D&D 3.5 Compendium of Knowledge

[CyberThread]

If you had to make an entire splatbook (normal 180 pages), what would include in it, that would be the best of the best of 3.5, that included things from other books.

If your still confused, think of the Dragon Compendium, but instead of magazines, you are using the 3.5 various books to make one cream of the crop book.

[Trasilor]

I would simply create a collection of the various handbooks that are out there. They basically do exactly what you are saying - gathering the cream-of-the-crop for various archetypes/classes. This assumes that it merely references the other entries rather than actually including the entire language - i.e. it says use X spell rather than list X spell's entry.

[dextercorvia]

If you had to make an entire splatbook (normal 180 pages), what would include in it, that would be the best of the best of 3.5, that included things from other books.

If your still confused, think of the Dragon Compendium, but instead of magazines, you are using the 3.5 various books to make one cream of the crop book.

I would add the few good spells that aren't in the SpC, and the rest of the domains to the back. Then I'd cut out the useless spells, but make sure to cross list anything left for its appearance on other spell lists. With that extra space, I'd slip in Incantatrix, et al., and all the best casting feats. If I still had a scosh of room, I'd add the Archivist and all the decent Wizard ACFs.

[Falcon X]

I would make it a non-core players handbook. Basically, it's all the tried, true, and balanced stuff that happened non-core.

I would give it a section on purely Tier 3 classes, including Dread Necromancer, Warmage, Beguiler, and, Factotum. (Possibly Binder and ToB classes, but those take up a lot of space.)

I would give it major non-core races, including Tiefling, Aasimar, Drow, Shifter, Goliath, Warforged, Raptoran, Kobold, Spellscale, and Half-Dragon.

Probably a series of +1 LA templates, including Necropolitan, half-elemental, fiend/celestial descended, and lycanthrope.

Then, my personal favorites:
- Skill Tricks
- Feats designed for the above classes

[Falcon X]

How about a non-core 3.5-5th edition conversion document?

It would give all our favorite classes and races from the 3.5 splatbooks, and show you how they would work in 5th edition. For example, you could have a Factotum, and then have 5th edition's advanced feats that could turn him into a Bard or an Assassin.

[Red Fel]

I would simply create a collection of the various handbooks that are out there. They basically do exactly what you are saying - gathering the cream-of-the-crop for various archetypes/classes.

Sort of this. But instead of simply using the handbooks, which give classes and feats and what-not but include commentary - I'd simply list the options. Not the "best" options, but a few of the most versatile of any given type, to give a reader a choice without subjecting him to traps or opinions.

Step one, compile some of the most versatile options for each base class. For example, "Unarmed Combatant" classes like Swordsage or Battledancer, "Arcane Caster" types like Wizard and Sorcerer, "Divine Caster" such as Cleric and Druid, "Melee Powerhouse" like Barbarian and Warblade, and "Skillmonkey" like Bard and Factotum. For each, include ACFs and racial variants. Do the same with PrCs, picking some of the choicest and most versatile.

Next, go to feats. Again, choose feats that add to a PC's versatility or otherwise satisfy prerequisites. Group them by categories (e.g. "Fighter feats," "Metamagic feats," "Psionic feats," "Skill feats," "Unarmed combat feats," and so forth). Line them up in feat chains, where appropriate, for easy reading.

Next, spells. Again, include some of the most versatile. Separate them out into arcane spells, divine spells, powers, invocations, maneuvers, soulmelds, and so forth. Be sure to make a special section, call it the "warning section" or something, for spells and abilities with major game-breaking potential, such as Wish, Miracle, and Gate.

Somewhere in here we should have a section on races. Again, just some choice nuggets, a simple stat block for each. Obviously, humans, a bunch of elf and dwarf sub-races, and probably a few more unique-but-useful ones, like Warforged, Elan, Hellbred, and perhaps Mongelfolk. Following that, a section on templates, sorted by LA. Again, choosing only the particularly versatile ones, like Dragonborn, Half-Minotaur, and Unseelie Fey.

What else is there? We have races, classes, feats, spells... Gear! A brief section on the two or three most effective weapons in each category (light melee, exotic martial, etc.), and the same with armors. After all, nobody will invest in hide if they can do better for similar cost, right? Another section on useful material types, such as Mithral, Riverine, and so forth. Another on particularly useful enhancements. And another on a few particularly useful wondrous items or one-of-a-kind weapons and armor for which to watch.

The goal is a combination of versatility and simplicity. There are many ways to accomplish a given goal in 3.5; this Compendium would, ideally, provide two or three examples of the most versatile and powerful choices for doing so. And by advising the reader in such a manner, it gives him the freedom to choose from a variety of options while subtly guiding him past the traps.

For example, the Monk is the icon of the unarmed combatant, but you could easily play an Unarmed Swordsage, Battledancer, or even a Fighter with IUS and do as well. And while there are dozens of elven subraces (seriously, two elves walk into a bar and suddenly there's a Bar Elf subrace), many of them are redundant and only a few are particularly noteworthy. A good Compendium gives options and avoids traps. More importantly, unlike the handbooks, it won't actually tell the reader how to play his class or race choices - it should be more of a "just the facts" document, showing each item and explaining what it does, without then going on to say what makes the best use of it. Have to leave something to the player, after all.

[PraxisVetli]

inb4 Capnq EVD.
Anyway, one book seems harsh.
Is it feasible to ask for multiple?
The Caster (classes, spells, feats (a complete metamagic list, yes please), prcs like Incantrix)
The Front-line Melee (for lack of a better name)(warblades and barbarians crusaders, all fighter feats, ?duskblades?, and the like. Tanks, you know)
The Sneak/Skillmonkey (rogue, factotum, swordsage, all skill tricks, prcs like Assassin or Telflammar or Chameleon)
And each book would have a races section of course.
Am I missing anything?
This just seems like it would allow for more detail. Plus, then we can name one 'Volume I' like the Dragon Comp, and then actually have a Volume II!