July DDI Update

[Illrigger]

OK, so the first installment of PHB3 is out. You guys are gonna LOVE this, this is what the powers look like:

Yep, each power includes only fluff text and a link to the compendium entry.

So if you ever cancel your sub, the sections of Dragon that contain the PHB3 items are useless (unless you happen to still have the Character builder still installed). Sorta devalues Dragon overall, in my opinion.

[Atras]

Sorta devalues Dragon overall, in my opinion.

I'm pretty sure this isn't going to be in the compiled version of the magazine, anyway. I agree that if you only got one month of DnDI you are out of luck on reading what everything does (except you will still have the information in your Character Builder). The good news, of course, is that when the actual PHB3 comes out, this PDF is excess bits taking up space on your hard drive anyway!

I actually think WotC could use this idea as a way to put out PDFs for subscribers. It's certainly an interesting way to encourage a subscription, and it gives them a really clean way to do errata.

[Illrigger]

I wouldn't count on the compiled Dragon having the full text. That would be handing this content to the pirates, which they obviously are willing to go to any lengths to avoid, even hosing paying customers.

I thought the same thing about the PDFs. If they were free with DDI, I think they could be a valuable addition to the value of the subscription. Paying extra for them would be a less than cool thing, however.

In the end, the Character Builder includes everything in the rulebooks except flavor text anyway. While I am disappointed with what they did with the powers in the Psion article, the fact is that the Builder app @ $8 a month makes it so you don't have to buy the books at all if you don't want to. I re-upped for that reason alone.