Will You Count "Roman Numeral" Books As Core?

[jester47]

The Roman numeral Books- PHB II, DMG II, MM III, etc...

Will you consider them core books?

Edit: I might want to make a new poll querying the potential sale landscape of the Roman Numeral Books.

 

[hazel monday]

Good Question. Definitely not.
I might use them if I like them. But I won't consider them "core". I think the definition of core is going to be a lot more subjective in 4E.

 

[Gloombunny]

"core" is just a word. It can reasonably be used to refer either to the most basic books, the ones you're supposed to have to play the game at all, or to the books that apply to the game in general instead of to specific settings - the "core" that the settings all revolve around. We're just more used to the former meaning than the latter.

That said, I would've preferred to keep using "core" as I'm used to, especially since I use that term all the time for other RPGs where the second meaning is inapplicable, but if WotC sticks to their guns on this the second meaning may eventually drown out the first. Either way, I hope it gets resolved fairly soon; I hate ambiguous communication.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

Undoubtedly. I take 'options, not restrictions' seriously.

 

[Desdichado]

I don't make any distinctions about core vs. non-core now.

Seems a bit premature to pass judgement.

 

[JohnSnow]

I voted yes.

As core as I hold anything. That doesn't mean I'll use every class and every monster in every campaign I run. But that's true now.

As a side note, I hope they number them with Arabic numerals just to hack off the people calling them "Roman Numeral Books."

 

[Deset Gled]

If their basic content is included in the SRD, I will consider it core. If it isn't added to the SRD, I will not.

 

[jester47]

Then they will become "The Number Books."
The idea I think is to make a clear distinction between the first three and anything subsequent. That way there is a designation that says "This is not required for play, no matter how much the publisher wants to imply it is."

Which I think is fair to consumers.

 

[jester47]

If their basic content is included in the SRD, I will consider it core. If it isn't added to the SRD, I will not.

This is the best policy IMO.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

No. The core by defnition, is what is core to the game, the rules that everything else will run off. And I'd hope what is core to most games is included in the PHB, DMG, MM.

PHBII, DMG II, MMII and the books that follow those I'll view in the same light as Unearthed Arcana, Complete Arcane, PHB II (3.5) etcetera.