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I would like to see a separate book that contains ALL rules organized for quick reference, and PHB and the DMG having absolutely no rules, instead filling their pages with info about characters and campaign-running respectively.

Also a book about magic, deities and the supernatural in general.

This rises the core books to 5 (expensive, huh?):

1. Rules Compendium: everything you need during play
2. Player's Handbook: races, classes, PrCs, powers & abilities, options, character development
3. Dungeon's Master Guide: campaign-running, treasure, XP, world building
4. Monster Manual
5: Magic compendium: spells, magic items, deities

I'm still wondering why DND has to have rules? The great thing I love about first edition is the fact that it was written as guidelines.... not a rule to be found anywhere... What happens when a character reaches 30th level? In first edition I as a DM would break out the immortals guidelines (commonly referred to immortal rules; though there were none to speak of), and take whoever survived as far as I could.... Will you roll hit dice for each level?

Trixten_The_Kender wrote:

*sigh* This AGAIN?!?!?

Ever tried gaming with players who insist that if something is not explicitly denied in the rules, it's perfectly legal? Or who abuse every loop-hole in the rules they can find? They may be terrific role-players, but they just want to look for every possible advantage allowed by the rules.

In case you're familiar with Amber the Diceless RPG (which is based on Roger Zelazny's marvelous novels) I can tell you that we've had (in my gaming group) Princes of Amber researching Pattern Sorcery versions of (improved) Manshoon's Stasis Clone and a Princess of Chaos shashifting into a hermaphrodite in order to impregnate herself (repeatedly) and rear an army of her super-powered children in a Shadow (world) where time passed almost instantaneously fast (in relation to the rest of the Multiverse). Both instances are mechanically legal, and thus, loop-holes that may be used to grant yourself true immortality and a free (as opposed to buying it with points) army of fanatical 'god-like' offspring.

I could very well imagine that my gaming group will have several arguments over trivial but still important (in regard to game balance) issues, such as what is a 'legal' definition (wording) of a 'non-heroic' skill. Unless there will be some sort of guidelines or mechanics governing them, I fear that many players will most likely abuse them very creatively.

I wonder how well the new DMG will address this stuff (telling/managing stories with engaging choices and branching effects); Dungeonscape had a highly useful section on designing tactical encounters (the encounter template) that was independent of edition (even D&D; you could use it for wargaming), so I wonder if they explore solid tips or guides on that.

Asgetrion wrote:

Yes, you *could* use your DM's authority to force the issue, but it'd probably cause a lot of arguments from those 'rules-lawyers'. It's a bit different to declare that you shall cut or 'tweak' a whole bunch of skills in your campaigns than change or ban a single spell or feat.

I am just saying that it is not such a good thing to divide skills into two (or more) categories (e.g. 'useless or non-heroic skills' and 'heroic skills'), *unless* there are very clear mechanics or guidelines provided in the rules how to treat them all.

I've gamed with those types of people, and had to make judgement calls on a case by case basis, but honestly there is no way to please them so I chose not to game with them, they tend to ruin it for everyone by bogging down the time with arguments. DM's word is final, don't like it, find another group.