[D&D] What books would you recommend?

MooCow · Post by **MooCow** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 1:52 am

So Amazon is having a sale on D&D stuff. Looks to be about 30% price reduction across the board + free shipping. I'm thinking I might pick up a bunch of books, since I'm getting back into the game.

So what D&D books would you recommend? Which ones would you avoid? Why? What was good/bad about it?

I have Players Handbook, DMG, Monstrous Manual, Forgotten Realms Main, Faiths and Pantheons.

Thanks for the reviews.

paladin2019 · Post by **paladin2019** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:50 am

The 5 class books (Sword & Fist, Song & Silence, etc), possibly Monster Manual 2 and Fiend Folio. The latter two include 3.5 type stats.

The class books are good for ideas on organizations (just remember that they are all Greyhawk specific so they may need adaptation).

Of less utility are Book of Vile Darkness, Deities & Demigods, Epic Level Handbook and Psionics Handbook. These are all special use books; if you think you might want to use them, buy 'em. They are all well-done books, but not as useful to every player.

Oh, and if you don't have a DM Screen, get one. It doesn't matter whether you DM or not, having all the charts in one place is nice. IMO, this goes for all games.

CykoSpin · Post by **CykoSpin** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 3:51 am

Being of the opinion that all WotC products are absolute crap, but that there really isn't anything better in the medieval-fantasy genre, I highly recommend stealing all the D&D books you could possibly need (physically or electronically, at your discretion). The only D&D books really worth forking over hard-earned cash for are the Ravenloft books (if you're into horror-themed RPing, which I've discovered that most D&D players apparently aren't).

Patience · Post by **Patience** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 4:52 am

The Manual of the Planes is semi-useful.

However, if you can get any sort of 2nd ed Planescape stuff, do it. It's a better setting by far.

Reika · Post by **Reika** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 5:31 am

Even if it's not an FR campaign, get Magic of Faerun, lots of spells, feats, alternative use of skills, prestige classes, and just cool magic stuff (like how to run a mage duel, information on mage fairs, etc.).

Savage Species is good if a) you want monstrous characters, even as NPCs, b)coming up with varient critters.

Arms and Equipment Guide isn't bad, not terrific, but it has some interesting things.

The class books are okay, but I'd suggest getting 3.5 PHB and DMG, from what I understand they have pretty much all of the stuff that was in the splatbooks combined with the core books for 3.5.

(And once again I realized just how many 3e books I've gotten.)

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:34 pm

From what little I have seen of it, the 3.5PHB is organized in a much more logical way than 3.0 - w00t!

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:54 pm

I liked the Psion handbook m'self.

For second edition, go for the really cool and harder to find 2nd edition FR stuff, like "Volo's Guide to All things magical" and "Secrets of the Magister."

By far however, I suggest you track down the Dragon Magazine Archive, which has the first 250 issues in pdf files...with a search fucntion!

Cash · Post by **Cash** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 5:44 pm

Adam wrote:From what little I have seen of it, the 3.5PHB is organized in a much more logical way than 3.0 - w00t!

And after I spent all that damn time knowing where stuff is in the 3.0 books.

DM:: "Ok, and experience for the session..." *grabs the DMG and starts flipping though pages*
The players:: "Page 166!"

Cazmonster · Post by **Cazmonster** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 5:51 pm

Damnit, at some point, I have to buy the stupid things and rememorize the rules.

Ikarus7 · Post by **Ikarus7** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 1:49 am

Being of the opinion that all WotC products are absolute crap, but that there really isn't anything better in the medieval-fantasy genre, I highly recommend stealing all the D&D books you could possibly need (physically or electronically, at your discretion). The only D&D books really worth forking over hard-earned cash for are the Ravenloft books (if you're into horror-themed RPing, which I've discovered that most D&D players apparently aren't).

I sooo agree to that.

MooCow · Post by **MooCow** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 2:39 am

I sooo agree to that.

Which makes you sooooo useless to this thread.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 2:50 am

I like botht he Warhammer RPG and old Stormbringer/Elric! RPG's, but nobody played either:(

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 3:21 am

CykoSpin wrote:Being of the opinion that all WotC products are absolute crap, but that there really isn't anything better in the medieval-fantasy genre

Which makes them the best . . . ;-)

CykoSpin · Post by **CykoSpin** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 3:49 am

Yep, the very best medieval-fantasy refuse there is.