Players Handbook II

[JeffB]

I'd pay 40 bucks for it.

Honestly I'd pay 40 bucks a piece for revised versions of all three core books. As it stands, they are poorly written overall, unclear and/or vague on many issues, ugly (to me), hard to read because of poor layout, and full of errors. It's quite obvious that WOTC has done a infinitely better job with presenting the d20 system with more recent books like the SWRCRB, CoC, and WoT (though they are still bland and read like a college textbook)

As it is now, I use WoT for general rules reference because I cannot stand looking through the 3E PHB.

I hope it's not six years from 3E to 3E revised as it was with the 2E core books.

JeffB

 

[Frostmarrow]

Hi Frostmarrow!



Don't you mean Unearthed Arcana - because that is almost exactly the book you are prescribing.

I am sure WotC will get round to it eventually.

Yes, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we got Unearthed Arcana. They are, after all, using all the old titles. This means we could look forward to Fiend Folio and Legends and Lore too.

Also Dungeoneers Survival Guide and Wilderness Survival Guide among others.

 

[Eternalknight]

Perhaps, but your concerns are just assumptions. First you assume that no one will buy this and secondly you assume that once it's released no one will buy anything ever again. It doesn't add up.

Oh well, I'm exaggerating.

True, I am assuming. Maybe you should set up a poll asking if people would buy it? As i stated, I personally wouldn't, but obviously some folks would. Would be interesting to see how many are for and how many are against the idea. I can see it as being a boon for many new players, but would current players be willing to shell out $40 for stuff they already have? I think a poll would be very informative

P.S. I know they did Unearthed Arcana. I wasn't around during these times; how well did it sell?

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Personally something like this wouldn't interest me. I'm happy with the current PHB and wouldn't want to pick up a second one.

 

[Frostmarrow]

True, I am assuming. Maybe you should set up a poll asking if people would buy it? As i stated, I personally wouldn't, but obviously some folks would. Would be interesting to see how many are for and how many are against the idea. I can see it as being a boon for many new players, but would current players be willing to shell out $40 for stuff they already have? I think a poll would be very informative

P.S. I know they did Unearthed Arcana. I wasn't around during these times; how well did it sell?

I believe the UA did fairly well. It was quite broken though so older gamers frown when they hear the name. It introduced things like double specialization and cavaliers who continuously increased their ability scores.

I don't think a poll would be very useful since the question is a bit too complicated to fit in a sentence. What I've learned from your responses though are that if WotC would undertake such a endevour they would need to be very clear on exactly what the PHB2 was all about.

Oh, and please down a few Victoria Bitters for me, will you?

 

[AGGEMAM]

Oh, and please down a few Victoria Bitters for me, will you?

Can't you get them at Systembolaget ?

 

[Bagpuss]

I propose the writing and publishing of Players Handbook II. This book should be fashioned in such a way that it could replace PHB. However, it should contain 11 new classes, new (and old splatbook) feats, new races and new spells. The authors should have mandate to change fundamentals of the game, such as clerics doing most of the healing with cure spells or dwarves being resistant to poison.

Sure this isn't an advert for the Everquest RPG that is coming out shortly. That's likely to have a load of new classes.

 

[Eternalknight]

I believe the UA did fairly well. It was quite broken though so older gamers frown when they hear the name. It introduced things like double specialization and cavaliers who continuously increased their ability scores.

I don't think a poll would be very useful since the question is a bit too complicated to fit in a sentence. What I've learned from your responses though are that if WotC would undertake such a endevour they would need to be very clear on exactly what the PHB2 was all about.

Oh, and please down a few Victoria Bitters for me, will you?

Ok. So did UA have new stuff in it did it? And I see you are saying to put new stuff in there too, which would be a good ploy because then it would give some people a reason to buy it. But why 11 new classes? What is wrong with the current ones that they need to be replaced, as you state in your original post (...fashioned in such a way it could replace the PHB)?

 

[Eternalknight]

And consider the Vic Bitters downed

 

[WizarDru]

With the advent of the Epic Level Handbook, the Manual of thePlanes and the Deities and Demi-Gods we have what we need to bring a character from 1st level to 99th. The only way to expand the game further is by making it wider.

The Monster Manual II is a good example of a book that does this. I don't feel that the PrCs does this. Some are too silly (in my case the Ooze Master) and others are broken, misprinted or both. In any event they haven't been playtested. But I digress.

My propsition is to publish the PHB2 to widen the base. I sincerely don't think it would break up gamers. Not more than any other manual or book, that for sure. Moreover the content should be written by the industy's finest and thoroughly playtested (by us).

Would it break up gamers? I don't think so. I also don't think it would be a Players Handbook. Your first post discussed all new material, this post deals also with incorporating all of the material from supplements.

A PHB II might not be a bad idea, to consolidate all of that material. Some new material isn't a bad idea, either. However, make sure that it's clearly a SUPPLEMENTAL book, the same way that any of the splatbooks are supplemental.

Many of the splatbook PrCs aren't actually intended for PCs, they're clearly intended for NPCs, such as the Pale Master or the Dread Pirate, for example (ignoring the quality for a moment). Since the Monster Manual II is purely a DM tool, I don't think it's a good example (especially as it isn't needed the way the MM was).

Personally, I think Unearthed Arcana was one of the most poorly tested and written supplements for 1e, so it's not something I'd use as a shining example of what I'd want such a book to be.