DMG2 & PHB2 - are they worth it!

[Pants]

PHB2 has become the... errm 5th Core Book amongst our group (number 4 being the XPH). There's a duskblade in the party, two fighters that plan on taking some of those nice high-level fighter feats, and a wizard that takes some of the spells. The class variants range from really damn cool to semi-mediocre. I like the base classes, though they might be too nichey for some folk.

DMG2 I got for Christmas, don't have an opinion on it yet, still reading it.

 

[Nightfall]

Pants,

You have no opinion!? Dude you have an opinion on everything!!!

 

[Derren]

Most people I asked reccomended the PHB 2 to me, but they also addmitted that they used only small parts of it.

Most people seem only to use the classes, feats and spells from the PHB 2 which make up only a small part of the book. Only very rarely Affiliations were used and nearly never someone used Archetypes or Retraining.
The same seems to apply to the DMG2. So you have to decide for yourself if you want to spend money on so little useable material and so many "wasted" pages.

 

[Thomas Percy]

Most people (...) used only small parts of it.

This is true for every D&D book with the exception of three core books and campaign setting.
This is ordinary situation when dealing with HANDBOOK or any MANUAL.
A lot of texts in DMG2 are not RULES, but ADVICES for DM (eg. players' traits) - something you can learn if you're DM, to be better DM.

 

[Psion]

Most people seem only to use the classes, feats and spells from the PHB 2 which make up only a small part of the book. Only very rarely Affiliations were used and nearly never someone used Archetypes or Retraining.

FWIW, I wouldn't touch the classes, but find the alternate class abilities to have potential, and consider archetypes to be good basic character conception material and retraining an important "missing element" that makes the D&D chargen system make sense. Affiliations, though I personally don't feel it's worth my time, could be an interesting addition to a game.

 

[Elf Witch]

As anew dM I have found the DMG2 to be very helpful. The first chapter about playstyles and ideas how to keep the players of those playstyles happy was big help to me in coming up with game ideas.

I have PHB2 but I have never used any of it. I do like the retraining ideas to help change out things about PCs that you are unhappy with.

 

[the Jester]

IMHO, both PHB2 and DMG2 are great. They are on my list of best purchases of the year, for sure; both of them have seen some use imc and have a wealth of great ideas for both novice and experienced dms and players. Teamwork options, the PH2 feats, the section on designing a prestige class, the mob template, discussion of catering to your players' styles- there is a LOT of good stuff in those books.

 

[Wraith Form]

Hi all

Is it worth purchasing the DMG2 or/and PHB2? I've paged through them and wasn't inspired.

I wasn't at first either, then I became DM.

Best. Books. EVAR!

 

[Nightfall]

Psion,

I agree with the Affiliation rules, they are nice but I rarely see a point in using them, unless the PCs really need a reason to be "a group." The alternate class features are pretty nice as you stated too.

*thinks the Duskblade isn't nearly as good as the Mageblade, the beguiler might work better for some than spellthief, knight was alright but could use some fixes or maybe just take Psion's suggestion about other knight classes, and Dragon Shaman was silly*