Every revolution of 'Core' books themed by Power Source?

[psionotic]

Some comments about which monsters should appear in the MM from another thread got me thinking:

What if each iteration of the core books were themed by power source? For example:
PHI: Martial, Divine, Arcane Heroes
MMI: Martial, Divine, Arcane Monsters
DMGI: Martial, Divine, Arcane Magic Items/ Prestige Classes

PHBII: Psionic, Nature, Ki Heroes*
MMII: Psionic, Nature, Ki Monsters
DMGII: Psionic, Nature, Ki Magic Items/ Prestige Classes

The advantage to this approach, I think, is that for those who don't use, say, monks and psionics, they can skip an entire series of the core books. A major disadvantage of it is that we might have to wait until MM2 to get iconic monsters like the Mind Flayer, Gith, etc. On the other hand, these monsters would be done 'right' the first time...

Thoughts? Do people like this approach or hate it? Any guesses as to whether or not WotC will go in this direction?



*As a guess to some likely power sources, based on what we've seen before.

 

[Lackhand]

It sounds fantastic to me.

I don't really have a judgment over which way they'll go: I feel like it's what they're doing, but I'm not certain. I hope it is.

However: That would point towards no fey (after all, that pesky PHB2 Nature power source...) in MMI. Or at least, no cool ones. And that's sad. But it's a price I'd pay for *awesome* fey later, since the amount of material that I want is much much greater than the amount of material you can fit in one book.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I like this idea even though I hate not having bards monks and druids in the campaign from the start, or the possibility it wont be in the srd. however what would the frost giant fit into?

Psionic, Nature, Ki Monsters

perhaps nature? or maybe he is going into a frostburn like book.

if bards are nature, that could be really neet.

 

[Glyfair]

I don't think it will happen. For one thing that will eliminate a lot of the "missing" races & classes from appearing in a PHB. Sorry, no sorcerer because arcane has been done and we didn't include it in the PHB I.

Also, races tend not to be tied into power sources. There are exceptions, but they tend to be in books like the Magic of Incarnum, or the Psionic Handbook, where they want to support the sub-system with new races.

 

[JVisgaitis]

I think that would be cool as you don't have "place holder" rules for psionics before the actual psionic rules come out. I'm with Glyfair though, it won't happen because they won't cut out the Sorcerer entirely. Plus, they already made mention of the Mind Flayer in the MM1.

 

[PeterWeller]

I get the feeling that Arcane, Divine and Martial are the "core" power sources, and while subsequent PHBs, DMGs, and MMs will add new power sources as well as providing more classes and what not for those initial three sources.

 

[WarlockLord]

Also, as I mentioned before, a Far Realms power source (Cthulhu & friends) power source would be extremely awesome.

 

[MerricB]

I think it's extremely likely.

What takes up the biggest chunk of space in the Player's Handbook?

The spells.

Looking at the Player's Handbook from 3.5, a 320 page book, 135 pages are devoted purely to explaining how the magic system works! That's over 40% of the book.

I really, really expect that every Player's Handbook in 4e will be "stand alone". You won't need the others to play the game. They'll all explain creating characters, the basic of combat, and equipment you can buy.

And then they'll have a different set of classes and powers.

Cheers!

 

[MerricB]

I don't think it will happen. For one thing that will eliminate a lot of the "missing" races & classes from appearing in a PHB. Sorry, no sorcerer because arcane has been done and we didn't include it in the PHB I.

Hmm. I don't see why a Sorcerer couldn't be in another supplement that refers to the first PHB. (Nor, actually, why it's required).

Cheers!

 

[Exen Trik]

Why not mix it up a bit? I can see the PHB2 introducing a power source or two (nature and psionic?), and a few classes that are martial, arcane or divine. Then add more abilities, talent trees, spells and stuff for the existing classes.

A little something for everyone, so more people buy the books of course.