D&D 4E Is liking 4E biased by how many books you own?

[Skyscraper]

I own the 3 core 3.5 books (use to have the 3.0 core too), plus 4-5 other books (fiendish codexes and a few hardcover adventures).

I'm looking forward to 4E and welcome a change, but will only buy after inspection.

Sky

 

[Desdichado]

I probably have about a dozen 3E and 3.5 books. It does not affect my feelings regarding 4E, pro or con. (I'm favorably inclined toward most of what I've heard about 4E.)

Two or three dozen for me. Maybe four dozen.

That said, I'm still relatively excited to see what they do. Doesn't mean that I'll be switching, though. Honestly, I don't feel even anywhere near "done" with 3e yet.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't own many, and many are fluffy/creamy rather than crunchy.

Then again, I think most gamers don't have that many. Many people I've gamed with didn't even own the PH! (They just borrowed and used the SRD when not at the game.) I think the proportion of hard core DMs who own a lot of books are a lot higher here than in "meat space".

 

[shadewest]

I have a few 3.0 books. The 3 core, FRCS, splatbooks... I own exactly 3 3.5 books. I was happy about 4E when it was first announced. The more news that comes out, the more diappointed I am. Strange cuts and additions, strange changes to flavor, and this strategy of "3 more core every year" really concern me. I'm a 25 year RPG veteran. I've kept up with all the changes and played every edition of (A,O,X)D&D. It saddens me to think that 3E just might be my grognard edition.

 

[carmachu]

Some I admit. But other parts are how it feels like 4e is like final fantasy rather than D&D

 

[pweent]

A quick check in Delicious Library reports (to my horror) that I've got 35 3e and 3.5e in my collection, plus a couple of years of Dungeon and the odd Dragon, as well as Arcana Unearthed/Evolved and Iron Heroes. I'm optimistic about 4e.

I think there are various possible and contradictory relationships between library size and opinion on 4e:

- I've got a bunch of 3.5 books and I feel their worth will be diminished when 4e comes out.
- I like seeing new rules. I buy all the new 3.5 supplements, and I'll buy 4e when it comes out.

I'm somewhat guilty of belonging to this latter camp. I've seen lots of design directions in late 3.5 that I like (and some that I don't). I'd like to see the good ideas they've had become core and get more support.

I'm running an Age of Worms campaign set in Eberron. One of the first changes I made going in was to replace the Sorcerer class with the Warlock. I'm using more flexible casting rules for Wizards loosely inspired by the Magister from Arcana Unearthed - prepare spells each day, and cast those spells freely within each spell level (prepare Magic Missile, Mount, and Detect Undead, but you can then cast Magic Missile three times if you so choose). With that change in place, the Sorcerer becomes pretty redundant, but the Warlock fills the "cast from a limited set of power, but much more frequently" niche better anyway.

I'm a fan of Bo9S, but only in the abstract, as I haven't been able to introduce it in play yet. The Warblade is a great replacement for (one type of) fighter, but it's inarguably more powerful. I could replace the Fighter with the Warblade ala the Sorcerer / Warlock swaperoo, but then I have to a) start worrying about balance between the Warblade and the other PC classes, as well as reconsider every NPC fighter in the campaign, and gee, wouldn't it be easier if all these new ideas were core from the get go?

Don't get me started about Incarnum.

So: I've got a lot of supplements I'd like to see get more use. I think a lot of the ideas I like will see more use as core rules rather than as bastard supplements. And between that and the non-D&D D20 stuff I've read, I know there's room for improvement in D&D mechanics. And while 4e is still in the hypothetical and speculation for the non-NDAed among us, it gets to keep its status as Platonic Ideal D&D for now.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I think the OP might have a point. I myself only own maybe a dozen 3.X books out side of the core. Of the other 4 regulars in my group they might have another 2 dozen books out side of the core. And we're all looking forward/apathetic toward the arrival of 4e.

Where as I see many people against 4e cite owning so many WotC books as a reason for not wanting to even bother with 4e.

Personally I find most supplements to be not worth it, so I don't buy 'em. Don't have the cash to spare nor the time.

 

[Snapdragyn]

37 3.5 WotC books. Can't wait for 4e.

 

[Daztur]

I own over 400 3.x D&D and d20 books.

I'm anti-4E.

Dear god, how can you use that many books?

 

[skinnydwarf]

I have a ton of 3e books. About 2-3+ dozen, not counting adventures.*

I bought most of these books since I moved to Boston, and most of my time in Boston has been in law school. So I haven't had time to use them, and I want to use them- but I won't be able to do that before 4e comes out. Thus, I'm most likely going to put off running a 4e campaign. I'll probably play in one if I can, and run 3e games until I use all my stuff, or run out of players. It's not like 3.5e is a bad system- people will still want to play it, right? Right? Tell me I didn't waste all that money.

On the plus side, most of the books I have are fluff-heavy, so they'll still be useful in 4e.