D&D 3.5 Reprints in September?

Morrus · Apr 26, 2012

EN World member Warunsun spotted entries for the D&D 3.5 rulebooks (with errata) on Barnes & Noble's website.

UPDATE: Barnes & Noble has removed these items from the website. Speculation is that this was some kind of third-party hoax, based on the fact that a recent board game reissue from WotC appeared on that site and disappeared after WotC confirmed that it was a fake. Additionally, a fourth item simply named "Provalone" disappeared; some folks thought that might be the Monster Manual, and other very optimistic people put forward the idea that It might be a secret code name for a rushed D&D Next release this year. Whatever the truth of it, the 3.5 PHB, DMG, "Dungeon!", and Provalone have all disappeared, and the Dungeon! entry has been confirmed as a hoax.

UPDATE 2: OK, so it turns out the Dungeon! entry was NOT fake. It has now appeared on WotC's own website. Oh, I'm so confused.

Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Core Rulebook I, V. 3.5 with Errata
ISBN-13: 9780786962464
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Publication date: 9/18/2012
Pages: 320
This item will be available on September 18, 2012.

Dungeons & Dragons Dungeons Master's Guide: Core Rulebook II, V. 3.5 with Errata
ISBN-13: 9780786962440
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Publication date: 9/18/2012
Pages: 320
This item will be available on September 18, 2012.

DimitriX · Apr 26, 2012

I wonder if this is my Monte left. He wanted piles of cash in order for WotC to re-release the old 3.5 stuff and they wouldn't pay out.

ruemere · Apr 26, 2012

Is it April the 1st already?

Weird. Seriously weird - to what purpose WotC would print an obsolete version of the system (yes, I know that there are people out there who still play 3.5 instead of its several descendants but the numbers should not be sufficient to justify an entirely new edition)? Especially since there are handy electronic equivalents already...

Regards,
Ruemere

mudbunny · Apr 26, 2012

ruemere said:
Is it April the 1st already?

Weird. Seriously weird - to what purpose WotC would print an obsolete version of the system (yes, I know that there are people out there who still play 3.5 instead of its several descendants but the numbers should not be sufficient to justify an entirely new edition)? Especially since there are handy electronic equivalents already...

Regards,
Ruemere

Because there are many, many people out there that have expressed the desire to give WotC $$$ in exchange for 3.5 that has been updated with the errata.

Umbran · Apr 26, 2012

DimitriX said:
I wonder if this is my Monte left. He wanted piles of cash in order for WotC to re-release the old 3.5 stuff and they wouldn't pay out.

He might disagree with the business decision to reprint material, but it is pretty clear that WotC holds the copyright on 3.5e, not the individual designers. Monte would have to be pretty far out there to expect any money out of the reprint.

kitsune9 · Apr 26, 2012

3.5? Really? Why not 2e after 1e and then follow it up with 3.0 and then 3.5. Probably going to pass on this lot.

JeffB · Apr 26, 2012

Cheap prices too.

I suspect this is part of WOTCs goodwill support all the editions intention, like they did with the 1E books. They are not trying to make money off these books, they are trying to bring back lapsed/pissed off customers...which will hopefully make them money in the long haul.

am181d · Apr 26, 2012

kitsune9 said:
3.5? Really? Why not 2e after 1e and then follow it up with 3.0 and then 3.5. Probably going to pass on this lot.

If this is legit, I don't think Wizards has any expectations about how well this is going to sell. There'll be some collectors who want a copy and some folks who are still playing 3.5, but it's not like they're suddenly going to start supporting 3.5 with new content.

malkav666 · Apr 26, 2012

I really enjoyed 3.5. I will probably pick these up tbh. My 3.5 PHB has seen better days. May not get the DMG but the PHB reprint make its way to my 3.x shelf. I like the idea of reprints of the more popular rule books. It seems like these types of release are a great way to fill the sparse 4e new release landscape until 5e hits the shelves. And I have a sneaking suspicion that the 1e and 3.5 releases with be the best selling D&D products for WOTC in 2012. So it makes sense to me from a business perspective as well.

Love,

malkav