PDA

View Full Version : [3.5] Rules Compendium



Thurbane
2010-08-23, 11:24 PM
Hi all,

A lot of people have said they consider this, one of the last 3.X publications, to be somewhat of a waste of paper.

Just wondering, who has found the RC useful, and who has learned something from it that they did not previously know? Have you found it makes looking up rules easier/quicker than consulting the 3 core books?

Cheers - T

Archpaladin Zousha
2010-08-23, 11:26 PM
I think it's worth it just for the satisfaction of a picture of the iconic PCs battling Cthulu, but that's just me. :smallbiggrin:

Zaydos
2010-08-23, 11:30 PM
It's sometimes useful; mostly on shape-changing abilities (since they changed them so often) and on some random things, but not really worth the money.

Thurbane
2010-08-23, 11:46 PM
I think it's worth it just for the satisfaction of a picture of the iconic PCs battling Cthulu, but that's just me. :smallbiggrin:
True - I had not seen that pic previously, and it just blew me away. Sean K Reynlods is my fave 3.X artist. :smalltongue:

KillianHawkeye
2010-08-24, 02:32 AM
This is a great book to have at the table during a game. The book is well organized, which makes finding the rule you're looking for pretty easy. There are also a few pieces of stealth errata and other rules that are written in a more clarified manner.

I also enjoyed the little game design articles they threw in there.



I give it a thumbs up.

Tyger
2010-08-24, 07:04 AM
It falls firmly into the "handy to have but hardly essential" area for our group. Its at the table, but we usually just go the SRD with its searchable database for our answers. In case of dispute, we'll take a look into the RC to see if its clarified better there.

I'd say it was worth the money we spent.

Asheram
2010-08-24, 07:18 AM
I think it's worth it just for the satisfaction of a picture of the iconic PCs battling Cthulu, but that's just me. :smallbiggrin:
The Gorgon (Medusa) upon a Gorgon (Bull) in the Ride section was a nice touch as well. :smallbiggrin:

It falls firmly into the "handy to have but hardly essential" area for our group. Its at the table, but we usually just go the SRD with its searchable database for our answers. In case of dispute, we'll take a look into the RC to see if its clarified better there.

I'd say it was worth the money we spent.

Agreed. Rules compendium is not really necessary, but it's a great reference when you need to look something up in a hurry.

Curmudgeon
2010-08-24, 07:20 AM
As far as collecting rules that exist elsewhere: it's pretty much a waste if you have a searchable SRD. But in addition to compiling existing rules, RC has introduced quite a few new rules, and most of those are worthwhile.

Snake-Aes
2010-08-24, 07:32 AM
Collectors will buy them anyway. Those without too many books also benefit from it. It's a nice touch to finish a series that will be discontinuated.

KillianHawkeye
2010-08-24, 11:27 AM
The Gorgon (Medusa) upon a Gorgon (Bull) in the Ride section was a nice touch as well. :smallbiggrin:

I agree, that's one of my favorite D&D pictures! :smallwink::smallbiggrin:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/RulesComp_Gallery/110241.jpg

ericgrau
2010-08-24, 12:27 PM
I've heard good things saying it's a well organized reference, but then I made my sig instead :P. But my sig is still missing some things, and has squat for character/campaign creation.

dsmiles
2010-08-24, 12:29 PM
Rules Compendium = tl;dr

In this case, tl = too late. My interest in 3.5 had completely waned into nonexistence by this time.

Eldariel
2010-08-24, 12:32 PM
I've found it useful for clarifying some messes but some of the rules changes are completely idiotic so many pages you are better off without (*cough*Concealment Rules*cough*). It does tell what happens when a flying creature is tripped though, and finally defines Anti-Magic and what exactly its effects are and covers things the original rules failed at. So it's not completely useless. It's the second document after the SRD I consult when it comes to rules nonsense.

TooManyBadgers
2010-08-24, 02:13 PM
I liked that it specified how AMFs work. I thought they chose a stupid mechanism, but I like that it was defined.

I like that it clarified how wands work with non-Standard Action spells.

I didn't like that it didn't really address the mounted combat rules that brought me to thumb through it in the first place.

Grommen
2010-08-24, 09:23 PM
Bought it. Scanned it into my computer, tabbed it.

Hardly ever used it. Then we switched to Pathfinder and the stupid book is just sitting on my shelf. If it had come out a few years before, I think I would have worn it out thought. It is a good thing to have if you need to find something in a hurry. I know we looked up conditions in it just about every time we need to know what Dazzed, dazzed, stunned, actually did.

IdleMuse
2010-08-24, 11:15 PM
Bought it cheap, love it. I mostly play with people who, to put it bluntly, don't know the rules, and having a book to show them exactly how (for instance) grappling works, all neat under a nice header, is very satisfying. A lot of my GMs are much more likely to listen to a actual rules I quote if I have a book to back me than some sort of online SRD. And the RC is far, far faster to look things up in than the PHB/DMG combo.

In the kind of groups I play in, it's the most valuable table reference I own.

PlzBreakMyCmpAn
2010-08-24, 11:19 PM
I needed it (not just found a summary in there) for my first thread in the old 339. :smallsmile: