D&D 5E Would you buy an updated PHB every year?

[Jester David]

No.
Hells no.

But, if once a year they added errata to the newest printing of the PHB that wouldn't be bad. Especially if also added to Basic and a free update document.
After three or four years you could choose to buy a newer copy. Or not.

But they should try and keep the revisions down to essential fixes. Even a 3.0 to 3.5 is too much.

 

[Ranes]

I like Paizo's model of correcting errata/making changes in each new printing of the core book but also providing a PDF of those changes.

As long as WotC keeps up their basic rules document with the latest info, no need to buy a new PH, although a "what has changed" document would certainly be welcome.

This would work for me (as would the idea of buying a digital copy and getting it patched automatically).

If PHB sales are strong enough to demand reprints, then the reprints should contain any errata. They should state on the masthead page which version of the errata/revisions document they comply with and those documents should be available for download by those who have an earlier printing of the PHB and who don't want to buy a new copy yet.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Yes...

Don't look at me like that! I make (what I think is, but others may not) VERY good money at a job a love. I've got tons of disposable income. I blow way, way more money on, say, collecting the old Gazetteers and modules and crap.

I suspect, though, that I may be in the minority for my spending habits to income ratio.

 

[the Jester]

Hell no.

 

[Remathilis]

I actually hope WotC goes back to "print run errata" where they fix minor errors, typos, and occasional wording clarifications (like Durable) every time they up the print-run.

What I DON'T want is rules changes, fundamentally altered abilities, or things like that. Keep those to the absolute minimum.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Yes and No. I appriciate that they want to keep tabs on how people feel about the rules, and possibly make changes. And I definitely feel that any changes that are made should make it into future printings. I don't even have a problem with picking up an updated PHB every few years.

But only the PHB. Other books should only ever get typos fixed and clarifications made.

That said, I do want to see a leather bound collector's edition in a couple years. And it would be rather awesome if the PHB got anniversary editions every five years or so where the rules remain the same but the art is updated.

 

[Salamandyr]

I would only buy an updated PHB each year if it included updated art, and then only if it was different art direction than what put together this one.

 

[Ningauble]

Absolutely not. If they can't get it right the first time, then what was the play test for? Having to buy 3.5 after several years of 3.0 was bad enough, every year would be ridiculous. It scares me that Mearls is already talking revisions . . .

 

[Li Shenron]

Mearls has also said they would only issue errata on things which are absolutely necessary - which there is wide agreement needs a change, as opposed to merely having a convenient change.

That's true, but I wouldn't feel safe about it. The PHB has been out a few weeks only, and people are already complaining about a few stuff. Nothing major at all, but still stuff that is so clearly fixable (e.g. Druid's near-immunity to damage with at-will wildshape use at 20th level, Fighter's unlimited HP healing via second wind) that they will have a hard time resisting the temptations to do so, if complaints are loud enough.

And while I agree with you [MENTION=48467]Ningauble[/MENTION] that they had 2+ years to playtest, what worries me is that the complaints creeping up already are mostly about changes or additions done after the playtest. Certainly, they were going to collect feedback about the last packet and make changes based on that. But when they added something new, they should have thought about the risks... That Wildshape problem is a perfect example: something that gamers found in a few days just by reading the book (not even playing the game at 20th yet!) and yet the designers and internal playtesters didn't notice in maybe six month of quality control...

 

[Henry]

Hell no.

Hell, No, part Deux.

I'd buy an all new set of books every five years, perhaps, and I'd welcome Paizo-style downloadable errata fixes, but a whole new set of print books each year? No.