Player's Handbook II (and other May releases)

[AdmundfortGeographer]

But if it isn't new ideas, what's the point??? Why keep rehashing the same material over and over.

A little perspective here, would you call it wrong if even a sliver of the book is "rehashed" material? Because the DMG II has reprinted material, the entire book is not all new. Wether or not you bought it, did WotC do wrong according to you?

What's the point? Accumulating some of the most popular of the good stuff from widely scattered stuff would be one point. Or is it that just to not offend your sense of "wasted print space" you'd insist that everyone else should need to spend hundreds of dollars to get the many scattered books where the few really good gems that might potentially be consolidated into a PHB II (included with bunches of more new stuff)?

If the classes are already in the "complete" series, which is still pretty new, then there is no reason to re-print them again.

No reason? No reason at all?

Isn't consolidating the material scattered across more than a half dozen other books into a single book a reason?

You suggested reprinting the PHB with errata and FAQ clarifications (as mentioned, see the leatherbound Special Edition PHB), how about reprinting material from the Complete and Races books "with errata and FAQ clarifications"? ... and all in a single book!

Personally, there is a limit to how large of a proportion of a new PHB II is reprinted material. But if it is well below half reprinted material, I'll be very satisfied.

 

[Tuzenbach]

We will know when 4E is about to be released: WotC will announce a fully-functional and genuinely customisable character generator for 3.5E.

Too True!!!

 

[farscapesg1]

Some "rehashing" is to be expected. If they keep the "rehashed" stuff down to about 25% with the other 75% being new ideas and information, I would be fine with that. Much over that and I probably won't buy the book

I just don't like the idea of reprinting material that is already out there. Might as well just sit back and never purchase a new book like Sandstorm, Frostburn, Complete Warrior, etc. if they are just going to release the information in another "consolidated" book later on.

I buy books for new material, not for the hope that it will consolidate some of the stuff into one easy to carry reference. If I want that I can Xerox the class information from all the books and put it in a binder to take with me so it is all together in one location

I see your point on those who have not purchased the books previously, but what about the ones that have? Now the new product has less information that they can use becuase they already have the classes/feats/spells/etc. from the other books.

Maybe my viewpoint is a little harsh and I can see where you are coming from. I just don't like the whole "regurgitate the same material" idea. Oh well, whatever floats your boat

 

[Tuzenbach]

Hey folks, just a little perspective here.......

NOT EVERYBODY HAS PURCHASED THE COMPLETE SERIES!

This includes me. Why? Limited funds/time/space. Every WotC book is at least $29, takes probably a week or so to digest fully (assuming no work or school), and takes up 3/4 of an inch of shelf space. Yes, if I had all the complete books (and the minis book) I'd be over $200 poorer, my shelves would have about half a foot less space remaining, and I'd have spent probably well over a month sifting through several tomes in which I'd find only 1 thingy in 5 worth bringing into my games.

The result? PHB II is a BLESSING if it, indeed, reprints things like the Warlock, Scout, Marshal, Warforged, et. al. Honestly, if EVERYTHING in it is reprinted, NOBODY'S FORCING YOU TO BUT IT!!! I, for one, am overjoyed!

 

[Zaruthustran]

Compendium

DMG II had new crunch material, and the fluff material offered tips and advice for people wanting a more in-depth examination of the DM process. I expect PHB II will offer something comparable in scope.

I don't expect it to be a collection of new classes. But, holy cow, I would love such a book: a single volum with all the new classes and, even more useful, all the new feats. Right now, when I build an NPC cleric I have 3 or 4 books open in front of me. Annoying. I want a single giant table with all Divine feats, all metamagic feats, etc. I guess WotC could put out "The book of Classes" and "The book of Feats". I'd buy 'em in a second.

Anyway: I doubt PHB II will reprint material from other books. Instead, I expect tips on forming and working within a party. Something like "Know your role", which then defines classic party roles like Healer, Damage Dealer, Tank, Scout, etc. Other topics: new uses for equipment and skills, splitting treasure, playing an alignment, dealing with the Paladin's code (both as a paladin and as a partymember to a paladin), familiars & companions, summons, powergaming (effective feat, class, and spell combos), tactics.

About the only class stuff I expect is a chapter identical to Dragon's "Characters with Class" features.

-z

 

[Reynard]

I don't expect it to be a collection of new classes. But, holy cow, I would love such a book: a single volum with all the new classes and, even more useful, all the new feats. Right now, when I build an NPC cleric I have 3 or 4 books open in front of me. Annoying. I want a single giant table with all Divine feats, all metamagic feats, etc. I guess WotC could put out "The book of Classes" and "The book of Feats". I'd buy 'em in a second.

You know what would be really cool? A limited print run series of class specific PHBs. Fill in all the errata and rules tweaks, keep all the rules themselves, then dump everything that doesn't relate to playing (frex) a Cleric, and replace all the lost material with stuff from other sources such as Complete Divine and other 'important' supplements that mightr have had only a few relevent bits. Like I said, they would certainly be specialty books and have limited print runs, but I think a lot of people play one type of character more often than others. I know that 'The Ranger PHB' would end up on my shelf, even if I had to dump $40 for it.

 

[Corinth]

You know what would be really cool? A limited print run series of class specific PHBs. Fill in all the errata and rules tweaks, keep all the rules themselves, then dump everything that doesn't relate to playing (frex) a Cleric, and replace all the lost material with stuff from other sources such as Complete Divine and other 'important' supplements that mightr have had only a few relevent bits. Like I said, they would certainly be specialty books and have limited print runs, but I think a lot of people play one type of character more often than others. I know that 'The Ranger PHB' would end up on my shelf, even if I had to dump $40 for it.

This would be better done, and more likely to be done, by a third-party publisher selling such a work as a PDF file that's optimized for printing, specifically printing only a few pages out of that whole work at a time as the user requires them. The cost would be lower, and it would keep WOTC from wasting resources on something that wouldn't opreate on the scale that they need to make a profit. It's already possible to do it using the SRD alone; to incorporate supplements would require a license deal with WOTC, but it might be worthwhile to do that.

 

[Merlion]

I honestly cant really hazard a guess as to what would be in a second PH. Well some things...new spells and feats certainlly. But as for classes...the only thing I could guess would be variants of existing classes, and/or reprints of some of the other core classes they've put out in other products.

However, my big question about this would be, are or would the contents of these sequals to the three core rulebooks also be considered "core"? If so, I dearly hope it includes variants on existing classes, spells, the magic system, and feats especially metamagic. Possibly some rules for different ways of handling AC, HP, DR and other such factors would be nice.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I imagine that the people who have purchased the books in the past can kindly ask the WoTC gunman to remove the gun from their head as they've already made their quota of official product.

I see your point on those who have not purchased the books previously, but what about the ones that have? Now the new product has less information that they can use becuase they already have the classes/feats/spells/etc. from the other books.

Maybe my viewpoint is a little harsh and I can see where you are coming from. I just don't like the whole "regurgitate the same material" idea. Oh well, whatever floats your boat

 

[farscapesg1]

I imagine that the people who have purchased the books in the past can kindly ask the WoTC gunman to remove the gun from their head as they've already made their quota of official product.

And I suppose that the ones who haven't already purchased the books can kindly keep on not using the new prestige classes/feats/spells/etc. since they didn't want to purchase them the first time around

If the book comes out as a rehash of previously published stuff, fine. I won't be buying it because I don't need it. All I'm trying to say is that I think time would be better spent producing products with new ideas and information than to regurgitate previously published materials, especially stuff that has been out for less then 2 years and is still easily available at most gaming stores.

But like I said, to each his own. If that is the type of products that some people want, more power too them. It's not what I look forward to though.