Do You Sometimes Purchase RPG Books Just To Read (Not For Play Purposes)?

[RFisher]

I’ve bought games that I never intend to play. But I always intend to borrow ideas from them.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I voted yes but the subject material really has to interest me. Some books I buy with the intention of them being used in play but it just never happens.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Hand of Evil]

Yep, fluff books.

Warhammer stuff is good for this, lots of world information can be found in the Battle Army Books, just high cost and 1/3rd usable.

Another example is the old D&D Gazetteers, I mean the old ones, that went into detail on a different kingdom, rules light, lots of interesting detail but all based around the world.

Other examples: Call of Cthulhu is always a good read.

 

[El Mahdi]

I’ve bought games that I never intend to play. But I always intend to borrow ideas from them.

Same here. The latest publications I did this with was in June. They were the 4E Core Books.

 

[pawsplay]

I use approximately 60% of my books in actual play sometime in my term of ownership. The rest are "just in case," for research, for inspiration, or just for a good read.

 

[glass]

Pretty much my entire collection. I haven't had a regular gaming group for years, so most of my RPG purchases are for pure reading fun.

This was me for a while a few years back. Oddly (or perhaps not) I bought a lot more gaming stuff when I wasn't playing than at any other time!


glass.

 

[glass]

Yes; fairly often in fact. But sometimes stuff I bought just to read ends up getting used, and vice versa.

This.

I voted Yes. I even buy other books just to read them .

Also, this.



glass.

 

[Yaztromo]

Occasionally I purchased some RPG book and never found a practical chance to play it, but the original intent was always to play.

 

[Eltab]

If I find a book with really cool ideas / theme in it, I will buy it for use as a sourcebook later - even if it has game mechanics included.
It might get used in any other game where I am looking for descriptive material, or to 'set mood'.

I also do the opposite: I will borrow a book from the library, copy out the pages with useful (I think / hope) stuff, and never buy the book.
... gotta keep up my reputation as a cheapskate somehow ...

 

[Eltab]

... but the original intent was always to play ...

He says, after 8 years.