Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Rulebook Table of Contents Revealed

[Rhykker]

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Rulebook Table of Contents Revealed

Wizards of the Coast has released the table of contents of the D&D Starter Set rulebook.

The starter set rulebook is broken down into four chapters and an appendix, and weighs in at 32 pages. Chapters include How to Play, Combat, Adventuring, and Spellcasting.

The entire starter set also includes a 64-page adventure book, six dice, and pre-generated characters, each with a character sheet and supporting reference material. Scheduled to release July 15, it'll be available for $19.99 in the United States and $22.95 in Canada.

One thing that struck me is that, in the top-right corner, the recommended age states 12 and older. I never before paid attention to the recommended age for a tabletop RPG, and while I, myself, was 12 when I got into the hobby, I can't see why it would not be recommended for younger children. I've introduced younger players into my games, and I believe tabletop RPGs can actually be intellectually and creatively stimulating activities for children - much more so than video games, at least. My guess is that the age recommendation is based on the inherent violence of a game that rewards monster-slaying, which is a shame, since it is entirely possible to run a fun campaign without any killing at all.

How old were you when you first got into tabletop RPGs?

Source: Wizards of the Coast

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[Jimalcoatl]

I was first introduced to table top RPGs when I was 7 or 8 when my older brother started playing AD&D 2nd Edition. I played a bit with him, but I really got into them on my own when I was 13 or 14 and I discovered Shadowrun.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I imagine people are going to be bothered with the lack of (designated) RP info, but this looks fine to me. It looks like a really cut-down version of Essentials (I'm guessing stuff about leveling is elsewhere?) which was good enough to give people the basics.

As for the age thing, I've run a table with a girl who was about 8-9, and that was fun, but she was very well-behaved and patient. I wouldn't want to do it with most kids that age (at least not with D&D, which is pretty math-heavy as RPGs go). Anyone looking to get kids into RPGs would be better off trying something lighter first, seeing how they handle the restrictions (especially sitting at the table even when it's not their turn, and not interrupting other people, which is a trick some adult gamers still haven't mastered), then moving into a more crunch-heavy game.

 

[Arawn]

Man, I wonder if I can even find my old D&D stuff. I think I started when I was 12 or 15. My brother went to the college library where they ran a game from time to time. Other times he would actually be studying. I would sit in, but I didn't get to play. There were times I'd read through all the books and find all the spells and monster guide info. Eventually I did make a character, but ran on a different game with others. My favorite class being druid and their unique spells and abilities. The whole neutrality thing is something I could get behind. Neither good nor evil, and yet a sense of balance of the two.

 

[TripleDaddy]

I was exactly 10 when my best friend gave me the hallowed Red Box. Which I still have.

 

[Roganzar]

I didn't get into it till about 17. However, I've gotten my nephew into it when he was 9 and using it as incentive with my soon to be 6 year old son to help him learn to read.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

The link is completely wrong (at the end), and it's impossible to read all of the tiny picture of the actual contents on my screen...