Need some clarification help regarding books already in print and 3.5

[RedSwan78]

Hey all, I think I remember seeing something a while ago about books that where already in print and 3.5 Edition.

As it stands right now, the only books I own are the PHB, DMG, and MM (well, also Relics and Rituals as well)

I just started DM'ing and decided I'd like to pick up some more books to increase my library. I'm going to be selling off an old Dark Age of Camelot computer game account that will probably get me a few hundred dollars and I'm going to use this to buy D&D books.

Now, things I'm looking at getting are:

All of the Splat books (S&F, SS, DotF, MotW, T&B)
Monster Manual II
Oriental Adventures
Psionics Handbook
Savage Species
Arms and Equipment Guide


Basically, I'm wondering how these will all be compatible with 3.5. If I don't already own these books, should I hold off on buying them, as in, will there be updated 3.5 books that will be coming out that will have different things? Also, I know that there has been Errata for alot of those books (mainly the splat books), anyway to buy them with the Errata alrady in them? (such as second printings and such). I was thinking of getting them from Amazon, they've got some good deals going with $5-10 off of just about everything I want, and free shipping.


(then I have some other ideas, things like FR stuff, Stronghold Builders, Book of Challenges, Traps and Treachery, SeaFarer's, etc..)

 

[Thaumaturge]

Most of the books will get web updates to make them 3.5 compatible. Savage Species and A&E Guide are really like 3.25 compatible so there should only be a few changes. Psionics may recieve an update if enough people push, but with Mindscapes and If Thoughts Could Kill (both from Malhavoc) psionics doesn't need much more help. The splat books look like they may get redone/improved upon, but that is on down the road a bit I think.


If I'm wrong on any of these, please let me know.


Thaumaturge.

edit:misspelled Malhavoc

 

[RedSwan78]

Hmm.. I'm just worried about spending money on books and then they are "obsolete"..

Anyone else have any thoughts/answers?

 

[Brown Jenkin]

All of the Splat books (S&F, SS, DotF, MotW, T&B)

Some of the info from the splat books is being integrated into the core books. The Complete Warrior has been announced for the fall that is a fighting splat book that will have more of the splat material recycled for 3.5. There will likely be more SuperSplats down the road. Will the existing splat books have large chuncks that are recycled or incompatible needing yet more errata, most likely.



Monster Manual II

Don't get it unless you want lots more errata since 2/3 of the creatures have DR and DR is being totally redone.



Oriental Adventures

Unlikely to have major issues since it realy looks at whole new classes. There will have to be a few bits of errata on skills and aproved samurai bonus feats but otherwise ok. Not sure without the book on how many monsters with DR will be effected.



Psionics Handbook

They mentioned the possibility of a revised Psionics but it is not on this years release schedule. I don't use it so I'm not sure how compatible it will be with the changes to the way spells (or thier related psionic powers) will be.



Savage Species

Most likely of all books to be forward compatible since it was designed with that in mind.



Arms and Equipment Guide

I don't own it do to the shoddy nature of the book and a lack of interest in the topic, but this also has a decent chance of being mostly 3.5 compatable.

 

[RedSwan78]

Hmm.. so I guess I could hold off on the MM2..

What do the rest of you think? Is it worth buying those books now if I haven't bought them yet?

Amazon lists the "Quintessential XXX" books as "hard to find" and possibly not found at all. I've heard they are pretty good books..?

I also think that I remember someone saying that once they are sold out of the original splat books (like sword and fist) that there won't be anymore made?

 

[Thaumaturge]

Quint. Psychic Warrior is a great book if you are using psionics in your campaign.


Thaumaturge.

 

[rijeagle]

Actually, you're quite safe in buying all the books you want right now. The new 3.5 books are only goingto be the DMG, PHB, and the MM. These three books will give you everything you need to adjust your current campaign/books to up to 3.5.

In the case of the MM2 and the DR, it is really no big deal there. Wizards will be posting the changes you will need for that, and its a simple matter of writing it on the page with each monster that is affected. The changes to the DR are simple number changes, that's it, no rule changes.

Arms and Equipment is technically outside of the rule changes being done, so it is quite fine.

Fiend Folio and Savage Species are already been printed as a quasi-3.5 edition, so they're fine.

In my opinion Psionics still don't work right, but that is neither here nor there, but it is still fine as the rules for Psionics are not being severely, if at all, affected.

As for buying books that will be obsolete, that is simply untrue. The three core books are what the D&D game is based upon, and everything else is an add on. You can easily, and I mean EASILY adapt those supplemental books, as long as you base those rules upon the 3.5 rules. Wizards has no plans of putting out 3.5 FF, A&E, MM2, Psionics, etc., etc., anytime soon, so don't get all worried about blowing tons of money.

Of course, if one is so worried about it, no one said, you MUST buy the new books, and any and all supplemental books coming out in the future will still work with BOTH 3.0 and 3.5.

It's not a big deal really. Look at it this way, no one put up a stink like this when Microsoft put out IE2, IE3, IE4, IE5, IE6... All are the same just better version of the previous. This is the same case. Items of contention were burying Wizards' mailbox, and they decided to listen to us and correct those problems, WITHOUT making D&D 4.0, thus 3.5.

Wizards DID NOT want to FORCE us to buy 20 new hardcover books, so they sat down and figured out the best and cheapest way to do it, and the 3 core books were the answer.

Both versions will work, and easily converted one way or the other. It is simply a matter of you taking the time(a little) to do it.

I'll be the first to admit, I too was a bit chagrined to hear 3.5 was coming out and thoughts of my wallet getting thin really quick passed through my mind, and I attacked the whole idea. But, after reading Dragon Magazine, and the Wizards' update pages, I soon came to realize that these guys are doing what most businesses would almost never, ever do - minimizing output to save consumers' money.

Yes, 5 years down the road, the supplemental books will most likely be redone, and you may want to buy them, but by then, you would have the conversion down pat, so why bother?

 

[maddman75]

I'd skip the splatbooks personally. We have them and to be honest, they aren't all that good. They get better as they go along - Sword & Fist is the worst, Masters of the Wild is the best. Bad Axe Games race books are much better IMHO.

Heard bad things about A&EG. No interest in monster PCs, so I can't comment on SS. Psionics handbook is excellent, as is Manual of the Planes.

 

[haiiro]

Unless you're itching to own them right away, I'd consider holding off on the splatbooks. It looks as though WotC will be compiling the highlights of these titles along with new material after 3.5e comes out. S&F and S&S aren't very good, DotF is decent, T&B is good and MotW is excellent, IMO.

FR will be getting a single book updating the setting to 3.5e, so most of the crunch in those titles should be fairly easy to tweak. The setting and background info (which is the bulk of their content) is and will remain excellent.

maddman75 is also right about MotP: it's a great book (one of the best WotC titles overall), and the revisions shouldn't affect very much of it at all. I'd definitely add that to your list.

Personally, I'd pick up MM2 even if you do need to make a bunch of changes -- it's full of good ideas (and I love monster books).

I don't have anything else to add that hasn't already been said. Hope this helps.