[WOTC] Revised Corebooks for July confirmed with info

[Michael Tree]

I'm guessing they will only change the Bard and Ranger classes. However, I'm virtually positive that they will change them in a significant way.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were minor changes to most of the classes, such as changes in the sorcerer's skill list, a revised Wild Shape description for druids, the removal of the restrictive "flavor rules" for druids, paladins, and monks, and more customizable monks. Hopefully they'll come to their senses and give the fighter Intimidate and Profession as class skills. You're probably right that the only classes that will be overhauled will be the bard and ranger.

I REALLY doubt that the changes will be listed online anywhere (MAYBE in the SRD, but who knows). It will be like the SWRCRB. There was a revised Jedi Guardian class. I searched online everywhere to see if I could find details of that new class as it is the ONLY thing I wanted from the revised book. But WOTC didn't have that information anywhere.

If you're going to complain, get your information straight. In the months leading up to the release of the revised Star Wars rulebook, WotC had web previews of not only the Jedi Guardian, but also the Noble, the Scoundel, and the Jedi Master, as well as the rules for playing Droids, and the Gamble and Craft skills.

 

[Felon]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Curious...

How much did White Wolf charge you for "unofficial revisions"?

Whatever a new edition cost, I had to pay it a second time 'round about three months later. Just because you don't remember (or, for that matter, maybe even didn't notice) the re-write and re-release that occurred within a few months of vampire's initial release, that doesn't mean the events didn't take place. I already told you what the major change was to the rules that I recall (extra successes on the attack only added extra damage when using firearms). Frankly, it's a bit odd that you feel the urge to keep dogging such a minor topic for the sake of ardently insisting it didn't happen. The VtM core book had been revised a few times in its first couple of years. It was a decade ago. What's the big whoop? Nothing to take personally...unless you're Mark Rein-hagen

 

[MerricB]

...on revised MM...
I think it will be some new (in some cases badly needed) monster illos, a REAL index, not just a CR index and definitely a new stat block format (try finding an osyluth on the fly, if you don't know what kind of creature it is...devil? demon? night hag? flip flip flip). I'm of two minds concerning the layout...I just want the picture near the start of a statblock, overall. I'd rather have detailed info than single-page entries. I'm sure the ECLs from the Dragon article will be there, too, as well as an expanded monster character section in the beginning.

It is worth looking at the format of Monster Manual 2.

The font size was slightly increased, the special ability descriptions were made much clearer...

If MM1 is reprinted in the style of MM2, I expect that at least 50 extra pages could come from just such a printing. Which is an excellent thing - too much was squashed into MM1 because of the original page limit count (which was meanwhile increasing for the PHB and DMG!)

Cheers!

 

[jgbrowning]

Pay attention to the timing. The books are coming out in the summer of 2003. The editorial coverage will be in the spring of 2003. They're essentially talking about the same interviews, personality spotlights, themed Dragon, and web previews that come out before all their books. Maybe we'll see something like the "countdown to 3rd edtion" sneak peeks in Dragon.

I wouldn't be surprised if they post one or more of the revised character classes as a web preview, like they did for the revised Star Wars book.

heh, this was what the internet was made for..... it increases the abilities of the common man to appear like an idiot.

thanks for the info, i plain out missed it..

joe b.

 

[Kichwas]

My 21 year old 1E PHB has a rock-solid spine; my lightly-used 3E PHB is ready to disintigrate at a touch. Originally posted by Negative Zero
what are you doing with yours??? mine's still pristine

My 3E books are all still near mint condition as well. And I lug them around with me weekly.

Of course I don't know if they could stand being chewed on by a dog AND a parot like my 1E Monster Manual.

But they're sturdy enough.

 

[Negative Zero]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Curious...

Whatever a new edition cost, I had to pay it a second time...

ah, i see. clearly those kneecapping bruisers got to your house too. damn those enforcers.

~NegZ

 

[Tace]

It will be kind of interesting to see what changes are made. I think we all are going to have a lot to talk about in a couple months with people comparing the old vs the new 3rd edition.

I hope not too much is changed. I would hate to deal with any friction that may occur with new people joining my group with the newer edition while the rest of us have the original.

 

[Felon]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Curious...

ah, i see. clearly those kneecapping bruisers got to your house too. damn those enforcers. ~NegZ

Well, I was about say something regarding quibbling about semantics but....nah, you got me dead to rights on that one. I didn't have to buy the revised book, I just didn't want to play without the most current and official rules. Poor wording on my part there. Mea culpa.

BUT, please realize the point wasn't about having to buy the books, it was simply pointing out that other games--even successful, well-regarded ones--revised their rules in a far shorter span of time than 3 years, and didn't make the same effort to maintain backwards compatability.

 

[Negative Zero]

yes, you did make a good point. just friendly ribbing there Felon. no hard feelings, eh?

~NegZ

 

[tleilaxu]

Remember the days when you could buy a video game with no obvious bugs? Sure, it was because Pac-Man was simpler than Ultima IX, but still that was pretty cool, huh?

These days people expect a game to have bugs. The patching system is an accepted (though not necessarily liked) part of the video-gaming world.

This situation begs the question: Do game developers commit fewer resources to bug-removal than they would if they knew the game they released was the only one anyone would ever play, and their bugs would be in the game forever?

Of course the response to this is that there are so many possibilities for bugs that only playing in wide-release can help the company discover them all.

However, back to WOTC books, I have to say the editting has in general been poor. I haven't seen a single 3e book that I haven't caught typos or other errors in the first read-through. So I guess the solution is "patching". Unfortunately with text objects this costs money. I think this is the source of lots of the holy griping that I've seen on this thread. The people have a point.

I think WOTC understands this perspective, which is why they've added extra content. They're trynig to sweeten the pot a bit.

The only thing that will piss me off is that I'm sure I'll find more editorial errors in my first read-through. If WOTC would like a new editor to work for them I'm availible and am reasonably sure I could get drunk before work every day and still do a better job than those who are doing it now.