3.x books are not worthless.

[hennebeck]

These hooks make use of Exemplars of Evil and Elder Evils. We recommend picking these books up if you don't already own them (and while they use the 3.5 rules, there are plans to provide 4th Edition updates to them online). Besides, they're really good reads even if you don't use the material.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4hook/20080404a

Good to know. 3.x books are not worthless.

 

[malraux]

I just ordered a bunch of Eberron books for ~ 5 bucks apiece. Even if the mechanics change, the story info should be really stable from 3.5 to 4.

 

[Wolfspider]

Was anyone claiming that 3.5 books were worthless?

 

[hennebeck]

No.
But, not before this, had they said (to my knowledge) that they were going to redo 3.x books to 4e.

 

[Rabbitbait]

Not worthless at all. I just sold heaps of my old 3.0 and 3.5 stuff I don't plan on using again and got enough money to buy all the 4e core books twice if I want.

Cha-ching

 

[RandomCitizenX]

No.
But, not before this, had they said (to my knowledge) that they were going to redo 3.x books to 4e.

They have been saying that certain books were going to get electronic 4th ed updates for awhile. It was part of their transition strategy to lead into the new edition without having to scrap their later 3.5 books. Don't expect this treatment for too many books.

 

[Nagol]

There is even a list of books that span 3.5 and 4e posted on enworld.

http://www.enworld.org/index.php?page=4e#pre4e

Scott Rouse on releases prior to 4E:
There are books and products not tied to any edition (edition proof):

Dungeon Tiles
Dice
Three Dragon Ante
Inn Fighting
Dungeon Survival Guide
Grand History of the Realms
Eberron Survival Guide

There are books and products that will get a 4e update:

Exemplars of Evil
Elder Evils
Dragons of Eberron
Eberron City of Stormreach
Desert of Desolation DDM
Dragons of Eberron

and there are products that are 4e previews or feature final 4e rules:

Wizards Presents: Classes and Races
Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters
Grand History of the Realms
Desert of Desolation DDM
Keep on the Shadowfell
Dungeons of Dread DDM
DDM Starter

 

[Henry]

Some will be nigh-worthless to 4E fans, like the Splatbooks (Complete Divine, Complete Arcane, etc.) other than for character concepts (hey, a Void Disciple sounds cool! Now, how to build something like him?) but I'm a follower of the Jame Wyatt school of thought: The monster/character/NPCs aren't really a block of stats, they're something that resides in your head, and the stats are just the best way for all of them to interact in the version of game you're playing. Therefore, Even Rogue's Gallery type books are quite useful, as they have the seeds of the enemies, and what they're about.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Some will be nigh-worthless to 4E fans, like the Splatbooks (Complete Divine, Complete Arcane, etc.) other than for character concepts (hey, a Void Disciple sounds cool! Now, how to build something like him?) but I'm a follower of the Jame Wyatt school of thought: The monster/character/NPCs aren't really a block of stats, they're something that resides in your head, and the stats are just the best way for all of them to interact in the version of game you're playing. Therefore, Even Rogue's Gallery type books are quite useful, as they have the seeds of the enemies, and what they're about.

Anything that offers story or personality material is good for any edition - hell, even any game system.

 

[Riley]

I just ordered a bunch of Eberron books for ~ 5 bucks apiece.

Where?!?