D&D 5: Basic Rules Character Creation

I am slightly disappointed by the free PDF for the D&D Basic rules when it comes to character creation. There are all sorts of things wrong with this one, including a "how to create a character" section that keeps referring you to other parts of the document when the information could have been presented there as options on a chart. We were generating characters in it last night and it was just a mess, honestly.

What is the AC on "no armor"? Well, if you didn't catch the one reference to it in the character creation steps under Choose Equipment, you won't find it in combat or the equipment section. Seriously, put "clothes/no armor" in the equipment section as an option and let us find the rule there too. You get the impression that everyone in this world wears leather armor.

How do you fill in Saving Throw boxes? You're not even told until the end of chapter 7, the Ability Scores chapter, four paragraphs in that you add your Proficiency Bonus to your class' chosen Saving Throws. The DC for spells is mentioned in this section, but it isn't actually calculated until way later in the final Spellcasting section.

Don't hide things from me when I have players waiting!

The Inspiration checkbox is added to this set of rules (and it's absent from the Starter Set sheets, though the motivations it depends on are still there), yet there is no mention of how this is used. We were searching through the book trying to figure out what this box was used for and how it's used before we could get going - which we never did because it was midnight and we had to quit. Some in my group gave up and photocopied the Starter Set characters.

We're not the type of group that can just throw things together and play without understanding things. I kinda like to know about the new rules and changes before we get playing so our group can have the 'full experience' when we start playing, as do my players. So yes, it does take us longer to get started, but we aren't having any of that 'oh, we were playing it wrong' nonsense later. New game, new experience, and we want the full monty on the first hit.

There's also no table of contents and no index for this 110-page document. To the designers and those familiar with the game, it's no problem using this document for reference. For new players, using this booklet is a nightmare when learning the game. It is much harder than it needs to be, and if you are depending on this document to be the source of information for new players, it is not an ideal experience. We ended up using PDF search to find phrases and mentions of different terms and rules in order to piece together how things worked.

So we didn't have a great experience with character creation here, and DarkgarX fired up the free version of Hero Builder and created his same character with the Pathfinder Beginner Box ruleset and was happier with the results. I told him "don't bring Pathfinder into this!" yet he did. Still, the Hero Builder sheet was glorious and simple, with boxes telling you how every number was calculated and there was nothing to search a book for. For a new player, give them Hero Builder and let them have fun.

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box is a AAA quality experience which is higher-priced. But really, it's not too much higher, PBB is selling for $24 on Amazon, where the D&D Starter Set is selling for $12. That extra $12 you pay for PBB? A map, heavy-stock paper figures (both characters and monsters), two gloriously full-color books with simple and sane character creation rules, an extensive monster list, tons of magic items, a full gamemastering section, and character folios that are great for beginners. Things only go up to level 5, but that's okay for players just starting out. The presentation and explanation in the PBB are also top-notch. You get a LOT for that extra $12, and a full rules set that works with published adventures if you want to go that route. It is a complete game in itself and a lot of work was put into it - and it shows.

In comparison, the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set feels like more of a budget introductory module with pregens than it is a full rules set. It depends on a less-than-beginner-friendly downloaded PDF for continuing adventures, and a lot of the core content is still missing, such as magic items, gamemastering rules, and a full monster list. It looks like a full starter box, but it's not 100% there. Yes, the PDF goes up to level 20, but without monsters and magic items up to that point (and only one option per class), it's kind of an incomplete experience. I am guessing the easy-to-use character creation rules are coming in a month or so in the Player's Handbook, I hope.

What I would have paid for something that takes you through character creation step-by-step, with all the options and information presented right there. A book like that would have helps us a great deal, and I would have loved a "what is different" section for players of older editions. Last night's character creation session felt a bit too decidedly 'old school' for me, where it took hours to figure things out and we were left wondering if we did things right.

So not a great experience in character creation last night for us unfortunately, but I'm still positive and hopeful about the D&D 5 system and worlds, so I am calling this one a miss and waiting for the Player's Handbook to sort things out. We are still forging ahead and playing the game, it just feels like a small setback for us on the first night when we wanted an experience that rocked us and gave us a great start with the new rules.