The other 3 products for 2008

[jodyjohnson]

We're expecting 8 4e products next year (other than minis) so far.

The Module
PHB
MM
DMG
Forgotten Realms CS

ANd the others were listed as

Magic item
Martial
and Magic

It occurred to me that card sets of options might be useful in a system where some items cycle per day, some per encounter, and some at will (martial powers, spells, and magic item abilities, plus class abilities).

Are the last three products Bo9S-like cards that are Aids to play as a DDI alternative? Not collectible or random, but like the 2e Spellcards, recent status cards, or any number of PDF/3rd party items.

Seems like a scheme to tell action types apart (immediate, swift, move, standard) combined with another code to tell whether it's at will, per encounter, or per day plus power descriptions would be likely.


After the crunch bloat of 3e not sure if I want to buy into extra books for martial, magic, and magic items so soon after the core books. Whereas card sets to use as optional references during play would be nice.

 

[hong]

Every mainstream game has crunch bloat. It would be naive to expect that 4E is going to magically create a game that is stable for all time. 4E might reset the counter, but it'll still be ticking in the background.

That said, card sets would be very nice to have, if the system is going to be anything like Bo9S. That book really needed props if you were going to use maneuvers routinely.

 

[Nikosandros]

That said, card sets would be very nice to have, if the system is going to be anything like Bo9S. That book really needed props if you were going to use maneuvers routinely.

Yes, books like Bo9S or SW Saga (when using force powers) really need "power" cards and if this thing became routine in 4e, then cards set would really be useful.

 

[Glyfair]

Yes, books like Bo9S or SW Saga (when using force powers) really need "power" cards and if this thing became routine in 4e, then cards set would really be useful.

Well, they do have downloadable cards for the Bo9S. I can easily see them doing so for 4E, if they are needed.

If WotC doesn't, I'm sure a fan or a 3rd party will do so under the OGL. Then you'd only have to worry if non-OGL stuff is needed (probably pretty unlikely).

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Cards for abilities could be handy - particularly with BO9S material, which I've gamed with. (Though I found myself shuffling though options all the time. Hopefully you start to memorize them.) Could be easy for casters too. Just shuffle through the deck and pick out your spells for the day. That said, the crunch bloat (or as we used to call it Book Creep) will irritate me immediately. I think that there are too many books full of options for standard D&D right now. I'd rather a couple stellar, well-playtested and well-written, heavily edited and indexed releases a year than 10 mediocre ones.

 

[dagger]

They have force power card downloads for SAGA as well.