Rules Compendium - what do we expect?

[JoeGKushner]

I thought it was a rule a page? If so, no feat compendium, or any type of rule crunch compendium really.

 

[Agamon]

I thought it was a rule a page? If so, no feat compendium, or any type of rule crunch compendium really.

No, it's a rule on one page, and then the facing page will have a related minis-friendly map.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I honestly expect this book to be a compilation of the articles from the "Rules of the Game" over at the WOTC site, cleaned up a bit but otherwise a lot of recycled materials. You can read them here at:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/rg

Actually I expect it to follow the lead of the other compendiums and collate material from the various splat books that have been released, not web-based material.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Actually I expect it to follow the lead of the other compendiums and collate material from the various splat books that have been released, not web-based material.

Not in the first quarter at least.

 

[catsclaw227]

I honestly expect this book to be a compilation of the articles from the "Rules of the Game" over at the WOTC site, cleaned up a bit but otherwise a lot of recycled materials. You can read them here at:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/rg

This is something that I have been wanting them to compile into a PDF for quite some time. I started doing it myself, but it was taking forever.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

My guess is we'll see stuff like the revised "polymorph" rules, the new actions (swift, immediate), environment rules from books like Frostburn, and...well, I can't think of much else. I'd like to see the new base classes like the Warlock, Knight, and Scout make it in there, as well as variant class abilities from PHB2, but my guess is we'll see a "class compendium" at some point, which collects the base classes and prestige classes into one place.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Tired of hauling all of your D&D rules supplements to the gaming table? Having trouble finding the rule you need? The Rules Compendium supplement takes all of the game's most important rules and presents them in a single comprehensive, easy-to-reference volume for players and Dungeon Masters. In addition to presenting the rules of the game, the Rules Compendium incorporates official errata as well as behind-the-scenes designer and developer commentary explaining how the rules system has evolved and why certain rules work the way they do.

Given the above, I expect this book to reprint the Combat chapter from the PHB, plus the intro "rules" bits to the Skills and Spells chapter. Plus the various DMG rules for weird environments, falling, swimming, drowning, suffocating, etc. Plus the new rules like Swift and Immediate actions. This will be a book that answers "How does X work?" I'm guessing that with this book, you can determine how to resolve any action.

I don't expect it to contain classes or feats, or comment on class features such as wildshape, familiars, or animal companions.

So if you're *just* the DM, you can bring this book alone to the gaming table. Assuming you've got a prepared adventure with monster stat blocks and treasure descriptions, that is.

Players, after all, are supposed to bring the PHB. You can borrow one if you really need to look up a spell.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Given the above, I expect this book to reprint the Combat chapter from the PHB, plus the intro "rules" bits to the Skills and Spells chapter. Plus the various DMG rules for weird environments, falling, swimming, drowning, suffocating, etc. Plus the new rules like Swift and Immediate actions. This will be a book that answers "How does X work?" I'm guessing that with this book, you can determine how to resolve any action.

I don't expect it to contain classes or feats, or comment on class features such as wildshape, familiars, or animal companions.

So if you're *just* the DM, you can bring this book alone to the gaming table. Assuming you've got a prepared adventure with monster stat blocks and treasure descriptions, that is.

Players, after all, are supposed to bring the PHB. You can borrow one if you really need to look up a spell.

I very, very much doubt anything from the PHB or DMG will be in there. They do make a point of using the word supplements, and given the other "Compendiums" have not included anything from the core books, I'd say we're only going to see material from the "Complete" series, environment books, and books like Dragon Magic.

 

[Ry]

I'm thinking it will be "this would have been a great resource if the business model didn't dictate that we omit the stuff that would actually deliver a 1-book D&D."