Hi!
I will be moving from Vancouver, BC, Canada to Perth, WA, Australia. The problem I'm looking to solve is what books to take with me.
I have purchased nearly every D&D source book since 3.5 came out. Bring them all with me would be a little excessive. I plan to lend them all to my brother with the exception of a few that I will bring with me. It is a temporary trip (12 months) which is why I don't plan on shipping all my books with me. And I do expect to get my books back from my brother when I return. But which ones to bring? The 3 core books seem like a given, and I would like to limit myself to 3 other books but I may end up bring as many as 7 others.
I expect I'll be the DM and I am planning on running Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. I am having Pathfinder delivered directly to Perth. So my Question is which books should I bring with me?
Cheers,
Chet.
Good qestion. Do we have an answer, oh Gods of Paizo?
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I'd say Comp Adv/War/Arc/Div for the extra base classes and PrCs your players might want. Maybe some of the Races books for racial substitution levels. Avoid books like MM2/3/4 and other DM tools as the Pathfinder books will cover most of those. You're gonna want mostly new player options as few people enjoy sticking to core imho.
My guess would be, without knowing how magic and the history of it, and all of that will be handled in the setting, I'd shy away from anything that presents an alternative system. While I think the Paizonians are doing their best to make this a fairly open setting, some new types of magic (I'm looking at you Incarnum) just doesn't always flow well with "standard" D&D . . . er . . . world's most popular RPG magic systems.
Not saying that everyone should, but I would then assume that things like the Swashbuckler, Samurai, Scout, Ninja, Knight, and things of that nature should not cause much of an issue in a Pathfinder campaign if the DM includes them.
Just like in a Forgotten Realms or Eberron game, a lot of the "fluff" in the Races series of books isn't likely to line up perfectly with Pathfinder's world either, but that doesn't mean that some of the specific rules don't work (for example, the substitution levels for elven paladins, just to throw something out there).
I guess the short answer to this would be that its going to be hard to say that the whole of "book X" is alright, but the entire "book Y" is inappropriate. Just like in the published settings, there is probably some aspects of each book that makes sense and some that doesn't, and some that falls in a gray area that some DMs will feel fits in the setting and others don't feel quite right about.
For me personally, this is my new "core" selection of books:
Player's Handbook
Player's Handbook II
Dungeon Master's Guide
Dungeon Master's Guide II
Monster Manual
Spell Compendium
Magic Item Compendium
Optionally, I would include:
Tome of Magic
Advanced Bestiary (from Green Ronin)
Unearthed Arcana
My reasonings for the books I chose:
Player's Handbook II: Some of the core classes fit quite well in the upcoming Pathfinder adventures (beguiler and knight, I'm looking at you). Also, I think the PHB 2 does a really good job at introducing the roleplaying aspect to new players. I like to keep it around for that.
Dungeon Master's Guide II: Refresher course for DMs.
Spell Compendium: I would probably reserve a lot of these spells for ancient ruins or treasure finds.
Magic Item Compendium: I think the augment crystals would be an excellent find in Thassillion ruins, along with several of the other items in here.
Tome of Magic: Any of these classes would be fun to use, but the shadowcaster and binder would be great classes for characters from Cheliax. (I read "Chelish devil binder" in the guide and immediately thought of this class - create vestiges for each of the types of devils and voila - insta-flavor!)
Advanced Bestiary: Templates GALORE. Two Monster Manual creatures and the amalgam template and you've got a never-ending supply of creatures.
Unearthed Arcana: Great options for both player and DM.
It is my opinion that any book can be made to fit into any setting - but I feel that the ones that I chose are a nice selection without being overwhelmed by choices.
Amalgam template? Is that book OGL? A GameMastery module or Pathfinder adventure could have fun with that...
I would actually suggest against taking the three core books with you if space is an issue. You obviously have access to the internet (and a computer), so just use the SRD. Also, if you really need them, surely one of your players will have them (at least a PHB, if not the MM and DMG as well).
The other books I would suggest are (probably in order):
ToB What can I say, I think this is close to the best book put out by WotC since the core 3. Really makes melee viable all the way to 20.
Magic Item Compendium Lots and Lots of cool ,new toys for PCs (and NPCs) probably make this my second favourite "splat" (or expansion) book.
Spell Compendium Just has too many cool, useful spells to leave behind
PHB2 lots of cool alternate options and base classes
After that, if you still have room, just take the books you like (or at least the ones that have the classes / options that you like).
And since you will be playing Pathfinder, you shouldn't need the Monster Books, as the monsters you need will either be in the SRD, or reprinted in full in Pathfinder.
So yeah, basically what Karui Kage said (But using the SRD instead of the Core 3).
Tome of Battle: From the Player's Guide, it sounds like Sword Sage would be perfect for Varisians , Sword Sage and Warblade for Chelaxians, and Crusader and Warblade for Shoanti. About the only change I'd make is which disciplines are available to each class.
Dragon Compendium: Battle Dancer! Death Master! Savant! Unseelie Fey!
Expanded Psionics Handbook: For me, one of the four Core books.
Complete Adventurer/Arcane/Divine/Warrior: So many good options here...
Amalgam template? Is that book OGL?
I think it is, but I keep forgetting to look for sure.
Personally, I'd just go with the core rulebooks, a DM screen, perhaps the GameMastery Combat Pad and some Fiery Dragon counters (perhaps just the CD if you have access to easy printing).
It sounds like Pathfinder will be pretty complete in and of itself, including all the fun extra bits you may want to use. If you only bring the core, it will be easier to make room to focus on the specific-to-Pathfinder bits.
Also, if you will have regular internet use, a lot of great stuff is available there. Most (if not all) of Unearthed Arcana is in the SRD, as are the Psionics rules. You can get PDFs of other books from WotC and all sorts of other publishers (many quite inexpensively), plus there is a lot of great free content out there.
This is all just my preference. I would take a year halfway around the world as a bit of a break from all the available options, and just concentrate on what Pathfinder is all about without having to worry about the other stuff.
The Advanced Bestiary is indeed OGL. We're using some templates from it as early as Pathfinder #2, in fact.
Which is why I am buying it. Though I must admit I am waiting on the Tome of Horrors reprint (hint hint) ;)
You can get PDFs of other books from WotC and all sorts of other publishers (many quite inexpensively),
Most of my collection is on my laptop (legally, thenkew). I get my WotC books from http://www.drivethrurpg.com . Unfortunately, Wizards doesn't discount the PDF versions, and they release them on a schedule the logic of which only they know. They are behind on the Complete books (they have Warrior, Arcane, and Divine, but not Adventurer or the "second series"), but they have PHB2, DMG2, and most of the Races and environment books. Very portable!
There's a ton of d20/OGL stuff from other publishers on there, most of whom discount, sometimes deeply, for the softcopy. And they don't blitz or sell your e-mail address, at least if you ask them not to.
I would go with the following:
Core 3
Spell Compendium
Magic Item Compendium
PHB II
Complete Warrior
Complete Arcane
Complete Divine
Complete Adventurer
That should give you and your players a wide range of options without going overboard on the books.
I agree with a previous poster that said you may be able to do without the core rulebooks. I would still probably take the PHB though. You can never have too many of them around the table.
Olaf the Stout
Tome of Battle: From the Player's Guide, it sounds like Sword Sage would be perfect for Varisians , Sword Sage and Warblade for Chelaxians, and Crusader and Warblade for Shoanti. About the only change I'd make is which disciplines are available to each class.
I will definitely want to include Tome of Battle into Varisia.
I also want to include Binders and Truenamers from Tome of Magic too.
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Funny, that suddenly everyone turned OGL fans after scorning OGL for so long... ;-)
Chet, you wrote that you own all the D&D 3.5 stuff. So non WotC books seem to be out of question...
My favourites are:
- 3 core rule books
- the first 4 complete books
- PH II (new classes, nice additions to the base classes of complete...)
- Races books (if you like)
- Tome of Magic (if you like)
- Spell Compendium and/ or Magic Item Compendium (if you think like Lilith and want to provide some extra goodies for your players)
In short, everything your players will like.
No need for more DM material because you will find enought back ground information in PF. This also means: No monster books required (new monsters in every PF issue).
Interesting enough for I will move to a different country, too.
I dispensed with a lot of other books, but kept most of my D&D collection.
Happy moving,
Günther
I would like to chime in and also recommend core three + Player's Handbook 2 + Spell Compendium + Magic Item Compendium + Complete Adventurer/Divine/Arcane/Warrior.
That gives plenty of options and depth without going overboard. If I had to part with the majority of my collection, these are probably the ones I'd hang on to. (I'd sort of miss the Tome of Magic and Unearthed Arcana, and the newer books with the reserve feats, but I think I'd manage).
<bump!>
Now that more of us have our hands on a copy of Pathfinder #1, I'm interested in hearing your opinions now about including options for player's classes. I've got one guy in my group that wants to run a warlock from the Complete Arcane book and I'm wondering if that'll throw off the balance of my game in later installments of the Pathfinder series.
Otherwise, I'm willing to purchase the book to give my players options for running new classes!
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I could invision more warlocks and sorcerers than true wizards in Varisia. With the background of Thassilonia and it's somewhat evil magic the spellcasters who are not OOB wizards might not receive as much flak.
Side note: This is of course, from a pure fluff and non-mechanical basis. Whether or not the lack of a true wizards potential firepower is enough to unbalance a party that lacks one during the course of the AP is not really a concern of mine. I rarely if ever worry about running the game for a balanced party.
I think I'll still stick with the following even after reading Burnt Offerings.
Core 3
PHB II
DMG II
Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords
Tome of Magic
First 4 "Complete" Books (very optional)
Spell Compendium
Magic Item Compendium
I will also be adding a mass combat component as more of the world is revealed or I'll just finally get around to updating Battlesystem to d20.
Later,
Greg Volz
Natural Twenty Gaming
Creative Director
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I could invision more warlocks and sorcerers than true wizards in Varisia. With the background of Thassilonia and it's somewhat evil magic the spellcasters who are not OOB wizards might not receive as much flak.
Although Varisians and Shoanti do prefer less scholarly approaches to magic, wizards are certainly not rare in Varisia, especially in the more civilized regions. No one really remembers Thassilon now, since it was 10,000 years ago when it went away, so there's not really a stigma attached to being a specialist wizard there.
<bump!>
(...)
Koveras? Isn't that you that gave me that ring once in a library? ...
The guy filling the arcane spellcaster role in our all-goblin game had to really search. Wizard was right out (because of the spellbook) and sorcerer seemed hobbled (because of the Charisma penalty). He considered spellmaster (from the Advanced Player's Manual) but thought it sounded like it required too much patience for a goblin. In the end he settled for a psion.
Koveras? Isn't that you that gave me that ring once in a library? ...
Was it a ring that happened to get you and your party arrested in Candlekeep? >:)
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I expect I'll be the DM and I am planning on running Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. I am having Pathfinder delivered directly to Perth. So my Question is which books should I bring with me?
Most of the people here clearly didn't read what you planned on doing.
Since you're going to be DMing, that eliminates A LOT.
Since you plan on running Pathfinder, that eliminates even more.
You do NOT need any of the Complete books to DM. Sure they let you make interesting characters, but they're not necessary. Especially since you're running Pathfinder with NPCs there for you. They're not OGL products, so Pathfinder won't reference them.
Spell Compendium.. it's nice for more spells.. but you're running Pathfinder and Spell Compendium isn't OGL.. so again.. don't need it as DM, none of the NPCs will be casting spells out of it.
What you probably do want to bring a long is the Magic Item Compendium. Sure Pathfinder does have rewards built in, but if you run adventures between issues, it's nice to have some distinctive rewards.
As DM, you don't need PHB2 either. DMG2 might be useful, but consider first how often you actually use it. Do you? If not, don't need it.
If you plan on just running Pathfinder, you could probably just get away with the 3 corebooks and that's just it. Remember, one way or another, all of the Wizards books are available in PDF... ;)
OK, I'm probably gonna seem dim, but where can you find the Amalgam Template? I have a friend who would like to know but doesn't have internet and can't find it in any books. Did they ever print the Advanced Beastiary or just skip it and go to the Beastiary 2? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
OK, I'm probably gonna seem dim, but where can you find the Amalgam Template? I have a friend who would like to know but doesn't have internet and can't find it in any books. Did they ever print the Advanced Beastiary or just skip it and go to the Beastiary 2? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
The Advanced Bestiary was from a different company (green Ronin I think) I also believe it has gone the way of the dodo and become an extinct book... You may find them on ebay (Cannot promise much though)
Edit It was Green Ronin and there is one for buy it now HERE on EBAY Although I assume you can find them on gaming sites and maybe even here on Paizo (Again no promises)
Thanks for your help. Now I gotta get one. :)
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The Advanced Bestiary was from a different company (green Ronin I think) I also believe it has gone the way of the dodo and become an extinct book... You may find them on ebay (Cannot promise much though)
PDF available at least from Green Ronin, maybe other sources.
Book available by print-on-demand at lulu.com.
It's a great book.