Why re-release 3.5?

[mach1.9pants]

not to mention, selling 3.5 PDFs is cheaper than reprinting books.

It will probably appeal to folks who want the rules on their tablet device during game, and would like to do so legitimately, while giving them value for paying for it. (you could keep using that pirated PDF or honest-up and get a bug-fixed version that probably lets you copy/paste text).

Yeah they are re-printing the core 3 for 1E and 3.5E so far.

However since the entire back catalogue of DnD PDFs is available on torrent sites now, giving their legitimate customers a way to get them is a no brainer. It is so frustrating that they are all 'out there' but I can't buy them or get at them without pirating them. WotC not selling e-book versions was a stupid business decision IMO, most of us will remember the furore when it was announced and rapidly implemented. I hope this 2013 set of releases are files I can do what I wish not a subscription type service, a DDi thing has so many limitations. Like everytime I watch a movie and have to sit through the FBI piracy warnings and crap, I think 'pirates don't have to put up with this!'

 

[Desdichado]

The secondhand market for 3.5 books has been quite robust since the 4e announcement, and remains so years later. PF is big, but I think the number of 3.5, PF, and 4e players is probably at least all on the same order of magnitude at this point; it would not surprise me if 3.5 and not PF was the largest of these groups but no one really knows. The reason to release the books is because there's a market, and because WotC needs to get on that market's good side.

Exactly my point; the prices on Amazon remain nearly as high as for new books. This suggests that there's still a robust demand for 3.5 books--which suggests that a lot of folks are still playing it.

As to the quality of PF over 3.5, it has some innovations, but a lot of change for the sake of change and some real garbage like "rage points", the setting, and the gun rules. I like to mine it for ideas-probably more than half my characters these days have an archetype or an alt racial feature-but I wouldn't say that taken as a whole it is a meaningful improvement.

I think the setting is the best thing about it, and I think the firearms rules are perfectly fine. Heck, they're not much different from firearms rules that appeared in d20 Past, for instance. But without getting into quibbling about the details, I'd certainly agree with the general sentiment; for a 3.5 player, the "fixes" Pathfinder made are, at best, modest. At worst, they took a workable game and made it more difficult.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Exactly my point; the prices on Amazon remain nearly as high as for new books. This suggests that there's still a robust demand for 3.5 books--which suggests that a lot of folks are still playing it.

No kidding. I saw a MIC at a little under list price and bought it immediately even though I already own one, and gave it to one of my players. It's hard to find for less than twice list price, even in mediocre condition. Those things are golden!

Same for a variety of the better quality books from late era 3.5 that didn't get a lot of printings.

I think the setting is the best thing about it, and I think the firearms rules are perfectly fine. Heck, they're not much different from firearms rules that appeared in d20 Past, for instance. But without getting into quibbling about the details, I'd certainly agree with the general sentiment; for a 3.5 player, the "fixes" Pathfinder made are, at best, modest. At worst, they took a workable game and made it more difficult.

To each his own. d20 firearms rules aren't lethal enough for me, but that's another discussion. But as to the OP's point, there is certainly no consensus that PF is meaningfully and substantively better than 3.5 D&D.

 

[Dice4Hire]

If we can get WOTC to reprint ALL previous editions, and for that matter 4E, electronically, why are people arguing?

Put them all out there and let the customers decide which systems they want to have.

 

[Desdichado]

So, in my rather speculative analysis, there are four major player blocks, market segments if you will, in the fractured D&D player base. There's the OSR folks, the lingering 3.5 guys, the Pathfinder guys, and the 4e block. And I'm fairly confident, even though I'm just speculating, that all four blocks are significant enough to warrant attention from WotC. That doesn't mean that they're roughly the same size, although who knows; they might be.

With the recent reprinting of the 1e core rulebooks and now the reprinting of the 3.5 core rulebooks (and possibly some other books as well!) WotC seems to be firing a direct warning shot over the bows of two of the three non-current edition player blocks that they are going to really try and get their attention again.

I'm not sure how to directly "attack" the Pathfinder player base, but then again, the relationship between fans of Pathfinder and 3.5 is probably fairly complex.

I can actually see circumstantial evidence of WotC acting strategically without being tone-deaf or arrogant here! I suppose that's pretty good news.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

As to the quality of PF over 3.5, it has some innovations, but a lot of change for the sake of change and some real garbage like "rage points", the setting, and the gun rules. I like to mine it for ideas-probably more than half my characters these days have an archetype or an alt racial feature-but I wouldn't say that taken as a whole it is a meaningful improvement.

Yeah- and I feel much the same about the other upper-echelon 3.X games like Arcana Evolved, True20, Midnight 2Ed, etc.

 

[variant]

I kind of hope that they use different covers. Maybe a non-leather version of the old D&D 3.5 Special Edition books. I kinda wish they would include the Warlock in the PHB. It deserves its place.

 

[spudspotato]

There must be someone out there who wants 3.5 books, because I just sold all of mine on eBay.
Including some that were in horrible condition.

 

[Desdichado]

There's still a few I'm interested in tracking down. I'm not interested in paying full price (or more) for them, though. I don't need them that badly.

We still play 3.5 more than any other game, though.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

1) People stop buying stuff when a new edition is announced. WotC wants their employees to not be homeless by the time 5E comes out. People (including me) bought the 1E books and a lot of them will buy this.
2) The Pathfinder echo chamber, bless their hearts, are not the whole of the prefer-3E-to-4E fandom, just the loudest segment.

These books will sell and sell well. My guess is that we see a re-release of the 2E FR gray box next, followed by 1E modules.