The question of books

[Falconsflight]

I'd first like to mention that I've started play at 3.5, so I'm asking people who have experianced a change in editions.

I have approximatly 14 books discussing ideas, classes, spells, magical items and so on in 3.5. Now, 4th edition is coming out. Which has no effect on these books if me and my freinds decide to stay in 3.5, but lets say we switch.

What should I do with my 3.5 books? I'm asking those who have already experianced such a change and have played first or second edition, and then decided to switch to 3rd. Do you ever decide to play your 1st edition books? do you just read through it for old times sake?

I understand it's going to be different for everybody, but I'm just trying to get an idea of what I'm going to be doing with my books. Any advice?

[Morty]

I'd say that you should just sell them on eBay. 4ed or not, there will be someone willing to buy it. I've never seen any editionc switch, but that seems the most logical thing to do.

[tainsouvra]

I sometimes use old books for inspiration or background, but they primarily collect dust.

[Machete]

Give them to me?

This is my defining DnD "MUNEY 4 N00B" moment.


Seriously though, donate them to your local library perhaps? Then, decades from now these dusty tomes of knowledge shall be uncovered.

"DUDEZOR! Look at those grapple rules! So primative."

[AKA_Bait]

Mostly, sell em. Depending on what you have, you may want to keep some around for homebrew purposes. I still have some 2ed books for magic items and such.

[Solo]

I'd first like to mention that I've started play at 3.5, so I'm asking people who have experianced a change in editions.

I have approximatly 14 books discussing ideas, classes, spells, magical items and so on in 3.5. Now, 4th edition is coming out. Which has no effect on these books if me and my freinds decide to stay in 3.5, but lets say we switch.

What should I do with my 3.5 books? I'm asking those who have already experianced such a change and have played first or second edition, and then decided to switch to 3rd. Do you ever decide to play your 1st edition books? do you just read through it for old times sake?

I understand it's going to be different for everybody, but I'm just trying to get an idea of what I'm going to be doing with my books. Any advice?

Your 3.5 edition books will be useless to you. You should send them to me for proper disposal.

[Krellen]

I still have my 1e and 2e books.

Of course, I also have a library (as in a large collection of books) and savour having enough bookshelves to house it all one day, and love the smell of books - so send me yours for archiving purposes!

[Falconsflight]

I'm thinking that what I'm going to do is keep the books that mention ideas for characters (Races books, PHB2), or give me new and interesting items (MIC, etc.) Sell the Cmplete series, and donate my PHB, DMG, and MM. That way some kid who doesn't have 120 bucks to spare for a game of DnD, can get the books.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Lord Herman]

I'm keeping my 3.5 books. There's lot of fluff and semi-fluff in them that is still usable. I probably won't use my core books anymore, but the Races of... series, for example, is still usable in 4e.

[TheElfLord]

Hang on to them. Maybe you're group won't switch. Or decide that they don't like the new system and switch back after a little while. And then there is the odd nostalgic game.

My gaming group started in 2nd ed, then swithed to mostly White Wolf products. We came to 3rd ed slowly, 2002-3 or so (Man was I peeved about 3.5) and have been playing a mixture of 3.0, 3.5 and WW games ever since. Untill a few monthes ago when one of my friends said he was considering running a second ed game. So we pulled out all the old books, relearned some rules and off we went.

Keep em, you might use em.

[Orak]

Campaign books and modules are still completely useful after an edition change. In 3.x I still used 2nd edition modules. They were incredible useful because no one in my gaming group had access to them or had ever seen them before. They also used "dated" encounters, whether it be oldschool monsters or antiquated traps.It didn't take much to flip though the monstrous manual for replacement critters for the baddies that were in the modules.

The core books will need replacing if you want to expand to 4th edition. Old monster manual editions can be great for finding that perfect encounter. Though it may take some work to bump it up the new rule set. I imagine that the difference between 3.x and 4.0 will be substantial. I find old equipment books to still be useful, as they can add flavour items. Throwing in an item that has been removed because it was deemed too powerful can be a lot of fun. I gave a character a ring of vampiric regeneration in a 3rd ed campaign. That lead to lots of fun times.

What I regret is selling my 2nd ed boxed set of Forgotten Realms. The maps for that boxed set were much better than the maps in the newer sets. All the information was still relavent, just a few NPC's needed to be updated, not that it takes much effort to do that with computerized NPC generators to start the process.

Basically, campaign and modules will still be relevant but all the other books will just be to add flavour. At least that is how I would work it. My advice would just be to hold onto everything unless you are planning on moving a lot or are strapped for cash. The money you get from them will be negligable compared to the resource that you will lose.

And you never know, 4th ed might suck.

[Matthew]

Wow, some interesting advice here. I would say hold onto them; I often play different editions of D&D and enjoy having access to different versions. If you are running out of room in which to store the actual books, however, that's another story.

[bosssmiley]

As someone who's been through more than a few edition switches, I'd say "keep 'em." You might not use the ruleset anymore, but you'll never stop mining the books for information, ideas, inspiration, and so forth.

If you want to sell/give the books away make sure you bookcross them so you can find some new gamer buddies, and see how far around the world your books get.

[RandomNPC]

with the cost of books these days you should keep them, my groups not going to change systems for a few birthdays and a winter gift giving season or three.

[Jack Mann]

Give them to me?

This is my defining DnD "MUNEY 4 N00B" moment.


Seriously though, donate them to your local library perhaps? Then, decades from now these dusty tomes of knowledge shall be uncovered.

"DUDEZOR! Look at those grapple rules! So primative."

If humanity still talks like that in the future, I will introduce a virus that will wipe out all people in the world, and let the newts have their chance.

[BardicDuelist]

If humanity still talks like that in the future, I will introduce a virus that will wipe out all people in the world, and let the newts have their chance.

I have never actually met somone who talked like that...

[Damage Control]

I would recommend donating the PHB to a library. I found a 3.0 PHB at mine when I was younger, and that eventually led me to being here today.

[Skyserpent]

I have never actually met somone who talked like that...

you... are a lucky, lucky man.