Can you have too many RP books? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can you have too many RP books? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
sorreahdarkhart
06-21-07, 01:45 AM By that I mean, can you have too many core rulebooks for too many games? I've got the following:
1) Dungeon and Dragons Core Rulebook Trilogy
2) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
3) Eberron Campaign Setting
4) World of Warcraft 3.0 Core Book
5) Ironclaw and Jadeclaw Core Books
6) Big Eyes, Small Mouth 2.0, dX, and 3.0
7) Hunter the Reckoning Core Book

I often irritate my friends when I want to run something, as I often decide "while I'd like to run this, let's run this instead". I seem to keep flip-flopping several times on which setting or core rules I want to run. So I wanna know: Is having too many RPing books a bad thing? Especially when you're a DM?
As an additional side question: I'd love to run a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, but should I just run something that I feel more comfortable with? I love DnD, but I feel more comfortable running a Ironclaw/Jadeclaw campaign. I wanted to run the Savage Tide AP in Eberron, but maybe I could try to mod it for these other sourcebooks? I think I've dug myself pretty deep, and I'm wondering if anyone's got any thoughts about this.
Tiarn
06-21-07, 01:59 AM Heh heh heh. I'm gonna have to go with a "no" on this one, considering the core books I own... well, I've got a lot.

Though to help you with your problem, what is it about each game that draws you? What makes you particularly comfortable with one setting over another? It could be that you could transfer elements from one setting into another without much problem. (For instance, transfering some elements of Faerun into Eberron isn't much of a hassle)

Though it's much more work, you could even transfer elements from one system to another (for instance have imbued in Faerun) though when you do this be prepared for the extreme headache this will cause as the powers very rarely translate nicely. (i.e. With my "second sight" can I tell that is really an illithid in disguise?)

Truly, no one can really help you with this, other than to give advice. You have to decide what you like, what you want to play/run, and what you're comfortable with. (and how much headache you want if you start mixing things)
EchoXero
06-21-07, 02:27 AM When I packed my household goods to ship to my new duty station, half of my weight allowance was taken up by game books. My collections is primarily DnD and Gurps. I would say I have over $5000 worth of products in my collection. You can never have too many books. Often times, I buy just for the sheer fact of reading them and collection.
Kaldric
06-21-07, 04:04 AM I own maybe 95% of the old TSR catalog, and pretty much all of the WOTC stuff. It's... a lot of stuff.

I'd say that unless you are in imminent danger of being killed by a falling stack of books, you don't have too many.
KurenaiYami
06-21-07, 04:16 AM It can only ever be "too many" if you physically lack the capacity to store them all. THEN it would be too many.
aotrscommander
06-21-07, 08:30 AM It can only ever be "too many" if you physically lack the capacity to store them all. THEN it would be too many.

That was more-or-less exactly what I was going to say.
sorreahdarkhart
06-22-07, 03:06 AM Wow. I'm totally outclassed when it comes to sheer bookage!

Anyways, Tiarn, to respond to your question, I guess the whole comfortability issue is usually with what the setting is and often gameplay mechanics work their way in as well. Truthfully speaking, I'll list what interested me in the books themselves:
1) Dungeons and Dragons: Now come on, you can't have an RP stack without it. It's a classic, and it's been the first RP I've considered playing seriously. And the game itself is fairly uncomplicated, yes while there are fancy pants stuff in it, the majority is straightfoward.
2) FR and EB: These get one because they both are campaign settings. I often find it incredibly hard to world build, mainly because I'm usually cowed by the grandness of it all. These books make it easy. It's a world, and it's ready to use. I give extra props to Eberron because it got me back into DnD again after several years of haitus.
3) WoW: It's wasn't so much the MMO that inspired to buy this, it was the TCG. This was more of an impulse buy than anything else. I still like it as a setting book though.
4) Ironclaw/Jadeclaw: This probably the setting I prefer the most. I like anthropormorphic characters and the IC setting is similar in tone to FR. The only gripe I have about the game is the completely goofy initiative deal. They have all these fancy rank manuvers, but really don't tell you how to run combat initiative properly.
5) BESM: I'm a real big anime fan, and after I picked up my DnD PHB, this was the next in line. I've played it only once, but it is by far one of the wackiest sessions I've ever had. It's insanely fun, and incredibly pickupable. There's a lack of a decent setting though...
6) Hunter the Reckoning: This one's primarily due to the GC videogame. I have to hand it to White Wolf, they know a good idea when they see it. I liked the idea of average humans doing above average things, and not to mention beating the **** out of the undead, so I thought, "what's not to like?"

MAN, I didn't it'd be THAT long! I was planning on modifying IC/JC's initiative deal so it'd be easier to use, but they use the dice themselves to keep track of things (such as a PCs Body stat being a d10), so I'm interested in how to make that possible. Otherwise, you guys have rather uplifting to someone who's usually down in the dumps. Thanks!
Leilond
06-22-07, 06:23 AM You cannot have to many of them, but you can require your players to use too many of them
Having 20 manuals doesn't means your player must learn all those rules. There are people that have other things to do than studying new rules. Me, for example: I've to work 8 hours a day, I'd like to leave my love with my wife, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours with my beloved daughter, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours trying to have the second child.... I've not so much time to study all the books that my players have, nor I've got the time to study all the book a DM can have.
So, you cannot have too many, but if you ask your players to know a lot of "optional" rules and some of them don't want too... well you're asking them to use too much manuals
Tiarn
06-22-07, 07:06 AM ...MAN, I didn't it'd be THAT long! I was planning on modifying IC/JC's initiative deal so it'd be easier to use, but they use the dice themselves to keep track of things (such as a PCs Body stat being a d10), so I'm interested in how to make that possible. Otherwise, you guys have rather uplifting to someone who's usually down in the dumps. Thanks!

Well, I'm glad we could help as much as we did. As far as modifying the system Ironclaw/Jadeclaw uses, I'm afraid I can't help you with that. I'm not familiar with those particular settings at all.

If you need help with modifying the others, though, let me know. My gaming group and I have been mixing genres/settings since we started playing so it's nothing new. :)
Dunsel
06-22-07, 10:00 AM I still have all my 1st and 2nd ed books! Combined with my 3.x book, dungeon mags, dragon mags, and stuff I have created they take up 3 6' book shelves.
Khan2000
06-22-07, 06:33 PM I'd have to say no on this. I normally tell my players they are limited to what I have for rulebooks; I say that so the players may have options. I do expect them to learn the rules concerning their character, and it is incumbent upon me to know those same rules as a DM. Basically, one cannot have enough rulebooks....:D
glorfon
06-22-07, 10:42 PM Short answer:no way

Long answer: No F***ing way

You can't have to many and only rarely do you seise having to few.
Araes
06-22-07, 11:00 PM When I packed my household goods to ship to my new duty station, half of my weight allowance was taken up by game books.
When I last did a move over seas, I actually had a huge book give-away day with my close friends to avoid exactly that problem. I still sometimes wonder whether it was the right choice, as I probably gave away several $100 if not $1000 in books.

On the main question though, I sympathize, as I used to have 1-3 Ed. D&D, GURPS, Vamp, Shadowrun, Rifts, BESM, Lot5R, Seventh Sea, Alternity, Feng Shui, Toon, Earthdawn, Mechwarrior, WEG SW, d20 SW, and Werewolf.

Honestly, after a point I think you just have to stop buying them with the intention that anybody is really going to want to play most of them. It just fractures the group and takes up too much time. As has been suggested, I think the best idea is just to buy them as inspiration and then use the ideas that you've gleaned from them in the most popular system.

To me, the question reads in many ways as "Can you ever be too well read?" To which the answer is a definite no.
Zaver
06-22-07, 11:12 PM By that I mean, can you have too many core rulebooks for too many games? I've got the following:
1) Dungeon and Dragons Core Rulebook Trilogy
2) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
3) Eberron Campaign Setting
4) World of Warcraft 3.0 Core Book

Right there was too many.:P On a serious note, you only have to many when you can't use them.
Charke
06-22-07, 11:29 PM I got sick of campaign setting books because you never use them. I have Connan, Paranoia, DragonLance, Etherscope, DragonMech, Ghostwalk, Slaine, Forgotten Realms, and so forth and I've really never played in these settings much, some at all. I love having the books but I remain frustrated that I'm not taking full advantage of them. I'd love to run a multi-campaign setting game but it's beyond the scope or want of my players.

Mark Charke
Dragonchild
06-23-07, 03:39 AM I guess I'm the odd man out. To me, "having too much" is the same as "having something you don't use".

I only have a single shelf's worth of books, and I'd say that's almost too much. I say "almost" because I did a little house-cleaning a couple moves ago, selling or trashing a few books I never used and will never use. I can't get my money back, but I have more shelf space and my last move was relatively painless.
Optimized_Commoner
06-23-07, 07:12 AM By that I mean, can you have too many core rulebooks for too many games? I've got the following:
1), 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7)

I'm amused that 7 is the number for potentially excessive. I'm going to try to count the number of gaming systems I own.

1) Cyberpunk 2020
2) Cybergeneration
3) Shadowrun
4) Pendragon
5) OD&D
6) D&D 2nd Edition
7) D&D 3.5
8) D20 modern
9) D20 past
10) D20 future
11) D20 Apocalypse
12) Unknown Armies
13) Call of Cthullu
14) Witchcraft
15) Traveller
16) GURPS
17) Mage the ascension
18) Werewolf the apocalypse
19) Werewolf the forsaken
20) Vampire the masquerade
21) Exalted
22) Fighting Fantasy RPG
23) Starwars D6
24) Conspiracy X
25) Rolemaster
26) Shatterzone
27) Seventh Sea
28) Aberrant
29) Amber Diceless RPG
30) Ars Magica
31) Marvel Superheroes
32) Palladium Fantasy RPG
33) Heroes Unlimited
34) Ninjas and Superspies
35) Wraith: The oblivion
36) The extraordinary adventures of Baron Munchausen
37) Fallout RPG
38) Fudge
39) Harnmaster
40) Legend of the Five Rings
41) Mechwarrior
42) Mutants and Masterminds
43) True20
44) Serenity
45) Tunnels and Trolls
46) Wheel of time RPG

I've probably missed a few things, but that gives the general idea.
StevenO
06-23-07, 06:29 PM Can you own the "core" rule book(s) for too many games/settings? I'd say NO to that. If running a game having so many to choose from can be a problem but having the bare minimum to play a number of games is a very nice thing. Not counting the DnD campain settings I have the basics to play any version of DnD except 1ed, WEW and d20 (and possibly Saga if I like it) Star Wars, d20 Modern/Future (via SRD and misc supplements, and VtM.

As for actually having too many books to use in a given setting I'd say that is entirely possible. Each source book may introduce a little something new but after a while you either get little out of new material or you start seeing more power creep. Having a few options is nice but having too many options can be stressful; a player could be happy with a build using just the core books plus one or two others but probably wouldn't be as optimized as a character that pulls bits from a far larger number of books.
sorreahdarkhart
06-23-07, 11:07 PM You cannot have to many of them, but you can require your players to use too many of them
Having 20 manuals doesn't means your player must learn all those rules. There are people that have other things to do than studying new rules. Me, for example: I've to work 8 hours a day, I'd like to leave my love with my wife, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours with my beloved daughter, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours trying to have the second child.... I've not so much time to study all the books that my players have, nor I've got the time to study all the book a DM can have.
So, you cannot have too many, but if you ask your players to know a lot of "optional" rules and some of them don't want too... well you're asking them to use too much manuals

That's very true. Unfortunately, this is fairly common for me. I usually say, "Hey, let's do this", and when we're close to finishing PCs, I say, "No, let's do this". I drive my friends crazy with this flip-flopping all the time. I suppose it's a combination of my ADHD and the sheer number of things I could potentially run that trips me up a ton.

I'm pretty confident I'll run an Ironclaw/Jadeclaw type deal. I've just got to dig them out, as I moved my fairly meager possessions from one place to another, and then I can start on a translation of the Savage Tide AP. I figure it's going to be hellishly hard, but if my players say, "Hey, this is cool!" I suppose it'll be worth every minute.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
sorreahdarkhart 06-21-07, 01:45 AM	By that I mean, can you have too many core rulebooks for too many games? I've got the following: 1) Dungeon and Dragons Core Rulebook Trilogy 2) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3) Eberron Campaign Setting 4) World of Warcraft 3.0 Core Book 5) Ironclaw and Jadeclaw Core Books 6) Big Eyes, Small Mouth 2.0, dX, and 3.0 7) Hunter the Reckoning Core Book I often irritate my friends when I want to run something, as I often decide "while I'd like to run this, let's run this instead". I seem to keep flip-flopping several times on which setting or core rules I want to run. So I wanna know: Is having too many RPing books a bad thing? Especially when you're a DM? As an additional side question: I'd love to run a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, but should I just run something that I feel more comfortable with? I love DnD, but I feel more comfortable running a Ironclaw/Jadeclaw campaign. I wanted to run the Savage Tide AP in Eberron, but maybe I could try to mod it for these other sourcebooks? I think I've dug myself pretty deep, and I'm wondering if anyone's got any thoughts about this.
Tiarn 06-21-07, 01:59 AM	Heh heh heh. I'm gonna have to go with a "no" on this one, considering the core books I own... well, I've got a lot. Though to help you with your problem, what is it about each game that draws you? What makes you particularly comfortable with one setting over another? It could be that you could transfer elements from one setting into another without much problem. (For instance, transfering some elements of Faerun into Eberron isn't much of a hassle) Though it's much more work, you could even transfer elements from one system to another (for instance have imbued in Faerun) though when you do this be prepared for the extreme headache this will cause as the powers very rarely translate nicely. (i.e. With my "second sight" can I tell that is really an illithid in disguise?) Truly, no one can really help you with this, other than to give advice. You have to decide what you like, what you want to play/run, and what you're comfortable with. (and how much headache you want if you start mixing things)
EchoXero 06-21-07, 02:27 AM	When I packed my household goods to ship to my new duty station, half of my weight allowance was taken up by game books. My collections is primarily DnD and Gurps. I would say I have over $5000 worth of products in my collection. You can never have too many books. Often times, I buy just for the sheer fact of reading them and collection.
Kaldric 06-21-07, 04:04 AM	I own maybe 95% of the old TSR catalog, and pretty much all of the WOTC stuff. It's... a lot of stuff. I'd say that unless you are in imminent danger of being killed by a falling stack of books, you don't have too many.
KurenaiYami 06-21-07, 04:16 AM	It can only ever be "too many" if you physically lack the capacity to store them all. THEN it would be too many.
aotrscommander 06-21-07, 08:30 AM	It can only ever be "too many" if you physically lack the capacity to store them all. THEN it would be too many. That was more-or-less exactly what I was going to say.
sorreahdarkhart 06-22-07, 03:06 AM	Wow. I'm totally outclassed when it comes to sheer bookage! Anyways, Tiarn, to respond to your question, I guess the whole comfortability issue is usually with what the setting is and often gameplay mechanics work their way in as well. Truthfully speaking, I'll list what interested me in the books themselves: 1) Dungeons and Dragons: Now come on, you can't have an RP stack without it. It's a classic, and it's been the first RP I've considered playing seriously. And the game itself is fairly uncomplicated, yes while there are fancy pants stuff in it, the majority is straightfoward. 2) FR and EB: These get one because they both are campaign settings. I often find it incredibly hard to world build, mainly because I'm usually cowed by the grandness of it all. These books make it easy. It's a world, and it's ready to use. I give extra props to Eberron because it got me back into DnD again after several years of haitus. 3) WoW: It's wasn't so much the MMO that inspired to buy this, it was the TCG. This was more of an impulse buy than anything else. I still like it as a setting book though. 4) Ironclaw/Jadeclaw: This probably the setting I prefer the most. I like anthropormorphic characters and the IC setting is similar in tone to FR. The only gripe I have about the game is the completely goofy initiative deal. They have all these fancy rank manuvers, but really don't tell you how to run combat initiative properly. 5) BESM: I'm a real big anime fan, and after I picked up my DnD PHB, this was the next in line. I've played it only once, but it is by far one of the wackiest sessions I've ever had. It's insanely fun, and incredibly pickupable. There's a lack of a decent setting though... 6) Hunter the Reckoning: This one's primarily due to the GC videogame. I have to hand it to White Wolf, they know a good idea when they see it. I liked the idea of average humans doing above average things, and not to mention beating the **** out of the undead, so I thought, "what's not to like?" MAN, I didn't it'd be THAT long! I was planning on modifying IC/JC's initiative deal so it'd be easier to use, but they use the dice themselves to keep track of things (such as a PCs Body stat being a d10), so I'm interested in how to make that possible. Otherwise, you guys have rather uplifting to someone who's usually down in the dumps. Thanks!
Leilond 06-22-07, 06:23 AM	You cannot have to many of them, but you can require your players to use too many of them Having 20 manuals doesn't means your player must learn all those rules. There are people that have other things to do than studying new rules. Me, for example: I've to work 8 hours a day, I'd like to leave my love with my wife, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours with my beloved daughter, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours trying to have the second child.... I've not so much time to study all the books that my players have, nor I've got the time to study all the book a DM can have. So, you cannot have too many, but if you ask your players to know a lot of "optional" rules and some of them don't want too... well you're asking them to use too much manuals
Tiarn 06-22-07, 07:06 AM	...MAN, I didn't it'd be THAT long! I was planning on modifying IC/JC's initiative deal so it'd be easier to use, but they use the dice themselves to keep track of things (such as a PCs Body stat being a d10), so I'm interested in how to make that possible. Otherwise, you guys have rather uplifting to someone who's usually down in the dumps. Thanks! Well, I'm glad we could help as much as we did. As far as modifying the system Ironclaw/Jadeclaw uses, I'm afraid I can't help you with that. I'm not familiar with those particular settings at all. If you need help with modifying the others, though, let me know. My gaming group and I have been mixing genres/settings since we started playing so it's nothing new. :)
Dunsel 06-22-07, 10:00 AM	I still have all my 1st and 2nd ed books! Combined with my 3.x book, dungeon mags, dragon mags, and stuff I have created they take up 3 6' book shelves.
Khan2000 06-22-07, 06:33 PM	I'd have to say no on this. I normally tell my players they are limited to what I have for rulebooks; I say that so the players may have options. I do expect them to learn the rules concerning their character, and it is incumbent upon me to know those same rules as a DM. Basically, one cannot have enough rulebooks....:D
glorfon 06-22-07, 10:42 PM	Short answer:no way Long answer: No F***ing way You can't have to many and only rarely do you seise having to few.
Araes 06-22-07, 11:00 PM	When I packed my household goods to ship to my new duty station, half of my weight allowance was taken up by game books. When I last did a move over seas, I actually had a huge book give-away day with my close friends to avoid exactly that problem. I still sometimes wonder whether it was the right choice, as I probably gave away several $100 if not $1000 in books. On the main question though, I sympathize, as I used to have 1-3 Ed. D&D, GURPS, Vamp, Shadowrun, Rifts, BESM, Lot5R, Seventh Sea, Alternity, Feng Shui, Toon, Earthdawn, Mechwarrior, WEG SW, d20 SW, and Werewolf. Honestly, after a point I think you just have to stop buying them with the intention that anybody is really going to want to play most of them. It just fractures the group and takes up too much time. As has been suggested, I think the best idea is just to buy them as inspiration and then use the ideas that you've gleaned from them in the most popular system. To me, the question reads in many ways as "Can you ever be too well read?" To which the answer is a definite no.
Zaver 06-22-07, 11:12 PM	By that I mean, can you have too many core rulebooks for too many games? I've got the following: 1) Dungeon and Dragons Core Rulebook Trilogy 2) Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3) Eberron Campaign Setting 4) World of Warcraft 3.0 Core Book Right there was too many.:P On a serious note, you only have to many when you can't use them.
Charke 06-22-07, 11:29 PM	I got sick of campaign setting books because you never use them. I have Connan, Paranoia, DragonLance, Etherscope, DragonMech, Ghostwalk, Slaine, Forgotten Realms, and so forth and I've really never played in these settings much, some at all. I love having the books but I remain frustrated that I'm not taking full advantage of them. I'd love to run a multi-campaign setting game but it's beyond the scope or want of my players. Mark Charke
Dragonchild 06-23-07, 03:39 AM	I guess I'm the odd man out. To me, "having too much" is the same as "having something you don't use". I only have a single shelf's worth of books, and I'd say that's almost too much. I say "almost" because I did a little house-cleaning a couple moves ago, selling or trashing a few books I never used and will never use. I can't get my money back, but I have more shelf space and my last move was relatively painless.
Optimized_Commoner 06-23-07, 07:12 AM	By that I mean, can you have too many core rulebooks for too many games? I've got the following: 1), 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7) I'm amused that 7 is the number for potentially excessive. I'm going to try to count the number of gaming systems I own. 1) Cyberpunk 2020 2) Cybergeneration 3) Shadowrun 4) Pendragon 5) OD&D 6) D&D 2nd Edition 7) D&D 3.5 8) D20 modern 9) D20 past 10) D20 future 11) D20 Apocalypse 12) Unknown Armies 13) Call of Cthullu 14) Witchcraft 15) Traveller 16) GURPS 17) Mage the ascension 18) Werewolf the apocalypse 19) Werewolf the forsaken 20) Vampire the masquerade 21) Exalted 22) Fighting Fantasy RPG 23) Starwars D6 24) Conspiracy X 25) Rolemaster 26) Shatterzone 27) Seventh Sea 28) Aberrant 29) Amber Diceless RPG 30) Ars Magica 31) Marvel Superheroes 32) Palladium Fantasy RPG 33) Heroes Unlimited 34) Ninjas and Superspies 35) Wraith: The oblivion 36) The extraordinary adventures of Baron Munchausen 37) Fallout RPG 38) Fudge 39) Harnmaster 40) Legend of the Five Rings 41) Mechwarrior 42) Mutants and Masterminds 43) True20 44) Serenity 45) Tunnels and Trolls 46) Wheel of time RPG I've probably missed a few things, but that gives the general idea.
StevenO 06-23-07, 06:29 PM	Can you own the "core" rule book(s) for too many games/settings? I'd say NO to that. If running a game having so many to choose from can be a problem but having the bare minimum to play a number of games is a very nice thing. Not counting the DnD campain settings I have the basics to play any version of DnD except 1ed, WEW and d20 (and possibly Saga if I like it) Star Wars, d20 Modern/Future (via SRD and misc supplements, and VtM. As for actually having too many books to use in a given setting I'd say that is entirely possible. Each source book may introduce a little something new but after a while you either get little out of new material or you start seeing more power creep. Having a few options is nice but having too many options can be stressful; a player could be happy with a build using just the core books plus one or two others but probably wouldn't be as optimized as a character that pulls bits from a far larger number of books.
sorreahdarkhart 06-23-07, 11:07 PM	You cannot have to many of them, but you can require your players to use too many of them Having 20 manuals doesn't means your player must learn all those rules. There are people that have other things to do than studying new rules. Me, for example: I've to work 8 hours a day, I'd like to leave my love with my wife, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours with my beloved daughter, I'd like to spend a good amount of hours trying to have the second child.... I've not so much time to study all the books that my players have, nor I've got the time to study all the book a DM can have. So, you cannot have too many, but if you ask your players to know a lot of "optional" rules and some of them don't want too... well you're asking them to use too much manuals That's very true. Unfortunately, this is fairly common for me. I usually say, "Hey, let's do this", and when we're close to finishing PCs, I say, "No, let's do this". I drive my friends crazy with this flip-flopping all the time. I suppose it's a combination of my ADHD and the sheer number of things I could potentially run that trips me up a ton. I'm pretty confident I'll run an Ironclaw/Jadeclaw type deal. I've just got to dig them out, as I moved my fairly meager possessions from one place to another, and then I can start on a translation of the Savage Tide AP. I figure it's going to be hellishly hard, but if my players say, "Hey, this is cool!" I suppose it'll be worth every minute.