Planer's Handbook: a freaking waste of money!

[Psionicist]

Fluff = rubbish. Crunch = good stuff.

Is that the wrong way round?

Fluff = not rules: Crunch = Not fluff.

 

[Fester]

*shudder* The last 30 odd pages of the book were a mockery of the planes and perhaps the single worst implimented idea in all of 3e DnD.

I agree that there was a lot of stuff in that last chapter that wasn't great, but at least it was about the planes. I just felt, overall, that there just wasn't enough in there that made it the "Planar handbook".

Too often, these books are filled with more feats, more spells and more (lots more!) prestige classes and not enough material. I've reached a point where, say, five really well thought out prestige classes is enough. Then, give me lots of info that I can use in my campaign and get lots of good ideas from.

I've pretty much been one of the monkeys who has bought most of what WotC have released, but with much of the recent material I find myself asking the question: so what's really different about this one from the last one? All too often, the answer is: not much. As I say, more feats, more spells, more prestige classes, but not enough "real" content that feeds my imagination, my campaign, my adventures.

I've already started branching out and spending my money elsewhere - there are so many better d20 products out there, I've found, and will look to expand my library. I think I'm gonna stop buying as many WotC products. Not a boycot or anything - I like some of the stuff they've produced - but just be more discerning with my money.

I dunno. Maybe that's just me being miserable.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Fluff = not rules: Crunch = Not fluff.

To be clearer: Fluff=description/flavour, Crunch=rules.

 

[Fester]

Fluff = not rules: Crunch = Not fluff.

Aha! A lesson learnt

Many thanks for the clarification (and apologies for the confusion!)

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

My main gripe is that while some substitution levels make sense and are useful, others are utterly useless. Talk about a decent idea that was horribly implemented.

Oh, there's no way in heck I'd switch out Ki Strike (Adamantine) for Ki Strike (Cold Iron), say. (Adamantine, since it improves your ability to punch through stuff, is somewhat more valuable...) Fighters are rather penalized, since the only thing they have to give up is their bonus feat, and the abilities in Planar Handbook aren't that cool.

But, the point is that it's a neat idea. It helps customize your character, without going to the extreme of going through a prestige class. The ones in RoS are better, and make sense.

 

[Doctor Futurity]

Well, although this thread seems mostly to be about how much people dislike this book, I thought I'd throw a positive in: I like and use the new Planar Handbook (useful classes, monsters, gadgets, ideas, locations) but agree that the planar touchstones thing is, well, not for everyone.....I have found the bulk of this book at least useful for planar adventuring. However, it is not AS useful as the Manual of the Planes, and I'd like to plug the Classic Play Book of the Planes from Mongose, which has a lot of cool material in it.

I guess if you don't have all of the old 2E Planescape stuff, the Planar Handbook and MotP are not so bad, after all. But I do wish that the planes had been given that Planescape-style treatment for 3rd edition, so I am with everyone else on that boat. Well, there's always Monte's new book....

 

[Pants]

Fluff = rubbish. Crunch = good stuff.

Is that the wrong way round?

Really depends upon your point of view.

It's not a really *bad* book per say, more boring and bland really. Some of the rules mechanics are nice, some are bad. The races are pretty lame, I would have preferred if the Bladelings, the Genasai, and several others got reprinted, not out of any misplaced nostalgia, but just because the new races are so bland. The prestige classes are boring, especially since I never cared much for the factions anyways. The city descriptions and the monsters are the highlight of the book for me

 

[Imagicka]

Ki Strike?

Oh, there's no way in heck I'd switch out Ki Strike (Adamantine) for Ki Strike (Cold Iron), say. (Adamantine, since it improves your ability to punch through stuff, is somewhat more valuable...)

What's this Ki Strike (Cold Iron) - Ki Strike (Adamantine) stuff? What's this from? What book?

 

[Toll Carom]

well, they sure did not say it was extra, those wotc losers!

Wow. I think someone should pay you to write reviews, man.

Honest.

--
CAS

 

[Toll Carom]

Fluff = rubbish. Crunch = good stuff.

Is that the wrong way round?

\

Yes, because neither is correct. "Fluff" generally describes narrative, or descriptive text (ie, material largely absent of mechanics). Crunch is material containing heavy mechanics.

Neither are "bad." Indeed, both are necessary for any good RPG.

--
CAS