Just a quick note, and probably a little late. I don't mean to offend anyone, or piss anyone off, but why did they change the rules of D&D from 3.0 to 3.5? I understand that 3.5 was more than likely an add gimmick, but why change at all? It didn't seem like 3.0 was out all that long and then they changed it all around. Was there some sort of problem? ANd why make a lot of the stuff in the books obsolete? Were they too powerful or something? Also what about weapons and things. Are some of the more exotic ones like Bladed Gauntlets and the such gone? or just in a different book? To me, as a complete outsider and just a "weekend warrior" it kind of seems like a way for WotC to just make more money. But if there is a reason could someone please explain it to me. I would really feel better. And if they are planning on changing things around again and making "4.25" or something could you mention that too, as I don't have the cash to keep updating my books and rules every few years. Though cheaper pdfs would be more acceptable.
thank you all
yours in isolation
Alasanii.
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Well, actually 3.5 is 3.0 with a lot of errata and game improvements. All of them are things you can update yourself according to WotC through the SRD. But if you've seen the SRD it's a book upon itself. Classes changed, rangers still cry. Wpn sizes started to matter.
Yes, it's a fast way to get a lot of money again, and if another version will come, well you'll have to wait but I don't think it'll happen too soon. There will be one eventually but not today or tomorrow, it's only natural, products get replaced by newer versions. If you like those threads then over at the WotC you'll find multiple threads about it. Threads about 4.0 are trollbait and allways ruffles people's feathers over there.
Well Alasanii,
I understand your frustration. Having started playing D&D around 1980, I've seen more version than a Star Wars saga. Each time a new set of rules came out, it took me YEARS to conform to them... Thinking that the rules were just fine as they were. When the 3rd edition came out a few years back, I cursed at TSR/WoC once again. Then one of my players bought the new players handbook and showed it to me. I read it thoroughly and really liked the new d20 system (compared to THACOs and saving throws vs Rods, Staves and Wands). So I bought the three core rulebooks and we tried an adventure to see how it played out. It turned out great, so we switched to 3rd edition and liked it.
Then out comes 3.5... I couldn't believe my eyes when that same player of mine brought a new players' hadbook version 3.5 to my session. I wasn't only cursing and swearing; I was actually casting death spells and doing the "I wish they all die" dance. Then I read it.
You know what? They actually fixed many of the small problems we ourselves had noticed (and temporarily changed). Probably from countless feedback from gamers everywhere, they "tweaked" the gaming system a little to make it that much more enjoyable. They redifined (more clearly) how attacks of opportunity worked. They changed a few class features here and there, and added explenations where it was needed. The "tweaked" version is actually pretty good.
Does this mean I threw away my 3rd edition books? Hell no. I find that many things in the 3rd edition is compatible with 3.5 version. In the end, I think the changes were appropriate and needed. The 3.5 edition gets thumbs up from me, and I recommend the switch if you haven't done so already. Of course, if they bring out a 4.25 edition, like you mentioned, I'll probably stop playing.
Ultradan
P.S.: Then again, it WAS probably just to make more money...
I think it was the Summer of 2003 when 3.5 came out. I never played 3.0, went straight from 2nd edition to 3.5, I guess I got lucky.
Thank you very much for all the input and information.
glad to know that there are so many people out there with so many answers.
So here is another question. Why do the rangers always get the short end of the stick? It is such a p$%% off!
thanks again.
Lost in a concrete jungle
Alasanii
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Its my opinion that rangers were actually very much improved in 3.5. I'm not a super rules lawyer but I can remember them being very "top loaded" back in 3E. What I mean, is that you could take the first few levels of ranger and get a good amount of their abilities and then would switch to another class. Nobody I knew played rangers to 20. Since 3.5 came out, I've had two players be rangers from 1st level to epic. As I already said, I'm not really a savy follower of balance and rules, but I do know that their abilities were improved and spread over the course of their progression and this struck me as a grand improvement.
Now sorcs on the other hand....
No i completely agree with you there, in 3E all you had to do was stay a ranger for a few levels get most of their better feats and you were set to do something else. The thing that just doesn't make sense to me is the fact that they use a D8 instead of a D10 for hitpoints. Are they not considered part of the warrior class? I still think they should have D10s instead of D8s. That is the big bit that shocked me about them.
later
I still think they should have D10s instead of D8s. That is the big bit that shocked me about them.
Its for balance..Rangers are a cross between rogues and fighters..Their 6 skill points a level are far superior than the 2 skill points a fighter gets. I have become more and more convinced that skill points are just as important as feats...having a ranger who can hide, move silently, has knowledge skills, search, spot..etc..its a huge help...
Just a quick note, and probably a little late. I don't mean to offend anyone, or piss anyone off, but why did they change the rules of D&D from 3.0 to 3.5?
Two words: MO-NEY $$$
Hasbro/WotC can't sell to customers that have what they want, so they make a new version that everyone must have.
Don't get me wrong, I think the core rules are great, though the 3.5 update probably wasn't worth the price of switching everything out (we did it anyway, including me).
WotC can post anything they want, but it still comes down to dollars, and nothing more -- high-sounding press releases are just pretty (and deceptive) window dressing for that.
Regards all,
Jack
PS watch my cynicism when 4.0 comes out :\
While the system is still not perfect, I think it gets better each time.
The things "fixed" from 3.0 to 3.5 were kind of niggling for the most part - but the new version is better.
There are still plenty of things that could be improved (in my opinion), but I think the approach WotC generally uses of adding content through supplements is a good one.
maybe the d8 is an hommage to 1st ed. AD & D. i think (not 100%) that rangers had a d8 at this time (though i think they rolled 2d8 at 1st level.....). maybe i'm hallucinating this too...
You're not hallucinating... a 1st level ranger had 2d8 HD in 1st ed.
- Ashavan