I've decided, at this stage, not to get it as the next 2 characters I really want to play are a Warforged Cleric, and a Warlock (race yet to be determined, although I'm leaning to halfling).
Though I am tempted to just use the Compendium till the boxed set comes out and buy that. We shall see.
Bel
Funnily enough I am currently reading the PHB2 for 3.5
I do fear we will start to get over-saturated by the time PHB4 and later are out, though I hope WotC finds some clever way of avoiding that.* However, PHB2 & 3 should genuinely provide useful character options.
*Note to WotC: Holding back useful and poplar classes until PHB4 and beyond does not constitute a "clever way of avoiding [over-saturation]." I realize you can't release everything at once, and that you will need to try to sell these books. But, once we have already bought 24+ classes from you, we shouldn't have to buy another 8 for the one or two "icons" you still haven't gotten around to. I have (some) faith that you have something better in mind than just stringing us along indefinitely, but I cannot help but fear that is exactly what you will wind up doing.
My wife is getting it for the druid, bard, and sorcerer.
Since we share books and all, being married, I s'pose it works out.
Now I did go out and buy Martial Powers and the Draconomicon right away, but those had things I really wanted to apply to my campaigns. In PHB2, Barbarians are one of my all-timefavorite classes, and I think shapeshifting druids is an awesome idea, but I haven't seen anything I feel like I need to get from this book. Both of my campaigns are only going to be in the paragon levels, so no one's looking to make a new character at this time. And I don't think any of my players will want to rebuild their guys just for this, all of them are liking what they've got going on so far.
Arcane/Divine Powers, that's the next book I'm waiting for.
I'm really not who 4e was written for and not a huge fan of the game. I bought my three core books to give token support for the line but now I'm out.
As for "no new rules" I feel that that the phb 2's content will be like the PHB 1's minus chapters 1, 8 and 9.
this leaves
- Races
- Classes
- Skills (not new skills, new skill applications for the new classes)
- Feats
- Equipment (because we need new calss specific stuff)
- Rituals
basically you're going to see the organziation from them phb 1, with re flavored content for the new classes.
Psionic, Ki, and elemental, on the other hand, not so much. Shadow seems cool, but I can just use the compendium for that, so PHB2 seems like the last PHB I'll buy.
I'm getting it for the Shifters
If Shifters are in PHB2, does that mean they will not be in the Eberron books? Because I don't want to have to buy the PHB2 to play one of the Eberron iconic races.
So far, I've bought the initial core set, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Player's Guide (for the Swordmage class). As a D&D and FR fan, I would have bought these anyway. The only purchase I honestly regret is the FRCS; I'm not a fan of the 4e Realms in any way. I should have simply stuck with my previous books.
I'm not really a fan of the new editon (not enough to collect at least-- as I did in previous editions); I'm satisfied with just the basics (at least for now). I'm skipping on Adventurer's Vault, Martial Power and the resulting series (such as AV 2 and Arcane Power). Draconomicon would be nice and I may eventually get around to picking it up.
While on the subject of the Draconomicon: What's with all the "Frostforged Wyrm", "Bone Mongrel Dracolich", "Flamebrow Commander", style of naming. It's s'posed to be colorful, imaginative, I guess but it kinda grates on my nerves after a while. Am I the only one ;)? It's prolly been going on for a while now and I've never noticed (util the recent excerpts).
Yes, I'll definitely be buying this one. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Sorcerer and (oddly enough) the Deva. Having the Bard, Barbarian and Druid as well is just icing on the cake ;).
So far, I've bought the initial core set, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Player's Guide (for the Swordmage class). As a D&D and FR fan, I would have bought these anyway. The only purchase I honestly regret is the FRCS; I'm not a fan of the 4e Realms in any way. I should have simply stuck with my previous books.
I'm not really a fan of the new editon (not enough to collect at least-- as I did in previous editions); I'm satisfied with just the basics (at least for now). I'm skipping on Adventurer's Vault, Martial Power and the resulting series (such as AV 2 and Arcane Power). Draconomicon would be nice and I may eventually get around to picking it up.
While on the subject of the Draconomicon: What's with all the "Frostforged Wyrm", "Bone Mongrel Dracolich", "Flamebrow Commander", style of naming. It's s'posed to be colorful, imaginative, I guess but it kinda grates on my nerves after a while. Am I the only one ;)? It's prolly been going on for a while now and I've never noticed (util the recent excerpts).
MP and AV both have good stuff in them. More stuff that you can apply to any campaign than most other books. I think those draconomicon names make sense for those specific monsters, but only because they're all dragons being put together by other beings. Like the frostforged wyrm is a white dragon that was captured and remade Wolverine w/ Ice-style by demons - it was literally reforged in frost. The bone mongrel is an animated dragons skeleton made of mismatched bones, so that also makes sense to me as well.
I'm also interested in what will be in DMGII though - I expect to see some more rules crunch in there.
The three core books did well, here. But that's all she wrote.
many of which are just begging for use in Fourth Edition.
To say nothing of how much the idea of a Dwarf Druid appeals to me.
I know at least four people that will be buying the Phb 2 in my real life group, my online groups at least four more.
Being able to have a competent Bard again will be excessively nice as well.
The new sorcerer ideal is intriguing as well.
I may or may not be able to get it as soon as it comes out, but I do plan to get it. D&D is nothing if not a game of options, after all.
Oh sure, definitely. But it might be 12 months, or 24 months, or longer before I get it. Or I might skip it for PHB3.
For those saying they'll pick it up straight away. How long do you think it will be before you use a race or class from it?
*Note to WotC: Holding back useful and poplar classes until PHB4 and beyond does not constitute a "clever way of avoiding [over-saturation]." I realize you can't release everything at once, and that you will need to try to sell these books. But, once we have already bought 24+ classes from you, we shouldn't have to buy another 8 for the one or two "icons" you still haven't gotten around to. I have (some) faith that you have something better in mind than just stringing us along indefinitely, but I cannot help but fear that is exactly what you will wind up doing.
You do understand that they are a publishing company? You know, with the "Release books every month" deal? Balancing classic classes with (hopefully) new classics is a good way to keep interest up. So, yes, they are stringing you on. But if all you want are classes with the name Monk, Druid, and Barbarian on it, I've got a PHB for you with some sharpy marks on it.
Oh sure, definitely. But it might be 12 months, or 24 months, or longer before I get it. Or I might skip it for PHB3.
For those saying they'll pick it up straight away. How long do you think it will be before you use a race or class from it?
I have no idea when I would use them, to be honest. But I have to have them! :P
Seriously, though, I would like to DM someday. Maybe not right away, but I know DMs need plenty of options for NPCs. Plus, I just enjoy the books. I dream up, even if I don't fully write up, many more characters than I actually play. It's fun! Games are supposed to be fun, right? :D
You do understand that they are a publishing company? You know, with the "Release books every month" deal? Balancing classic classes with (hopefully) new classics is a good way to keep interest up. So, yes, they are stringing you on. But if all you want are classes with the name Monk, Druid, and Barbarian on it, I've got a PHB for you with some sharpy marks on it.
Sure I know they are a publishing company. I said I knew they needed to sell PHB4 and beyond, and I said I had [some] faith they would come up with a clever way to sell them. But stringing us along is not clever. It may be what they end up doing, but it is not clever.
No, I don't just want classes with the name Monk, Druid, and Barbarian on it. I love the idea of new classes! I just don't want to have 32+ classes and still not have all of those! Selling new books is fine. Refusing to release highly popular class options for 4+ years? Not so much. It may be what we get, but I am hoping for more.
Oh, well.
Oh sure, definitely. But it might be 12 months, or 24 months, or longer before I get it. Or I might skip it for PHB3.
For those saying they'll pick it up straight away. How long do you think it will be before you use a race or class from it?
Well speaking personally, probably not any time soon. None of the classes really interest me too much, and only one of the races interests me(Deva, which will likely be one of my three favorite races). Plus I don't actively play at the moment, so I won't have any opportunities to play anything else from the book. However I do love reading the books even when I don't have the opportunity to use them.
The races are only moderately interesting to me (Devas are exciting, Goliaths are eh, I don't even know what the others will be). What's really a big deal for my group are the classes. One of my players is a big druid fan, and I really like bards and sorcerers, so it should be a good buy.
In the end, I'll probably buy the Core Three sequels every year, and not much else unless other people I know love it.
On the right is "I have money" and on the left is "the book is released." When those both are true, I'm getting it, if for nothing else than juicy multiclassing paragon path-goodness for my darklock concept (I'm leaning towards Divine Oracle, but not thrilled that includes MCing to cleric).
EDIT: Omg...I forgot the bard was in the PHB2. I might get it even if my Venn diagram doesn't agree... :P
I divide the races and classes as such
Red Hot Anticipation
Sorcerer, Deva, Warden
Hmm, Intriguing
Druid, Barbarian, Goliath, Gnome
Avenger
Wait and See
Invoker, Bard, Shifter, Shaman
Nah, Pretty Meh
Half-Orc
Oh sure, definitely. But it might be 12 months, or 24 months, or longer before I get it. Or I might skip it for PHB3.
For those saying they'll pick it up straight away. How long do you think it will be before you use a race or class from it?
The Bard right away, some in my second group are losing interest in Pathfinder, so there may be a second campaign started although not in the Realms. I've been working on a PoL campaign to run next and perhaps the Pathfinder DM will come up with something of his own.
Bel
When/if I get a chance to play. I could see Bard and Druid being played. Sorcerer, Warden and Shaman as well if they go the path I hope.
My favourite 3.5 classes are the Druid and Sorcerer, so I've been chomping at the bit for those classes in 4e since its release. The Bard preview has, for the first time ever, made me want to play a Bard.
For those saying they'll pick it up straight away. How long do you think it will be before you use a race or class from it?
Assuming the character stays alive/the campaign remains active that long, immediately. I've got a Longtooth Shifter cleric in play right now.
He's extremely reckless, though, and tends to hit the floor in every fight.
While I loved the design goals of 4e and the overall implementation, it took Martial Power and the sheer volume of information it packed into one book to convince me that 4e was going to blow 3e away in the number of options it can provide. The willingness the designers are showing to take risks impresses me the most, and I can't wait to see what they cook up in PHB2.
Though I only plan on buying the Eberron books, PHB2, Martial Power, Arcane Power, Divine Power, and Primal Power (which we all know will come around sometime). Then I done for player content. I learned from 3.5 that having too many books can be simply overwhelming.
Though if the Character Builder mitigates this by being up-to-date and accurate, who knows.
After that, it's all Monster Manuals. The players will have plenty of options to choose from.
I am as excited for PHB2 now as I was for PHB1 this time last year. Which is to say, a lot.
While I loved the design goals of 4e and the overall implementation, it took Martial Power and the sheer volume of information it packed into one book to convince me that 4e was going to blow 3e away in the number of options it can provide. The willingness the designers are showing to take risks impresses me the most, and I can't wait to see what they cook up in PHB2.
This.
I've recently come to the conclusion that if 4E were to flop today, I would become a 4E grognard. For me, this is the most fun version of D&D to date. At this point, I'm a 4on 4life.
Also, I did a HUGE amount of tweaking, re-writing, and homebrew design for my 3.5 games, because the system encouraged it, and because I disliked all but a token few of the options I found in published supplements as-written.
4e has restored my faith in the flexibility/adaptability of published crunch to fit my stories and adventures, so I can't wait for the shaman and the sorcerer (both key classes in my homebrew world), as well as the complete versions of the bard, barbarian, and druid.
I am trying not to buy every book that comes out (Manual of the Planes and Draconomicon had to stay at the store) to avoid having too much stuff (as happened to me with 3.5)... However I am pretty sure that I'll be buying Arcane and Divine Power, Open Grave, and the second parts of PHB and MM.
Yay 4e! Can't wait for March :D
C
Looking very forward to the new Shaman!
I'm right now prioritizing a list of which books I want and what order I want them. I'm thinking right now it's the Core three first. Other Crunch books will take higher place on my list, KotS and the rest of the series as needed (read having players to play with). Draconomicon or MotP will likely head up the Fluff book list, with Open Grave as a wild card in there.
As more books come out, I'll use what I here on these forums and the WotC site to determine their place on the priority list. PHB II might take a high place on the list when it comes out...
Amazingly, Manual of the Planes is a must-have for me too. The 4e Cosmology is beautiful. Meaningful and compelling, even archetypical. Very useful for organizing the many adventures, flavors and concepts in our campaign. Cant wait.
Arcane, Psi and Primal, are probably my favorite powersources. Il buy any book that develops these further. Even Divine (but with less gods and more philosophy, radiant, astral, and immortality) and Ki (but ethnic neutral) seem mage enough for me. Elemental could turn out cool since 'Storm', 'Cold' and so on seem to be elements too.
All-in-all. Looking forward to it.
I'm nabbing the Core add-ons, and the Powers series. Those are the books I know for a fact they can sell me.
Seconded. I really like the way this is being done, even if it's not as convenient and easy to build up a library as the 3E releases were. It's a good way of ensuring careful thought goes into the design.
oh and all my players will get it too....a few rules lawyers there lol
Race, Aasimar.... I mean Deva
Class, Sorcerer, or Bard.
I just wish the devs would return to the quality of playtesting and balancing they did for the PHB1 (unlikely with the reduced staff), and raise the layout and artwork to 3rd edition standards (except Mialee)...
For me the PHB2s big draws are going to be the Shifter (hope we get more of the subtypes) and of course the new classes. I am excited about the ones that we have seen bits of but even more excited to see the ones that have been kept under wraps.
C