Is there any chance of releasing PDFs of the D&D3.5 core rule books, i.e. the Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual?
For those people who have either decided not to upgrade to 4th edition, or who still play 3.5 in addition to 4th, these would still be very useful products. Although the SRD is available on line, that does not contain all the information in the 3.5 core rulebooks.
Right now I am prepping my some 3.5 games but am being hampered by not having PDFs to hand (I do a lot of prep at work in my lunch hour, whilst my books are at home).
This could be an opportunity for WOTC to make some last money out of those players who have decided 4th edition isn't for them, and / or those players going the Pathfinder route. Judging by the price some PHBs are going for on eBay (almost full original price in some cases), it would seem there is still demand.
Would anyone else be interested in such PDFs? If so, let WOTC know by posting in this thread.
Cheers!
Not Likely...
*Snicker*
Why the snicker?
*Not Likely...
I guess so, but they are still selling 3.5 edition PDFs (and even earlier edition PDFs as well) and have also released some 3.5 edition PDFs after 4th ed was release (e.g. City of Stormreach).
It frustrates me that the 4e core books were released straight away, but we never got PDF copies of teh 3.5 core books!
I think they have pdfs for all of the D&D editions.
It's quite easy to discover pdfs of the core 3 from 3rd.
That said, if you look hard enough for them, you will find them (though I can not vouch for the legality of the download).
I would suggest finding one of the third party settings that were based off 3.5 but didn't need the core rule books (Conan comes to mind, and it's in PDF from mongoose games). Then you will get the rules, and maybe a few new options to boot.
Check Drivethrough rpg.
I think they have pdfs for all of the D&D editions.
Unfortunately they don't have the core 3 books for 3.5, hence me asking
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but to the best of my knowledge, 3.5 will no longer be getting any support from WotC.
I had hoped that they may at least release these last PDFs (along with the final Eberron book Secrets of Sarlona). The fact that they release City of Stormreach even after 4e was released gave me some hope, however I think now it might have been because CoS is supposed to get 4e info in DDI.
That said, if you look hard enough for them, you will find them (though I can not vouch for the legality of the download).
I have indeed found illegal copies of the PDFs but am not interested in them. I am specifically asking for legal PDFs here.
I would suggest finding one of the third party settings that were based off 3.5 but didn't need the core rule books (Conan comes to mind, and it's in PDF from mongoose games). Then you will get the rules, and maybe a few new options to boot.
I have the SRD in HTML format, and do own things like Pathfinder Beta release.
However I want the specific D&D3.5 core books because that is what I want to run. Specifically I would like to be able to read up on the awarding XP, Challenge Rating and Encounter Levels sections of the DMG. I would also like the PHB in PDF so that when I create pre-gen characters and scenarios I can write down the page references for feats and special rules.
It may get to the point that I simply start using Pathfinder as my rules base rather than D&D3.5. So rather than pushing an old edition of a WOTC game I will be pushing an in-print direct rival of WOTC.
It may get to the point that I simply start using Pathfinder as my rules base rather than D&D3.5. So rather than pushing an old edition of a WOTC game I will be pushing an in-print direct rival of WOTC.
I know it isn't the PDF you're looking for, but you can find them on e-bay for super cheap for the set.
Pathfinder does not fix the power issues and player character class imbalances that 3.5 had, but then again those don't seem to be issues for you, as your looking for 3.5 anyway.
Anyway I am out of ideas for you after the e-bay one. Good luck.
Again, I recommend Conan as it's 3.5 with all the rules in the main book, so everything you need to play and run the game is in there.
I know it isn't the PDF you're looking for, but you can find them on e-bay for super cheap for the set.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I already own the core 3 books for 3.5. However I always like to have both hardcopy and PDF as I only use hardcopy at the game table, but do most of my game prep at work in my downtime and lunch hour. Therefore for my prep time PDFs are very useful as I don't have my physical books with me. In fact I rarely crack open a physical book away from the game table.
Pathfinder does not fix the power issues and player character class imbalances that 3.5 had, but then again those don't seem to be issues for you, as your looking for 3.5 anyway.
I haven't played and run enough 3.5 to have seen the issues that some people seem to think it has. My mates believe that PF does fix some problems, but I know the 3.5 ruleset and so that is what I want to run.
IHowever I want the specific D&D3.5 core books because that is what I want to run. Specifically I would like to be able to read up on the awarding XP, Challenge Rating and Encounter Levels sections of the DMG. I would also like the PHB in PDF so that when I create pre-gen characters and scenarios I can write down the page references for feats and special rules.
Your options are dead tree or eye patch versions.
I find it very unlikely that WoTC would release highly sought after PDFs for an unsupported game that directly competes with their new cash cow.
I find it very unlikely that WoTC would release highly sought after PDFs for an unsupported game that directly competes with their new cash cow.
It would seem so - though they do still sell PDFs of older editions, and 3.5 supplements (I am eyeing up the Complete series of PDFs, but at over £15 a go, the physical books are cheaper!!!!!).
If it continues to be irksome to prep without access to the core books and having to make do with the HTML SRD then I may look at using Pathfinder if I become familiar with it (the Beta PDF is free and I have ordered a print copy as reference for use in my mates game).
Unfortunately, although WOTC may see 3.5 being direct competition to their current edition, releasing the PDFs would at least mean the money went to them (they won't get any money for 4e off me), whereas if I go over to Pathfinder (the real competition IMHO) then Paizo get the money.
Oh well...
You may want to look into Pathfinder on paizo.com. It's been dubbed more of a v3.75. I like what I've seen so far.. unfortunately I only seem to get every other page from the free pdf download. The Beta print version is quite cheap though... and I imagine Paizo will continue to print products for it.
No thanks. I've been checking Pathfinder RPG out since it's alpha release, and I don't like the direction it went in. I really do prefer simply sticking with the D&D v3.5 rules as written mostly for the sake of consistency across all of my existing v3.5 supplements.
No thanks. I've been checking Pathfinder RPG out since it's alpha release, and I don't like the direction it went in. I really do prefer simply sticking with the D&D v3.5 rules as written mostly for the sake of consistency across all of my existing v3.5 supplements.
Ditto. I have found that Pathfinder is no longer looking backward compatible enough for my tastes (though my currect GM has no issue with it). I want to stick with 3.5 if possible.
I guess so, but they are still selling 3.5 edition PDFs (and even earlier edition PDFs as well) and have also released some 3.5 edition PDFs after 4th ed was release (e.g. City of Stormreach).
Well, WOTC have just released another 3.5 PDF, specifically Secrets of Sarlona for the Eberron line - this was the last Eberron product to be releasedin PDF and so I am very happy (not that I will be buying now as it is at full hardcopy RRP though, but the fact that it is out there means it should be available in a few years time if and when I finally want it).
So, hopefully someone at WOTC is still looking at what 3.5 products should be released in PDF format, and as such I still hold out a vain measure of hope that I will get my 3.5 core books PDFs.
Why woudl they risk cutting into the sales of that current product, to sell, a ended product?
Well, WOTC have just released another 3.5 PDF, specifically Secrets of Sarlona for the Eberron line - this was the last Eberron product to be releasedin PDF and so I am very happy (not that I will be buying now as it is at full hardcopy RRP though, but the fact that it is out there means it should be available in a few years time if and when I finally want it).
So, hopefully someone at WOTC is still looking at what 3.5 products should be released in PDF format, and as such I still hold out a vain measure of hope that I will get my 3.5 core books PDFs.
is to the aspect of pathfinder its a interesting read but is for my gamming tastes ill only run here predesigned settings in it is i did with 3.0/3.5.
wotc is being foolish for not atleast giving the fans access to the full past product line in pdf of past rpgs if even for a limitted time. i dont think and see how pdf sales would hurt 4.0 sales is there difreant systems and not compatable. i understand that they have 4.0 out and wont be expanding the underdevaloped aspects of past editions of the game but 3.0/3.5 still has a healthy fan base just is much is other wotc/tsr abandoned lines have a fan base after suport was pulled. let the fans continue to injoy past editions of the game and complete there libraries of books and game products.
personly i think wotc was a fool to abandon support for 3.5 and continue to suport 4.0 is there drastickly difreant interpratations of the game.and sadly while wotc dont see it there is market space for two d & lines to be activly on the market at the same time and still be profitable.
but thats my view on things
actually the 3.5 and 3.0 core books were legally avalible till 4e came out then wotc pulled them but then again...
No, they weren't, or at least in all the years that I was tracking their PDF releases they never appeared. If they were available, care to share where you found them?
actually the 3.5 and 3.0 core books were legally avalible till 4e came out then wotc pulled them
As has been stated I do not believe this to be true, unless they were available from a site other than RPGNow / DriveThruRPG which would be very strange.
but then again it makes sence to pull the legal copy pdfs as now the ogl can be ended for 3.0/3.5. is for alternate means there is not one thats legal.
The OGL cannot be ended for 3.0/3.5, however the d20 licence can be, but even then WOTC themselves are not required to abide by that and can keep all their 3.5 products bearing the d20 logo on sale in PDF format when others can't.
I do not endorse piracy and do not believe it my go given right to have a PDF copy of an RPG book if the publisher does not see fit to release one. Having said that, the lack of a PDF will affect by buying behaviour which may in some miniscule way adversely affect the publisher (a lack of a sale by me, but also a lack of promotion by me at cons and on forums).
Cheers!
Seriously, if you know of a place where we can buy the PDFs legally please share it with us. Anything else has to be considered illegal and thus not relevant to the purpose of this thread (and I would hate to get this thread locked for talk of piracy).
Cheers!
But I just checked out both RPGnow and drivethrurpg and they were NOT listed (but lots of other WotC products were).
I suspect that if they were available they would have been found at one or both of those places.
My conclusion is that they are not currently available for purchase in PDF form.
I highly reccomend using the hypertext SRD in their stead. I know that some people want the pdf (and a bookmarked one would be great). I myself would buy one of each (MM, DMG, PHB) at about $5 a pop (though not more) for the convenience above and beyond the SRD.
That may be the reason they don't exist-that sales would be dismal when almost all the information is already out there in SRD form. (That or they wanted to encourage sales of print volumes). Now I guess the point is moot, and if they released it, they'd get $15 from me they wouldn't otherwise have.
Still, even though I think it would be a smart move on their part now, I doubt that they'd agree (what with the old GSL pretty much being an attempt to KILL 3rd edition products from other publishers). Seems like they don't want any competition for 4e.
Just the same, their GSL conceptualization is being rethought, so maybe they'll realize that they can have multiple pieces of multiple pies...since Pathfinder is a bakin' away and some 3rd party products are still being put out (see my sig).
But I just checked out both RPGnow and drivethrurpg and they were NOT listed (but lots of other WotC products were).
They are the exact same store. If it's in one, it's in the other. I still don't know why they keep both up and running rather than redirecting one to the other.
I highly reccomend using the hypertext SRD in their stead. I know that some people want the pdf (and a bookmarked one would be great). I myself would buy one of each (MM, DMG, PHB) at about $5 a pop (though not more) for the convenience above and beyond the SRD.
That may be the reason they don't exist-that sales would be dismal when almost all the information is already out there in SRD form. (That or they wanted to encourage sales of print volumes). Now I guess the point is moot, and if they released it, they'd get $15 from me they wouldn't otherwise have.
Sales wouldn't be dismal if they sold the core books for $5 or $10 dollars to compete with the SRD. The problem with the SRD is that it doesn't include certain bits of information. The Hypertext d20SRD is a bit better in that Jans has stepped out of the bounds a bit with the OGL/D20 license by including errata and reorganizing some of the content, which is great.
Still, even though I think it would be a smart move on their part now, I doubt that they'd agree (what with the old GSL pretty much being an attempt to KILL 3rd edition products from other publishers). Seems like they don't want any competition for 4e.
to be fair, they're still releasing v3.5 PDFs. I just think they have been too busy with 4e to bother with cranking out the remaining 3e books faster than they have.
Just the same, their GSL conceptualization is being rethought, so maybe they'll realize that they can have multiple pieces of multiple pies...since Pathfinder is a bakin' away and some 3rd party products are still being put out (see my sig).
Remember that Paizo's Pathfinder RPG is supposed to replace the v3.5 core rulebooks, and Paizo's own materials will utilize that new system once they've published it as a final product. As such Paizo's efforts wouldn't be much inspiration for WotC to publish its v3.5 core rulebooks.
Still, I think WotC could hit a sweet spot by offering the core rulebooks as PDFs for a cheap price and set the price of the other v3.5 books at around 25-30% of the cover price. I'd prefer if they followed the pricing of their older PDFs at $5 per book instead.
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
why arent you paying attention to this?
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
why arent you paying attention to this?
Because you're wrong? Drivethrurpg does not have the PHB, DMG, or MM for 3.5, hence his question. Saying it four times doesn't make it any less wrong.
If we are all missing it, could you please provide a link?
That craving leads to a very, very, impposible quest.
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
why arent you paying attention to this?
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
drivethrurpg.com has all the 3.5 books
why arent you paying attention to this?
No, it doesn't.
No, it doesn't.
No, it doesn't.
No, it doesn't.
Why aren't you paying attention to this?
Because you're wrong? Drivethrurpg does not have the PHB, DMG, or MM for 3.5, hence his question. Saying it four times doesn't make it any less wrong.
If we are all missing it, could you please provide a link?
- Sword and Fist
- Song and Silence
- Tome and Blood
- Ghostwalk
So...more curious.
My bad. I have all 3 books as pdf and forgot were I got them from. As it turns out not from drivethrurpg.com. And the site I got them from has closed. Oh well they will probaly show up at DTR eventually though. Maybe next year.:embarrass Sorry again.
I don't think they shall, for obvious reasons.
Oops....so far they have every 3.5 book except the 3 core ones.:embarrass
My bad. I have all 3 books as pdf and forgot were I got them from. As it turns out not from drivethrurpg.com. And the site I got them from has closed. Oh well they will probaly show up at DTR eventually though. Maybe next year.:embarrass Sorry again.
And the site I got them from has closed.
Again, what site was that? I'm curious.
Oops....so far they have every 3.5 book except the 3 core ones.:embarrass
And to reiterate:
Other books missing...
- Sword and Fist
- Song and Silence
- Tome and Blood
- Ghostwalk
And to reiterate:
Only Ghostwalk is 3.5, the other three are 3.0...
Only Ghostwalk is 3.5, the other three are 3.0...
No, Ghostwalk is 3.0; there is a Web Enhancement to update it to v3.5.
Here's an alphabetical list of D&D brand books that are not included. Note this list excludes FR (Edit: all FR books are available), Eberron (Edit: all Eberron books are available), and Fantastic Locations (it'd be hard to justify without the maps).
- Dungeon Master's Guide
- Ghostwalk
- Hero Builder's Guidebook
- Miniatures Handbook
- Monster Manual
- Player's Handbook
- Song and Silence: A Guidebook to Bards and Rogues
- Sword and Fist: A Guidebook to Monks and Fighters
- The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde
- Tome and Blood: A Guidebook to Wizards and Sorcerers
No, Ghostwalk is 3.0; there is a Web Enhancement to update it to v3.5.
Ah, from thus stems my confusion...
And to restate (not respond, as this is to post #40, not #42), those aren't 3.5rd edition.
Ah, from thus stems my confusion...
And to restate, those aren't 3.5rd edition.
Miniatures Handbook and The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde are.
I highly reccomend using the hypertext SRD in their stead.
I use Sovelior Sage which is great (and can be used on my mobile phone too! But when I create character sheets for convention games I like to note down the page numbers that a feat or spell can be found on - I can't do that with the SRD but could with PDFs.
Also I would like the DMG as I could do with it for referencing the Challenge Rating and Encounter level stuff - I have read the DMG but I can't remember it all and my hardcopy books only see the light of day at the game table - not at work where I do most of my prep.
That may be the reason they don't exist-that sales would be dismal when almost all the information is already out there in SRD form. (That or they wanted to encourage sales of print volumes).
Yeah, especially with Pathfinder Beta being a free PDF I think WOTC may have missed the boat on this TBH, though I think they would still make some sales. I think they held off putting the core books out in PDF form because they worried it would cannibalise sales of the physical core books. Luckily they don't seem to have made the same decision with 4e.
I wonder whether they could use the release of the 3.5 core books as an inventive to get people into 4e. Release the 3.5 core books in PDF and if you buy all 3 in a bundle you also get the 4e PHB PDF?
"So you decided to stick with 3.5? We can respect that. Still, why not give 4e a try for free? D&D 4th edition - try it, you might like it!" :D
I know that someone mentioned a third printing of 4E, a few months ago. translated, that a lot of books.
Why cripple that, with a retro-sale release of 3.5. core books in PDF?
That has been the main goal for H/Wotc to sell the New Edition. I understand you want to have a copy of them, in that format.
But for the next several business quarters...all things are 4E.
If by miracle, a 3.5 CBs bubble up from the archives...it will be a flux.
Nothing more.
*Sigh*, I don't see this happening anyway, because at the moment (and will be repeated again), everything is geared towards 4E.
I understand that it is very unlikely, but if we don't even make our interest clear in such products then it becomes even more unlikely. So I don't think this thread does any harm and may eventually prompt WOTC to release the 3.5 core book pdfs.
If by miracle, a 3.5 CBs bubble up from the archives...it will be a flux.
Sorry, what do you mean by "a flux", do you mean a fluke?
I understand that it is very unlikely, but if we don't even make our interest clear in such products then it becomes even more unlikely. So I don't think this thread does any harm and may eventually prompt WOTC to release the 3.5 core book pdfs.
Sorry, what do you mean by "a flux", do you mean a fluke?
I understand that it is very unlikely, but if we don't even make our interest clear in such products then it becomes even more unlikely. So I don't think this thread does any harm and may eventually prompt WOTC to release the 3.5 core book pdfs.
I am glad you do understand, honestly...I just wish that such zeal could be directed elsewhere, for truly more worthy cause.
I am not sure my creation of this thread and my posts within it could be considered "zeal" - just a few moments out of my time. But as for more worthy causes - what sort of things were you thinking of?