be improved to include them as well.
Other items in the Essentials Kit: a thin paper Dungeon Master's folding screen. It has a picture on one side and rules/tables on the other. This is very helpful for the Dungeon Master only--it has no use for players. A color map of the world. Maps are fun! And a thin cardboard box to store your dice (not fun).
Both the Essentials Kit and Starter Set are good steps towards introducing new players to the game. I think they are both useful. Starter Set should be first. And the Essentials Kit should come second. After that you can play a few more adventures with the information you currently have. Or if you want to dive into the hardcover books then that's the next step.
I highly recommend the Starter Set and Essentials Kit. Both are worthwhile purchases. I suggest the Starter Set first then Essentials Kit.
I got this to play with my mom who is completely inept at all things strategic. I built her a second character which I played along side with and she didn't have much of an issue. I played as a bear(barian) who couldn't speak so she got to take the wheel. She almost finished but lost interest.
I play in a side group with friends and enjoy it. We just hit our year anniversary for our campaign.
I really really really wish there was an easy way to play single player tbh. I'd probably play a ton more if I didn't have to actually gather a group.
....