Is 3.5e beginning to suffer from rules bloat?

[lrsach01]

3.5 has the appearance of rules bloat because of all the new character books and such. But since you can pick and choose the "additional" rules, then the bloat is not really there. Of course, it gets to the point where DMs will discount whole books JUST because they don't want to buy another book or deal with another rule. Its happened in my games.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I will agree with what others have above:

Rules bloat? Not so much.

Options bloat? Yes.

And while the term "bloat" makes it sound negative - I like the multitude of options I have. I like having new classes, PrCs and feats so I, for one, don't have a problem with this "Options Bloat".

That's a great way of putting it. Plus, the options presented aren't mutually incompatible, which had happened at times in the past.

 

[Razz]

I agree. Rules bloat no. Options bloat?

Not really.

Remember what WotC said when 3rd Edition was just starting out. They based 3rd Edition on a set of "pillars" that will continue throughout D&D because they believed it works...and it does!

One of those "pillars" they based 3E on is "more options". They WANTED to provide tons of new options for DMs and Players. That's what they did.

I also agree with Eytan's post. I am one of those people that get angry that I went and purchased Epic Level Handbook, Magic of Incarnum, Expanded Psionics Handbook, Tome of Magic, and Tome of Battle...but I hardly see that material supported, if ever. I'll see support for it once in a blue moon in the pages of Dragon Magazine or the pages of another sourcebook (such as Dragon Magic).

 

[Psion]

My PHB 3.5 hasn't gotten any larger since the day I bought it.

As for options bloat... for any campaign I run, I usually pull out 5-10 books that are in line with the topic of the game, and for the most part that's what I run with. It doesn't really matter what new is published (doubly so since there is little 3rd party support is few and far between these days, and I'm finding that official books, more and more, are not to my liking.)

 

[GlassJaw]

My PHB 3.5 hasn't gotten any larger since the day I bought it.

Hehe, true dat. I'm playing in a basically core-only 3.5 game right now and having a blast.

If you are a completist and feel the need to purchase and use every new book that comes out, then yes, it can be overwhelming. But limiting what you use and allow isn't a bad thing.

 

[Umbran]

{voice=Inigo Montoya} You keep using that phrase. I don't think it means what you think it means{/voice}

I think people misidentify "rules bloat" as a concern in and of itself.

 

[Mercule]

"Beginning" to suffer from rules bloat?

My general thoughts, too. If you want to use the term "suffer", 3.5E is well past the "beginning" phase and firmly into a "hospice".

You can swap the term "option" for "rules", but the end effect is the same.

 

[Flynn]

The topic of this thread was also covered recently here on ENWorld:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=197775

Hope this helps,
Flynn

 

[BradfordFerguson]

You can accomplish whatever feel you like with the core rules. There really is no true NEED for the optional rules, but they can be fun and add to the "feel" of a campaign on a selective basis.

I began to explore this idea with a group of writers for a character collection called "Dragon Drop."

 

[I'm A Banana]

Y'know who's suffering from rules bloat?

Your Mom.

D&D only has as much bloat as you let it have.