I for one have not done much reading on the next chapter of D&D: the 4th Edition however I imagine I will be not-so-reluctantly drawn into the next version with the group, that has changed little since we began playing tabletop fantasy role-playing games in the early 80s.
I know many are suggesting taking a stand on 3.5 (heck I know some who are still ardent supporters of the 2nd Edition!) so if, and I imagine for some there are no ifs, you were to buy 3.5 today and assemble only a handful of supplementary books for the sake of this discussion let us say in addition to the core three (DMG, MM, and PHB) you could only have eight what would be part of your essential 3.5 library?
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Spell Compendium
Magic Item Compendium
Tome of Horrors
Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Advanced Bestiary
... and I guess two of the Fiend Folio/Monster Manual X series. Probably MMIV and MMV - I find the pre-statted 'advanced' monsters very useful.
To be honest, I think the game works better with very few (or perhaps even no) supplements, so restricting to eight is no great hardship.
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- Kingdom of Kalamar campaign book
- Kalamar Players Guide (I find myself using this as much if not more so than the Players Handbook)
- Tome of Horrors
(with these three alone I could campaign for years)
- Dangerous Denizens
- Complete Psionics
- Villain Design Handbook
And while I know they are not strictly DnD, I would also want
- D20 Modern
- D20 Call of Cthulhu
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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hmm,
Expanded Psionic Handbook
Untapped Potential (Dramscarred Press)
Tome of Horrors. (Necromancer games)
Creature Collection Rev (Sword & Sorcerey
Book of Iron Might (Malhavoc)
Book of Roguish Luck (Malhavok)
Arcana Unearthed (I can't get my players to embrace the higher/lower level spell system, but I love the races)
Edit: Had to add Unearthed Arcana as well. I love the Feat Rogue to qualify for shadow dancer
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[I]f, and I imagine for some there are no ifs, you were to buy 3.5 today and assemble only a handful of supplementary books for the sake of this discussion let us say in addition to the core three (DMG, MM, and PHB) you could only have eight what would be part of your essential 3.5 library?
After PHB, DMG, and MM, in no certain order importance:
1. Expanded Psionics Handbook
2. Spell Compendium
3. Rules Compendium (which I haven't bought, but fits the premise)
4. Magic Item Compendium
5. Unearthed Arcana
6. Oriental Adventures
7. Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
8. Eberron Campaign Setting
Honorable Mention: Arms and Equipment Guide, Book of Vile Darkness
if, and I imagine for some there are no ifs, you were to buy 3.5 today and assemble only a handful of supplementary books for the sake of this discussion let us say in addition to the core three (DMG, MM, and PHB) you could only have eight what would be part of your essential 3.5 library?
I'd recommend the core three plus nine:
Complete Adventurer
Complete Arcane
Complete Divine
Complete Warrior
Player's Handbook II
Races of Destiny
Races of Stone
Races of the Wild
Unearthed Arcana
If eight is a hard limit, make a choice between Player's Handbook II and Unearthed Arcana. Since the majority of Unearthed Arcana is in the SRD (accessible for free), Player's Handbook II would probably be a better purchase.
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I'm not exactly a d20 fan and would be taking books of another system. But, for the sake of this thread, my d20 D&D list would be:
Dragonlance Campaign setting
Races of Ansalon
Revised Bestiary of Krynn
Knightly Orders of Ansalon
Towers of High Sorcery
Midnight 2nd Edition
Holy Order of the Stars
See I can't even think of a full 8.=/
Although, If box sets count the last would be Wilderlands of High Fantasy
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If selecting 8 outside the core 3 in no particular order I would buy...
1. Spell Compendium
2. Magic Item Compendium
3. Rules Compendium
4. Players Handbook II
5. Draconomicon
6. Fiendish Codex I Hordes of the Abyss
7. Monster Manual III
8. Dragon Compendium (Paizo Publishing)
Those are the ones I think give the best utility overall. If I knew I wasn't going to be DMing, and my DM was going to have those books, then I would look strongly at the complete series and some of the supplemental books. Hope that helps.
My pick of 8 are as follows.
1) Spell Compendium - I am not a fan of some of the spells, but it is a handy reference and includes a lot of varity.
2) Magic Item Compendium - It has a lot of cheap, useful items and the revised tresure system works smoother IMHO.
3) Rules Compendium - If you are staying with 3.5, this is the perfect quick reference.
4) Magic of Incarnium - The new "magic" system offers a good variety that fits in well with the core mechanics.
5) Expanded Psionics Handbook - If you are including psionics, this book is a must.
6)Dragon Compendium (Paizo) - A good selection of stuff from Dragon's past.
7)Monster Manual III
8)Tome of Horrors
Personally, I believe in owing a munber of monster books, but those two are probably my favorites.
My Eight...
Unearthed Arcana (WotC)
Liber Mortis (WotC)
Iron Kingdoms Players Guide (Privateer Press)
Iron Kingdoms World Guide (Privateer Press)
The Monsternomicon I (Privateer Press)
The Monsternomicon II (Privateer Press)
Liber Mechanica (Privateer Press)
Five Fingers: Port of Deceit (Privateer Press)
Iron Kingdoms is by far and a way my favorite setting. Unearthed Arcana has a few variants that are incredibly useful, and not at all out of place for the setting. (As well as having the flaw variant, which I really like). Liber Mortis has a few feats, monsters and items that port well into the Iron Kingdoms with only a bit of tweaking. The rest of the books I could use to a run campaigns till I'm a feeble old man.
Fortunately for me, I don't have to limit it to just eight ;)
Edit: Spelling
Iron Kingdoms is by far and a way my favorite setting.
I'm a fan too.
I've been mulling over incorporating elements of the IK into Golarion. Some parts wouldn't seem to mesh well, but a large portion could. I'd have to see what's in the Pathfinder Gazetteer to make a final determination if I'd allow things.
Beyond the first three I would want:
1) Unearthed Arcana
2) Arcana Unearthed
3) Iron Heroes
4) D20 Conan
5) Expanded Psionics Handbook
6) Ptolus
I think that is it but realistically I could live without everything but the PHB and DMG.
In addition to the core three, it would be:
1.) Expanded Psionics Handbook
2.) Unearthed Arcana
3.) Spell Compendium
4.) Magic Item Compendium
5.) Dragon Compendium Volume I
6.) Advanced Bestiary
7.) Player's Handbook II
8.) Magic of Incarnum
My Essential Eight:
1. Monster Manual II
2. Monster Manual III
3. Monster Manual IV
4. Monster Manual V
5. Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
6. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
7. Spell Compendium
8. Magic Item Compedium
Wow. Is that ever bare bones...
Oh my, I forgot about the PHBII! I would take that in place of the XPH, I think - it adds more to the game, and although psionics is nice, it is in some ways just an extra layer of complexity for an already complex game.
Let's see...
-Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
-Magic of Faerun (best magic add-on ever published)
-Races of Faerun (adds incredible depth to fantasy races)
-Unearthed Arcana (because I like altering/houseruling)
-Something from the Penumbra line, like En Route, Seven Strongholds or Seven Cities: always great for inspiration
-An extra Monster Manual if you like uncommon foes
-A big campaign book like Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, City of the Spider Queen, Red Hand of Doom... With that you're set for monthes and monthes
-And something about the subject you like the most.
Well, I wasn't specific, but that's how I mounted my own collection, and I'm not that much into using tons and tons of add-ons. Stay simple in rules but be deep into your world!
1) Unearthed Arcana.
2) DMG II (if a DM)/ PH II (if a player)
3) Spell Compendium
4) Magic item Compendium
5) Complete Arcane
6) Complete Warrior
7) Complete Book of Eldritch Might
8) Forgotten Realms hardcover/Eberron hardcover if in appropriate setting; Spells and Spellcraft if not
Hmm, I seem to like fighting and arcane magic, who'da guessed?
Wow, my list is really spare . . .
Iron Kingdoms is by far and a way my favorite setting.I'm a fan too.
I've been mulling over incorporating elements of the IK into Golarion. Some parts wouldn't seem to mesh well, but a large portion could. I'd have to see what's in the Pathfinder Gazetteer to make a final determination if I'd allow things.
Yeah, I haven't looked too closely about incorporating things from IK into the Golarion setting. I'm currently running an IK game however, and it'll be a while before I have the opportunity to run Pathfinder (I've not started picking up Gamemastery Modules yet). I think the Infernals could be fun to throw into Golarion. Of course, I think they could be fun to throw into any setting ;)
Okay. Why?
7. Frostburn
I actually liked Frostburn. It doesn't appear on my list (I went with my favorite setting there), but I did find some things in this volume quite useful and fun.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I actually liked Frostburn. It doesn't appear on my list (I went with my favorite setting there), but I did find some things in this volume quite useful and fun.Okay. Why?
7. Frostburn
I love most of the 'terrain' or 'environment' books. I think they cover lots of interesting rules, have evocative settings, monsters, spells, etc.
In fact, my top 8 would probably include several. Hmmm...
1. PHII
2. Sandstorm
3. Frostburn
4. Stormwrack
5. Spell Compendium
6. Player's Guide to Faerun (tons of good concepts whether you play FR or not)
After that, you could kind of toss 'em all in a hat. If I had to pick, I'd probably say... hmmm...
7. Complete Adventurer
8. Expanded Psionics Handbook
(I always liked psi, even though I'm not using it in my current campaign and have min-maxed psionic characters so disgustingly that I've gotten psionics banned in two other campaigns as a player)
P.S. In theory, the Magic Item Compendium and Rules Compendium would make good sense to fit in a limited list, but I don't own either now so obviously they're not indispensible.
Here are my eight, roughly in order:
Spell Compendium
Complete Arcane
Complete Adventurer
Draconomicon
Complete Warrior
Monster Manual III
Complete Divine
Tome of Battle or Tome of Magic (your preference)
1.) Fiendish Codex I
2.) Fiend Folio
3.) Manual of the Planes
4.) Monster Manual II
5.) Lords of Madness
6.) Dragon Compendium Vol 1.
7.) Player's Handbook II
8.) Spell Compendium
Thinking about my list, I would actually drop the Expanded Psionic Handbook in favor of Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss.
The reason is that the main rules for the XPH are in the SRD. That was the reason I did not include Unearthed Arcana in my original list.
Ooooooo. That's a good question.
Let's see...
1. Complete Scoundrel. I've had a lot of fun with the Luck feats, as well as the learning of Tricks.
2. Expanded Psionics. I think Psionics have a terrifying capacity to unbalance a game (especially if the DM is less familiar with them than the player), but I just love the races from this book. Well, the race. I love Thri-Kreen in a way that borders on unhealthy. The possiblity of these adorable bug-men are a must in any campaign in which I participate.
3. Unearthed Arcana. This book's had a lot of variations that have made our group very happy. The Spell Point system gave us back our magic users.
4. Spell Compendium. A lot of junk spells, but a lot of fun and useful spells as well. In short, a lot of spells
5. Book of the Nine Swords This also has a possibility to break the game, but I love the wuxia feel it can lend a campaign. Plus, one of our guys role plays the best Master of the Nine. It's a beautiful thing to behold.
6. Magic Item Compendium. It's a compendium of magic items. 'Nuff said.
7. Savage Species. Because sometimes you just have to play a monster.
8. Eberron Campaign Setting. I didn't think I was going to like this campaign setting very much, but my players changed my mind. Now I can't help but smile when I think of the Warforged.
So there.
PHB
DMG
MM
MM II
MM III
Fiend Folio
Spell compendium.
Are the only seven I have or feel the need for.
Only eight? This is not so hard to do since I have less then eight by WotC. If I include other-than-WotC D&D3 books ... well,
*Miniatures Handbook (WotC)
*Spell Compendium (WotC)
*Ultimate NPCs (MGP)
*Slayer's Guide Compendium (MGP)
*Aerial Adventure Guide (GG)
*Kingdoms of Kalamar (K&Co)
*Cityworks (FFG)
*Goods&Gear (K&Co)
I would put Dragon Compendium. But I havn't used it much (yet). However, other issues of Dragon I probably have used almost as much as any three books combined.
Spell Compendium
MM2
MM5
MM3
Complete Warrior
Complete arcane
Frostburn
Hordes of the abyss