Buying the Core Now

[gareth]

Before the announcement of the fourth edition, I was all set to buy the 3.5 core books. Would this be a dumb idea now, or will edition 3.5 have enough staying power to make it worthwhile?

[Ichneumon]

If I were you, I would just continue/start using the SRD (www.d20srd.org) for the next 9 months.

[CASTLEMIKE]

The D20 SRD has most of the Core book information and in less than 9 months the Core books will be replaced.

4.0 will probably be just off enough to require replacement of the former core books (It's a business and that's how it makes money (Improving the game via new books)).

Curious with Wizard's ending license for Dragon and Dungeon magazine and repossessing other settings just how much of the 4.0 will be D20/SRD?

Probably a lot more value to you if you purchase campaign settings like the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting or the Eberron Campaign Setting instead which all have a few PRCs and lots of information including a few new spells and feats and most of the setting basics won't change. Stand alone source books like ToB probably a good idea if you like fighters.

[gareth]

Thanks for the feedback. That SRD site looks good.

[The Prince of Cats]

The SRD does lack details on how to get stats or level up. This can be easily rectified without breaking copyright - D&D has always used the same basic rules to get stats, with some minor tweaks. If you have even AD&D 2e, you know how to get stats.

Any of the D&D games set in 3.x (NWN, NWN2 or ToEE, for example) will show you how to level up and it all follows fairly standard mathematical algorithms. (the NWN SDK actually shows you the algorithm if you know where to look)

Also, a good point, check eBay... In the next 9 months, I foresee a lot of people selling off their 3.0 and 3.5 books cheap.

[onasuma]

Also, a good point, check eBay... In the next 9 months, I foresee a lot of people selling off their 3.0 and 3.5 books cheap.

And i shall be there, buying them. Im not going for 4 ed myself, dont have time or money, to get another whole set of books, and with cheap stuff on ebay (Its even started now), my collection shall swell.
So, if your going to get into 4th edition, dont. If you'd rather have lots of 3.5 for the same cost, do so

[gareth]

Huh. I didn't notice SRD didn't have rules for levelling up. Of course given my luck it'll be a while before any of my characters need them... Seriously, thanks for pointing that out.

[Overlard]

Yeah, there are gonna be a lot of books on ebay now, from over-reacting people disgusted that 4th edition is on the way, and over-eager ones who are clearing space for the new books.

[Ichneumon]

Huh. I didn't notice SRD didn't have rules for levelling up. Of course given my luck it'll be a while before any of my characters need them... Seriously, thanks for pointing that out.

Your welcome, The SRD has all the information of all the core books except the rules for leveling (xp etc.) and character creation, but those are rather easy to learn or explain and houserule.

in fact, in my games, we do without xp, we just level when my DM says we have done enough.

[Matthew]

As Prince of Cats says, if you download the Demo for Temple of Elemental Evil, it comes with a version of the rulebook that includes Experience Progression.