UPDATE (Evening, January 26): Please also check my GM Aid I linked to in post #8 below.
----------------

With 4E on its way out, I thought it may be helpful to alert people to the sheer amount of free material WotC released for this game over the past year. Basically, they put out all the base classes and quite some canonical monsters on PDFs and released these for free. Throw in the Quick Starter rules PDF and you got a complete game at your hands, and one 'fully up to date' too.

This is not so much a discussion thread than as a resource post interested people may wish to bookmark. (If it ought to go elsewhere on the board, let me know.)

Off we go.



Basic Rules
These are contained here.
Players should read the first 13 pages of the PDF, DM's also 14-15.
Ignore the pre-gens at the end (pp.16-27), except perhaps for the gear.

Classes
Here are the complete entries for the four iconic Player's Handbook classes:
Fighter
Cleric,
Rogue
Wizard

In addition you get:
Warlock
Warlord

And here are the feats.

This is the entirety of a book that should have been released as...

"This book gathers five classes from the Player’s Handbook—the cleric, the fighter, the rogue, the warlord, and the wizard—and presents them in the new D&D Essentials class format introduced in Heroes of the Fallen Lands, with rules updates and errata."

Monsters
Download all the PDFs in this section. This will get you a 40 page Monster Manual, replete with the original art work. Here's a quick and dirty rule of thumb to scale these monsters to your desired level: for each increase of one level, you add +8 hit points, +1 to: to-hit/AC/ saves/damage. If you want precision, print p. 7 of this document for the damage per level expressions. The document also contains the skill check table, which comes in handy for running the game.

Overall

Taking this all together, we clock in at over 160 pages of 4th edition material, and all of this is free. Basically, you could run the entire game out of these PDFs and the Rules Compendium, if you feel you need to be precise. Make also sure you check out this compilation of all pre-release previews, which contain all the rules for skill challenges, ritual magic, traps, PC races, and so on.

Best of all, by doing this you are not restricted to only three levels of play; and you actually don't have to use pre-generated characters; both in marked contrast to the previous Playtest freebie (Shadowfell module) . What is more, you have a game at your hands that only contains the 'core experience' of the game. Not 15 classes, 30 classes, 500 feats, just the gist of it.

If you haven't tried 4th edition before, this is probably the best and certainly cheapest way to try the game, and if you like it, run a campaign. Any money you put into this game is far and above better spent on minis and dungeon tiles.

Thanks Windy, for compiling all this information.

Quote from: Windjammer;509341This is the entirety of a book that should have been released as...

"This book gathers five classes from the Player's Handbook—the cleric, the fighter, the rogue, the warlord, and the wizard—and presents them in the new D&D Essentials class format introduced in Heroes of the Fallen Lands, with rules updates and errata."

Wonder why this book was never released.

Awesome thread, man -- thanks for compiling this.  

I haven't played 4e in a while, and I don't have my corebooks anymore, but a few friends wanted to play a short series of games and this will work great.

This thread is a great resource.  Thank you!

Awesome, Windjammer. Many thanks

Thanks for free stuff .

[obligatory]

But on the other hand, it is 4e....

[/obligatory]

Cool.  I didn't even know that 4e has a quickstart.

You're all welcome! It'll be a while before 5E is out, and if nothing else, you can check on 4E's 'innovations' in the mean time.

In other news, I share my GM aid I created earlier today for my Eberron campaign. The PCs are at level 11, so I wanted a GM aid to quick-generate NPCs at roughly that level. I give you 216 NPCs for each level all statted up. And all in 5 pages too! How come?

This is how you do generate your stat block:

1) Step 1: Choose class. Pick One of the 8 stat blocks on pages 1 to 4. You'll not that the entry "Racial Traits" is left empty. This brings us to...
2) Step 2: Choose race. Consult the table on page 5, and insert that entry into the statblock's "Racial Traits" line.
3) Step 3: Choose NPC level. If this is above level 12, then for each +1 level apply: +4 hit points, +1 each to attack rolls/defense scores/damage rolls. For each level below 12, apply these in reverse (-4 hp per level, ...). Important: I generated the statblocks using Rich Baker's houserule (which I use): monsters get half hp, and plus their level to damage. The latter brings them incidentally in line with the latest damage output table (linked to in the OP). If you like fully 'up to date' damage expression but would like to otherwise play 4E RAW, then keep everything but double the numbers for: hit points, bloodied value, healing surge value.

If you apply these 3 steps, then my little 5 page document can generate nearly 6.500 NPCs for your 4E games. More than you ever need!

And for everything non-mechanical I'd suggest using other supplements like Zak's Vornheim or 'Masks: 1000 Memorable NPCs' (Engine Publishing). Especially Vornheim works extremely speedily at the table, though the cast it creates is very specific to his city.

Quote from: Windjammer;509551You're all welcome! It'll be a while before 5E is out, and if nothing else, you can check on 4E's 'innovations' in the mean time.

In other news, I share my GM aid I created earlier today for my Eberron game. The PCs are at level 11, so I wanted a GM aid to quick-generate NPCs at roughly that level. I give you 216 NPCs for each level all statted up. And all in 5 pages too! How come? Easy.

This is perfect for 4e-as-skirmish-wargame thing we've been doing lately.

Quote from: misterguignol;509554This is perfect for 4e-as-skirmish-wargame thing we've been doing lately.

Yes, I remember reading that post of yours. You'll quickly notice how much quicker skirmishes will go if you use half hit points and updated damage output, instead of stat blocks right out of the MM 1 (which iirc is what you've been doing so far). The game is then a lot more unforgiving about tactical errors (or even unlucky die rolls)- you may want to consider that.

Quote from: Windjammer;509559Yes, I remember reading that post of yours. You'll quickly notice how much quicker skirmishes will go if you use half hit points and updated damage output, instead of stat blocks right out of the MM 1 (which iirc is what you've been doing so far). The game is then a lot more unforgiving about tactical errors (or even unlucky die rolls)- you may want to consider that.

Yeah, we've been updating the stats from MM1 and MM2 using the new math and casting shrewd eyes on monsters that have too much stun capability.

And we've been using a house rule that once a "unit" is bloodied it takes double damage.  That seems to speed it up and add another tactical dimension.

Quote from: Windjammer;509341Monsters
Download all the PDFs in this section. This will get you a 40 page Monster Manual, replete with the original art work. Here's a quick and dirty rule of thumb to scale these monsters to your desired level: for each increase of one level, you add +8 hit points, +1 to: to-hit/AC/ saves/damage. If you want precision, print p. 7 of this document for the damage per level expressions. The document also contains the skill check table, which comes in handy for running the game.

Thanks for the links. It appears that one needs to be a subscriber to get access to the monster info.

EDIT: NM, I was clicking on the wrong links. Monster stuff is available to us non-subscribers.

Thanks for the links!

I noticed that, either I'm overlooking a link, or the Feats link is not complete from the PHB1. It's an addendum to the starting classes. Oh well, I'll keep browsing.

I have now come up with random NPC group generator tables (based on the DMG encounter models)

Party Composition 1d4 (“/+1” = +1 to defenses, attack and damage rolls)
1- Battlefield Control: 1 Controller (+4 hp/ +1) and 3 Skirmishers (or 5 at -8 hp/-2)
2- Commander and Troops: 1 Commander (+12 hp, +3), 1 Artillery, 2 Soldiers
3- Double Line: front line: 3 brutes/soldiers (-4hp/-1), rear line: 2 artillery/controller
4- Wolf Pack: 5 skirmishers, or 7 skirmishers (-8hp/-2)

Pick a…
Controller 1d6: 1-4 Cleric, 5-6 Bard
Artillery 1d6: 1-3 Ranger, 4-6 Sorcerer
Brute/Soldier 1d6: 1-4 Fighter, 5-6 Warden
Skirmisher 1d6: 1-3 Rogue, 4-6 Ranger

Monstrous Gang 1d20
1-2 Bugbear
Random Characteristics 1d8: 1-2 Animalistic, 3 gluttonous, 4 introspective,
5 large, 6 powerful, 7 savage, 8 violent/sadistic
Names: Bzor, Dazs, Dokuxt, Dxegt, Gdom, Gsot, Kab, K'dur, Moxg, Rugt, Rsenk, Sazx,
Sogt, Sorz, Sozekx, T'bax, T'borz, Tgerx, Tokr, Xokg, Zasexd, Zegx, Zuk, Zur
3-5 Gnoll
6-10 Goblin and Hobgoblin
10-13 Kobold
14 Minotaur
15-17 Orc
18 Githyanki
19 Githzerai
20 Shadar-Kai

Band of Heroes/Gang of Scoundrels/Travellers from Afar 1d20
1-4 Dwarf
5-6 Eladrin
7-9 Elf
10 Gnome
11 Half-Elf
12 Half-Orc
13 Halfling
14-15 Human
16 Shifter
17 Warforged
18 Doppelganger maskerading as… (roll on Monstrous Gang)
19 Roll 1d6: 1-3 Tiefling or 4-6 Dragonborn
20 Drow

Two level 12 sample encounters I rolled up this way earlier this evening:

QuoteFlotsam and Jetsam: Stranded Pirates

A bunch of tiefling skyraiders from the Lazaar Principalities who have fled their previous crew after an unsuccessful attempt at mutiny.
There's a large bounty on their head. They are fleeing, bound further West, and are likely overtaken by the PCs on the road.
Cue: "Ahead of you, you hear some bickering, as a noisy bunch of quarrelsome tieflings have broken out in a verbal dispute. Gathering from their
uncertain step, they seem to be inebriated. Even while they're arguing they keep drinking and passing flasks between them."
Possessions: rusty daggers, kitchen ware, and a treasuremap (the tieflings are looking for a loremaster who can help them read the map)

Party Composition:
Herard the Cook. Level 12 tiefling cleric (58 hp). Cheerful, outgoing personality.
Tiego, the visually challenged tiefling ranger (58 hp, lvl 12). Sinister, ominous: the eye patch says it all.
Benno, Ubbo, Nanno: three level 12 tiefling rogues, each at 48 hp. [NB Names taken from Jeff Rients' Flemish NPC random name generator.]

QuoteMonstrous Marauders: Bugbear Messiah and his Unruly Acolytes
Folklore pegs bugbears as 'creepy bears that lurk in forests'. How unfair! Mox, a level 12 bugbear bard, has been graced with heavenly visions of peace everlasting. Or at least, that's what he likes to believe, and tell the others. He has gathered 12 faithful who will follow him without asking too many questions. Except for Bzor and Tibax, that is, the self-proclaimed messiah's self-proclaimed apostles. In contrast to their master's teaching and unpredictable bouts of pacifism, Bzor and Tibax have a mean sadistic streak in them which they will take out on their fellow acolytes as much as random travellers encountered on or off the roadside.

Party Composition:
Mox, level 15 bugbear bard. AC 20, Fort 26, Reflex 29, Will 30; 71 hp.
Bzor and Tibax ("Can we have your ears please?"), level 12 bugbear fighters, 49 hp each.
The nameless Ten: 10 bugbear sorcerer minions, 1 hp each, all attacks deal a static 13 damage.

Special bugbear abilities: Mox, Bzor, and Tibax are Fierce Stranglers (racial +4 on Grab checks) and have the Meatshield ability.
Add these lines to their stat blocks:

QuoteGrab (standard) +14 vs. Reflex, target is immobilized (PHB, p. 290).

QuoteMeatshield (immediate interrupt): redirect incoming ranged (or blast or burst) attack at grabbed target

This last line is dedicated to D&D Experience 2008 and the best 4E monster ability never to make it to the final release.

A surprisingly interesting 4e thread.

RPGPundit