Comparative Reality

I received my copy of the 4th edition D&D Player's Handbook today. I was actually giddy when I opened the box and cracked the cover, and I keep stealing longing glances at it.

I think part of my problem is that it's been a long, long time since I bought an RPG book (not counting PDFs). There's something about a hardcover book that says Dungeons & Dragons that stirs far too many pleasant, intensely geeky memories. Even though this book is far removed from its forebears (piled into too-heavy boxes in my attic), and I have had a somewhat adversarial relationship with the d20 rules, something changes when you have the actual rulebook in your hands.

Oh, sure, it's much glossier than my D&D, with all of those full-page pictures...in fact, there's a disturbing lack of amateur line drawings. As it says right there on page 7, "It's bright and shiny." Ok, yes, they're talking about the ruleset, but it obviously applies to the book, as well.

I'm sure that once I dive into the rules, I'll emerge as my cynical, d20-hating self, and all will be right with the world.