Essentials replacing Hardbacks?

[Aegeri]

For something like this, they should just call it 4.25 D&D outright.

PHB1 = 4.0
PHB1 + PHB2 = 4.1
PHB1 + PHB2 + PHB3 = 4.2

The monster manuals are far worse.

MM1 = 4.0beta
MM2 = 4.0 (feels like what the MM should have been)
MM3 = 4.5

MM1 is so far behind now unfortunately that this is basically true. When I wrote my other post just now about what needed to be changed to make those monsters "up to date", I really realized just how far the design had come. That's not a criticism incidentally of 4E, I think it's fantastic the game is continuing to improve - but we really are leaving a lot of iconic monsters like chromatic dragons wallowing in mathematical mediocrity.

 

[Steelwill]

People are going to hate me for saying this, but Wizards really should consider a re-release of the three core books with errata added and the original MM creatures improved to MM3 standards and fluff. I would absolutely rebuy those two books, especially if they added some things to them. The DMG would probably be skippable, as to be honest not much has been absolutely mauled in there and the DMG2 updates many of the most relevant tables.

I dunno what they would do to the original PHB, but just having a new PHB with all the current rules updated in it would be fantastic. Maybe if they added another class or a build or two that would be good. In many ways, essentials was what I was hoping that would be. Then again the fellows already going bananas that this is 4.5 would have a field day with a re-release of the core three books - even if it was mostly just errata.

Essentials is being touted as the new direction, having all the rules and errata that new players would use (especially since the old books wouldn't make any sense for new players to buy as they are inaccurate now). Essentials is a backward compatible reboot of the game, the new core rulebooks once they are printed, from all I am seeing, and will be your reprint in so far as you are likely to get one imo.

 

[Jack99]

Too early.

Hence why I wrote something else than you quoted

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Lets wait until gen con, what the future of those old books will be...

 

[Jack99]

Lets wait until gen con, what the future of those old books will be...

Yeah. Or maybe even longer. After all, they might just be between prints. Or maybe their printers are tied with the Essential line.

/shrug

 

[Aegeri]

I am going to be really irritated if Essentials kills my beloved hardcover source books like Draconomicon 3, a Feywild/Shadowfell book, a book on Devils and similar. My favourite books in 4E thus far are Plane Below/Plane Above, Dungeon Masters Guide 2, Draconomicon 1 and 2, Open Grave and Demonomicon. All hard cover fluff/crunch sourcebooks and I really want them to announce they are still doing these at Gencon or just something. It would be nice just to see some light at the end of the essentials tunnel.

I mean I don't know why Wizards might decide they hate getting my money, but perhaps they do as it is NZ money. It smells of kumquats and bananas, which they might be allergic to or something like that. Like yeah, I'm still buying some of the essentials where I was skipping all of it before but I'm not as enthused about any of it. I don't play 4E but I do run 3 games. New options and stuff for DMs is the important part for me and IMHO essentials has nothing for me after the monster vault. I do buy the power books and such, as hardcovers are just nice to have for my IRL gaming group but it's all the books I listed above that are important to me.

I just wish I could fast forward through this essentials stuff and get back to things I enjoy again.

 

[Scribble]

I am going to be really irritated if Essentials kills my beloved hardcover source books like Draconomicon 3, a Feywild/Shadowfell book, a book on Devils and similar. My favourite books in 4E thus far are Plane Below/Plane Above, Dungeon Masters Guide 2, Draconomicon 1 and 2, Open Grave and Demonomicon. All hard cover fluff/crunch sourcebooks and I really want them to announce they are still doing these at Gencon or just something. It is really giving me quite a lot of angst to be honest.

I mean I don't know why Wizards might decide they hate getting my money, but perhaps they do as it is NZ money. It smells of kumquats and bananas, which they might be allergic to or something like that.

Do you buy books multiple times or something?

 

[Aegeri]

Do you buy books multiple times or something?

No, I'm not sure how you inferred that? Though technically I buy the crunch in these books twice due to the fact I have a DDI subscription. It's future hardcover books I am concerned about.

 

[Scribble]

No, I'm not sure how you inferred that? Though technically I buy the crunch in these books twice due to the fact I have a DDI subscription. It's future hardcover books I am concerned about.

Actually I did misread your post: I thought you were saying you were going to be pissed if they killed the already released books that were your favorites for some reason. So ignore me- I'm a moron!

(In my defense I was on the road for 10 straight hours yesterday...)



Either way, I don't so much need the books to be hardcover, as long as what's inside is quality material.

I don't even need full color artwork. Just give me good game stuff!

 

[Felon]

My impression is that no errata has been added to existing books (other than specific rule re-writes in specific books) but that the Essentials line is errated to the current level. Not sure of the policy going forward but I also get the impression that going forward both soft cover and hardback books will be published.

There have no been no 4e errata. There have been no 4e revisions either. There have only been Rules Updates. Purely semantics, and yet many attest that this Kool-Aid is delicious.

The smart money is on the old rulebooks going out-of-print, but if not, who will want them? The Essentials will be the go-to books. As such, I don't get how this isn't just 4.5e with better PR. Then again, I didn't get the 3.5e uproar either. Perception is reality, I suppose.