Do you Read all the books?

[Ralif Redhammer]

I generally try to. Certainly all the flavor text. But as I get towards the end, I invariably start skimming.

I've gotten into a routine where I read only the descriptions of prestige classes and the monsters, leaving the rules crunch for later, if it interests me.

 

[Pinotage]

You don't think your comments might skew the results of this poll somewhat, make this something of a leading question?


glass.

Were you referring to my specific comments or those of the respondents in general?

Pinotage

 

[Crothian]

every book I get gets read cover to cover but its kinda of in the job describtion

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Have I read them?

Completely?

No. But I need too. I'v played in 1st, 2nd, Skills & Powers, 3rd & now 3.5. I've played dozens of other RPG's, some similar to D&D, some not.

This means I get things confused from time-to-time. And Since I'm the DM, this can lead to all sorts of DM-Player conflicts. Plus, I hate to have to stop in the middle of the game, furiously flip through books for something, somewhere; or make a DM command line decision, only to find out later I was completly wrong & a player got screwed because of it.

Thus, I'm trying to read the core books cover to cover, for several reasons.

1. Help me get my thoughts straight (I have several rules sets floating in my skull & occasionally they cross-pollenate). Reading the book cover to cover helps me keep 3.5 seperate from the other voices in my head.

2. Know where things are. I'm not trying to memorize every bit on the Core Rules; I just want to know where to look when somthing come up. Reading it helps with that.

3. Know the rules. How can you run a game if you've never read the rules? The best way to learn to play might just be jumping in, but then you pick up the bias of the DM's you play under.

4. I spent 100 bucks on that. If I'm not even going to READ it, why buy it?

As for the other books, I buy them, but only read them when I need them. For example, my Wed game is about to spend several months traveling the Frozen South, so I'm now reading Frostburn cover-to-cover.

 

[der_kluge]

I've come to the conclusion that I hate to read. I rarely read anything except message boards. Maybe it's my attention span, I don't know. I don't have ADD or anything like that. I'm just not big into reading.

The only d20 book I've read cover to cover is the Artificer's Handbook, and I did that because I wrote it and had to proofread it! I haven't even read Bluffside c2c and I read large chunks of that!

I've read most of the HARP book, but still haven't managed to finish the last few chapters.

 

[Wombat]

If you're going to be a GOOD DM (or player), why wouldn't you?? It's not like I have it memorized or anything.

More arguements come from people who don't read the entire description or assume......

Actually, there's a heckuvalot in the DMG that a good GM doesn't need to read ... such as the description of a whole bunch of magical items and artifacts that he never intends to put into his campaign. Or the random encounter charts that he is not going to use because he has others tailored to fit his campaign. Of combat sections that pertain to environments (e.g. underwater, aerial) that will see little or no use in his campaign. Or the generic NPC charts if he is going to create specific NPCs -- especially if assumptions about money and magic are far different in his worlds than the standard D&D mix.

Equally in the PHB there are a lot of spells that someone might not read up on if, say, no character (or NPC) in his game is going to be above, say, 10th level. Or the descriptions of the gods who will never appear in his games.

Actually a lot of that really helps cut down on the amount of reading, big time.

Yep, all of these apply to me. I consider myself a good GM. So do my players. I see no reason to actually read up on rules or descriptions that will have no place in my campaigns.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I read 'em all, cover to cover, 'cause it's fun.

But that's coming from a man who reads the backs of shampoo bottles in the bathroom, just to have something to read.

 

[palleomortis]

You don't think your comments might skew the results of this poll somewhat, make this something of a leading question?


glass.

Apperantly not. Look at the results. Most of you people said that you read them all cover to cover. I don't really think it matters what I say, people ususally tell the truth. But I do have some smily faces left over, if you want one.

 

[Psion]

I've probably read the whole DMG but I just don't see devouring every spell etc. until I actually use them all in a game.

 

[Voadam]

I read the 3.0 PH cover to cover.

I read a few relevant rules parts of the 3.0 DMG, and most of the 3.0 and 3.5 srd. I'm pretty sure I have not read every part of the 3.5 srd word for word though, although that is what I play and use for rules references now. I am sure I have never really looked at all of the weather rules, for example.

I'm pretty sure I read the red basic set and 1e PH and DMG cover to cover.