Okay, D&D 3.5 grognards . . . are you *glad* your game is out of print?

[Shortman McLeod]

Sounds like a stupid question, I know, but hear me out.

I remember after 3.0 had been out for awhile, a buddy of mine who had stuck with AD&D 2e told me that he was, to his own surprise, somewhat *relieved* that 2e was now out of print. To use his words, it allowed him to "get off the treadmill" of the seemingly endless supply of splatbooks, supplements, and adventures. It allowed him, again, to use his words, to finally "consolidate" his gaming and just focus on getting into more depth with the material he had, rather than worry about the "Next Shiny New Thing (tm)".

I have to admit, I get where he's coming from. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to jump on the 4e bandwagon (and really, how can anyone decide until it comes out?), but I'll tell you one thing: it's mightly appealing to just sit back with 3.5 and enjoy a collection that will finally be COMPLETE, with no "book of the month" to create additional stress or a burning desire to "keep up with the Joneses".

Thoughts?

 

[Xer0]

I'm afraid I don't get it.... I buy what I want and that's it. I have no burning need to buy the latest thing from WotC just because it's the newes D&D book in existence. I really don't have to worry about "getting off the treadmill" because of this.

I don't have this problem as a player since I'm happy with the books I own and when I GM, my players don't have this problem because if I don't own it, it's not in my game.

 

[Shortman McLeod]

I'm afraid I don't get it.... I buy what I want and that's it. I have no burning need to buy the latest thing from WotC just because it's the newes D&D book in existence. I really don't have to worry about "getting off the treadmill" because of this.

I don't have this problem as a player since I'm happy with the books I own and when I GM, my players don't have this problem because if I don't own it, it's not in my game.

You are blessed to have such understanding players. Some DM's find it frustrating that their players are always demanding the "next new thing" be added to the game.

 

[Erekose]

Sounds like a stupid question, I know, but hear me out.

I remember after 3.0 had been out for awhile, a buddy of mine who had stuck with AD&D 2e told me that he was, to his own surprise, somewhat *relieved* that 2e was now out of print. To use his words, it allowed him to "get off the treadmill" of the seemingly endless supply of splatbooks, supplements, and adventures. It allowed him, again, to use his words, to finally "consolidate" his gaming and just focus on getting into more depth with the material he had, rather than worry about the "Next Shiny New Thing (tm)".

. . .

Thoughts?

I think I said something similar about 3.5 but from a slightly different perspective - with 3.5 I have a range of books that provide for playing in all sort of environments (e.g. from the extremes of deserts to glaciers), with all sorts of campaign styles (e.g. aboard ship in pirate adventures, questing knights, city-based thieves, etc.) and our campaign spans these different types of play.

When 4E is launched it's unlikely to provide the richness of the type of play that we have grown used to and it may well be several years after launch before all of these "holes" have been plugged (possibly just before 5E - LOL).

So I can see the argument that 4E would have to be pretty special to make someone jump early . . . and that's not even before we talk of the possibility of 4.5E . . .

 

[DM-Rocco]

"Next Shiny New Thing (tm)".

Does this mean you are trademarking the phrase, "Next Shiny New Thing?"

I understand where Xer0 is coming from as I understand where you are coming from.

I have one friend who bought every 3.0 book and refuses to buy any 3.5 because he has the complete set of 3.0 and doesn't want to re-buy those updated books plus more splatbooks.

I myself only buy what I think I will allow, which is mainly the source books and fun oddities like Book of Exhaulted deeds and Book of Vile Darkness. So in that sense I am more like Xer0 and my friend is more like your friend.

Personally, the rumors I hear, 4th edition doesn't really interest me but I will pick up the core books to check it out in case I am wrong. You can't judge a book by its rumors

If that helps ya.

 

[Shortman McLeod]

Does this mean you are trademarking the phrase, "Next Shiny New Thing?"

My friend, that phrase was trademarked a long time ago.

 

[WayneLigon]

To use his words, it allowed him to "get off the treadmill" of the seemingly endless supply of splatbooks, supplements, and adventures. It allowed him, again, to use his words, to finally "consolidate" his gaming ...

Totally alien to me. In fact.. if he really is using the word 'allowed' in the sense that most people use it, I'd think he needs professional help of some kind.

 

[Xer0]

You are blessed to have such understanding players. Some DM's find it frustrating that their players are always demanding the "next new thing" be added to the game.

Oh, don't get me wrong. The list of what's allowed in games I run does expand from time to time. And my players don't stop buying books because of the list. A lot of times, they'll buy a book, I'll have a chance to look through it and if I like it, I'll buy it. It may or may not make into the current campaign, but it will be available for the next one.

My List is pretty darn large - it does vary from campaign to campaign, but usually contains a wide array of books.

As for my players, they're my friends first and like me, working stiffs. They don't have a lot of money to blow on books and are just as discriminatory as I am before buying a book. Plus, I tell them up front before we start what books are allowed and what's not. If they don't like it.... well there's always next campaign.

 

[Voadam]

The treadmill does not end.

I'm still buying 5 2e pdfs a month of things I want to get.

 

[Psion]

I remember after 3.0 had been out for awhile, a buddy of mine who had stuck with AD&D 2e told me that he was, to his own surprise, somewhat *relieved* that 2e was now out of print. To use his words, it allowed him to "get off the treadmill" of the seemingly endless supply of splatbooks, supplements, and adventures. It allowed him, again, to use his words, to finally "consolidate" his gaming and just focus on getting into more depth with the material he had, rather than worry about the "Next Shiny New Thing (tm)".

I sort of jumped off the treadmill already. I was a pretty faithful "get the next crunch book every month"... but I felt like 3.5 peaked around the time of the first 3 environment books and went downhill from there. After that, more and more purchases were stinkers to me. I never picked up Complete Champion or the Drow book.

Honestly, though, now that I see there is an end in sight, I am thinking about doubling back and getting a few things like the Drow book and MI compendium, as I think it would be nice to just sit back and play for a while, and not be in chase mode. I did that with MegaTraveller after they released TNE and ran very satisfying games for a long game.

Alas, the trick is to get my 3.0 players to upgrade to 3.5. Hopefully, I can find some cheap secondhand 3.5 material.