Rules Compendium

[Jhaelen]

I'm not actually sure if having the RC is worth it. I had already incorporated all of the errata in my PHB1 (we're not using any of the Essentials books). I'm also not sure how robust it is. I have a feeling it's going to disintegrate after a couple of sessions.

Primal Power is worth it if you consider any of the other Power books 'worth it'. Myself, I enjoyed it quite a lot, especially to get a better grasp of the Warden class. I also liked the new builds for most classes (except the druid).

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

The "fluff" in the primal book is really nice - its the best description (IMHO) of what "primal" is and how/why it fits into the D&D PoL setting... so if you like that kind of stuff, it may well be worth it. If you don't... well, its just another book of builds and powers.

Another for for rules compendium... of all the essentials books, I wish it was a hardcover. That's a compliment to the book, though - I tote it to all my games, and just wish it was more robust. Mine hasn't fallen apart or anything, but the cover is getting pretty scuffed.

It doesn't quite have everything (it lacks the rules for rituals, for example, and for some inexplicable reasoning its missing the rules for letting oneself down (dropping 10ft as a move action without any type of roll or damage, which was in one of the pre essentials errattas)), but other than those few things its got all the rules, up to date, in one place.

 

[Aegeri]

I'm not actually sure if having the RC is worth it. I had already incorporated all of the errata in my PHB1 (we're not using any of the Essentials books). I'm also not sure how robust it is. I have a feeling it's going to disintegrate after a couple of sessions.

I use my RC all the time basically for almost everything and it hasn't disintegrated on me. Additionally I find a lot of subtle changes in the RC aren't in the errata or compendium (online one). For example you would not realize that grabs aren't ended by not being able to take OAs anymore unless you have the RC.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I do not feel the RC is necessary, really. All the info is elsewhere, and hopefully the group is not too rules bound atthe table. Most of our "rules" questions at the table tend to not be in the official rules anyway.

As for PP it is a good power splat book, so it really depends on if you like the splats. I found it an excellent one for just reading, too, maybe the best of the bunch. There is a lot of fluff information in there, detailing the world spirits.

 

[WalterKovacs]

I do not feel the RC is necessary, really. All the info is elsewhere, and hopefully the group is not too rules bound atthe table.

Just from the experience at our table ...

We have a shaman (and my assassin also has a conjuration power), a druid, plus we have a party that is very good at stealth. So, that by itself, means we need the errata'd stealth rules, the rules on conjuration, the rules on wild shape, etc. On top of that we are often using acrobatics, and atheletics, figuring out concealment and cover. Dealing with flying enemies (pulling them, slowing them, immobilizing them, grabbing them). And my assassin is teleporting around. We have a mix of low light vision and darkvision, etc.

So, we could have all those rules, with either needing the PHB1, and PHB2 at the table, plus any of the errata either written into the book or pasted into it ... or an internet connection. And when something does come up, we have to find the page, etc.

With the Rules Compendium, nearly everything is in one place, and it's smaller size actually helps to speed up how quickly you can look stuff up. It's come in handy in our games, as we are now into paragon tier and tricky terrain/flying enemies are causing important issues to come up.

 

[Jhaelen]

Additionally I find a lot of subtle changes in the RC aren't in the errata or compendium (online one).

Well, that's a bug not a feature
Naturally, our group will ignore any of the stealth errata introduced by the RC because not every player has a copy of the RC.

If WotC wants to make those changes 'official' they'd better release a _complete_ errata document yesterday!

Trying to force customers to pay for errata = bad.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Just from the experience at our table ...

We have a shaman (and my assassin also has a conjuration power), a druid, plus we have a party that is very good at stealth. So, that by itself, means we need the errata'd stealth rules, the rules on conjuration, the rules on wild shape, etc. On top of that we are often using acrobatics, and atheletics, figuring out concealment and cover. Dealing with flying enemies (pulling them, slowing them, immobilizing them, grabbing them). And my assassin is teleporting around. We have a mix of low light vision and darkvision, etc..

I understand you find it useful. Still, if I were looking up rules all the time, I would be getting pretty annoyed at the table.

 

[WalterKovacs]

I understand you find it useful. Still, if I were looking up rules all the time, I would be getting pretty annoyed at the table.

We are hardly looking them up all the time, but with any new encounter, there is a chance that because of the situation (flying enemies, lighting conditions, an opportunity to sneak up on the enemies, trying to get around a locked door, etc) that the players may be considering a strategy or idea, and they want to see if it will work before they try. If it's an idea that won't work, they'd rather know before they try it instead of getting ready to do it and then asking the DM if they can do it. (Also, we'd prefer to check if it's by RAW, instead of relying on the DM "letting" us pull off something tricky.)

Basically, if someone has to look up a rule at the table, Rules Compendium is one of the best options for doing so. It's not necessary for groups that don't expect to have to do it. Looking up rules at the table can be annoying, but a lot of that is because of the time it takes to find the right book, page, etc ... but the ease of use of the RC does make it slightly less annoying.