e-Tools and *Revised* 3rd Edition???

[DarkWhite]

ENWorld News mentions today that WotC have announced *Revised* editions of PHB, DMG and MM (read related threads here and here, and WotC release schedule here ).

Summarising from the threads linked above:
- There will reportedly be 25% new and revised content, including new feats and prestige classes.
- Revised Players Handbook received revisions to character classes to make them more balanced, and there are revisions and additions to spell lists
- Revised MM to contain expanded information on monster classes and playing monsters as heroes.
- Each revision includes some premium content from products that followed the original core rulebook release.
- Editorial coverage throughout Spring 2003 in Dragon and Dungeon magazines.

Wonder what this means for e-Tools, which is still busy patching their implementation of 3rd Edition rules, what will be their approach on official *Revised* 3rd Edition rules???

Any chance of users with/without the *Revised* core rulebooks being able to turn on/off *Revised* rules within e-Tools?

Will there be any character generator CD in the back of the *Revised* 3rd Edition PHB?

 

[caudor]

Hum, good questions

I was wondering these same questions myself. I like eTools a lot, but had to resort to PCGen when two of my players wanted to play Psions. --that's not to imply there is anything wrong with PC Gen, by the way.

Of course, I could have used the paper and pencil method, but I'm selectively lazy (and short on time). That's why I bought eTools in the first place.

So when the revised rules do come out, I'm wondering if I'll have to seek out PCGen or some other tool yet again? Will we? I for one hope WotC pulls something cool out of the bag at GenCon.

I trust that eTools will eventually be improved and expanded, but I wonder how the expansion will evolve before and after the release of the revised rules in July? Will an expansion that includes the revised material (or even older material like Psonics) be available in 2003?

I own the Psionics Handbook. I own Epic Level Handbook. I own all the splatbooks. Heck, I buy everything WotC publishes. I simply wish I could make better use of eTools without the labor of data additional entry. I bet there many folks see the potential of eTools, but also feel confined by its current limitations.

The questions that come to my mind: Is expansion of eTools something WotC really intends to do? If so, is it reasonable to expect that an character generator can ever keep up with printed publications?