We had an awesome campaign a few years back in 3.5 and a major part of it (spanning several months of weekly get togethers) took place in the Underdark... so the book was perfect for the campaign, and although I'm not going back to 3.5, I'm worried I may need some of the info if 4e has no plans for it. Any thoughts?
D.
I haven't yet gotten the FR books for 4e, so I'm not sure what is in them at this point...
The FR Campaign Guide gives 17 pages of Underdark info, but nothing like the old books dedicated to it did. No sprawling maps or anything like that. The FR PLayer's Guide gives even less, only giving a few details about the East Rift portion of the Underchasm and a few more tidbits. I, personally, would hang on to you Underdark books for fluff reasons. Yeah, portions of the Underdark were altered in FR due to the Spellplague, but Menzoberranzan seems to be more-or-less intact, so yes...keep hold of your Underdark books if you plan on doing Underdark adventures.
D.
I haven't yet gotten the FR books for 4e, so I'm not sure what is in them at this point, but I have been selling and giving away my 3.x books on the net and to friends
Ouch!! I've never been bold enough to sell my D&D books in the face of a new edition. I still have my 1st edition books (not that I've ever played it much). I came from Basic into 2nd edition. By the time 3rd edition rolled around, I had so many D&D books I finally started thinking about thinning out the herd. Glad I never did though, since 4e hasn't impressed me nearly as much as I'd hoped. I still find myself playing 3.5 periodically (mostly as DM).
one of my friends asked for my 3e Underdark book, but I am hesitant to let it go because I really liked the book and it had good info, I wasn't sure if there was a 4e book planned that anyone knows about, etc. and what it will have in it.
All you hung onto was your Underdark book? Ahhh!!
We had an awesome campaign a few years back in 3.5 and a major part of it (spanning several months of weekly get togethers) took place in the Underdark... so the book was perfect for the campaign, and although I'm not going back to 3.5, I'm worried I may need some of the info if 4e has no plans for it. Any thoughts?
D.
Well, if you're not going back to 3.5, it'll prolly be okay. Still, what're ya gonna do if nostalgia sets in five or ten years from now :P?
Anyway, enough of me lamenting *your* loss ;); on to whether you should keep your 3e Underdark book (or not), my suggestion is a resounding: Yes!
The chapter Exploring the Underdark is a great source of information that you're just not gonna find in the new edition (at least for a while). It talks about geology of the Underdark, like caves, dungeons, underground lakes, even rivers and seas, shafts and tunnels.
There's detail on the underground enviroment, like light, climate, air quality, ecology, and enviromental hazards (like slime, molds, and fun-guy :P). There's also guidelines for Spelunking, describing the effects of cramped spaces, climbing, and how to "get lost". Last but not least, there's An Underdark Primer, desribing the Upperdark, Middledark, and Lowerdark regions.
In the next chapter (Geography), there's info on Underdark domains, like the Glimmersea (a.k.a. the Sea of Starry Night, an Underdark mirror of the Sea of Stars).
Just based on the sheer amount of fluff alone, I'd say keep your book. Hope I've managed to convince ya ;).
To give you a little more info, when I finally decided to make the switch from 3e to 4e, I decided I wasn't going to go back to 4e. My two oldest sons are getting into D&D, their friends play 4e, all my old gaming group buddies are playing 4e and not going back, and basically I see no reason to keep the piles of 3e books on the shelf that will never be used... with that being said, I am keeping a few of my favorites, and the Underdark thing came up because I haven't gotten to look through the new 4e FR books yet, so I wasn't sure what was covered.
As far as nostalgia setting in... I just don't see that happening with 3e... I had fun with it, but nothing that I'd care to think back on as 'the good old days'... I have my 1e collection to fall back on... that is where the nostalgia comes into play. I spent a lot of time in the 80's playing D&D, and I'm happy to say my 1e collection is about 90% complete now, if not more.
And yes, you did convince me to hold onto the 3e Underdark book.
Thanks,
D.
Never know when you are going to want some obscure piece of fluff (sometimes even fluff that should not be obscure) from an older edition.
Ouch!! I've never been bold enough to sell my D&D books in the face of a new edition. I still have my 1st edition books (not that I've ever played it much). I came from Basic into 2nd edition. By the time 3rd edition rolled around, I had so many D&D books I finally started thinking about thinning out the herd. Glad I never did though, since 4e hasn't impressed me nearly as much as I'd hoped. I still find myself playing 3.5 periodically (mostly as DM).
All you hung onto was your Underdark book? Ahhh!!
Well, if you're not going back to 3.5, it'll prolly be okay. Still, what're ya gonna do if nostalgia sets in five or ten years from now :P?
Anyway, enough of me lamenting *your* loss ;); on to whether you should keep your 3e Underdark book (or not), my suggestion is a resounding: Yes!
The chapter Exploring the Underdark is a great source of information that you're just not gonna find in the new edition (at least for a while). It talks about geology of the Underdark, like caves, dungeons, underground lakes, even rivers and seas, shafts and tunnels.
There's detail on the underground enviroment, like light, climate, air quality, ecology, and enviromental hazards (like slime, molds, and fun-guy :P). There's also guidelines for Spelunking, describing the effects of cramped spaces, climbing, and how to "get lost". Last but not least, there's An Underdark Primer, desribing the Upperdark, Middledark, and Lowerdark regions.
In the next chapter (Geography), there's info on Underdark domains, like the Glimmersea (a.k.a. the Sea of Starry Night, an Underdark mirror of the Sea of Stars).
Just based on the sheer amount of fluff alone, I'd say keep your book. Hope I've managed to convince ya ;).
LOL, I doubt I would ever go back to play an old edition, but if I did the only one I would consider would be AD&D (or 1E in the current parlance).
I can not wait to put that Deathgrasp Sarcophagus up against my players!! Hopefully more and more of this stuff will be released.
I'll never get my head around the reasoning of someone selling his or her FR books because of an editional change ...
-The economy is tanking, need some quick cash...Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. If it was something I wasn't too attached to, I might consider selling things I had. The OP, by the way he wrote and worded his post, didn't seem all that attached to whichever books he sold, with the exception of Underdark.
-The economy is tanking, need some quick cash...Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. If it was something I wasn't too attached to, I might consider selling things I had. The OP, by the way he wrote and worded his post, didn't seem all that attached to whichever books he sold, with the exception of Underdark.
LK ... no real need to explain each and everything to the boarders (or me). ;) It was more or less just a statement, no question. A statement which should get others the think again before pushing for quick cash.
I have DDGtU and Underdark and I don't think anything will beat them...
-When used in unison, the two indeed make one of the best Forgotten Realms sources, in terms of information, creativity, etc.