D&D 3E/3.5 [3e] How to distinguish between 3.0 and 3.5?

M

Morlock

Banned

Banned

• Feb 4, 2016

• #1

I know that many of the 3.5 products say that they're 3.5 on the credits page, and some say it on the cover, but do they all have one or the other identifier? If you've got a pile of 3e books, can they be reliably sorted this way (cover or credit page says 3.5 = 3.5, otherwise 3.0), or is it more complicated than that?

 

Last edited: Feb 4, 2016

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Dandu

First Post

• Feb 4, 2016

• #2

Wikipedia date of publication.

 

D

discosoc

First Post

• Feb 5, 2016

• #3

3 and 3.5 were completely compatible with each other. Most changes were that of balance, skill or feat name changes, spell level or name changes, and even quite a few new spells. That said, most 3rd party publishers would at least mention 3.5 somewhere on the front or back cover, and usually mention compatibility with both systems, if for no other reason than to not lose a sale because someone thinks the editions are not compatible.

If you don't see 3.5 mentioned on the front or back, it just means the book was published or printed before 3.5 was a thing, or because they needed to keep selling through old inventory before updating the print files.

 

R

Ragmon

Explorer

• Feb 5, 2016

• #4

The answer is simple, you google it like any person with an internet connection. Sorry if I sound mean.

After 1 minute of searching using google.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/3d2ptm/complete_list_of_dnd_35_source_books/

 

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Feb 5, 2016

• #5

Ragmon said:

The answer is simple, you google it like any person with an internet connection. Sorry if I sound mean.

After 1 minute of searching using google.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/3d2ptm/complete_list_of_dnd_35_source_books/

Click to expand...

That's not how conversation works. Don't be so obnoxious, please.

 

M

Morlock

Banned

Banned

• Feb 6, 2016

• #6

Ragmon: true, I didn't run a web search. I ran one a long while back, and didn't get any good hits, and then relied on that experience before my OP.

If you don't see 3.5 mentioned on the front or back, it just means the book was published or printed before 3.5 was a thing, or because they needed to keep selling through old inventory before updating the print files.

Click to expand...

Mostly true, except for a few books published right at the beginning of the 3.5 era. If I had to guess, WotC got some complaints and started adding the 3.5 imprimatur.

 

Voadam

Legend

• Feb 6, 2016

• #7

Generally look at stat blocks in the book.

Monsters have grapple checks listed in 3.5, in 3.0 they didn't. WotC transition ones in late 3.0 might have as well though (fiend folio, etc.).

 

ccs

41st lv DM

• Feb 6, 2016

• #8

Just look at the publication date in the opening pages.

3.5 started in 2003 if I recall.

 

R

Ragmon

Explorer

• Feb 6, 2016

• #9

ccs said:

Just look at the publication date in the opening pages.

3.5 started in 2003 if I recall.

Click to expand...

Yea, was just about to write that.

Let me expand upon his answer. On the first page of every book there is a "First Print" date, or just a date or just a year. Anything before 2003 is 3rd edition and anything after is 3.5.

The tricky part is 2003 it self. If there is a month attached then July is the start of 3.5. If there is no month or any form of a date attached then your gonna have to check a list.

 

Imaculata

Hero

• Feb 6, 2016

• #10

I always assumed that any 3.x book that is not a core rule book, is compatible with both, and is basically 3.5. 3.5 mostly involved changes to the PHB and DMG as far as I know. So at worst you might run into a book that refers to a page in the 3.0 PHB, which is a slightly different page in the 3.5 PHB. Or so I presume, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Me and my group occasionally run into differences in spell descriptions in the PHB, because I have a 3.0 book, and they have a 3.5 book, in which case we always take the 3.5 rules over 3.0 for obvious reasons. But this mostly means differences in text and differences in page numbers. I have a few books that refer to a table that is on a different page in the 3.5 DMG for example.