Did the "Complete" line of books replace the "Splatbooks"?

[dreaded_beast]

I was always under the impression that the "Complete" line of books replaced and updated many of the rules presented in the "Splatbooks", especially PrCs.

However, during last session, one of the players was advising another player to think about getting the Weapon Master PrC from the "Sword and Fist" splatbook. My own opinion was that the Kensai from Complete Warrior replace and updated this class from the version in Sword and Fist. The player said that both classes were completely different based on abilities. I figured they were the same based on the description of the class. My opinion was that the abilities changed as a result of the update to 3.5, but I made a ruling that I would prefer PrCs to be picked from the Complete line of books rather than Splatbooks. However, if a PC really wanted a PrC from a Splatbook, we could talk about it and they would most likely be able to get it.

Do you think the PrCs from the Splatbooks are "balanced" for a 3.5 game?

Is there any official word that the PrCs in the Complete books replace those in the Splatbooks?

What about PrCs that haven't had a 3.5 update?

I am thinking that the PrCs from the Complete books would fit much better in terms of "balance" for 3.5, but the PrCs from other Splatbooks could work too I guess.

Opinions?

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Yeah, I think that's pretty much what happened. With the caveat that I have not seen the Weaponsmaster PrC, the kensai seems pretty much completely different. I am assuming that the Weaponsmaster is a non-magical, skills-based class. The kensai, on the other hand, is an honorable warrior who swears fealty to a master and gains the ability to put a bit of his soul into his chosen weapon. You might just let him take Exotic Weaponsmaster with a non-exotic weapon (a silly restriction anyway, IMO. Why can it be taken for a bastard sword but not a longsword? A dire pick but not a heavy pick?). Hope that helps.

 

[Turanil]

Weaponmaster doesn't look overpowered to me. Don't know about 3.5 Kensai...

 

[I'm A Banana]

The policy for the new Complete books as I understand it has been "if it needs updating, we update it."

Which leads you deciding of things in Sword and Fist (for instance) were dropped intentionally, or just fine as-is.

The weaponmaster's probably fine, though. The kensai is a different take on a similar thing. You may also look at the OA weaponmaster? Anywho, I'd say the weapon master is OK for a 3.5 game, since it's powers don't really rely on any mechanics that have been altered.

 

[Derren]

If the PRC/Feat is updated in the Complete books then it is clear, use the new one.

If not then either it is fine as it is and doesn't need updating or it is so broken/stupid that it was dropped.

There is no way to find out which is true, so it depends on the DM.

 

[BOZ]

i wouldn't throw out the old splatbooks, but yes it seems like much of their content has been rewritten for the new books.

 

[Trainz]

Isn't the weapon master (don't have the book) a dude that extends his threat range beyond limits i.e. he can crit on 12+ with a rapier ?

If so then, no, I do not recommend that you allow it IYC. But that's just me.

 

[Gort]

Yeah. The Complete books are the Splatbooks for 3.5, IMO, and in the opinion of all other DMs I know.

Which means that some of the stuff in them is good, and some is utterly lame, but there's nothing new about that.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Weapons Master is one of those PrCs whose abilities have been overruled (some might say "nerfed") by the 3.5 rules -- in this case, the "no stacking of increased threat ranges. I'd tweak it before using it in 3.5, but otherwise, I think a good general rule is that if it looks like it will fit in your game, use it regardless of which source it comes from.

 

[dreaded_beast]

3.5 rules -- in this case, the "no stacking of increased threat ranges.

I just thought it was Improved Critical and the Keen property that couldn't stack. Is this in the PHB or SRD?