Until now a group of friends wanting to get into D&D had a single official option, The Starter Set (I look at the contents here). Yes over the Summer we got the Stranger Things D&D Starter Set (I look at that here). So technically my opening sentence was not quite accurate.
However WotC have now released a new option with the D&D Essentials Kit. Where as the Starter Set allowed you choose an included pre-made character and start playing. The focus of this kit is to create your own characters and start playing.
The essential kit comes with blank character sheets naturally, considering it’s focus.
It also has a cardboard deck box that is used to store the 81 included cards. These are a new addition to the beginner sets. There are cards for initiative order, magic items, character conditions, sidekicks and quests. A nice addition, making life as a DM a tad easier.
Also included is a cardboard DM screen. Which was thicker than expected, but still relatively flimsy. It is basically the DM Screen Reincarnated screen that you can buy.
Another addition is a double sided map that can be used with the players. On one side is a town map of Phandalin and on the other a region map of the northern part of the Sword Coast round Neverwinter and the Sword Mountains.
Both of these were much needed additions, and noticeable omissions from the Starter Set.
WotC have also started by the looks of it to add a second d20 die in the included dice. This allows players to roll for advantage/disadvantage by rolling both dice at the same time. Another nice little touch.
The rulebook and adventure book are bound a bit differently to the Starter Set equivalents. In the Starter Set they are more magazine like, and held together with staples. Whilst now they are more book like and glue/heat bound (I think that’s how you describe it). They also now have a cardboard outer cover that is the same type of cardboard used for the DM screen.
The rulebook has doubled in size from 32 to 64 pages. The additional pages cover creating your own characters, rules for sidekicks, more equipment and spells.
The rules allow you to create characters that are either a dwarf, elf, halfling or human. Which can have one of the following classes, bard, cleric, fighter, rogue and wizard. With background details provided for an acolyte, criminal, entertainer, sage and soldier.
The sidekick rules are a great addition that allow a DM and a single player to play D&D. The sidekick can be controlled by the player or DM during those sessions. But they are basically friendly npc characters that join the party.
The included adventure Dragon of Icespire Peak is a collection of 9 quests where the party are based in Phandalin. The party select which quests to follow from a notice board within the town.
Naturally I’ve not had time to play any of them yet. But there does seem to be a sandbox feel to the way these are presented. The party start off being given a choice of 3 quests, once they have completed at least 2 of them, a further 3 quests become available. And like the initial quests, once 2 of the new quests have been completed a final 3 new quests are unlocked. The players are in control of which and when the quests get done.
The nice thing is if you have the Starter Set and The Mines of Phandelver adventure this new adventure can work as an extension to that campaign. Or even slot in as side quests during.
I do like Phandalin as a base location to adventure from, and that section of the Sword Coast. It’s a rich area to explore. However I do think that the Starter Set edges it over the Essentials Set for bringing the town to life with the information given. Particularly with it’s summary of the major NPC’s, and one or two more locations detailed. Although I do like the Phandalin tales table in the Essentials adventure book. If you have both adventures you are in luck and can use the information from both.
There are a couple of the quests that I’m going to straight up use in my homebrew campaign. They save me a lot of work. One can be used as is for a current adventure hook, and the other has given me an idea for a new one.
The adventure book also has a map key on the back cover. About time. WotC does forget to do these normally.
I like the Essentials Kit a lot. It fixes some of the omissions from the Starter Set, like the DM Screen, the players map, and one I didn’t know it needed the cards. Plus the addition of getting D&D Beyond comes to get the adventure on there, plus additional linked content (I don’t use D&D Beyond – criminal I know) and 50% off the digital version of the players handbook on there, makes this great value.
The decision a new group needs to make is do they just want to jump in and start playing (Starter Set) or create their own characters and play (Essentials Kit). Although if you own both, choose the appropriate way to get a character and then choose the adventure path they want to explore. Although as I said combine both into an epic beginners campaign is also an option.
Personally I think that the adventures are worth the asking price alone, and make great resources for more experienced groups as well. Phandalin is a great base to use for homebrew campaigns also.