Azure Trance
First Post
Am I Insane Or Something?
A few days ago I finished a compiliation of all the books I missed out on and would like to have since I got the summer D&D itch. It spans from April '03 to Dec '03, AEG to WOTC, and D&D to Spycraft. In total, books and PDFs included, it's 117 items and a total of a bit over $2000.
Theoretically, if I bought them all, my collection would become twice (x2) as big. What I currently have is years of work with WEG Star Wars, Shadowrun, 2nd Edition D&D, Alternity, and BattleTech; in 9 months enough interesting 3rd Edition D&D products have been released to rival that already, nevermind untouched D20 games like Star Wars 3rd, Dragonstar, D20 Futures, etc.
Obviously I'm a (anal?) collector at heart. This seems a bit much though. Too much money, it doesn't seem normal. I've dumbed down the list some, to what I figure are the best of the selections. No supplements for Ravenloft or Oathbound. Campaign setting book for Rokugan to complement OA, but not for the Kalamar setting (though their supplements - Genavue and Hobgoblins are still worth getting). Etc.
I can get it down to 94 and $1600. Bleh. That's still a bookcase and a half. I love options - I can't get enough of them (which would explain why Green Ronins Fang & Fury, Goodmany Games Complete Guide To The Lich, and Bottled Imp Games Lords of The Night Liches / LOTN Vampires are all on my list). They may seem redundant, but people buy Mongooses's Quintessential Fighter and FFG Path of The Sword because they show different facets on the same subject. I tried thinking of radical ideas, like using only 'the best' book on a specific subject, like a monster (Liches), class (Fighters), or rule (Steampunk), but when more then one company releases a good title, it's difficult to choose. And I never think that there can be a concept of enough new monster manuals (Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary), new class (Avatar/Unholy Warrior Handbook), or new locale (Sacred Grounds) books, as long as they come from a reputable company (so get off it, cause I love 'em
).
The only thing that bothers me is the time element of how useful it will continue to be, especially since 3.5 revision came out. It's been 3 years since 3rd Ed came out, and figure it could be at least another 3 before 4th Ed comes out. Keeping up with this frenetic pace of getting all the juicy supplements and campaign settings (Dragonlance, Midnight) means that when this becomes obsolete with 4th, I'll probably be too broke to continue my buying habits, or at the very least have a small library of not so current & useful rulebooks.
I'm still going to make the 'essential' purchase of the 3.5 rulebooks, and figure I might as well get some WOTC (A&EG, FF. ...), Green Ronin, and FFG books as well (free shipping!
). Just not sure how much of the other 3rd party books I should limit myself to though. It was never this hard during TSR, since I only had enough income to get the basic books and a choice Planescape or Dark Sun product. Damn you, Paradigm Concepts, Atlas Games, Mystic Eye Games, and especially you Monte Cook!
I'm not rich, but I'm a hobbyist. And thank the good Lord up above that I do not paint miniatures nor collect them, else the repo men would own both my body and soul by now.
help me
A few days ago I finished a compiliation of all the books I missed out on and would like to have since I got the summer D&D itch. It spans from April '03 to Dec '03, AEG to WOTC, and D&D to Spycraft. In total, books and PDFs included, it's 117 items and a total of a bit over $2000.
Theoretically, if I bought them all, my collection would become twice (x2) as big. What I currently have is years of work with WEG Star Wars, Shadowrun, 2nd Edition D&D, Alternity, and BattleTech; in 9 months enough interesting 3rd Edition D&D products have been released to rival that already, nevermind untouched D20 games like Star Wars 3rd, Dragonstar, D20 Futures, etc.
Obviously I'm a (anal?) collector at heart. This seems a bit much though. Too much money, it doesn't seem normal. I've dumbed down the list some, to what I figure are the best of the selections. No supplements for Ravenloft or Oathbound. Campaign setting book for Rokugan to complement OA, but not for the Kalamar setting (though their supplements - Genavue and Hobgoblins are still worth getting). Etc.
I can get it down to 94 and $1600. Bleh. That's still a bookcase and a half. I love options - I can't get enough of them (which would explain why Green Ronins Fang & Fury, Goodmany Games Complete Guide To The Lich, and Bottled Imp Games Lords of The Night Liches / LOTN Vampires are all on my list). They may seem redundant, but people buy Mongooses's Quintessential Fighter and FFG Path of The Sword because they show different facets on the same subject. I tried thinking of radical ideas, like using only 'the best' book on a specific subject, like a monster (Liches), class (Fighters), or rule (Steampunk), but when more then one company releases a good title, it's difficult to choose. And I never think that there can be a concept of enough new monster manuals (Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary), new class (Avatar/Unholy Warrior Handbook), or new locale (Sacred Grounds) books, as long as they come from a reputable company (so get off it, cause I love 'em
).The only thing that bothers me is the time element of how useful it will continue to be, especially since 3.5 revision came out. It's been 3 years since 3rd Ed came out, and figure it could be at least another 3 before 4th Ed comes out. Keeping up with this frenetic pace of getting all the juicy supplements and campaign settings (Dragonlance, Midnight) means that when this becomes obsolete with 4th, I'll probably be too broke to continue my buying habits, or at the very least have a small library of not so current & useful rulebooks.
I'm still going to make the 'essential' purchase of the 3.5 rulebooks, and figure I might as well get some WOTC (A&EG, FF. ...), Green Ronin, and FFG books as well (free shipping!
). Just not sure how much of the other 3rd party books I should limit myself to though. It was never this hard during TSR, since I only had enough income to get the basic books and a choice Planescape or Dark Sun product. Damn you, Paradigm Concepts, Atlas Games, Mystic Eye Games, and especially you Monte Cook!I'm not rich, but I'm a hobbyist. And thank the good Lord up above that I do not paint miniatures nor collect them, else the repo men would own both my body and soul by now.
help me
