How would you divvy up the material in the core books?

[mmadsen]

I don't really agree here, as I think D&D can be pretty daunting out of the gate. It seems more playable because people around here are used to it. For example I'd argue that a truly "playable" game shouldn't require its users to reference charts in three separate books to find a particular result.

The point Mearls made was not that the rules were clear or easy to use, but that you immediately knew what to do with them -- draw a map, fill the rooms with monsters and treasure, and lead the party through the dungeon so they could kill things and take their stuff.

It's easy to play -- not in a mechanical sense, but in the larger sense that you don't stare at the book thinking "cool!" but not knowing how to make it all happen.

I don't really think it's a leap, considering that for many people D&D is the only RPG that they are aware of. If it were such a big financial leap D&D wouldn't be selling such vast quantities in comparison to every other RPG out there.

It obviously hasn't been a disaster, but I think it could do much better by making it as easy as possible to dip one's toes in the game.

I think the BRP Call of Cthulhu book is close to the best example. In fact the monster list could probably be trimmed and it would still be fine. It offers enough flavor for just about anyone to get a clear idea of the setting, and my 5.5 edition even includes an actual Lovecraft story.

Hmm...perhaps D&D needs to include Robert E. Howard's "Tower of the Elephant" to set the tone...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I liked GSHamster's observations about the 3-book model in that other thread (especially the last line, which I've italicised):

GSHamster
I think the 3 Book model is pretty good, but it could stand to be reorganized.

Right now it's:

Book 1 - Player Rules, Spells
Book 2 - DM Rules, Magic Items
Book 3 - Monsters

What I'd like to see is:

Book 1 - Player Rules, DM Rules
Book 2 - Spells, Magic Items
Book 3 - Monsters

I think this would work out a little better. Plus, in the same way you have MM I, II, III, etc. you could have Spell Compedium I, II, III, and so forth.

If the Rulebook had rules for creating spells and opponents, you could even play with just the first book, though you'd be doing more work.

This is conceptually similar to the HERO (and other games) 1 book model- you'd have substantially everything you'd need in the main rules tome, including well-delineated rules for designing feats, powers, spells, critters, etc.

In accord with the HERO model, and as Voadam, crazypixie and others assert, there would even be a few exemplars with which you could start your game- 4 levels worth of spells, a couple dozen more common races & monsters (PC races & subraces, skeletons, goblins, zombies, etc.) + some rarer ones for masterminds or what have you, and a horde of normal critters (bears, camels, draft horses, mules, owls, ravens, tigers, etc.).

The other books would be optional sourcebooks featuring material designed using the rules in the primary tome.

 

[Shade]

I would probably divide it into 5 books.

The Player's Handbook: Includes all the information that you need to create a character. Includes stat blocks for familiars and mounts and such, as well as prestige classes, replacement levels, alternate classes, and so on. In order to make this book less than 500 pages, I would remove spells.

The Spell Compendium: Includes all spells.

The Dungeon Master's Guide: Includes rules for running a game, how to create a campaign, how to create a world. Optional/alternate rules that can be used to tweak the system. Includes a lot of the information from the DMG II. Would not include magic items.

The Magic Item Compendium: Includes all magic items.

The Monster Manual/Compendium: Includes a wide variety of monsters/templates/ and so on.

While this may seem like a lot, as long as the price is right, I do not think that this would cause too many complaints.

I like this idea alot.

Barring this, I'd like to see the "core races as monsters" writeups in the MM rolled into the PHB with the standard race entries. Use the precious real estated in the MM for more unique monsters.

I think magic items belong in the PHB. Sure, the DM controls their availability in the game, but the DM also controls access to spells, etc. The players use them frequently enough (and are able to craft them per some feats) that they should be there as a handy reference, barring the need for players to lug around the DMG. I also think the condition summary needs to be in the PHB as well. Half the spells describe a condition, and having to cross-reference the DMG seems unnecessarily painful.

 

[mmadsen]

I liked GSHamster's observations about the 3-book model in that other thread (especially the last line, which I've italicised):

I think the 3 Book model is pretty good, but it could stand to be reorganized.

Right now it's:

Book 1 - Player Rules, Spells
Book 2 - DM Rules, Magic Items
Book 3 - Monsters

What I'd like to see is:

Book 1 - Player Rules, DM Rules
Book 2 - Spells, Magic Items
Book 3 - Monsters
[...]​

I think this would work out a little better. Plus, in the same way you have MM I, II, III, etc. you could have Spell Compedium I, II, III, and so forth.

I agree completely -- with the caveat that Book 1 should include enough sample spells and monsters to play the game (like the old Basic sets).

This is conceptually similar to the HERO (and other games) 1 book model- you'd have substantially everything you'd need in the main rules tome, including well-delineated rules for designing feats, powers, spells, critters, etc.

I think people who like the Hero model -- like both of us -- tend to overestimate how much other people want a thorough, quantitative system for building more material.

 

[Eonthar]

If we can't have a five book model - which is entirely possible - then I agree that the following model would be good:

Book 1 - Player Rules, DM Rules
Book 2 - Spells, Magic Items
Book 3 - Monsters

I think that Book 1 would only need to include a sampling of 0, 1st and 2nd level spells. Enough to get by, but not a comprehensive list.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Two.