Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition - The 2nd Set of Core Rule Books

The initial 3 Core Rule Books laid down the foundation for the major revision to all things related to playing the game - Dungeons & Dragons. Some classes and races were removed that were in the previous 3rd edition rules Playerbook. Other aspects, rules and portions of play were reclassified or removed from both the Monster manual (where did all my monsters go?) and the Dungeon Masters Guide.

But all is not lost, Wizards Of The Coasts plans for the core rules, plays out over 3 books for each instead of just one. The second series of books were released in March 2009 and further enhanced the new rules and added more details including new rules, feats, races, classes, and of course, more monsters.

In this 2nd book, The Primal Power, is introduced.

The primal power, is the essense of magic drawn from nature or the world of fey. It is the source of mysticism of the druids and the primal rage for barbarians.

Introduced and expanded are more races, such as the Deva, Gnome, Half-Orc, Goliath & Shifter. Also more character classes, like the Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Invoker, Summoner, Sorcerer & Warden.

Paragon and Epic level are detailed for each of these new classes and races.

Detailing your characters 'background' provides not just a back story for your character but a keener understanding and awareness of the 'character you play' as well as additional role play enhancements.

Of course their are more Feats some pertaining to the new race/class and may be available to those covered i the first Players Handbook if feat requirements are met, magic Items, adventuring gear, and Rituals and their effects on play.

In the first Dungeons Masters Guide, if one or most players are new to the game, the introduction of the rules for both players and Dungeons Masters is extremely helpful.

After some time of playing your party of adventurers are heading to or surpassing levels 11 and beyond, the Paragon levels of play.

No longer do your adventurers run around bashing gnolls in forests or chasing kobolds in dungeons or saving towns from villainous slavers. With Paragon levels, you adventurers now have friends (or enemies) in high places, Lords, Kings & Emporers of nations, Rulers of planes of powers. Time travel, moving amongst the planes of existence and fighting wars of nations against nations now gets them up in the morning!

Enhance your monsters further with feature and class templates, no longer just a bunch of rules from the books, these nasties have all their own powers, motives, intrigue and agendas. How would the adventurers react if they found out the Lord they have been working for in lower levels of play turns out to be an aristocratic vampire with plans for world domination, and now must be destroyed?

Further enhancements to the outcomes of skill sets, greater roles and play for advanced encounters, the challenges of running companion characters (think henchmen, but for the adventurers). The Group Story-telling aspect now really enhances a level of play for all players and DM's alike, by involving the players in shaping the world being built by a DM, everyone gets to play in the world they help create. What if there were no elves in the world? Or all magic is derived from mana-stones? Or the world is nothing but islands ruled by sea faring nations? Does the party have an Arch-Villain, who seems to come back after a fashion, every time it is killed? The storytelling, plot and the world crafted can be anything a Dungeon master creates, yet it is fully enhanced and realized when your players and their ideas are involved.

Yet more monsters, fiends and those that serve good and light are here for all levels of Heroic, Paragon and Epic levels of play. Create unique and interesting characters in themselves with melding these monsters with your Dungeon Master NPC's feature and class templates or play them exactly as in the manual. Being the DM, it is totally up to you how your monsters operate, work, play, fight and live in your campaign.

Further clarification of the roles and handling of monsters and encounters are covered, some old favorites return and some that also make their very first appearance in the game.

On my previous Hub about the first set of Core Rule books. I detailed a list of additional resources, tools and play guides. Here are even more whilst not necessary for play, do provide a more realistic 'feel' to the game and usually provide a helpful form of reference for all during play.

Below are a fine selection of tools to enhance and provide further enjoyment beyond the second set of core rules of the game.