There’s no doubt about it: the latest edition of Dungeons and Dragons was controversial. Many gamers balked at the necessity of a new edition, only five years after the release of 3.5. They claimed that the fourth edition was D&D in name only and that it more closely resembled a computer game than a pen-and-paper RPG.
Maybe you’re one of those naysayers, clutching your musty sourcebooks from editions past, shaking your head at the kids and their newfangled rules set. I have one question for you.
Have you tried it yet?
If you haven’t, you are out of excuses. Wizards of the Coast has released the Dungeons and Dragons Fourth Edition Test Drive, a collections of PDFs that give you everything you need. It’s available for download on their website, and it’s free.
It comes with:
- Quick Start rules, which outline the basics for how to play the game
- Keep on the Shadowfell adventure, the first module for D&D4E, now free for the first time
- Character Builder software, which allows you to create characters at levels 1-3 for free
So if you’ve been holding out on trying the newest version of Dungeons and Dragons, you might want to rethink your strategy.
If you need any more convincing, may I recommend the first series of hilarious Penny Arcade/PvP/D&D podcasts, which featured the Keep on the Shadowfell adventure in part.
For more information on the Dungeons and Dragons Test Drive, visit the official site.
