RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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So, WotC released the Spell Compendium awhile back and I thought it was a really good idea. I haven't bought it yet because I own all the relevent books that it references, but I can definitely see why people with less extensive collections than my own (or a greater need for portability than myself) would be interested in such a product.
In the same vein as the Spell Compendium, I propose that WotC should release a Feat Compendium that does exactly what it sounds like: Categorizes ALL the feats currently in 3.5e and groups them (General, Divine, Metamagic, Item Creation, etc.). Have extensive prerequisite tables listed for all of them and make sure they are in alphabetical order. Also, maybe have a separate page (or two) that lists all of the fighter feats on their own (instead of putting an asterisk next to the main entry like they do in the PHB).
Would anyone else pick this one up? I probably wouldn't buy it for the same reason I haven't gotten the Spell Compendium, but I think it would be a sound marketing decision on WotC's part.
There is a small problem with a Feat Compendium: at which point does WotC begin the compilation of such a tome? With each new rules supplement (Cityscape, Dungeonscape, Complete Mage, Complete Scoundrel and so on), the Spell Compendium has become a little more out-of-date. There are spells that my favored soul PC uses that come from the Players Handbook II, which are not in the Spell Compendium. The best solution that I have seen so far, is the on-line list of feats, spells and prestige classes that is maintained on the WotC web site. Granted, there are times when you want the permanency and solidity of a book in your hands but when it comes to keeping things updated, that on-line list is hard to beat.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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There is a small problem with a Feat Compendium: at which point does WotC begin the compilation of such a tome? With each new rules supplement (Cityscape, Dungeonscape, Complete Mage, Complete Scoundrel and so on), the Spell Compendium has become a little more out-of-date.
Absolutely. This is not something that can be avoided. DESPITE the fact that the Spell Compendium becomes increasingly obsolete with each passing day... I'd be willing to bet they've sold 100,000 copies or so. The fact is: its useful for people who have a need for such things. Publishing a Feat Compendium would be useful to a similar demographic.
The best solution that I have seen so far, is the on-line list of feats, spells and prestige classes that is maintained on the WotC web site. Granted, there are times when you want the permanency and solidity of a book in your hands but when it comes to keeping things updated, that on-line list is hard to beat.
I don't use the internet at all in my games. I don't use online manuals, online modules, online dice rollers, printouts, or anything whatsoever because getting up to go into the other room to look something up is just more effort that I want to go through. Plus, it's distracting. I acknowledge that a lot of people use laptops for gaming stuff. In fact, if I had a reliable laptop, I would probably use it for campaign notes and whatnot. However, paging through screens on a website is MUCH slower than grabbing a book, flipping through, and finding your answer. I just like having something tangible when I go hunting for something in this game and I'm fairly certain I'm not the only one.
I for one would love something like this. I no longer have the time, or money, to buy every single D&D supplement that comes out. While I have several of the books that account for the Spell Compendium, I don't have them all. Same for a Feat Compendium. I still haven't gotten the Complete Adventurer (don't ask me why), only recently purchased the Complete Warrior (wasn't really that great a book anyway), and have no plans to purchase either the Complete Scoundrel or Complete Champion. So, one book that compiles all those sources together would be invaluable.
Also, it might also be prudent to have a few separate lists for the various campaign-specific feats (Forgotten Realms, Eberron, etc.). I sincerely hope that WotC takes this suggestion seriously.
I would suggest this to be a 2008 book project. This way it could encapsulate all of the 2007 material. And yes, once published, it would become increasingly incomplete, but not obsolete. Besides, all those online lists are just that; lists. There is very little in the way of descriptive text included, and are more like bibliographies. That, in my opinion. makes them a poor substitute for a real sourcebook.
DogBone
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However, paging through screens on a website is MUCH slower than grabbing a book, flipping through, and finding your answer.
This isn't necessarily true. There are some GREAT hyperlinked SRD websites that I have up on my laptop when we play. As a DM, I keep the hyperlinked site up so that the rules from bull rush, grapple, attacks of opportunity, etc. are just a click away. And I can bring up a monster's stats with just a few clicks and the players can't see what page I'm looking at in the MM.
Spell descriptions are the best because if a spell causes characters to be nauseated, you can usually click on the word "nauseated" and see exactly how that affects the character. This works for shaken, or frightened, or other conditions that could affect the character.
This is a valuable tool to me since I have a group of players relatively new to D&D and they aren't as good at looking things up as more experience players would be.
Of course it's limited only to material in the SRD... which means you can't look up the mind flayer for example.
This isn't necessarily true. There are some GREAT hyperlinked SRD websites that I have up on my laptop when we play. As a DM, I keep the hyperlinked site up so that the rules from bull rush, grapple, attacks of opportunity, etc. are just a click away. And I can bring up a monster's stats with just a few clicks and the players can't see what page I'm looking at in the MM.
Think you missed point, the Problems comes form all the Feats (and Spells - link in the Spell Compendium) that are NOT in the SRD and won't be. That is why he the suggestion of a Feat compendium.
The Problem (not that it's really a problem it's suppose to be that way) with the List on the Wotc web site is that it doesn't tell you most of the info you need to know about the feat.
There is a small problem with a Feat Compendium: at which point does WotC begin the compilation of such a tome? With each new rules supplement (Cityscape, Dungeonscape, Complete Mage, Complete Scoundrel and so on), the Spell Compendium has become a little more out-of-date. There are spells that my favored soul PC uses that come from the Players Handbook II, which are not in the Spell Compendium. The best solution that I have seen so far, is the on-line list of feats, spells and prestige classes that is maintained on the WotC web site. Granted, there are times when you want the permanency and solidity of a book in your hands but when it comes to keeping things updated, that on-line list is hard to beat.
whoa...
I was aware of an electronically available feat list from the WoTC, though I am UNAWARE of an electronically available list that they've been updating with anything other than the bare core of feats. (With or without the Complete or Special circumstance Books? I'm saying...)
Whether or not it was the best idea for me, I bought the Spell Compendium, and nothing really beats flipping through a volume of spells you may not be entirely familiar with. (I'm actually a little disappointed they didn't include spells from either the Core PHB or PHB2, but hey, they made one supplementary volume, they can make more...) Seriously, as a DM, I figured out all sorts of nasty spells to consider arming my Villainous, Neutral and Friendly NPCS with; and the occasional Monster as well...
But yes, back to these resources on Wizards, which I'll look into as soon as I am able...SPELLS?! they have Updated SPELLS?! or are we just talking Core stuff?
Oh well, I will look into it. But yes I didn't get why they made Complete Mage, even with Complete Scoundrel, but hey it works for some people. While I like a lot of little things from different books I pick up, essentially there aren't a lot of optional rules I choose to use, but what players- and DMs I believe- really look for in new books are Spells and Feats.
Sure the occasional class or Variants are offered...but when you level up, you want a book, or maybe a file, you can sit down and quickly thumb through and cipher pertenent character information from.
As much as I like owning hardcopies of books- whether it is Libris Mortis or Complete Arcane...I think the electronic resources will be the most up to date and easiest to cross-index, BUT not necessarily the easiest to thumb through or flip straight to- with tabs and whatnot- as a hardcopy book.
After all, there isn't electricity in EVERY possible gaming setting, though my laptop is increasingly my most powerful DMing tool and PC research and development tool, I prefer to play with just pen, paper and dice (with occasional calculator). So having a BOOK handy is nice.
Thus, especially for those like me who enjoy the resources provided by Dragon and Dungeon Magazine, don't have the ability to search through a dozen issues to look for new spells, feats and class ability uses and whatnot (I only have a few of the more recent issues anyway and have yet to order a subscription or start ordering specific back issues).
And the access that the Spell Compendium gave to Spells that aren't just in the PHB was phenomenal to someone like me who doesn't play Wizards or Sorcerers (or Clerics or Druids that much).
Sure, I have a third-party individual compiled Excel spreadsheet of spells that I can sift through by a number of values, but that's certainly limited by what spells are included- one guy doesn't have HASBRO's resources.
But yes, I do think a Feat Compendium is a good idea.
Compendiums would probably be decent to do a couple of volumes of before they supposedly up the ante with a 4.0 D&D- which could change everything as far as this discussion is concerned.
But yeah, the most heavily used book I own, Ghostwalk, is also one of the most limited, but also one of the most effectively updated. It was 3.0, but the CONVERSION (and a separate update) pack that WoTC made available via the efforts of one of the authors and some assistance I'm sure, is invaluable for me to actually be able to use the book. My players can still look at the feats and spells and I only have to refer to the conversion pack for DM things mostly, if anything they want to use should be tweaked, I either already know or can find out scanning the pdf or the print out I have stuck in the book.
Now if they did this for say Savage Species as it was another late comer to 3.0, some players and DMs would be happy, but I can hardly imagine the costs of not only converting that book, but the other 3.0 books, or just updating current content.
Essentially, with things like Spells and Feats, or optional rules for that matter, you need them in supplemental volumes, that way you can pick and choose your sourcebooks, a lot of DMs just have the core trio of books, but then DM's like me make sure the players know they need a PHB and have access to it in handheld form and should have access to the definitive hardcopies of the DMG and MM as necessary as well as the Ghostwalk book, Libris Mortis, Complete Arcane (and now the Spell Compendium), for other books, it helps to be operating sessions out of a store that sells those kinds of books. I'm afraid it doesn't boost their sales on books at least, as much as they'd like, but giving me a discount for supplies is very nice and a good incentive.
But yes, I would probably buy, or at least WANT to buy a Feat Compendium that is basically like the Spell Compendium.