Will Constant Errata Kill the Essential Line?

[firesnakearies]

Out of curiosity, can someone tell me how many pages there are of 4e material? Last time I looked at the 4e errata it was 100 pages at 12 point with lots of margins and dead space. It could probably be shrunk to 40-70% of it's current size. So are we looking at a 100/1000 ratio or 33/10000 ratio. I really don't know how big 4e is at the moment.

There is a HUGE amount of 4E material now.

Looking at the latest update of the DDI Compendium...

There are 2,378 feats. Only 161 feats appear in the original 4E Player's Handbook, so there are almost fifteen times as many feats in the game now.

There are 6,298 powers. Only 707 powers appear in the PHB, so there are almost nine times as many powers now.

There are 7,959 items. Only 720 items appear in the PHB, so there are over eleven times as many items now.

There are 433 paragon paths. Only 31 paragon paths appear in the PHB, so there are almost fourteen times as many paragon paths now.

There are 82 epic destinies. Only 4 epic destinies appear in the PHB, so there are over twenty times as many epic destinies now.


And . . . looking through the latest compiled update document, there are only 164 powers errata'ed or changed, for example. Out of 6,298 powers in the game.


So, it's safe to say that the "108 pages" of updates (with plenty of white space and explanations) represents a tiny amount of actual changed rules text compared to the total rules text for all of 4E at this point.

 

[Felon]

With the last batch of errata hitting recently, it made me wonder about the viability of the printed books, especially the 'core' books being reprinted.

Is it possible that those who already own the material will be put off from buying the new books not because they already own it, but because they figure it will be errata'd quickly after purchase?

Errata isn't the bane of the Essentials line, it's the raison d'etre of the Essentials line. Every couple of years they get to roll in all of the updates and print a new edition. And the updates are just meaty enough that you want them, but introduced gradually, almost subliminally, so nobody feels like they have a gun pressed to their temple--which for whatever reason is how some people felt with 3.5. Hook, line, and sinker.

That's why there won't be a new set of core books with "edition 4.5" emblazoned on the cover. This approach is beautifully insidious I want to French kiss it. Errata and revision as a subscription service.

 

[Felon]

So, it's safe to say that the "108 pages" of updates (with plenty of white space and explanations) represents a tiny amount of actual changed rules text compared to the total rules text for all of 4E at this point.

OK, can you do me a favor? Take DDI content out of those numbers, and tell us how significantly they plummet when the digital content is parsed from the printed.

Hang the percentages. 164's a big number. It doesn't suddenly become a flyspeck by virtue of the sheer volume of Dragon Mag stuff that isn't aggressively updated like the print content is (and, in fact, cannot be aggressively updated simply because we're inundated with it at such a breakneck pace).

 

[Dice4Hire]

There is a HUGE amount of 4E material now.

2,378 6,298 7,959 433 82 .

Kudos. Very nice post.

Apparently I must spread around xp before ... , but I don't remember giving xp to you before.

 

[Dice4Hire]

OK, can you do me a favor? Take DDI content out of those numbers, and tell us how significantly they plummet when the digital content is parsed from the printed.

I would like to see that also. Be a good comparison.

And I would have to say that prercentages do matter.

 

[The Little Raven]

There are 2,378 feats.
There are 6,298 powers.
There are 7,959 items.
There are 433 paragon paths.
There are 82 epic destinies.

Rule books only...

There are 1,510 feats. 63% of the total feats.
There are 5,190 powers. 82% of the total powers.
There are 6,950 items. 87% of the total items.
There are 341 paragon paths. 79% of the paragon paths.
There are 62 epic destinies. 76% of the epic destinies.

 

[Mengu]

Usually, when errata comes out, I make a quick list of items that will affect our 2-3 games in some way that the players need to know about. The list usually has less than 5 items on it. May update saw the highest number at 7 or so. I'd wager the effected rules for most ongoing home campaigns is going to be pretty small despite the apparent page count of updates.

And besides, if an errata is in the CB, I typically don't have to worry about it. Next time characters level up it will be incorporated. I like playing with a rules set that someone retunes for me when something is noted as out of tune.

 

[firesnakearies]

And besides, if an errata is in the CB, I typically don't have to worry about it. Next time characters level up it will be incorporated. I like playing with a rules set that someone retunes for me when something is noted as out of tune.

Yes indeed. I'm a big fan of the updates.