I have the majority of the 4th edition core rule books, as well as a couple of the "better" supplement books, but I'm looking to switch to 5th edition. I feel like there's still some good information in them, so are any of these 4th edition books worth holding on to, or should I just drop them all and start fresh?
(I'm sure I can get rid of the DM guide, but what about my Player's Handbooks, Monster Manuals, Draconomicons, or Adenturer's Vaults?)
Monster Vault/Manuals (for the monster powers, as they make good ideas for ways to shake up monsters when they get stale, and they will get stale), Neverwinter Campaign Setting, FR Campaign Guide (at least for now), and Draconomicon/Vault (and to a lesser degree PHB's, like for power conversions to new sub-class paths) for ideas. Of course, I think most 4E books qualify as great idea-givers. I haven't gotten rid of any of mine yet and have no intention of doing so.
Draconomicons are good. I still have the the 3.5, which is pretty nice too.
Just for a counter point: Drop them all.
Now my serious opinion: You are the only one that knows whether adding any of that stuff to your 5th edition game is going to increase your enjoyment or manage to hinder it, so do what you want whether someone else agrees that it'd be cool or thinks it would be a stupid waste of time that would completely jack-up the whole purpose of 5th edition.
Keep them, play 4E from levels 1-4, 5E from levels 4 to 9, 3E from levels 9-36 and BECMI from 36 on all while using 2E's Planescape setting.
FFSAA wrote:
FFSAA wrote:
Zardnaar wrote:
Menzoberranzan, City of Intrigue
Tony_Vargas wrote:
For now, I've used 4e Dark Sun stuff (I don't own the 2e stuff anymore). I also like the 4e dungeon delve book, as it's 30 small sessions across 30 levels. Pretty much all older D&D books are useful in 5e, as there's only two 5e books out. 4e also has a lot of good ideas like ongoing damage, marks, minion/normal/elite/solo monsters, every class getting AEDU's (at-will, short rest, long rest) combat options...
Really, though, I'm not getting rid of my 4e library. It's still my favorite, with 5e a close second (as it is now. 5e could become my favorite if it gets more stuff, I like that stuff, and books like the 5e DMG allow me to make a hybrid '4.5'* easily.
* With more AEDU's for all classes (the 5e casters are already AEDU classes), attacker always rolls (AC, FORT, REF, WILL defenses), saves just for ending conditions, letting everyone have a second wind once per short rest, 4e grid combat, but with manditory 5e backgrounds, 5e proficiencies, and 5e's smaller numbers (defenses, AC, HP, BAB's, etc.)
Chiisai_Usagi wrote:
paulstrait wrote:
The Demonomicon, Plane Above, and Plane Below have some decent fluff/lore.
I would keep the books. Even if you're not the collector/nostalgic type, you don't need to exclusively play with the current edition of the rules. I think each edition offers a different enough experience that they're worth playing. Now if you got bored of 4e so badly that you're 100% sure that you'll never play it again, you can always use the books as emergency toilet paper.
I would keep all of them (and that is what I am doing with my 4e collection). Some day, you might find yourself wanting to use 4e for something or other (I like using it to run dungeon crawl role-play light games). And, the fluff in products like the Shadowfell boxed set can be used with 5th edition mechanics.
I would keep the monster manuals. I'm probably going to replace Henchmen/NPC caster levels with 4e powers. I never use casters as a Player and so far it has been a pain the to make NPCs spells lists.
Mommy_was_an_Orc wrote:
Diffan wrote:
Keep all your books. Experience of a vast many D&D players is that after a decade or so, you will want to look at the books from prior editions, mine them for some ideas, and be disappointed if you ditch them all once the eition ends.
Mommy_was_an_Orc wrote:
I would go out of my way to purchase the essentials line. It's one of 5E's parents and shows the class paradigm at work. Pretty interesting. (Also independently fun if you want to run some cool skirmishes).
paulstrait wrote:
For me 4e has a sweet spot from level 1 - 11. Things bogged down too much for me once paragon paths kicked in. After that the multiple different off turn actions and situational/temperary modifiers ramped up to a point that I no longer enjoy combat. That has been an issue since WoTC took over D&D though.
Removed quite a bit of personal attacks and baiting.
http://company.wizards.com/policies/web/conduct
Let's keep it civil.
paulstrait wrote:
Diffan wrote: