alienux
Explorer
Me, too, and I'm really looking forward to the reworked classic smaller modules that are coming out with 5E updates.
D&D 5E POLL: Are you mainly a DM/Player, or also a collector?
Me, too, and I'm really looking forward to the reworked classic smaller modules that are coming out with 5E updates.
I distrust WotC's adventure writing abilities, but I've ordered Tales From The Yawning Portal since I have most of the adventures in older editions & know they're good, they're modular, and I like the idea of easily dropping them into my 5e campaigns when I need an adventure stat.
For 5e I bought PHB-DMG-MM plus recently Volo's Guide then Tome of Beasts (also Primeval Thule). I bought a lot more 4e stuff though, almost to 'collector' level. 3e I basically just bought the 3.0 DMG, 3.0 & 3.5 PHB, 3.0 and 3.5 MM. I finally bought the 3.5 DMG a few years back.
For 2e I bought the PHB & MM, not much else.
For 1e I'm quite a collector, but pretty well everything was used in play except the DSG & WSG.
I don't buy stuff unless I expect to use it. For non-D&D games this is somewhat a triumph of hope
over experience.
For 5e I bought PHB-DMG-MM plus recently Volo's Guide then Tome of Beasts (also Primeval Thule). I bought a lot more 4e stuff though, almost to 'collector' level. 3e I basically just bought the 3.0 DMG, 3.0 & 3.5 PHB, 3.0 and 3.5 MM. I finally bought the 3.5 DMG a few years back.
For 2e I bought the PHB & MM, not much else.
For 1e I'm quite a collector, but pretty well everything was used in play except the DSG & WSG.
I don't buy stuff unless I expect to use it. For non-D&D games this is somewhat a triumph of hope
over experience.
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I'm finding it good for browsing through in search of nasty higher level monsters I can sic on the party. I gave a high level group a good pasting recently with a CR 13 Stuhac + 6 CR 9 Skeletal Vine Trolls.
Likewise used a CR 10 Bone Shard Swarm on a level 7 party. Works best for set-piece encounters I think.
Mercule
Adventurer
I used to buy pretty much everything. I like gaming and like reading gaming books. To an extent, 2E cured me of that. Maybe it was just because I was a broke college student and there was so much stuff. I still bought a ton, though. I collected pretty much everything for (first run) WoD and for 3.5E (first party stuff). We mostly skipped 4E, going to nWoD for the little bit we played during that time.
In 5E, it's strange. I'm not driven to buy much. I honestly don't know if it's because I don't like the way the Realms are woven into all the adventures and expansion books, if it's because we're only gaming every-other-week (ish), if it's because I'm using either Eberron (with existing books) or Ravenloft (via CoS) rather than home brewing, or something else. I've only picked up about half the adventures, so far, and skipped Volo's Guide to Monsters. I've never been a Monster Manual type of guy, though, and I do expect to pick up the "2017 book o' crunch". Dunno. Regardless, I'm not feeling down about the lack of expansions.
In 5E, it's strange. I'm not driven to buy much. I honestly don't know if it's because I don't like the way the Realms are woven into all the adventures and expansion books, if it's because we're only gaming every-other-week (ish), if it's because I'm using either Eberron (with existing books) or Ravenloft (via CoS) rather than home brewing, or something else. I've only picked up about half the adventures, so far, and skipped Volo's Guide to Monsters. I've never been a Monster Manual type of guy, though, and I do expect to pick up the "2017 book o' crunch". Dunno. Regardless, I'm not feeling down about the lack of expansions.
Bacon Bits
Hero
1e and 5e are the only editions I've collected. Although I suppose the Rules Cyclopedia counts as collecting BECMI? 5e releases slowly enough that I can afford buying everything that they've made.
So far the only thing I haven't bought are the spell cards -- I might go back and pick those up -- and the DM screen (which doesn't have enough useful information, IMO).
So far the only thing I haven't bought are the spell cards -- I might go back and pick those up -- and the DM screen (which doesn't have enough useful information, IMO).
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
I'd rather buy things like maps, tiles, terrain, minis, spell cards, etc than more books. I will probably buy more books once dndbeyond launches and I can buy them digitally
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
I buy 5e stuff when it comes out, to support the brand. But when it comes to 1e stuff, I’m definitely more of a collector, especially all the weird independent stuff that came out. Even if I may never use the stuff, I find it inspiring and nostalgic to read through.
FormerlyHemlock
Hero
I'm finding it good for browsing through in search of nasty higher level monsters I can sic on the party. I gave a high level group a good pasting recently with a CR 13 Stuhac + 6 CR 9 Skeletal Vine Trolls.
Works best for set-piece encounters I think.
I just didn't find ToB's stat-block-centric approach very inspiring. When I want variation, I usually want new and interesting lore, so I'll do it by altering the ecology or vulnerabilities of the vampire or the dragon or something, not usually by adding new stat blocks. I have used more stuff out of Fifth Edition Foes and even Volo's (Devourer) or modified MM (Fire Giants with new equipment, trolls with different vulnerabilities) than from the ToB. My worlds are generally sandboxed so I don't need to have large numbers of high-CR monsters everywhere--high-CR monsters are generally at the apex of some kind of hierarchy stuffed with large numbers of medium- and low-CR monsters like Slaads, Chasmes, young dragons, etc., and then it's up to the players to decide how much they can afford to bite off at a time. In 5E, quantity has a quality of its own.
Besides, I get more enjoyment out of stomping a party with low-CR monsters than high-CR ones. It's more humiliating and less XP.
But maybe I'll give it another look some time. I do remember liking the algoriths. Maybe I'll populate a planet or two from the Tome of Beasts--give it a ghoul empire and lots of hags and unusual dragons, etc.
Sent from my Moto G Play using EN World mobile app
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Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
I have at this point purchase more 3rd party 5e stuff than 1st. I have a need for neither big campaign books that feature rocket-fast leveling nor Forgotten Realms detritus. So WotC wise I have the three core books, Volo's Guide, full stop. Strike that; I bought the WotC DM Screen too.
On the other hand, I have the Primeval Thule Campaign Setting, all the Thule adventure modules, all the World of Xoth stuff (it's designed for Pathfinder, but I bought it for and convert it to 5e for my Thule campaign), I backed the Savage Age (or whatever) Talislanta Kickstarter, plus a couple of other thematically-appropriate adventure modules.
It's backfired a little; I bought the Quests of Doom PDFs in the mistaken belief that they would include something I'd find to be of value, and had the same experience with the Tome of Beasts. I have backed a couple of other Kickstarters as well, for varying reasons; I support Bruce Heard even though I have no real use for Calidar, I stood by the Swords & Wizardry 3rd printing on principle, and I will never have a use for the Modiphius Conan stuff but was caught up in the zeitgeist at the time.
So I wouldn't call myself a collector; I just like RPGs and sometimes make regrettable choices.
On the other hand, I have the Primeval Thule Campaign Setting, all the Thule adventure modules, all the World of Xoth stuff (it's designed for Pathfinder, but I bought it for and convert it to 5e for my Thule campaign), I backed the Savage Age (or whatever) Talislanta Kickstarter, plus a couple of other thematically-appropriate adventure modules.
It's backfired a little; I bought the Quests of Doom PDFs in the mistaken belief that they would include something I'd find to be of value, and had the same experience with the Tome of Beasts. I have backed a couple of other Kickstarters as well, for varying reasons; I support Bruce Heard even though I have no real use for Calidar, I stood by the Swords & Wizardry 3rd printing on principle, and I will never have a use for the Modiphius Conan stuff but was caught up in the zeitgeist at the time.
So I wouldn't call myself a collector; I just like RPGs and sometimes make regrettable choices.
Jester David
Hero
I'm a collector by nature. An Asperger's quirk.
I like to own it all, and tried hard to buy all of 3e. And, for a while, Pathfinder. But both those systems just had too damn much to get it all.
With 5e, I totally can. So I am. Even if I don't plan to run.
And some 3rd Party stuff. Because the 5e stuff is few and far enough between and I can afford it.
I like to own it all, and tried hard to buy all of 3e. And, for a while, Pathfinder. But both those systems just had too damn much to get it all.
With 5e, I totally can. So I am. Even if I don't plan to run.
And some 3rd Party stuff. Because the 5e stuff is few and far enough between and I can afford it.
