Is Manual of the Planes obsolete?

[Vindicator]

Quick question about future purchase...

I'm loving 3.5 and I'm wondering if the upcoming Planar Traveller's Handbook replaces/updates good old 3.0 Manual of the Planes or if MotP is still useful/compatible with 3.5.

Basically, I'm into 3.5 in a big way and wondering if it's worth it to get the Manual of the Planes *and* the upcoming Planar Traveller'rs Handbook. I know that the 3.5 DMG has some info on the D&D cosmology, but surely it has nothing compared to MotP...is MotP worth having for a 3.5 resource, or should I just wait for the Planar Traveller's Handbook?

 

[Trainz]

I have the MoP.

That said, I must admit that since 3.5 has arrived, I barely cracked it open (only once, for the description of the Brass Citadel in an epic game).

I do not buy any pre-3.5 stuff. I don't know why, I just don't. I want to make sure the digits match. The Fiend Folio was easy to convert, but I don't use my Monster Manual 2 anymore. I started converting it with the update, but it was WAY too much work, and I said Eff it. I'm very disapointed about that. I would probably buy it if they printed a 3.5 one.

All this to say that if I was in your position, I would not buy it. Hell, I would sell mine to you.

EDIT: in reviewing the MoP, I take back what I just said: it is an awesome book. Mine is not for sale anymore.

 

[Shemeska]

Nope, it's not obsolete by any stretch of the imagination. It's my understanding that the 3.5 Planar Handbook is more geared to players while the MotP was geared towards DMs. Totally different scope for each book, and I think that's apparent from the description up for the Planar Handbook in the product catalog up on WotC's site.

That said, I'm looking forward to the book simply from what little I know of a very specific part of the contents. Not that I can say what exactly though

 

[Alzrius]

The little bit of info we've een given on the new planar handbook seems to indicate that it's not even trying to compete with the existing MotP.

That said, it's probably good then to assume that the MotP won't be rendered obselete by the new book anymore than the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting was rendered useless by the Player's Guide to Faerun.

 

[Ryltar]

I just hope it won't be *too* crunchy ...

 

[Olive]

Hell (tee hee) no.

Most of the book isn't even rules. The spells don't really need an update (although they might get one), the planar rules are identicle to those in the DMG, and there's hardly any monsters in it anyway.

Get it, it's a great book.

 

[Ryltar]

We'll see when it's out. Just painting the future bl(e)a(c)k, is all. I will get the book, just for its planesy contents, but I am still hoping that they put lots of ideas and flavor stuff in there. That would really make it an invaluable book, as opposed to the MotP, which didn't really do much but upgrade some stats and ruin some of the things PS had created. I haven't even used it in any of my campaigns yet, preferring to update 2E material, though that can be quite the hassle ...

 

[the Jester]

Personally I love the MotP, it's possibly the best 3e product (3.0 or 3.5) that I've got.

However, it might be worth waiting to see how much material is duplicated/updated in it.

 

[Alzrius]

I'll be happy if it updates even a fraction of the PS material...that line is probably the best D&D will ever see for the planes, in any edition of the game.

 

[Flyspeck23]

Personally I love the MotP, it's possibly the best 3e product (3.0 or 3.5) that I've got.

It's one of my favorites too. Very interesting and inspiring read, and most of it should convert neatly to 3.5.