Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Anthony_Rancor 08-21-07, 07:33 PM	so far i have only used the phb to play, but i find myself getting bored with the classes. so i want to expand. what book should i get if i want a variety of new classes? also is there a book with new races also? i know the question probably has a simple answer, but the phb is the only book i have ever used. thanks john
Tempest Stormwind 08-21-07, 07:44 PM	There are countless classes and races out there. If you're looking for something totally different, I would suggest either the Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords or the Expanded Psionics Handbook. Be warned that after playing those you'll never want to go back to the clunky systems in the PHB. The Bo9S has three new classes and the XPH has four, but each book contains a different system (the ToB adds tactical depth and options to melee characters while the XPH's psionic powers can be thought of as an alternative to magic). Other good class books include the Tome of Magic (really, only for one third of the book, for the binder and its pact magic), Magic of Incarnum (mixed reviews; I liked it for the totemist but hated the rest), and so on. If you want more of the same -- i.e. more stuff in the vein of the PHB -- I'd suggest the Complete books. Each of the first five Complete books have three new classes in them, but calling them "new" is somewhat of a misnomer. In the original four, only one new class (complete arcane's warlock) tried anything really, really new, and the others were all slight variants on a basic theme (literally; the wizard and wu jen are nigh-identical, for instance). As for the fifth, Complete Psionic, two of the three base classes are pretty much the only things in the book worth using at all (seriously, don't buy it).
Anthony_Rancor 08-21-07, 08:00 PM	Thanks a lot, I did some quick research I think I am going to go with Tome of Battle or the complete warrior. do you have and insight on the complete warrior? i was also thinking about picking up races of stone any thoughts on that book? thank again john
Johnny_Angel 08-21-07, 08:30 PM	Player's Handbook 2 is pretty good as well. It presents a few new classes, and it gives some new options for the classes from the PHB. It doesn't have as many new classes as some other books, but I think it gives enough new options to make old classes feel like new classes. The Complete Books are usually a good bet...Complete Warrior is good if you're looking for something different from the typical melee classes. Races of Stone is pretty good if you like Dwarves. Goliaths are pretty interesting as well. The Races books are normally a good bet for...um, races... The environmental books (i.e. Stormwrack, Sandstorm, Frostburn) usually present a few new races as well. You said you want some new classes and some new races, so I'd say that the best bet for you is to find one of the Complete books that interests you and also find either one of the Races books or one of the environment based books that interests you.
Tempest Stormwind 08-21-07, 09:03 PM	Thanks a lot, I did some quick research I think I am going to go with Tome of Battle or the complete warrior. do you have and insight on the complete warrior? i was also thinking about picking up races of stone any thoughts on that book? thank again john Tome of Battle >>> Complete Warrior. Tome of Battle: Fresh look on melee combat, tactics, support, and the role of a warrior. Has support for virtually every class. Complete Warrior: Mostly updates poorly-concieved 3e prestige classes. The rest is more of the same: Poor base classes, uninspired feats, spells you'll never use, cheap guidelines on organizations that no one reads, an alternate pantheon that's never supported again... there's perhaps six pages of material in the entire book that are worth it. Races of Stone is probably the best of the Races book outside of Races of Eberron. It has solid crunch and well-written fluff, particularly for gnomes. However, if you're up for NEW races, there's just goliaths; Races of Eberron introduces four new ones (changelings, kalashtar, shifters, and warforged) plus Eberron's unique take on the other races, and it's designed to be picked up and thrown in to a non-Eberron game as well.
Anthony_Rancor 08-22-07, 02:03 PM	thanks guys, i think il be buying Tome of battle and races of stone, thanks so much for the help!