D&D Core Books
If you are interested in playing Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition, these are the three basic core books that you will need in your library. Although as a player, you really only need the Player’s Handbook. Each player needs access to a Player’s handbook, and the Dungeon Master needs all three.
Player's Handbook - The PHB
Player’s Handbook
The players handbook contains all of the rules that you need to be aware of. It tells you how to create your character, what powers are available, and what equipment you might find. The book also gives you some general guide lines for roleplaying, so you have a better idea what to expect.
All of the rules that you need to be aware of are in here. If you are not the Dungeon Master (Aka the DM) then this is the only book you will actually need to purchase to play the game. Every player is recommended to pick one up, but honestly as long as there is one for every two players you will be fine. Not having enough really slows things down when people need to look up information.
“The Player’s Handbook presents the official Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game rules as well as everything a player needs to create D&D characters worthy of song and legend: new character races, base classes, paragon paths, epic destinies, powers, more magic items, weapons, armor, and much more.”
Player’s Handbook $34.95 Retail – $23.07 at Amazon
Deluxe Player’s Handbook $74.95 Retail – $47.22 at Amazon
Dungeon Master's Guide, the DMG
Dungeon Master’s Guide
The DMG. This is basically the big book of things you are not suppolsted to know. That is unless you are the Dungeonmaster.
This Book will tell you how to resolve conflicts, dice results, and other problems. If the DM does a good enough job, you won’t even know they were there in the first place.
It provides information on how to keep battles running smoothly, how to add different plot hooks into the game, how to keep everyone interested and excited in your game, and quite a bit more.
Creating your own monsters and building your own worlds are are covered in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
“The Dungeon Master’s Guide gives the Dungeon Master helpful tools to build exciting encounters, adventures, and campaigns for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game, as well as advice for running great game sessions, ready-to-use traps and non-player characters, and more. In addition, it presents a fully detailed town that can serve as a starting point for any D&D game.”
Dungeon Master’s Guide – $34.95 Retail – $23.07 at Amazon
Deluxe Dungeon Master’s Guide – $74.95 Retail – $47.22 at Amazon
Monster Manual
Monster Manual
Being an author for the Monster Manual would be one of the weirdest jobs an author could have. This book contains hundreds of monsters. The majority of them designed to try to kill you and your fellow adventurers.
There are over 300 monsters available of all types in this book. It also contains full color illustrations of them. Each monster comes with a block of stats that define how strong the monster is and what they can do.
The book also includes the basics of each race, so if you wanted to play as something that wasn’t listed in the PHB, you have a few more options. Gnomes, minotaurs, goblins, bugbears, and dopplegangers are all included in this character codex.
The book makes it easy for DMs by also including a glossary of terms, a list of all the monsters by level, and encounter groups by level as well.
“The Monster Manual presents more than 300 official Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game monsters for all levels of play, from aboleth to zombie. Each monster is illustrated and comes with complete game statistics and tips for the Dungeon Master on how best to use the monster in D&D encounters.”
Monsters Manual – $34.95 Retail – $23.07 at Amazon
Deluxe Monsters Manual – $74.95 Retail – $47.22 at Amazon
Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Set
4th Edition Core Rulebook Collection
The company that makes Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, also released a pack that contains all three of these books. The PHB, DMG, and the MM are all included.
You don’t really save much on the deal, but it does come with a slick slipcase that holds them all together. If you are planning on running a game, you might want to consider this pack.
Core Rulebook Collection $104.95 retail – $66.12 at Amazon
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