D&D in name only. This is in fact an entirely different system based largely on the Stormreach Online game and the D&D Miniatures product line. It features one class chart in which a player chooses one "class" category at 1st, 10th, and 20th level then select a very limited number of abilities at each level. It basically amounts to a customized miniatures battle game, not a real role-playing game.

Races: Dragonborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human, Tiefling
Classes: Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, Warlord, Wizard
Alignments: Good, Lawful Good, Evil, Chaotic Evil, Unaligned
Level Range: 1-30

Starter Set: Designed for 1 to 5 players, this boxed game contains everything needed to start playing the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game, including rules for creating heroes, advice for playing the Dungeon Master, a solo play adventure, and group-play adventure content. Several different character races (dwarf, elf, halfling, and human) and classes (cleric, fighter, rogue, and wizard) are presented, along with powers for each race and class.

Player's Handbook: Covers character creation, equipment and combat as that is basically all that this system offers. The races covered in this book are: Dragonborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human, and Tiefling. The classes covered are: Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, Warlord, and Wizard.

Player's Handbook 2: This book builds on the array of classes and races presented in the first Player's Handbook, specifically adding the Deva, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, and Shifter races. New Classes consist of the Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Invoker, Shaman, Sorcerer, and Warden. The book adds the new Primal power source for 4th Edition D&D: classes using the new primal power source include the barbarian and the druid.

Player's Handbook 3: This book builds on the array of classes and races presented in the Player's Handbook and Player's Handbook 2 core rulebooks. Player's Handbook 3 also adds the psionic power source to the 4th Edition D&D game, along with several new classes that harness this power source. Rules for creating hybrid classes are introduced in this rulebook by mixing two of the presented hybrid classes together to form the finalized class.

The concept of Skill Powers are introduced as well which hails back to thrid edition's skill tricks, but unlike skill tricks, these have to be purchased with your already existing power slots. Yet more cards for them to sell you. I'm suprised that they haven't created a series of fillable cards to serve as your character sheet as well, that way it will finally look like your playing a card and board game at the same time. I wonder if anyone published a deck of cards that range from 1-20. With such a thing, you can also eschew dice and stop pretending that this is anything more than a card game that uses a board and miniatures.

I can see where this is going. I'm betting by fifth edition, they will eschew class names entirely and simply work with a combination of power source and combat roles for a character's "class." As things stand, the classes simply are chosen by cross-referencing those two categories as follows:

Dungeon Master's Guide: The DMG covers running a game, more combat rules, encounter creation, rewards and a whole 17 pages on non-combat situations.

Dungeon Master's Guide 2: This core rulebook for the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game features advice for attempting to role-play in a board game, with a particular focus on running adventures and campaigns in the paragon tier (levels 11-20). It includes rules for traps, skill challenges and customizing monsters, and a detailed "home base" for paragon-tier adventurers - the interplanar city of Sigil from the old second edition Planescape campaign.

Monster Manual: This version of the Monster Manual gives combat blocks for a variety of creatures that may or may not have familiar names. In any case they will not resemble anything in pervious editions as everything is meant to be slain without hesitation, including angels.

Monster Manual 2: This core rulebook presents hundreds of monsters for your D&D campaign. Classic monsters such as centaurs and frost giants make their first 4th Edition appearance here, although you may not actually recognize them. This book continues the pattern of making those interesting monsters that you'd rather not fight simply become more kill-on-sight targets for your pillaging pleasure. It also gives one page in the back of the book on making the Bullywog, Gruegar and Kenku more like a character race selection. It was a half-hearted try at it anyway.

Monster Manual 3: This core rulebook packs in over 200 new monsters to menace D&D player characters. Classic monsters such as the derro, the mimic, and Lolth (Demon Queen of Spiders) make their first appearance here. Yes, you herad right. Lolth is now a monster for your to kill to your heart's violent delight. Remember the lovely and alluring nymph? She's in here sort of. I'm amazed she's not a shambling mound like the dryad but she has no interest in seducing anyone any more. She simply another kill-on-sight target in this gorefest of a boardgame pretending to be D&D.