Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition

This is not D&D. It's a new game, not a particularly good one, with the D&D "logo" slapped on the front. Third Edition tinkered a little bit with the iconic elements of D&D, but could still be seen as an upgrade. For fourth edition however, all prior editions might as well have never existed. It is obvious that the publisher's driving motivation was to trade on the D&D label, while making absolutely certain that no prior edition products would be in any way useful for this game. Great way to alienate your entire market Hasbro. Thanks.

D&D continues to refine, define and improve the icon of all role playing games. 4th edition proves to be the best rendition of the game yet. It offers smoother combat mechanics, easy to "learn and play" rules and best of all a revamped and, gratefully, improved Magic system! And for classes, there are no more "to be avoided" classes as they are all good to play and balanced. Monsters in the series are easier to plan and run with the new streamlined system and its dependance on minitures to operate combat. And the Dungeons Master Guide, once relagated to the "other stuff" book, now actually tells you how to narrate the system and tips on how to be a better Dungeon Master! The only drawback to this otherwise superior system, is that it seems to have removed most of the background roleplaying aspects that rounded out a character, such as the Craft, Perform and even Ride skiils that were present in previous editions. But, given the overall improvement of the system, it's well worth the investment!

While there are a few monsters that I feel don't belong in the first of the 4th edition Monster Manuals, and there are a few monsters that I feel should have been there that didn't make it, this is still the best Monster Manual yet. The art is fantastic (well, most of it) and the seem to have made sure their is art for every entry this time. The layout is better with entries starting at the top of the left page instead of just "wherever" like the previous books. The new stat blocks are much simpler and straight forward, easier to read and to build encounters with. Great book!

You can read all the bad decisions Hasbro made on this dog in other reviews, but to be susinct: DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. I have never pre-judged any of the D&D editions, loved 3.5 despite the wave of initial anger over it, but this time the critics are right. This is a video game, not an RPG, not even a good wargame. It is dumbed down D&D and really, really, silly. It reads alomst as a parody of the game - it plays like a shadow of it.

Well I am very dissappointed in the new 4E, it plays more like a video game. But the art in this book is A-1. I love the additionon Minions, they add a cool feel to the game. The Monsters are well detailed but seem to lack some luster in ability since everything has to fit into the new 4E framework.