Who keeps all their old books?

[Invader]

I've been toying with the idea of selling the vast majority of my 3.X books because as much as I love having the physical copy I very seldom if ever use them for anything any more when I have PDFs immediately at my finger tips.

As of yet I haven't been able to do it and I still get tempted to buy one if I see a good deal somewhere even though I know I'll probably never use it either.

I think at this point the main reason I still have them is the hope that my son will be interested and want to play someday and it'd be easier for a newcomer to learn to play with physical copies.

[Palanan]

I still have Dungeon Module B1, "In Search of the Unknown." :smalltongue:

And I still use my 3.5 books, plus hardcopy Pathfinder books, despite the comments I get from the people in my group using HeroLab. I love the sense and feel of physical books too much to give them up.

Unless space is a real issue, I'd say hang onto your books. The potential value they'll have for your son will more than likely outweigh whatever you'd get for them at a yard sale or on Amazon.

[Xervous]

The potential value they'll have for your son will more than likely outweigh whatever you'd get for them at a yard sale or on Amazon.

Some 3.5 books already go for nearly $100 if they're in good condition, imagine how much you'll get in the future in a depleted market.

[Venger]

I've been toying with the idea of selling the vast majority of my 3.X books because as much as I love having the physical copy I very seldom if ever use them for anything any more when I have PDFs immediately at my finger tips.

As of yet I haven't been able to do it and I still get tempted to buy one if I see a good deal somewhere even though I know I'll probably never use it either.

I think at this point the main reason I still have them is the hope that my son will be interested and want to play someday and it'd be easier for a newcomer to learn to play with physical copies.

I wouldn't bother. they won't bring in much cash.

while it's obviously not worth using dead tree copies to look for rules due to how poorly organized everything is, it is still worth it for the art in certain books, like spell compendium or fiend folio.

it's definitely easier for a noob to learn them with a physical copy, that's what I did when I picked up the game way back when, I'd carry them around and read them in waiting rooms and such. certainly a lot easier than pdfs, which are tricky on phones.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Xervous
Some 3.5 books already go for nearly $100 if they're in good condition, imagine how much you'll get in the future in a depleted market.

A few of them occasionally hit those prices, but most of them are going for much less, and I wouldn't plan my retirement based on hopes for a future market.


Originally Posted by Venger
...while it's obviously not worth using dead tree copies to look for rules due to how poorly organized everything is....

This depends entirely on individual preference. I'm perfectly happy to flip through my hardbacks.

[jiriku]

I own more than 100. I've thrown away a few that were used until they were falling apart, but most I still keep. And yes, I never look at them, I have them all on PDF and I do all my prep work at my PC and all my gaming with my laptop. :smallbiggrin: We get attached to things, I suppose.

[Susano-wo]

Yeah, there is no guarantee of there being a sizable market for RPG books like this. There may be, especially as people still play 3.5 If this continues, people may become interested in the physical copies, though the older it gets, the more people are going to be ok with just getting PDFs

Me personally? I keep em just because that's the way I am. I always keep my games/manga/RPG books. I've only traded a few gameboy games to friends, never sold any, and even then I half regret it, since I don't see them, much anymore and I really get the hankering for some metroid-vanias from time to time :smallbiggrin:

[Susano-wo]

Yeah, there is no guarantee of there being a sizable market for RPG books like this. There may be, especially as people still play 3.5 If this continues, people may become interested in the physical copies, though the older it gets, the more people are going to be ok with just getting PDFs

Me personally? I keep em just because that's the way I am. I always keep my games/manga/RPG books. I've only traded a few gameboy games to friends, never sold any, and even then I half regret it, since I don't see them, much anymore and I really get the hankering for some metroid-vanias from time to time :smallbiggrin:


(though if you do decide to sell, you can PM me--there are quite a few sourcebooks (like most of them) I never got around to getting, usually because someone in my group had them :smallbiggrin:)

[BWR]

I love my dead tree products. It brings a sense of contentment to see a room stuffed to the brim with books, even ones I've never read, will never read again or never use for a game.

[Venger]

A few of them occasionally hit those prices, but most of them are going for much less, and I wouldn't plan my retirement based on hopes for a future market.

This depends entirely on individual preference. I'm perfectly happy to flip through my hardbacks.

yeah, it's more common to see them for around 20-40, so you're very unlikely to recoup their initial price.


I own more than 100. I've thrown away a few that were used until they were falling apart, but most I still keep. And yes, I never look at them, I have them all on PDF and I do all my prep work at my PC and all my gaming with my laptop. :smallbiggrin: We get attached to things, I suppose.

more than 100? I didn't even think there were that many 3.x books. do you have multiple copies of some or what?

[Uncle Pine]

more than 100? I didn't even think there were that many 3.x books. do you have multiple copies of some or what?

There are definitely more than 100. I only phisically own like 20 of them, but I have about 97 PDFs in my USB pen and more than one hundred Dragon issues.

@OP: Keep your precioussss!!

[nyjastul69]

I still own all the RPG products I've ever bought, less trades of course. They're mine dagnabit!

[dafrca]

I've been toying with the idea of selling the vast majority of my 3.X books because as much as I love having the physical copy I very seldom if ever use them for anything any more when I have PDFs immediately at my finger tips.
I sold off a 25 year collection. I was so glad to be rid of all the boxes of books.... for about six months. Then I wished I had not sold all of them. Some, yes, but not all of them.

I would suggest you review them and select those to keep that you could see yourself using again. Dump those you have no real ties to. You will be a lot happier in my opinion, down the line. :smallsmile:

[Venger]

(though if you do decide to sell, you can PM me--there are quite a few sourcebooks (like most of them) I never got around to getting, usually because someone in my group had them :smallbiggrin:)

yeah, same here. always on the lookout for more stuff.

[Elkad]

I moved boxes of 1e and 2e stuff around for a couple decades. Plus an original basic set, a complete library of Dragon from 50-140ish, and various other games (Gamma World, Traveler, Paranoia, Boot Hill, GURPS, SFB, Champions, etc)

Then I opened the boxes one day and discovered at some point in the past everything had gotten very wet and had decomposed.

Now the only thing left is my basic set dice.

[PaucaTerrorem]

But when society shuts down and the machines take over by putting restrictions on our use of electricity those hardcovers are gonna start looking real nice.

[nyjastul69]

I moved boxes of 1e and 2e stuff around for a couple decades. Plus an original basic set, a complete library of Dragon from 50-140ish, and various other games (Gamma World, Traveler, Paranoia, Boot Hill, GURPS, SFB, Champions, etc)

Then I opened the boxes one day and discovered at some point in the past everything had gotten very wet and had decomposed.

Now the only thing left is my basic set dice.

Decomposed? I've seen a great many books damaged by water. Water damage is pet peeve of mine. Do you mean they were mildewed? There might be fixes for that.

[Segev]

I definitely keep all my books, personally.

[Jay R]

I still have all my original D&D books (pre-basic and AD&D). For a quarter century I wondered why I was bothering to save them, until I ran an original D&D game a few years ago. Save them because you love them, and it's worth the space for you.

But don't hold onto them hoping for big money. Old things get expensive only if everyone else gets rid of them, which isn't happening here. As new editions grow, there will be less demand for them. I just bought a 3.5E Monster Manual online for $7.

[Digitalelf]

I definitely keep all my books, personally.

Same here...

I have even kept most of my old campaign notes; some of those campaign notes are 33 years old.

[ZamielVanWeber]

I definitely keep all my books, personally.

This and I am trying to get the few that I do not own. (At this stage most Forgotten Realms stuff and the 3.0 soft cover books.)