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<blockquote data-quote="Andre" data-source="post: 2402783" data-attributes="member: 25930">In theory, this seems like it would work well. In practice, not so much.First, these rules are, by definition, not part of the core books (until an updated version is released), so I now have to keep track of other books - not for the occasional item or monster, but for rules of gameplay. Second, many such third-party rules are not well playtested. Such rules may indeed provide some benefit over some core rules, but they may also cause problems with others. So now I not only have to track these additional rules, I have to create my own house rules to govern their interaction with the core rules. Third, it's difficult to require players adhere to rules that are in books the players don't even own. It's hard enough to get some players to buy even the PHB - getting them to use the psionic rules from three different publications by a d20 publisher doesn't seem fair. Frankly, it's easier all around to just tell the players to use the core books, plus one or two other books, and nothing else. If a player wants to use something from another source, he/she can always ask, but typically having too many sources for game rules causes far more problems than the new rules solve.Earlier in another thread I asked what designers should do about rules creep. As part of your answer you suggested that gamers simply refuse to buy all the new rulebooks the publishers (including WOTC) keep throwing at us. But if we don't buy these products, then how will the new rules gain sufficient notoriety to actually improve the system?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Andre, post: 2402783, member: 25930"] In theory, this seems like it would work well. In practice, not so much. First, these rules are, by definition, not part of the core books (until an updated version is released), so I now have to keep track of other books - not for the occasional item or monster, but for rules of gameplay. Second, many such third-party rules are not well playtested. Such rules may indeed provide some benefit over some core rules, but they may also cause problems with others. So now I not only have to track these additional rules, I have to create my own house rules to govern their interaction with the core rules. Third, it's difficult to require players adhere to rules that are in books the players don't even own. It's hard enough to get some players to buy even the PHB - getting them to use the psionic rules from three different publications by a d20 publisher doesn't seem fair. Frankly, it's easier all around to just tell the players to use the core books, plus one or two other books, and nothing else. If a player wants to use something from another source, he/she can always ask, but typically having too many sources for game rules causes far more problems than the new rules solve. Earlier in another thread I asked what designers should do about rules creep. As part of your answer you suggested that gamers simply refuse to buy all the new rulebooks the publishers (including WOTC) keep throwing at us. But if we don't buy these products, then how will the new rules gain sufficient notoriety to actually improve the system? [/QUOTE]

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