Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent For Beginners..., 29 Jun 2008
I agree in part with a couple of the other reviews here. The new DM's guide is crammed full of information about the Dungeon Master's craft; how to maintain interest, write good campaign narratives and create well rounded locations. Where I disagree with the other reviews is that they believe this book worthy of 5 stars.
If you have NEVER been involved in the game before, then this book might just scrape 5/5 but if you have been playing D&D for a long time then this is just money for old rope; there is going to be very little of worth to you on these beautifully rendered pages. There is almost no expansion on the rules outlined in the Players Handbook; this is both good, as it can save you some money and bad, because some things in the PH, just weren't very clear. The only thing that might be useful is the small adventure at the back, which would give you a chance to test out the new rules. To be honsest you might as well purchase 'Keep of the Shadowfell' (The New 4th Ed Adventure) and get a much bigger adventure for less money; you could run it easily without this book.
So in short, If you've never DM'd in your life this book is excellent. If you have, don't bother; you can find all its hints for good DMing on the internet.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
DMG the way it should be, for the Dungeon Master's advice!, 12 Jun 2008
-->Old School D&D Dungeon Master here, 22 years of being Evil DM (tm) to players' characters, lol ;)
Despite what some say, I think 4th ed is brilliant, a much needed kick up the backside. hehe
3.5 ed was far too complex. Great simulation, lousy gaming for the DM because, as the game's prime story teller and umpire, the complexity just made my role no damn fun :(
3.5 is better left to a computer to run that amount of dice checks (like the Temple of Elemental Evil PC game)
I ridiculed game systems like RuneMaster for over complexity, years ago, and it's what D&D turned into with 3.5 ed....ARG!!
So, 4th ed is deliberate attmept to get rid of that complexity and put FUN back...and it does it! this is the best version for new players. *All* Classes are fun, not just the spell casters.
The DMG doesn't have magic items, except artifacts. RIghtly, "gear" is put in the Player's Handbook, leaving the DMG ot be filled with stuff on HOW ot DM!
Remember folks, most people have never DMed...so how are they supposed to learn? Thus, do not knock the simplicity.
4th ed is a far more tactical and varied game than 3.5, by a long shot.
Roleplaying has not reduced because roleplaying is not about dice rolls!
If you need Social skill checks, 4th ed has them: Diplomacy, Streetwise, Insight, Bluff.
D&D needs new players if it is to live and grow, so note that, grognards ;)So, this is a big, and well done step.
my only concern so far are some backstory changes (see Driders and Inevitables in the monster manual, ick!), and this first run of books have some pages that can smear, oddly enough.
I rate it 5 pints of Dwarven ale! :)
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
DMG 4th Edition - Old school mindset in a modern rules system, 22 Jun 2008
Ive played D&D since 1981 when i first started playing basic at High School. Although the rules are now completely different to anything that has gone before the concepts are still there- races, classes, AC, hit points etc.
What this DMG does better than any is actually tell you how to be a DM. Very little is provided in the way of extra rules something that 3.5 and earlier seemed to do - new book yet more rules to learn ! 4th Edition has gone down the route of helping new DMs get to grips with actually running games and designing adventures - i personally think this book has stuff for both old and new DMs alike.
Thoroughly recommended ever for an old timer like myself who was getting jaded !
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