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Source books with redundant info?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
vanden
Nov 19, 2008 0:05:18 Will future published sourcebooks have information that has previously been published elsewhere? For example, the Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons sourcebook contains numerous new draconic monsters; can one expect to see these monsters appear in a future monster manual?

Likewise, will PHBII have sections on races that have been profiled in the Dragon magazines?
#2
franco_un-american
Nov 19, 2008 0:10:17 Thus far, except for things explicitly labeled as previews, we haven't seen anything to indicate this will happen, and we've had some opportunities thus far (Bazaar of the Bizarre - Adventurer's Vault, or Gladiator - Martial Power). Personally, the only thing I expect to get reprinted thus far (outside of the Annuals, of course) is the warforged, probably in the Eberron Player's Guide.
#3
ranadiel
Nov 19, 2008 6:35:31 The only redundant info that will likely be published, with the exception of the Warforged which are in maybe territory right now, would be stuff like the "The Nature of Dieties" info that is present in Draconomicon. Basically just side bars that appear to give general information that is relevent to something in the book, but could be relevent to stuff in another book.
#4
the_badger_02
Nov 19, 2008 11:03:31 I hope that after a few on the nature of dieties they stop. Remember Swift and Immediate actions?
#5
salla
Nov 20, 2008 2:20:26
I hope that after a few on the nature of dieties they stop. Remember Swift and Immediate actions?

Agreed.

It's kind of a lose-lose situation for WotC, though. Either people complain that they don't have a book with that information in it, or people complain that they're wasting book space on stuff they've already got.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
#6
unfamiliar
Nov 20, 2008 5:41:43
Agreed.

It's kind of a lose-lose situation for WotC, though. Either people complain that they don't have a book with that information in it, or people complain that they're wasting book space on stuff they've already got.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Definitely part of the second group, here. If I'm wondering about a certain race, class, feat, etc, I'd rather see a small footnote pointing me to a page in another book, instead of seeing that same stuff taking up twice as much space 'cause it's been printed in two totally different books. Cut & paste is NOT my friend, & I really like the fact that so far with 4e, WotC seems to be steering clear of the idea of reprinting material.

It seems to me that some of the people who complain about not having a certain rulebook haven't figured out yet that one book can't have everything you want in it - sometimes you actually need to buy more than one (gasp!). These same people would probably pick up a dictionary & whine that the recipe for butter tarts they wanted wasn't in there, so I'm glad WotC isn't listening to their complaints.
#7
mdhprime
Nov 20, 2008 8:31:18 I do not see it as a big problem. Usually the overlap is a small amount of material, like a monster or two being published in an adventure, only to show up later in Monster Manual X or some other book.
#8
VerysArkon
Nov 25, 2008 12:08:06 Most of the crunchy bits - feats, powers, monsters - are in the Compendium shortly after the book's publication. As the Compendium is developed, I expect other categories of crunch to be added.

You're SOL for fluff though.
#9
thax
Nov 25, 2008 22:27:18
Likewise, will PHBII have sections on races that have been profiled in the Dragon magazines?

Dragon articles are supposed to be Optional Material. When the expected annual comes out in physical form, it will not feature new races or classes. The developers have been clear, the only place for those are Player Handbooks/guides and Setting books.

Any race you see in the DDi will eventually end up in a players book, like the Warforged in Eberron. I don't look at this as an exception, but as a rule.
#10
gnarfflinger
Nov 26, 2008 13:45:30 If an article has been listed as a Playtest for an upcoming book, then it's going to be reprinted in the book, but otherwise, I doubt it. For Crunch, you are expected to get D&DI and look at the compenduum, but for Fluff, you're expected to buy the books...
#11
tehsquirrely
Nov 28, 2008 10:02:36 From the look of things WotC is moving away from assuming you only own the PHB, MM and DMG, and moving toward assuming you likely own most of the books, and all of the "core" books (phb, mm, dmg, and their sequals). So we aren't going to see a feat reprinted 30 times, I'm looking at you goad! And it also seems like they're going to be putting out less books, not 2 poorly planned mostly generic fluff splat-books a month because they can support more material with dungeon and dragon magazine.

For instance martial power gives you options for drow and genasi characters and says in a sidebar, basically "drow and genasi are in the forgotten realms player guide, if you don't have this book simply ignore this material." And hell, the drow stuff is still useful without it because they're available in the MM.
#12
sen4life
Nov 29, 2008 8:48:00 All I want is a well put together book, maybe some redundant items that needs to be stressed and that's not going to dig a whole in my pocket. What I don't want to do is have to lug around 50 books every time a go game or have to have 60,000 items open on my laptop because the new content is so diluted.

Eat Mor Chic'en
#13
gnarfflinger
Nov 29, 2008 22:01:33 I think that's part of the idea of the Compenduum. The ability to search for what you want based on a few words...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 vanden Nov 19, 2008 0:05:18	Will future published sourcebooks have information that has previously been published elsewhere? For example, the Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons sourcebook contains numerous new draconic monsters; can one expect to see these monsters appear in a future monster manual? Likewise, will PHBII have sections on races that have been profiled in the Dragon magazines?
#2 franco_un-american Nov 19, 2008 0:10:17	Thus far, except for things explicitly labeled as previews, we haven't seen anything to indicate this will happen, and we've had some opportunities thus far (Bazaar of the Bizarre - Adventurer's Vault, or Gladiator - Martial Power). Personally, the only thing I expect to get reprinted thus far (outside of the Annuals, of course) is the warforged, probably in the Eberron Player's Guide.
#3 ranadiel Nov 19, 2008 6:35:31	The only redundant info that will likely be published, with the exception of the Warforged which are in maybe territory right now, would be stuff like the "The Nature of Dieties" info that is present in Draconomicon. Basically just side bars that appear to give general information that is relevent to something in the book, but could be relevent to stuff in another book.
#4 the_badger_02 Nov 19, 2008 11:03:31	I hope that after a few on the nature of dieties they stop. Remember Swift and Immediate actions?
#5 salla Nov 20, 2008 2:20:26	I hope that after a few on the nature of dieties they stop. Remember Swift and Immediate actions? Agreed. It's kind of a lose-lose situation for WotC, though. Either people complain that they don't have a book with that information in it, or people complain that they're wasting book space on stuff they've already got. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
#6 unfamiliar Nov 20, 2008 5:41:43	Agreed. It's kind of a lose-lose situation for WotC, though. Either people complain that they don't have a book with that information in it, or people complain that they're wasting book space on stuff they've already got. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Definitely part of the second group, here. If I'm wondering about a certain race, class, feat, etc, I'd rather see a small footnote pointing me to a page in another book, instead of seeing that same stuff taking up twice as much space 'cause it's been printed in two totally different books. Cut & paste is NOT my friend, & I really like the fact that so far with 4e, WotC seems to be steering clear of the idea of reprinting material. It seems to me that some of the people who complain about not having a certain rulebook haven't figured out yet that one book can't have everything you want in it - sometimes you actually need to buy more than one (gasp!). These same people would probably pick up a dictionary & whine that the recipe for butter tarts they wanted wasn't in there, so I'm glad WotC isn't listening to their complaints.
#7 mdhprime Nov 20, 2008 8:31:18	I do not see it as a big problem. Usually the overlap is a small amount of material, like a monster or two being published in an adventure, only to show up later in Monster Manual X or some other book.
#8 VerysArkon Nov 25, 2008 12:08:06	Most of the crunchy bits - feats, powers, monsters - are in the Compendium shortly after the book's publication. As the Compendium is developed, I expect other categories of crunch to be added. You're SOL for fluff though.
#9 thax Nov 25, 2008 22:27:18	Likewise, will PHBII have sections on races that have been profiled in the Dragon magazines? Dragon articles are supposed to be Optional Material. When the expected annual comes out in physical form, it will not feature new races or classes. The developers have been clear, the only place for those are Player Handbooks/guides and Setting books. Any race you see in the DDi will eventually end up in a players book, like the Warforged in Eberron. I don't look at this as an exception, but as a rule.
#10 gnarfflinger Nov 26, 2008 13:45:30	If an article has been listed as a Playtest for an upcoming book, then it's going to be reprinted in the book, but otherwise, I doubt it. For Crunch, you are expected to get D&DI and look at the compenduum, but for Fluff, you're expected to buy the books...
#11 tehsquirrely Nov 28, 2008 10:02:36	From the look of things WotC is moving away from assuming you only own the PHB, MM and DMG, and moving toward assuming you likely own most of the books, and all of the "core" books (phb, mm, dmg, and their sequals). So we aren't going to see a feat reprinted 30 times, I'm looking at you goad! And it also seems like they're going to be putting out less books, not 2 poorly planned mostly generic fluff splat-books a month because they can support more material with dungeon and dragon magazine. For instance martial power gives you options for drow and genasi characters and says in a sidebar, basically "drow and genasi are in the forgotten realms player guide, if you don't have this book simply ignore this material." And hell, the drow stuff is still useful without it because they're available in the MM.
#12 sen4life Nov 29, 2008 8:48:00	All I want is a well put together book, maybe some redundant items that needs to be stressed and that's not going to dig a whole in my pocket. What I don't want to do is have to lug around 50 books every time a go game or have to have 60,000 items open on my laptop because the new content is so diluted. Eat Mor Chic'en
#13 gnarfflinger Nov 29, 2008 22:01:33	I think that's part of the idea of the Compenduum. The ability to search for what you want based on a few words...