Gotta get this off my chest...

[Henry]

Aust Meliamne, this may allay your fears somewhat. Go to www.gamingreport.com, and download the large readable images of the Revised Books (there are samples of many of the chapters there.)

There are three pages of the combat chapter. See if the example language used on those pages feels so miniatures based (compared to the original) that you cannot use it for your purposes. THe only change I saw really was putting the "squares" in parentheses - the feet was still given, and language was pretty much in the same tone, only a little clearer.

I think Monte's statement "you have to use them, too" might be misinterpreted here, unless the whole chapter contains a glaring change of tone that I'm not seeing.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I have never had players attack an NPC when I didn't anticipate the possibility of combat ensuing. Ever.

What if you didn't know the NPC existed when you started playing? If that's never happened to you, you are very lucky.

I never really understood what the charts in the CURRENT DMG were for; I mean, really, is EVERY tenth-level NPC Bard in your campaign world identical, down to how many pairs of SOCKS they own? Does EVERY NPC fighter of 15th level have much the same equipment, feats, skills, and attributes ... differing only by race?!?

No, its so that DMs didn't have to create a list of NPCs at different levels. Like I said, I don't even know an NPC exists sometimes. So I could just pull out the DMG if that happened. It's not likely to happen but once every four or five sessions, so I don't see the harm in using a class from the book.

I don't want to have to make dozens of NPCs I'll never use.

But, really, what's the new NPC guide for in the DMG now? If you've been given a group of half created NPCs, who's going to use it? I'm not, I know how to make an NPC from scratch so that's what I'll do. They won't be used as ready made NPCs during a session. I think that's the crux of it. The old tables had a purpose, and I have yet to see anyone point out a purpose for the new ones.

 

[Drawmack]

I found that the new NPC tables took generation time from about 30 minutes down to about 15 minutes. Enough of a benefit for me to use them.

 

[doctorjeff98]

I found that the new NPC tables took generation time from about 30 minutes down to about 15 minutes. Enough of a benefit for me to use them.

I know others have said that they never used the tables because their players never caught them off guard, but I know I get caught off guard and like to use generators. I don't know if that means I have less prep time or if it means I'm not as good of a GM, but I appreciate any and all tables, especially generators.

 

[dren]

I absolutely hate resizeable armor. It was the stupidest thing I have ever heard of.

Umm, yeah, I agree, well sort of. I have always House Ruled that armor is fit for a certain size (dwarf/elf/human, etc) and if you find one that is generally your size, the armor will reshape itself to better fit you. But a Dwarf can't use armor made for a human or elf.

As for swords, umm, a sword is a sword in my opinion. It's handle may stretch out a few inches, or even shrink a couple, but, the length of the actual blade is stable. I don't even have to House rule this one, as when I describe these kinds of things to my players, they understand the way I use these items. I find players are usually fine about these kinds of minor things.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

What does everyone else feel?

I feel that everyone should play Exalted. (g,d,r)

On a more serious note, the map and mini intensity of 3e burned me out something serious earlier this year. I'll probably not be getting back in anytime soon to 3.5, especially if it's *more* map and mini intense. I prefer to run off-the-cuff and improvise, which D&D is one difficult game in which to do so.

For me anyway. Of course, YMMV.

 

[kreynolds]

What does everyone else feel?

That 90% of the people saying "It sucks" and/or "I won't buy it" will end up buying it anyway, which is rather amusing when you think about. The _only_ thing about 3.5 that disappointed me, that I know right off the bat that I'll be house ruling away, and have been for some time now, is the multiclassing XP penalty. Other than that, I'm loving what I'm hearing and seeing.

 

[crmsnstll]

The new 3.5

I have also worried about Wotc and the marketing subject. What I am wondering though is what I will have to do to the existing books that I own. Like the Fiend Folio, and all of the other nice hard cover books that I payed good money for. I could decided not to buy the new books, but then I would not be able to buy any of the post 3.5 supplements without having to convert them. This all around sucks, but I will be buying the new books.

 

[Talath]

Re: Re: Gotta get this off my chest...

That 90% of the people saying "It sucks" and/or "I won't buy it" will end up buying it anyway, which is rather amusing when you think about. The _only_ thing about 3.5 that disappointed me, that I know right off the bat that I'll be house ruling away, and have been for some time now, is the multiclassing XP penalty. Other than that, I'm loving what I'm hearing and seeing.

Are you referring to the non-included rule where multiclassing with a prestige class does not provoke XP penalties?

 

[kreynolds]

Re: Re: Re: Gotta get this off my chest...

Are you referring to the non-included rule where multiclassing with a prestige class does not provoke XP penalties?

No. The core class penalty.