WotC Which releases do you own?

[Maxperson]

Oh no worries. Just worried I was a chump. Typing a thing on the internet makes it true, ya know.

I am a billionaire who no longer needs to work. I am a billionaire who no longer need sto work. ::squint:: Hey!

 

[darjr]

I am a billionaire who no longer needs to work. I am a billionaire who no longer need sto work. ::squint:: Hey!

Hey there! So am I!!!

 

[ZeshinX]

Core rules, the "Monster Manuals" and the "splatbooks". I don't touch the adventure stuff (no need of them, I create my own) and will never go near the D&D/MtG crossover stuff (despise the crossing of those streams, but do understand people love it, so power to them and its great they get that itch scratched).

I'd buy campaign setting guides if they were to publish them (caveat being of established D&D settings akin to those of the past, a la FRCS of 3.x and the like). Don't care for their current mode of "Heinz 57" Adventure Modules with a little local flavour splashed in (cool for those that do).

Given their current approach, I suspect I'll be buying one book every year and a half when they release a new splat of collected options from their storyline stuff (hopefully the MtG crossover stuff never find its way into those). Pretty much all of the rest offers zero appeal to me.

 

[Helldritch]

It is unfortunate that you feel this way. The Acquisition inc book is full of good stuff for organisations and downtime rules and idea about downtime repercursions. The Ravnica book is a treasure for what a guild can bring your character. So much better than what was in the DMG. It was inspiring to say the least and I adapted a few of the Ravnica guilds to my campaign (five of these I adapted to be the factions of FR and all of a sudden, my players are eager to play the faction theme.) Some of the new races are so so, but some others are really good and are worth a shot at it. The same goes for adventures with the added monsters, background stories and other goodies. Even if you don't play them, they're a good read and can give you ideas for your own adventures.

 

[ZeshinX]

It is unfortunate that you feel this way. The Acquisition inc book is full of good stuff for organisations and downtime rules and idea about downtime repercursions. The Ravnica book is a treasure for what a guild can bring your character. So much better than what was in the DMG. It was inspiring to say the least and I adapted a few of the Ravnica guilds to my campaign (five of these I adapted to be the factions of FR and all of a sudden, my players are eager to play the faction theme.) Some of the new races are so so, but some others are really good and are worth a shot at it. The same goes for adventures with the added monsters, background stories and other goodies. Even if you don't play them, they're a good read and can give you ideas for your own adventures.

'Tis good advice, certainly. All of which I long ago took (been playing/DMing since 1e). Those books offer me nothing of substantive value I haven't already been practising for a good 25+ years (certainly the concepts if not the presented specifics). Don't misunderstand me though, I'm not lamenting the existence of those books, and certainly not the value they hold for newer players to the game. They hold a valued and welcome place in the library of anyone who has recently started playing (or even those keen to simply add to their respective library as a good read, as you say). It's just not enough for me to find much use for them (my own ideas for adventures will obviously fit my tastes far better...all I'm looking for is the canvas, and what is present in their hodge podge adventure modules just doesn't cut it).

It sounds like I may be bitter about it, but honestly, I've got three and half editions worth of D&D product and one of Pathfinder to mess around with, so it's not like I'm stuck for content to enjoy, adapt and use.

 

[Helldritch]

And I the same. With about 300 or 400 books of various RPGs (and a good chunk of it is from D&D, all editions mixed in) in additions of a lot of PDF worth several gigs it's not like I really need all the new stuff to get going. I could rely entirely on my own adventures that I have made over the years, adapt the old edition materials and zounds of other ideas.

But sometimes, seeing what the new generation of developers are coming with is worth every cents (ok, dollars...) that I put in. Two heads are better than one. Imagine several heads. (well... save the ettins. In their case one head would have sufficed.)

And no you do not sound bitter. Not even an ounce of it. Being realistic is far from being bitter. And buying something is not an obligation.

 

[ZeshinX]

But sometimes, seeing what the new generation of developers are coming with is worth every cents (ok, dollars...) that I put in. Two heads are better than one. Imagine several heads. (well... save the ettins. In their case one head would have sufficed.)

This is why I buy the splats and monster books. Other than the canvas, I do enjoy seeing what mechanical ideas they come up with (minus the MtG stuff...it's a bit of an irrational hatred seeing them crossed, I'll admit, but it's something I hoped and prayed would never happen from the day WotC gobbled up TSR...also irrationally I suspect it's just a matter of time before combat becomes "Roll for who goes first...and break out your MtG decks...").

I dunno about the several heads...a hydra with migraines is a bad day for any adventurer.

 

[Helldritch]

I do agree with you. Unfortunately, some features of the adventures and world books are not reprinted in the splat books. A lot the new backgrounds were not. The haunted background we had in CoS was a beauty that many of my players loved and some of them use it even if CoS is long gone behind us. Just the treatment the guilds of Ravnica gave to (well...) guilds could be applied to factions and I used them to adjust what the factions were giving to their members in the FR and they became a feature that the players were now longing to belong to and not just some RP shenanigan that would only give something at the DM whims. The codified version that Ravnica brought was a spring board that made factions quite appealing.

I really think that each book can bring unique things to a DM's campaign. Whatever their experiences and tastes. But sticking to the splat books is not a bad idea either.

 

[darjr]

Huh.

I have to agree somewhat. The Meta-bloat outside of a particular edition or RPG can be very real. Like steam addicts buying lots of games on steam sales but hardly logging hours in proportion.

D&D has to fight against that as well, especially with long term fans and customers.

 

[Helldritch]

That is why I really love the rate at which the books are being printed. Not too fast, not too slow. It is both good for my wallet and for the quality of the material we get.

Previous editions were getting their books out at an alarming rate and unfortunately, the quality was not always there. In fact, it was often poor to barely acceptable. There were some gems but they were like true gems. Rare. Too rare for my taste. So far, I have yet to see a book in 5ed that I am truly and fully disappointed at. (SCAG was close but it did have some redeeming qualities.)