General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
Do You Like The Product Release Schedule/Arrangement?
I don't know. It seems a little... off.
I definately don't like the Player's Handbook sequels every year. The first one was great. It filled a lot of roles that have been in the game a long time. The PHB III? Races are really going to be a stretch to fill. Classes, powers, feats, and other bits? Not a problem I believe but unless they start hitting some weird bits...
I'll reserve judgement of the DMGII until I see it.
Adventurer's Vault II? Man, I'm dying to see more relics and things of that nature. I'm hoping they do a take of Weapons of Legacy and Tome of Artifacts in one of these suckers.
I'm a little disappointed that it looks like they won't be going the old "Oriental Adventures", "Expanded Psionic's Handbook", etc... route, wrapping things up into the PHB series. Could be a great way to handle it if the books are actually themed but I don't think that's going to happen.
Now the Monster Manuals are solid and everything but I'm dying for WoTC to one day just go wild on monsters and do an A-Z of every monster from the system like they did magic items and spells back in 2nd edition.
The adventure path is also... not bad by far, but it's the only game out there. Where are the individual adventures that aren't linked to anything? Where are the updates of classic adventurers? I know we've got the boxed set for the Giants coming out later but man, with it's long history, there are so many classics that I'd love to see updated. I liked having numerous adventurers that I could pick and choose from. Part of this problem though is STILL the quick nature in which PC's level. Not a whole lot of need for those 'sweet' spot adventurers I suppose.
The various 'Power' books I'm rather m'eh on. As a GM, I don't care. As a player, I find it easier to flip through the book, see what other people are talking about, log onto the character builder and plug away. This is a case where I think the internet with it's 'insta' builds kinda kills the enjoyment of reading for me. My fault for checking out all those sites and nothing WoTC can do about that mind you.
I guess my biggest 'loss' is no campaign setting support. I know we've got some stuff in Dragon and some campaign bits in Dungeon but I miss the old 192 page books from early 3e and have actually (gasp!) started reading the fiction line for my fix.
How about everyone else? Just right? Fantastic? Nothing you want to see?
It works fine for me. I have not gamed since the late 80's, so in many ways it is ALL new to me. I can barely keep up with what they have already released. There is no way that I am going to be able to play and really "learn" all the player options that currently exist anytime soon, so the prospect of PH3,4,5, etc. is overwhelming. I am too busy enjoying what is already published to put much effort in to what may or may not be coming out (although it is fun reading all of the speculations!!) IMO, if WoTC catches up with all the material that previous editions enjoyed too quickly, 4e as its own game will suffer. It needs time to develop and progress as its own system.
I appreciate the fervor of all the longtime gamers around here and have learned a lot from them, but for me, a little slower is better.
I am happy with it, there is still a LOT of stuff from 3E and previous to be converted to 4E so the player oriented stuff won't go rubbish for quite some time.
And it is also a simple matter of economics, how many active purchasers would buy a power or new PHB compared to a stand alone adventure? Or a re-hashed adventure from previous editions? The rehashed, especially, are niche... those that played it first time around and want another go. Many of them will do their own version or pick up a fan made one on the net.
And I'm quite interested in seeing PHBIII. If the Wilden is any indication, now they're moving into the exotic and weird, and that makes me happy.
Rechan says it all for me.
I like the yearly books, cuts down on the need to buy books and gives you a ton of crunch each year. Also going more exotic and weird are a good thing for me.
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I like the yearly books, cuts down on the need to buy books and gives you a ton of crunch each year. Also going more exotic and weird are a good thing for me.
To give an example, look at the tail end of 3e. Some really interesting, exotic and weird stuff came out, then.
The Tome of Magic was really, really nice. Mechanically it wasn't fantastic, but the Fluff, my god, the fluff. TrueNamers and Pact Magic is some real sexy stuff.
Magic of Incarnum... well. Mechanically it was really interesting, but fluff wise, blugh.
The Tome of Battle, the bridge to 4e, came out just at the cusp.
I think the further we get from the Typical, the more fertile soil we find.
Now, how long it's taking some stuff to come down the pike, it's certainly annoying to the "Gimmie gimmie gimmie" impulse. Divine and Primal characters need those feats. I want psionics! But, we still have to wait.
I like the schedule so far, it is fairly easy on my wallet and I don't have to pawn things.
Bel
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Originally Posted by WotC_RichBaker
In related news, I'm afraid I'm going to have to confiscate your 3.5 rulebooks, and force you to convert to the new edition. Where do you live?
I find hte schedule a bit hard to do, with a book every month, even though I have been buiying only 2/3 of them. The problem is I have so many options right now, and more are coming out faster tahn I can play them. I was super-excited by the sorcerer, and befroe I could play one Arcane Power came out to give more options, a single month later.
Also, ahving things tied in with different products is annoying. Like hte power cards inthe miniatures, or the swordmage stuck in a FR book so I only got half of him in AP. Those kind of things annoy me.
It makes me wonder when to quit, get off the bandwagon, and play with what I ahve already. I might do that after Primal power, or even Divine power.
Now the Monster Manuals are solid and everything but I'm dying for WoTC to one day just go wild on monsters and do an A-Z of every monster from the system like they did magic items and spells back in 2nd edition.
I've done the maths on this before, and that would be an impressive set. There have been approximately 9000 different D&D creatures published throughout the years, and producing a complete A-Z would mean twelve or thirteen volumes the size of the 2ed Monstrous Manual!
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