D&D 4E Fewer WotC books in 4E?

[mhacdebhandia]

In looking at the catalog for next year, and in hearing the plans for the various different product lines I am getting the impression that WotC is going to release far fewer books.

Three core rulebooks, the Forgotten Realms setting book, three adventures . . . that's seven products in the four months just between May and August, eight if you include the Against the Giants Huge miniatures pack in July.

So, uh . . . no? Seems about the same. We also know, from the Israeli publishers, that there will be "power source" expansion supplements for arcane, divine, and martial heroes, so we can safely assume that there will be similar products for at least some of the power sources introduced in 2009's round of core rulebooks.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Ideally, the release would simply be:

YEAR ONE - PHB I, MM I, DMG I, CAMPAIGN SETTING I
YEAR TWO - PHB 2, MM 2, DMG 2, CAMPAIGN SETTING 2, SPECIALTY BOOK (PSIONICS)
YEAR THREE - REPEAT AD INFINITUM.

I'm surprised to see people saying this sort of thing so long after the way it's going to work was made clear.

The first set of core rules, in 2008, has characters with the Arcane, Divine, and Martial "power sources". We already know that the next set of core rules, in 2009, will have different power sources - and Psionics is almost dead-certain to be one of those chosen for 2009.

So there will be no specialty book for psionics, like there was in Third Edition for psionics, incarnum, et cetera. It will work, in fact, a bit more like the Tome of Magic, except with (I presume) more classes for each power source than that book had for pact, shadow, and true name magic.

What we do know, however . . .

My assumption is that they have a product line (ala Race books, Complete books) that isn't announced yet.

. . . is that this is correct. Way back in the first days after the leak of the 4dventure stuff on wizards.com, we heard confirmation of a release schedule from the Israeli publishers (and translators?) of D&D material that there are Arcane and Martial sourcebooks slated for later in 2008, and I wouldn't be surprised if we also saw Divine either right at the end of that year or early in 2009.

I have actually started to think that most of the "classic classes" left out of the first Player's Handbook will make an appearance in those sourcebooks - so we won't see the druid connected to a "Nature" power source in 2009, but instead as a new class in the Divine sourcebook.

Likewise, the bard may make an appearance (as an arcane leader?) in the Arcane sourcebook, and the monk in the Martial sourcebook (unless it's been reconceptualised as a psionic class, which isn't beyond possibility). It's also very likely that we'll see the swordmage class, which we already know is an arcane defender, in that Arcane sourcebook.

 

[SteveC]

Three core rulebooks, the Forgotten Realms setting book, three adventures . . . that's seven products in the four months just between May and August, eight if you include the Against the Giants Huge miniatures pack in July.

So, uh . . . no? Seems about the same. We also know, from the Israeli publishers, that there will be "power source" expansion supplements for arcane, divine, and martial heroes, so we can safely assume that there will be similar products for at least some of the power sources introduced in 2009's round of core rulebooks.

Well that's not exactly the same thing. From a player's perspective we have the three core books (most players I know buy all three) and then a Forgotten Realms players book...and that's it. No one's going to be picking up the adventures besides the GM involved, with the possible exception of H1, which I think we'll see a lot of people buy just to get the "test drive."

Without the "power source" books that you mention, I'd say that it's a very slow year for them, considering that there have been no real releases since what, October?

Now of course we're talking about a HUGE spike with the new core books, but in previous years we had follow-ups each and every month, which doesn't seem to be the case this time.

So it looks like the power source follow-ups would be the splats you'd expect...thanks for that info!

--Steve

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Without the "power source" books that you mention, I'd say that it's a very slow year for them, considering that there have been no real releases since what, October?

Now of course we're talking about a HUGE spike with the new core books, but in previous years we had follow-ups each and every month, which doesn't seem to be the case this time.

I don't see how anyone can assert that, considering that the publishing schedule we know about stretches only to August.

Originally, we had H1 Keep on the Shadowfell in April, Player's Handbook I in May, Monster Manual I in June, and Dungeon Master's Guide I in July. Now, all three core books have been consolidated in June and H1 moved to May . . . but we've still got H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth in July along with the Against the Giants miniatures set, and H3 Pyramid of Shadows in August along with the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide . . . and that's as far as our official knowledge extends.

You're correct in stating that each group will probably only own one copy of each adventure, if they bother with them at all, but they are appropriate "follow-up" products for the first couple of months immediately after the release of a new edition.

For all we know, we'll see the Arcane, Martial, and Divine sourcebooks in September, November, and January - or September, October, and November. I imagine they'll space them out, though - perhaps even September, December, and March.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Plus, of course, people seem to have underestimated the level of interest in the Wizards Presents books, and there are still plenty of "real releases" between October and the Fourth Edition launch: the Desert of Desolation miniatures set, the Anauroch: The Empire of Shade adventure for the Forgotten Realms, Elder Evils, City of Stormreach for Eberron, Dungeon Tiles VI: Mysterious Lairs, and the Eberron Survival Guide.

(I count the miniatures and dungeon tiles because they're "edition-proof" and can support an otherwise lean period of roleplaying book sales.)

 

[Roman]

What we do know, however . . .


. . . is that this is correct. Way back in the first days after the leak of the 4dventure stuff on wizards.com, we heard confirmation of a release schedule from the Israeli publishers (and translators?) of D&D material that there are Arcane and Martial sourcebooks slated for later in 2008, and I wouldn't be surprised if we also saw Divine either right at the end of that year or early in 2009..

Do we really know that though?

 

[mhacdebhandia]

We haven't heard anything in the way of an official denial of what the Israeli publishers are reported to have said, so why not?

 

[Aeolius]

When thinking of 4e splatbooks, I recall this tidbit:

... I talked to James about it and he says he'll make it happen for the first MM after we have robust aquatic rules (DMG2 maybe? No promises!).

 

[Ranger REG]

So what do all of you think?

I think it is sad that I won't spend what little money I have to buy more books and add another bookcase to my already crowded house.

What? Too sarcastic? :\