Getting Overwhelmed by "Everything is Core"
- Thread starter Lhorgrim
- Start date
DragoonLance
First Post
I personally would say yes, they fixed a lot of the complaints about monsters in MM1, there is less chance of "grind" vs the MM2 monsters. Problems like underpowered and over HP'ed solos are fixed. Plus they include lots more low level monsters (giant ants, bullywugs, kenku) so you aren't constantly fighting goblins/kobolds at low levels.
Dragonblade
Adventurer
The cool thing about 4e is that its the first edition of D&D where as a DM I don't feel like I have to be an expert on every class. WotC has done such a good job of balance that I just allow my players to make whatever they want out the compendium and its never been a problem.
I've never heard of half the powers the players spring on me while we play and I don't mind at all. Its fun and liberating to be surprised and not feel like I have to carefully scrutinize every possible PC option before allowing it in play.
I've never heard of half the powers the players spring on me while we play and I don't mind at all. Its fun and liberating to be surprised and not feel like I have to carefully scrutinize every possible PC option before allowing it in play.
billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️⚧️
If keeping up with the core is getting you down or is overwhelming, then don't keep up. The "everything is core" mantra is WotC marketing to boost supplement sales. While it may reflect their idea that they are working to balance everything the same as well, it's really an ad campaign to get the gaming table to buy into more add-ons.
Obryn
Hero
I'll pretty much echo that you don't need to keep up with all the books, at all. Especially the player-based crunch, IMO.
With that said, I think DDI simply has a stellar cost-benefit ratio. While I've kept buying the player-based crunch books because I'm a collector, I could quite easily do without and just keep updated on DDI. The amout of crunch out now would be impossible to keep up with, if it weren't so well organized. And the Character Builder is worth its weight in gold.
As a DM, if you don't want to keep up, my advice is don't.
* Buy DM-centric books that interest you
* Keep up with DDI
* Keep Character Builder useful to you by blocking out any sources you don't want - including Dragon articles - in the Campaign Settings tab.
Nothing is core for your home game unless you decide it is.
-O
With that said, I think DDI simply has a stellar cost-benefit ratio. While I've kept buying the player-based crunch books because I'm a collector, I could quite easily do without and just keep updated on DDI. The amout of crunch out now would be impossible to keep up with, if it weren't so well organized. And the Character Builder is worth its weight in gold.
As a DM, if you don't want to keep up, my advice is don't.
* Buy DM-centric books that interest you
* Keep up with DDI
* Keep Character Builder useful to you by blocking out any sources you don't want - including Dragon articles - in the Campaign Settings tab.
Nothing is core for your home game unless you decide it is.
-O
Dice4Hire
First Post
To the OP, there is no reason not to play with what you own. The Core 3 are great in 4E, though I would add AVI and PHBII to add a few more options.
As for power books, no need for them, and there is no need to tie yourself to DDI, especially if you cannot afford it. People were playing games with paper and pencils long before DDI and nothing is stopping you from doing it now. In fact, I think it makes better DMs and players, as they interact more closely with the rules. But that is just my opinion and based on my experience.
As for power books, no need for them, and there is no need to tie yourself to DDI, especially if you cannot afford it. People were playing games with paper and pencils long before DDI and nothing is stopping you from doing it now. In fact, I think it makes better DMs and players, as they interact more closely with the rules. But that is just my opinion and based on my experience.
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
The biggest problem I'm seeing - maybe the only problem - is in power selection during character creation. It's taking me much longer to sort through all the powers and evaluate them against one another. I find it annoying, and I love when a power is customized for your build.
outsider
First Post
Yeah, I don't see the need for a DM to buy up all the player crunch. Let the players do that. Borrow it if you feel like you have to read it to run those characters. 4th edition stuff tends to be pretty well balanced overall, so going over everything with a fine toothed comb isn't necessary.
4th ed is REALLY good about not forcing you to buy tonnes of books, despite the "everything is core" motto. The content is seperated pretty well. Budget minded players should just pick a power source they like, and pick up the new phb, av, and xxx power book every year. Those three purchases will cover about 95% of the options available to that power source every year. To get the rest, just do a 1 month sub to DDI every six months or so.
If a player likes to dabble in everything, they've always had to spend alot of money to keep up, and 4e is no different. Fortunately for them though, new classes are only introduced in PHBs and Campaign Settings. If I was one of these players, I'd probably just buy the annual PHB, Campaign Setting, and AV, and keep a year long DDI sub to snatch up all the options from the xxx power books.
Myself, I just plan to keep buying PHB, AV, and MP every year, with the occasional other book purchase(gotta buy Dark Sun this year). I can generally borrow other books if I want to read them badly enough.
4th ed is REALLY good about not forcing you to buy tonnes of books, despite the "everything is core" motto. The content is seperated pretty well. Budget minded players should just pick a power source they like, and pick up the new phb, av, and xxx power book every year. Those three purchases will cover about 95% of the options available to that power source every year. To get the rest, just do a 1 month sub to DDI every six months or so.
If a player likes to dabble in everything, they've always had to spend alot of money to keep up, and 4e is no different. Fortunately for them though, new classes are only introduced in PHBs and Campaign Settings. If I was one of these players, I'd probably just buy the annual PHB, Campaign Setting, and AV, and keep a year long DDI sub to snatch up all the options from the xxx power books.
Myself, I just plan to keep buying PHB, AV, and MP every year, with the occasional other book purchase(gotta buy Dark Sun this year). I can generally borrow other books if I want to read them badly enough.
I let my players use everything* in the charbuilder. The only player book I have is the PHB; I did get Adventurer's Vault recently for help in treasure placement. I make no effort to keep up with the latest PC crunch; players bring it to the table and I see how it works in play. I quite enjoy being surprised by their tricks!
*Everything not setting-specific.
*Everything not setting-specific.
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