The latest D&D starter set just got hit with a discount ahead of Prime Day, and it's never been cheaper.
This most recent Dungeons & Dragons box may have only just launched, but it's already sitting at a record low of $44.99 via Amazon instead of the usual $50. That may not seem like much at $5 off, but we've never seen this new D&D starter set for less. In my eyes, it's also the strongest beginner box we've ever had – and that's because it draws inspiration from the best board games.
If you're new to the game and are looking for a way to start playing, I genuinely don't think there's been a better entry-point to date. Sure, the 2014 version did a good job with its host of player aids and the Lost Mines of Phandelver storyline (which I still believe to be an excellent intro to campaign-style gameplay). But it wasn't the most user-friendly pack for new players or those running the game. By contrast, this new D&D starter set breaks everything down into very accessible, bite-size chunks that often feel more like board game components than anything else. For example, rather than a character sheet with a wall of numbers that's often baffling to newcomers, it offers a player 'board' that you fill with cards for your items, spells, and abilities. This makes tracking what you can do, and what you have, so much easier. It also has the necessary modifiers to dice rolls (+2 to Strength, etc) very clear to see, meaning you aren't rooting around for details mid-game.
Would-be Dungeon Masters (e.g. those running the game) get a far better deal here than they have before, too. Each non-playable character/monster in the world gets their own card with essential details on how to play them, there are maps for each location, and you get tokens for everything in the box so that you can represent them all easily in combat. I appreciate theater of the mind as much as the next guy, but it's a real mood-killer trying to articulate where characters are standing in relation to monsters. Being able to represent that via a hex map and little cardboard chits is perfect as a result. This is something a lot of established players do, so I'm glad to see publisher Wizards of the Coast finally jumping on the bandwagon.
I appreciate that this won't be particularly revelatory to fans of the best tabletop RPGs, or those who play other systems. It's mainly helpful for greenhorns, and I know D&D's late to this party considering how strong the starter packs for rival products (such as the superb One Ring) have always been. But there's no escaping how Dungeons & Dragons is the most popular tabletop roleplaying game around, so being able to get into it more easily is no bad thing.
Plus, it's just downright well-made. I've been digging into this myself, and it's given me plenty of ideas to use in my own games – and I've been playing for years. Similarly, our own Managing Editor of News, Ali Jones, notes that it solves problems I didn't even know I had, and overcomes some of the game's most daunting systems.
Basically, I'd highly recommend it to anyone hoping to dive into D&D for the first time. It's by far the best route into this game we've had to date.
- Save up to $10 on Dungeons & Dragons at Amazon
- D&D Stranger Things: $59.99 at Amazon
- D&D Lore & Legends:
$130$63.34 at Amazon
For more game night inspiration, check out the best family board games or the best 2-player board games.
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