Obtaining 3.5e Rulebooks over 4e.

[Flarp]

Being new to D&D and tabletop games in general (having learned of them and gained interest in the same from OotS, actually) I browsed wikipedia for information on how I would actually go about, y'know, playing the game.

Simple enough. The only problem I still have is buying the actual rulebooks.

I read some descriptions of 4e and 3.5e, and even those that openly favored 4e made me lean more towards 3.5e.

The difficulty, however, is that my local Barnes and Noble resolutely stocks only 4e. So, I ask - how would I go about obtaining 3.5e Core Rulebooks outside of actually venturing into society and buying them?

[Bayar]

3.5 no longer prints. Try the internets.

[FoE]

Try eBay.

Another question you must ask yourself: can you get a group together? D&D is not a single-player game. At minimum it requires two people: the player and the DM.

[Flarp]

Try eBay.

Another question you must ask yourself: can you get a group together? D&D is not a single-player game. At minimum it requires two people: the player and the DM.

eBaying now. How much would I expect to pay for each of the three?

On the second count, I'm actually set. I've gotten a group of three together, with a possible fourth and unlikely fifth. That's big enough, right?

[Mando Knight]

Try eBay.

Another question you must ask yourself: can you get a group together? D&D is not a single-player game. At minimum it requires two people: the player and the DM.

If the answer is no, then your options are pretty much limited to NWN and this.

[Temet Nosce]

eBaying now. How much would I expect to pay for each of the three?

On the second count, I'm actually set. I've gotten a group of three together, with a possible fourth and unlikely fifth. That's big enough, right?

Three is absolutely fine player wise, and if you're just buying the core books you might take a look at the SRD.

[sofawall]

Much of it is here, but you'll still want the books.

EDIT: My Uncanny Dodge has failed me.

[Thane of Fife]

Well, first things first, you can almost get away with just the SRD, which has most of the 3.5 core rules.

Otherwise, Ebay, Amazon, and Used Book Stores are all good places to look. This is probably a bad time to buy it, though, as it's just out of print and will be expensive.

Have you considered Pathfinder instead? The rules are almost the same, the books should be available at a game store, and any new products are most likely going to support it rather than raw 3.5. I think it runs new for about $50, or a $10 pdf, or it has it's own SRD.

[Mathius]

Try your local used book store, you can usually pick them up for around $15 a piece.

[Nanan]

Like others have said, SRD is a good reference source to use, I have it book marked on my netbook. Also if you are not to partial to being lawful good you can find pdf renditions of every book published. And last but not least try Amazon.

[Random832]

Things not in the SRD:

Illithids, Githyanki, Beholders. Some spell names are different, generally by omitting the name of an "iconic character" (e.g. Mordenkainen). Generally anything on the list of product identity at http://dndsrd.net/legal.html
Character creation rules (but everyone knows those)
XP to level (but everyone knows that)
XP per encounter (3.0 available online at http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnD_DMG_XPFinal.asp)
Wealth by level

[Tyndmyr]

Noble Knight has a huge variety of OOP sourcebooks for D&D and other stuff.

Check ebay first for the cheap stuff, then pick up whatever you cant find elsewhere there.

[Flarp]

Like others have said, SRD is a good reference source to use, I have it book marked on my netbook. Also if you are not to partial to being lawful good you can find pdf renditions of every book published. And last but not least try Amazon.

I will definitely try Amazon.com. Which is good, because that's the only thing you suggested. Really.

Google is handy.

[Thane of Fife]

I will definitely try Amazon.com. Which is good, because that's the only thing you suggested. Really.

Google is handy.

Having just looked at Amazon, it looks ridiculously expensive. Something like $50 for just the PHB, used.

[Kurald Galain]

The difficulty, however, is that my local Barnes and Noble resolutely stocks only 4e. So, I ask - how would I go about obtaining 3.5e Core Rulebooks outside of actually venturing into society and buying them?

Well, there's Pathfinder, which is for sale at paizo.com and which was designed to be compatible with and provide continued support for 3.5.

Opinions vary on whether it's better, worse, or the same than 3.5; honestly I haven't played PF yet so I wouldn't know, but you may want to check it out.

[ex cathedra]

Honestly, considering that they're out of print, certain possibly disreputable parts of the internet offer the best prices. Like, free. In handy pdf formats.

If you have problems with this, for some reason (it's not as if you're depriving WotC of money by acquiring things they don't print), ebay, amazon, and local used stores/game stores are your best bets.

[LibraryOgre]

If you can find a Local Game Store, you can usually find a number of the books, brand new. Many used book stores will also carry them.

[Rixx]

Try Pathfinder. It's what I've been using for most of my gaming career (Our gorup started with 3.5 and switched to Pathfinder) and I found the Pathfinder rules a lot more fun. Plus it's more readily available and new content's going to be coming out for it.

It also has a nifty homebrew database run by a guy: http://pathfinderdb.com

[The Dark Fiddler]

I was in your EXACT position a few months ago (Even down to having three players that would for sure play) and I got my copies of Amazon. Cost me about $70 all together for the three Core books used.

Although if you're gonna have people creating their characters at the same time, I'd recommend having at least two copies of the Player's Handbook.

[dragoonsgone]

Honestly a good thing to try would be
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x...d/dndtestdrive

Its free and it gives you a baseline for 4E.

Amazon is a great place to get the 3.5 books and if you are getting a 2nd PHB, I would get the 3.5 players kit. Dice, softcover book, few extras and should come with a mini's booster.
http://www.amazon.com/Players-Kit-Fr.../dp/0786943092

[Dublock]

Things not in the SRD:

Illithids, Githyanki, Beholders. Some spell names are different, generally by omitting the name of an "iconic character" (e.g. Mordenkainen). Generally anything on the list of product identity at http://dndsrd.net/legal.html
Character creation rules (but everyone knows those)
XP to level (but everyone knows that)
XP per encounter (3.0 available online at http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnD_DMG_XPFinal.asp)
Wealth by level

Not true, you missed what level you get feat(s) as thats not in the SRD ;)

[Grynning]

If the Half-price Books chain exists in your region, go there. All the ones here in A-town have shelves packed with 3.5 sourcebooks, although the 3 core books are less common there. Most of them are priced down to the 10-15 dollar range.

[Mando Knight]

Also, keep an eye out for local gaming conventions. The nearby gaming stores usually unpack all of their extra books for those, including ones they don't usually have on the shelves. You could probably even find AD&D books there.

[pres_man]

Not true, you missed what level you get feat(s) as thats not in the SRD ;)

It is there, but hidden in the table Creature Improvement by Type.

All types have a number of feats equal to 1 + 1 per 3 Hit Dice.

[Galileo]

If you're looking for character sheets, I'd recommend using http://sunrainstudios.com/. They're the best character sheets I've seen, and there's also a Player's Info sheet they offer. Really good, concise list of things you might need to refer to on two pages. Both free to download.

[Curmudgeon]

Having just looked at Amazon, it looks ridiculously expensive. Something like $50 for just the PHB, used.

Used book prices are set by Amazon's marketplace sellers. Right now the 3.5 Player's Handbook is quite expensive, but the Monster Manual starts under $10 (before shipping). Complete Adventurer is $8.

You'll want to look around at multiple sources to get good prices.

[Erith]

If at least a good portion of you players will be using computers, I'd say you could probably just get away with the srd and a hardcopy of the rules compendium for quick reference. I got mine for $10 used.

[Amiel]

Your FLGS may have a website where you can purchase 3.5e books over the interwebs; FLGS rather than the big retailers may still have earlier edition books in stock/in reserve.

I would advise you, however, to actually physically enter the store to pick up any books that you fancy, as the best bargains are had this way; some FLGS websites do not list all inventory, and eBay and Amazon, for 'pristine' and second-hand copies, may actually charge you more than the books are actually worth.

I picked up several Dragon and Dungeon magazines for AUS $2, an antique Greyhawk supplement for the same price, City of Stormreach and Elder Evils for AUS $10.


Also, do please head over to www.d20srd.org to learn more about the rules and how to go about playing the game. And take a look at Pathfinder and its SRD as mentioned to see if that interests you.