Buying 5E content piece by piece

[lesliev]

Hi all!

If I buy the character customisation pack and all the class packs, will that get me all the content in the "complete core class pack"? I see it would cost $3 more to do it this way - but I think it's a good option because I can buy what I need when I need it instead of the big initial outlay.

I've already bought some of the monster packs - it seems they add up to exactly the same price as the "complete core monster pack". Again, would buying each of the monster packs eventually get me all the content in the complete core monster pack or would I be missing some extras?

[Zacchaeus]

As far as the monsters go then yes buying them all will get you everything in the MM. I'm not terribly sure about the class packs though since I've never looked at them. There's a fair amount in the PHB about how the game works and that isn't something that would be found in the class descriptions nor in the customisation pack. Perhaps another more knowledgeable person will be along shortly to answer this with more authority.

[lesliev]

The only thing I can see for the core class pack that might be missing is "Reference material and artwork which is not specific to any one particular character class". The rest look as though they would be included with the customisation pack and class packs. Spells come with the classes so they are there.

Does the core class pack include all the text that's in the physical PHB? Because that's a lot of text.
A lot of it is in the customisation pack but not all - parts 2 and 3 of the PHB are missing, and so are Appendix A, C, D and E.

[JohnD]

Doing it that way will lead to a massive pain in the *** as you have to have so many modules and tabs littering your landscape.

[lesliev]

Doing it that way will lead to a massive pain in the *** as you have to have so many modules and tabs littering your landscape.

True, that's something to consider.

[Zacchaeus]

The only thing I can see for the core class pack that might be missing is "Reference material and artwork which is not specific to any one particular character class". The rest look as though they would be included with the customisation pack and class packs. Spells come with the classes so they are there.

Does the core class pack include all the text that's in the physical PHB? Because that's a lot of text.
A lot of it is in the customisation pack but not all - parts 2 and 3 of the PHB are missing, and so are Appendix A, C, D and E.

Yes, that's what I thought. The core class pack contains everything that is in the paper version of the PHB.

[lesliev]

In that case I think it's probably not worth me collecting the classes one by one - I'd end up with a lot of modules and an incomplete PHB. I'll collect the monster types one at a time and save up to buy the core class pack all in one go.

[computertrucker]

I know this is a little off topic. But what is the big benefit of buying these class packs? The core 5E package seems to have everything in it. I toyed around with it last night for the first time so I'm definitely a novice. But I was able to drag-and-drop pretty much everything I needed.

[JohnD]

In that case I think it's probably not worth me collecting the classes one by one - I'd end up with a lot of modules and an incomplete PHB. I'll collect the monster types one at a time and save up to buy the core class pack all in one go.

You'll be struggling with the same challenge except with creature instead of classes.

[Moon Wizard]

The class packs were simply a way to sell the Player's Handbook in smaller chunks related to specific classes. If you have the core books, then you already have all the pack material.

Also, the content in the SRD that is automatically included with the FG install is a subset of the core books content, if that was part of the question.

Regards,
JPG

[kylania]

In that case I think it's probably not worth me collecting the classes one by one - I'd end up with a lot of modules and an incomplete PHB. I'll collect the monster types one at a time and save up to buy the core class pack all in one go.

Might as well save the money and headache and just hand type in the monsters you need or just buy the official adventures since they come with all the monsters needed for the adventure. The PHB is pretty key and you really want the full thing, but the MM is mostly needed for homebrew campaigns.

[Nylanfs]

You can also get by with the SRD while you save.

[damned]

For me the PHB content is the most valuable of the 5e resources. Thats what I always recommend if someone can buy one and only one product.

[Answulf]

For me the PHB content is the most valuable of the 5e resources. That's what I always recommend if someone can buy one and only one product.

Do you think that's true for GMs? I haven't bought any of it yet as I'm just now getting back into the swing of things after a hiatus, but I was thinking I'd be better served getting the MM first and then maybe the PHB.

Two side notes:

1.) The DMG seems to be a really hard sell in FG when you own a physical copy. Feels like I'm mostly just paying $50 for an item forge? I'm really not trying to bash it, just find where the value is. I understand that the tables are in there too, but it just seems so easy to roll on the tables in the actual book during prep instead.
2.) It seems to be a really, er... unusual... choice that there is not a discounted bundle of the three core books for GMs.

Not to sound too disgruntled, though. I've only been back a few weeks, but overall I'm really impressed with the official 5E support.

[damned]

Do you think that's true for GMs? I haven't bought any of it yet as I'm just now getting back into the swing of things after a hiatus, but I was thinking I'd be better served getting the MM first and then maybe the PHB.

Two side notes:

1.) The DMG seems to be a really hard sell in FG when you own a physical copy. Feels like I'm mostly just paying $50 for an item forge? I'm really not trying to bash it, just find where the value is. I understand that the tables are in there too, but it just seems so easy to roll on the tables in the actual book during prep instead.
2.) It seems to be a really, er... unusual... choice that there is not a discounted bundle of the three core books for GMs.

Not to sound too disgruntled, though. I've only been back a few weeks, but overall I'm really impressed with the official 5E support.

The game is about the characters and they are the most detailed things in the game. The Monsters get killed, banished, deceived etc and the party move on - so yeah the PHB is stil more important for me than the MM. You get about 200 monsters in the included Basic Rules and the SRD so you have a lot of monster options to get you started and building new monsters is 10x easier than building the character automation etc without the PHB. All the published adventures also contain all the required monsters for those. I cant comment on the DMG - I dont have it in FG and Ive never even opened my physical copy - it arrived and i threw it on the pile with all the other RPG books I havent had time to read :)

[JohnD]

The DMG is good value. Being able to use those tables and have them autopopulate with just one click instead of 20 with already created items is huge IMO.

That said, I would go PHB, MM DMG in that order.

[Answulf]

Thanks for the advice guys!

[Zacchaeus]

The one thing that might swing you to the dark side of the DMG is the extensive treasure tables and just how easy it is to prepare a treasure parcel. You pick the treasure table and click to roll one dice (or a % dice so technically two). The roll then cascades down through not just that table but any other tables linked to that table. So for example if you roll up a +1 Sword it will roll to see what kind of sword you get, and if you roll ups some gems it will roll the type and value of each gem, and if you roll a 2nd level scroll it will roll up which scroll you get. On top of that it will roll all the coins and Art work and anything else and it will then wrap that up in a parcel which you can then drop into a story entry.

And another thing, all the magic items are in there and for weapons they all work by drag and drop, so if your PC picks up a +2 sword then as soon as it's equipped it will set up the attacks and damage correctly in the character sheet. Finally there's a ton of combat and other options in the DMG not detailed elsewhere.

However, if you mostly play published adventures then the DMG might not be a resource you'll refer to much. I would echo what has been said above however the PHB is essential. It will give your players way more options for character creation than the SRD or Basic Rules.

[Answulf]

The one thing that might swing you to the dark side of the DMG is the extensive treasure tables and just how easy it is to prepare a treasure parcel. You pick the treasure table and click to roll one dice (or a % dice so technically two). The roll then cascades down through not just that table but any other tables linked to that table. So for example if you roll up a +1 Sword it will roll to see what kind of sword you get, and if you roll ups some gems it will roll the type and value of each gem, and if you roll a 2nd level scroll it will roll up which scroll you get. On top of that it will roll all the coins and Art work and anything else and it will then wrap that up in a parcel which you can then drop into a story entry.

And another thing, all the magic items are in there and for weapons they all work by drag and drop, so if your PC picks up a +2 sword then as soon as it's equipped it will set up the attacks and damage correctly in the character sheet. Finally there's a ton of combat and other options in the DMG not detailed elsewhere.

OK, now that is pretty awesome. You might have swayed me.