The hardcover big three will begin to arrive beginning in August starting with The Player’s Handbook on the 19th (coinciding with Gen Con), with The Monster Manual on September 30th and The Dungeon Master’s Guide rounding out the festivities on November 18th. Truthfully, I’m a bit surprised by the staggered release schedule but it appears the goal here is to push gamers toward buying The Starter Set. I will mention the layout of the books is a bit different than previous editions, as indications are the rules for the game will be contained in The Player’s Manual while the DM’s Guide will focus more on optional rules and world building tips.
The fun doesn’t end there though as Kobold Press (talk about a wonderful coup for KP) has two $30 adventures tying into the aforementioned Tyranny of Dragons event with the first, The Rise of Tiamat, hitting shelves on October 21st.
While the past few years has seen Paizo Press and Pathfinder wrest the fantasy RPG mantle from WotC (and rightfully so by giving the public what they want) I’m happy to see D&D making a move toward real prominence once again. I’ve never had a dog in the fight in the D&D vs Pathfinder battle, since I think both are worthwhile systems plenty of gamers can utilize to tell great stories,but D&D having a strong presence in the marketplace can only mean good things for the hobby community.
