WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY 3.5
Your group needs these items to play D&D.
*The Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual revised core rulebooks. (All players might want to have their own copies of the books.)
*A copy of the character sheet at the back of this book for each player.
*A battle grid. The Dungeon Master's Guide contains one.
*Miniatures to represent each character and the monsters that challenge them.
*A set of dice for each player....
Also, JasonT's remark about squares vs feet and Miniatures just come off as angst. I must assume that you are an old-timer, as you mention you've played 2nd ed.
First of all, here's from the 3.0 Player's Handbook:
To start playing the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, all you need are
the following:
* The Player’s Handbook, which tells you how to create and play your
character.
* A copy of the character sheet.
* A pencil and scratch paper (graph paper is nice to have, too).
* One or two four-sided dice (d4), four or more six-sided dice (d6),
an eight-sided die (d8), two ten-sided dice (d10), a twelve-sided
die (d12), and a twenty-sided die (d20).
* A miniature figure, or at least something to represent your
character in the game (even if it’s just a mark on paper).
Your angst is out of context. 3.5 mentioned the group, 3.0 mentioned just the player. In fact, the writing of 3.5 is about the whole gaming group, including the DM while 3.0 seperates into player (PHB) and DM (DMG).
Remember, D&D came from miniature rules. (Yeah I'm a Old Fart, what of it!). There was squares and movement. I find the mini rules very helpful for my groups (all newcomers or 1/2 AD&D's "coming home") The love it and can "feel" the ebb & flow in combat (AOO, Spell effects). You don't like minis because of price or painting skills (like me)? Buy Fiery Dragon counters and make copies at Kinko's.
JM, "pancky" I like that! BTW: Love your Book of Enchantments, use it at the table.
