Anybody Use just the Core Rulebooks? Why? Why not?

[Ravellion]

Core or the door imc. Why? Because it keeps the available choices limited so I and the players can keep track of them. Also everything is in one place not more packing 9+books to the game.

My thoughts exactly. Though I have to say that it is not the players being overwhelmed what I'm afraid of. Players get months or years to get used to a PC, regardless from what source the abilities they have came from. Hence they are fully comfortable with their more optimize choices.

NPCs often last one session, so the more abilities available to me, the harder it becomes for me to challenge the PCs. An example: If I use an alienist one game and a bloodmage the next, I do not necessarily become more familiar with the Wizards class and its abilities. If I would have just used a wizard on both occasions, I might feel more comfortable with the wizard I am going to run next month, which would allow me to play him as a better and more challenging opponent. I'll add some fluff to the Wizard about him being a blood mage perhaps, but that's easier than keeping track of all the potential special abilities from wek to week.

Rav

 

[Apok]

I am sure there are people who been playing a lot longer (10 years isn't long by EnWorld standards) with games like CoC, Castles and Crusaders, the D&D rules cyclopedia, and yes probably the core rules...that aren't bored

Um.... yeah, ok.


Good for them.


Or whatever.

 

[MonsterMash]

The only non-core stuff I use is settings (Players Guide to the Wilderlands, CSIO) or to add some more monsters and rules (ToH, Tome of Horrors II, Seas of Blood), assuming Adventures are ignored for this. I can come up with other stuff if I need it, but the variety comes from the settings and adventures not the rules.

 

[Quasqueton]

I own just about every book WotC has published for D&D3. But...

In my campaign, the PCs are new immigrants from the Old World to the New World. The Old World is default/generic/core D&D, i.e. PHB, DMG, MM. The Players use the PHB for classes, races, skills, feats, equipment, spells, etc., and the DMG for standard magic items (what they can create or acquire). The MM represents the known species (living or extinct) of the Old World.

The New World is different. I use the various other books for ideas and concepts, though rarely for straight crunch. The [uncommon to rare] magic items *found* in the New World are 99% my own inventions, sometimes based on a kernel of info found in a non-core book. The monsters of the New World are based on the dozens and dozens of non-D&D monster minis I have (sometimes created from whole-clothe, sometimes just regular D&D monsters with a different look and the serial number filed off).

So, for the Players - core only. For the DM - 50% core, 50% my own creation, sometimes with the help of published books.

As for vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry...

11 core classes, 7 core races, 2 dozen core skills, 4 dozen core feats, hundreds of core spells, hundreds of core magic items, and hundreds of core monsters (which can be used as PCs). If someone is bored or jaded with the core rules, they are lazy or unimaginative.

Quasqueton

 

[Shade]

As for vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry...

11 core classes, 7 core races, 2 dozen core skills, 4 dozen core feats, hundreds of core spells, hundreds of core magic items, and hundreds of core monsters (which can be used as PCs). If someone is bored or jaded with the core rules, they are lazy or unimaginative.

I am easily bored with the core rules, and don't consider myself "lazy or unimaginative". Quite the contrary. I just happen to think that more options strengthen the game and keep it exciting.

While the DVD of the first season of the Simpson is fantastic, and provides hours of entertainment, why not watch the rest of the seasons? Sure, I can use my imagination and dream up my own hijanks of Homer, Bart, and company, but why?

I'd rather see a party made up of a warlock, a soulknife, a scout, and a healer than just another group with a wizard, rogue, ranger, and cleric.

 

[S'mon]

The comparison with a tv show's episodes would be to scenarios - playing the same scenario again & again would get boring, like watching the same DVD. Adding more base classes to the game is more like adding more core characters to the existing Simpsons family.

 

[Breakdaddy]

When we do play 3.5e, we use the core plus some forgotten realms material as well as some tidbits from UA. Primarily I use the Creative Mountain Games SRD Bundle, which is fire for laptop DM's (like myself). Mark from CMG threatened to destroy me if I didnt buy it, so I felt compelled. Just kidding, Mark, you did a great job on compiling the SRD and making it easy to navigate quickly.

 

[Kanegrundar]

I run very mish-mashed campaigns. I allow a lot of things (races, classes, PrC's, feats, etc) from a variety of WotC and non-WotC sources. I do have to say that check through the non-WotC books before I allow them into play.

As far as just running the CR's. Sure, I'd do it for a change, but I'd likely still use a wide variety of monsters from my vast collection of monster books.

Kane

 

[Madstylz]

As for vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry...

11 core classes, 7 core races, 2 dozen core skills, 4 dozen core feats, hundreds of core spells, hundreds of core magic items, and hundreds of core monsters (which can be used as PCs). If someone is bored or jaded with the core rules, they are lazy or unimaginative.

Quasqueton

This is probably the lamest statement I've seen to classify someone else's playing style in a couple of years.

If you want to stay with the core rules, that's your option.

A DM or player who has spent hundreds of dollars on D&D products and doesn't bother to use them to his own advantage, has just wasted their own time & money and appears to have a serious lack of imagination.

 

[Quasqueton]

eh, not worth it.

Quasqueton