Is the Essentials DM Kit any good?

I've heard that it is more or less a reprint of the RC with some extra fluff thrown in. But I know it also comes with two top-notch adventures and some tokens.

Is it worth buying?

Especially now that 4e stuff is becoming rare/pricey (to some degree).

What does it exactly have in it? Can some one who owns this set give me a run down of what it's about, aside from the adventures.

Having both the RC and the DM's kit, I can safely say the books are not reprints. The RC is a great book, a singular rules reference and nothing more. The book from the DM's kit has a lot more on running the game - running and building skill challenges, world building/setting, encounter building, NPC's, rewards. Additionally the DM's Kit comes with extra goodies - Reavers of the Harkenwold two part adventure with foldout 2 sided maps and all the tokens need to play the adventure and a decent 4 panel DM screen.
I'm pretty happy to have gotten it when it could be had for under $30. I plan on running Reavers for the next next game I get running.
Overall, I would say the DM's book is better than DMG and easily replaces it, and incorporates some elements from DMG2. Its style more matches DMG2.
TjD

Durriken wrote:

Having both the RC and the DM's kit, I can safely say the books are not reprints.  The RC is a great book, a singular rules reference and nothing more.  The book from the DM's kit has a lot more on running the game - running and building skill challenges, world building/setting, encounter building, NPC's, rewards.  Additionally the DM's Kit comes with extra goodies - Reavers of the Harkenwold two part adventure with foldout 2 sided maps and all the tokens need to play the adventure and a decent 4 panel DM screen.  
I'm pretty happy to have gotten it when it could be had for under $30.  I plan on running Reavers for the next next game I get running.
Overall, I would say the DM's book is better than DMG and easily replaces it, and incorporates some elements from DMG2. Its style more matches DMG2.
TjD

Damn....

That makes me want to purchase it now. Too bad the prices are continuing to raise and I can't find any locally.

The pdf version which include just the book and the adventure is available on dndclassics.com...
Although $20 for a pdf of that seems a bit much to me. If you have RC, DMG1 and DMG2, I don't think you get any new content.
The box included all the extras. $25-30 for the hard copy with the extra was not bad at all.

TjD

Durriken wrote:

The box included all the extras.  $25-30 for the hard copy with the extra was not bad at all.

TjD

Agreed, I definitely thought it was worth the money.

im a big fan of all the essentials line. when i first started that's what i went with. they really make it easy for a new player to understand and get the game.
the DM kit is a great start for a new DM or game of friends who want to try out DnD. it comes with tokens to get you started a great adventure, some maps and a dm screen, and book.
it not work the over $100 price range right now. for that price you could get your screen and a bunch of great mini's and a dm book.
for the $20 price range yes. a great value. for $150 price range big rip off.

hardihood1 wrote:

im a big fan of all the essentials line. when i first started that's what i went with. they really make it easy for a new player to understand and get the game.
the DM kit is a great start for a new DM or game of friends who want to try out DnD. it comes with tokens to get you started a great adventure, some maps and a dm screen, and book.
it not work the over $100 price range right now. for that price you could get your screen and a bunch of great mini's and a dm book.
for the $20 price range yes. a great value. for $150 price range big rip off.

That's what I was thinking...

Too bad it's so damned expensive. I really would've loved to have that adventure, and some more tokens. Not to mention more magic items.

I'm a big fan of the Essentials line as well. While I wouldn't have minded seeing another player's handbook covering some of the missing classes, I did like the fact that for $100 dollars you could buy all the manuals you'd need to run the game... the DMG, MM, RC and the two Heroes books.

The DM's kit and the Monster Vault were both top notch products and well worth the price - before they went out of stock. Threats to Nentir Vale is also a great product. I hope WotC comes to it's senses and puts at least the Essentials products back in print.

The books for $20 each and the kits for $50. I wouldn't mind seeing the tiles sets come back too.

iv seen the adventure that comes in the DM kit and also just the manual on ebay for good prices. you could most likely pick up both for around 20 bucks.

my group played the adventure and it was a blast. we became the hero's of harkenwood and gained a great reputation in the area with fame.

to be honest i think the hardcover DM book is the same as the essentials softcover DM book. i didnt notice any difference.

It's close... If I could only have one, I guess I'd take the kit.