Best DnD book?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best DnD book?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Neven_Hlaram
08-15-06, 08:08 AM I was wondering what would be the best or most interesting Dnd book. Except of course for the core rulebooks and the Campaign settings, as they are of course the most important. But which book you think is the best, most interesting, has the best game value etc. I would like to hear your opininons. Myself I only have the core rulebooks and the forgotten realms campaign setting. You can also name 2nd or first edition books if you think they where very valuable or interesting.
zvbxrpl
08-15-06, 08:32 AM If by 'best' you mean 'which one have I gotten the most mileage out of?', then Complete Adventurer. You should probably substitute the 'complete' book for your favorite character type, but any one of them is a good buy.
MojoMonkeyMan
08-15-06, 08:47 AM But which book you think is the best, most interesting, has the best game value etc.

This may not be quite what you are asking for, but I find fantasy (sword and sorcery, sci-fi) novels, to have the most game value.

Allow me to explain. Rules are necessary. They are the language by which we craft the game. However, it is our imagination that allows us to play. By reading relevent novels and literature, I am better able to get into a variety of roles, visualize the setting, and offer more compelling descriptions of my character's actions. These are the qualities that make for the most enjoyable gaming experience, IMO. These are the reasons I prefer Pen and Paper role-playing to on-line RPG's.

As far as value, the novel's value is two-fold. First, I enjoy reading the book. Then, I reap the benefits in better role-play.

If we limit the discussion to strictly rule or in-game material. I think Dungeon magazine is a great value. I often DM, and it is an invaluable resource. You can't go wrong with Dragon either.
Seeker95
08-15-06, 09:14 AM Spell Compendium (if you use non-core spells).
Complete Adventurer if you want semi-universal PC-suited material.

DMGII and PHBII if you want "more core".
Unearthed Arcana if you want a lot of variant rules.
babysamurai
08-15-06, 09:38 AM For the most options:

Expanded Psionics Handbook
Magic of Incarnum
Tome of Magic
Tome of Battle
Unearthed Arcana
Izodor_Shadowcaster
08-15-06, 10:01 AM Tome of Magic.
Chrono Nexus
08-15-06, 12:26 PM The Draconomicon- Has preset stats and hoards for all ten main dragon types, and it has plenty of info on their ecology and stuff...

Second place- The DMGII- has useful tips for troubled DMs, and made a big difference on my ability to DM.
Wharin
08-15-06, 12:48 PM Races of Stone. I might not get to use its cruch materials as much as i'd like to, but I've used its fluff to give me hints and suggestions on how to better RP dwarves and stuff.
frasmage
08-15-06, 12:57 PM I get quite a bit out of the complete series, as it is basicly completely open-ended game material. My favorite would hav eto be CW, as there a some really neat PrCs in there

Other books - PHB2, lots of fun stuff

sandstorm, though very campaign oriented and hard to use the material otherwise, had some really cool and thought provoking material (walker in the waste has to be the greatest PrC ever! :bow: )
Alac Luin
08-15-06, 01:27 PM Arura's whole Realms Catalog- 2nd ed an for the realms, It described the items as someone that knew these items. I couldn't tell you how many times I've read the pages of this book.

after that
2ed The Compleate Book of Humanoids- What now I can play a kobold? :cool:
(hey, I almost said the Compleate Spacefarers Handbook)
Renvale999
08-15-06, 01:56 PM Book of Vile Darkness, I'm probably gonna get flamed lol, but it's honestly my favorite book. I've managed to give my evil villians motives and character instead of "I WILL RULE THE UNIVERSE!!" Anyway I've used more stuff out of that book than any of the others, although I'm partial to Complete Warrior.
Eksem
08-15-06, 02:02 PM I think PrCs and extra feats are silly and ruins my game. I do like and accept the new races and feats i the Eberron-book, but beyond that, no, I keep em out.

So, what do I like then? Obviously fluff-books. Setting-books and gameplay tips. Among the many I've read, a few stand out, being extra excellent:

Sharn: City of Towers
- Much because of the brilliant idea. A huge town, built on the height, filled with monster and human communities ranging from the poorest to the richest people in the world. Everything enhanced by everyday magic such as flying taxi-boats, magic elevators, everglowing lanterns.
The writing is a bit dry, unfortunantly, and you would need the Eberron-book to fill in the blanks of the political intrigue and such, otherwise it would work as a stand-alone setting. That is the only problem with the book. Otherwise, everything is great (including art and maps). It even comes with a soundtrack CD! How awesome is that? (Very!)

Dungeons and Dragons For Dummies
- Both Dummies-books are equally good, but i'll only mention this one. I may prefer fluff before crunch, but the core-rules I like. Maxing it out, understanding the game, understanding your playing-style. Filled with great advice, this is a must-buy for everyone, from newbies to experienced players.

Heroes of Horror
- Horror is hard. HoH makes it a bit easier. A great book, with awesome writing. The most enjoyable D&D-book I've read, language-wise. The tips are great! Even if not playing horror, it still gives very, very good advice on how to create the perfect mood for your game. In-depth discussions on the many archetypes and clichés of storytelling, and how to use them properly. Do you want to make your monsters more than stats and a plastic mini? Get this book!
TarlSS
08-15-06, 02:32 PM Tome of Battle and Tome of Magic are really good materials that present entirely new ways of playing the game, and enchance in equal weights fluff and crunch. Great books.
Shaggy
08-15-06, 03:22 PM Unearthed Arcana. No doubt about it. Dungeon Master's Guide II is not bad either.
renren
08-15-06, 03:35 PM My 2 favorites are: Faiths and Pantheons, and Races of Faerun..
Comus
08-15-06, 03:56 PM Hm. I'd say my three favorite suppliments would be, in no particular order, the XPH, the PHBII, and Magic of Incarnum.
shadow_kras
08-15-06, 04:09 PM Tome of Magic, my favourite plot hooks and non-core classes.
Denizens of Darkness (Ravenloft), my favourite monsters (even thought it has a TON of stats errors)
Telos_Savant
08-15-06, 06:38 PM i totally agree with zvbxrpl, but for actual dnd material my favorites would be

tomb of battle
magic of incarnum
book of exalted deeds
and book of vile darkness

but IMO tomb of battle is the best, it offers something that arcane and psionics cant and gives the people who like to use weapons and a somewhat realistic playstyle a way to do that but also making them very viable chaaracters... plus its almost all crunch but the crunch in itself gives off a tremendous amount of flavour
Apollo's Will
08-16-06, 05:31 AM The book that holds the highest value for a new gaming group, would be the Hero Builders Guidebook.

If the group is new, no need to overwhelmed the players with more rules than what can be found in the Core books, and with the Hero Builder's Guidebook, the players (and DMs) will be able to really flesh out the character's background and personality, which can lead to exciting and personal adventures.

Unearthed Arcana for the experience group. Can really add some flavor to your gaming.
Fion81
08-16-06, 10:04 PM psionics handbook.
the complete series are great.
and ive personally found the shining south books and dark lords books extremely useful for FR campaigns, theyve helped me alot.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Neven_Hlaram 08-15-06, 08:08 AM	I was wondering what would be the best or most interesting Dnd book. Except of course for the core rulebooks and the Campaign settings, as they are of course the most important. But which book you think is the best, most interesting, has the best game value etc. I would like to hear your opininons. Myself I only have the core rulebooks and the forgotten realms campaign setting. You can also name 2nd or first edition books if you think they where very valuable or interesting.
zvbxrpl 08-15-06, 08:32 AM	If by 'best' you mean 'which one have I gotten the most mileage out of?', then Complete Adventurer. You should probably substitute the 'complete' book for your favorite character type, but any one of them is a good buy.
MojoMonkeyMan 08-15-06, 08:47 AM	But which book you think is the best, most interesting, has the best game value etc. This may not be quite what you are asking for, but I find fantasy (sword and sorcery, sci-fi) novels, to have the most game value. Allow me to explain. Rules are necessary. They are the language by which we craft the game. However, it is our imagination that allows us to play. By reading relevent novels and literature, I am better able to get into a variety of roles, visualize the setting, and offer more compelling descriptions of my character's actions. These are the qualities that make for the most enjoyable gaming experience, IMO. These are the reasons I prefer Pen and Paper role-playing to on-line RPG's. As far as value, the novel's value is two-fold. First, I enjoy reading the book. Then, I reap the benefits in better role-play. If we limit the discussion to strictly rule or in-game material. I think Dungeon magazine is a great value. I often DM, and it is an invaluable resource. You can't go wrong with Dragon either.
Seeker95 08-15-06, 09:14 AM	Spell Compendium (if you use non-core spells). Complete Adventurer if you want semi-universal PC-suited material. DMGII and PHBII if you want "more core". Unearthed Arcana if you want a lot of variant rules.
babysamurai 08-15-06, 09:38 AM	For the most options: Expanded Psionics Handbook Magic of Incarnum Tome of Magic Tome of Battle Unearthed Arcana
Izodor_Shadowcaster 08-15-06, 10:01 AM	Tome of Magic.
Chrono Nexus 08-15-06, 12:26 PM	The Draconomicon- Has preset stats and hoards for all ten main dragon types, and it has plenty of info on their ecology and stuff... Second place- The DMGII- has useful tips for troubled DMs, and made a big difference on my ability to DM.
Wharin 08-15-06, 12:48 PM	Races of Stone. I might not get to use its cruch materials as much as i'd like to, but I've used its fluff to give me hints and suggestions on how to better RP dwarves and stuff.
frasmage 08-15-06, 12:57 PM	I get quite a bit out of the complete series, as it is basicly completely open-ended game material. My favorite would hav eto be CW, as there a some really neat PrCs in there Other books - PHB2, lots of fun stuff sandstorm, though very campaign oriented and hard to use the material otherwise, had some really cool and thought provoking material (walker in the waste has to be the greatest PrC ever! :bow: )
Alac Luin 08-15-06, 01:27 PM	Arura's whole Realms Catalog- 2nd ed an for the realms, It described the items as someone that knew these items. I couldn't tell you how many times I've read the pages of this book. after that 2ed The Compleate Book of Humanoids- What now I can play a kobold? :cool: (hey, I almost said the Compleate Spacefarers Handbook)
Renvale999 08-15-06, 01:56 PM	Book of Vile Darkness, I'm probably gonna get flamed lol, but it's honestly my favorite book. I've managed to give my evil villians motives and character instead of "I WILL RULE THE UNIVERSE!!" Anyway I've used more stuff out of that book than any of the others, although I'm partial to Complete Warrior.
Eksem 08-15-06, 02:02 PM	I think PrCs and extra feats are silly and ruins my game. I do like and accept the new races and feats i the Eberron-book, but beyond that, no, I keep em out. So, what do I like then? Obviously fluff-books. Setting-books and gameplay tips. Among the many I've read, a few stand out, being extra excellent: Sharn: City of Towers - Much because of the brilliant idea. A huge town, built on the height, filled with monster and human communities ranging from the poorest to the richest people in the world. Everything enhanced by everyday magic such as flying taxi-boats, magic elevators, everglowing lanterns. The writing is a bit dry, unfortunantly, and you would need the Eberron-book to fill in the blanks of the political intrigue and such, otherwise it would work as a stand-alone setting. That is the only problem with the book. Otherwise, everything is great (including art and maps). It even comes with a soundtrack CD! How awesome is that? (Very!) Dungeons and Dragons For Dummies - Both Dummies-books are equally good, but i'll only mention this one. I may prefer fluff before crunch, but the core-rules I like. Maxing it out, understanding the game, understanding your playing-style. Filled with great advice, this is a must-buy for everyone, from newbies to experienced players. Heroes of Horror - Horror is hard. HoH makes it a bit easier. A great book, with awesome writing. The most enjoyable D&D-book I've read, language-wise. The tips are great! Even if not playing horror, it still gives very, very good advice on how to create the perfect mood for your game. In-depth discussions on the many archetypes and clichés of storytelling, and how to use them properly. Do you want to make your monsters more than stats and a plastic mini? Get this book!
TarlSS 08-15-06, 02:32 PM	Tome of Battle and Tome of Magic are really good materials that present entirely new ways of playing the game, and enchance in equal weights fluff and crunch. Great books.
Shaggy 08-15-06, 03:22 PM	Unearthed Arcana. No doubt about it. Dungeon Master's Guide II is not bad either.
renren 08-15-06, 03:35 PM	My 2 favorites are: Faiths and Pantheons, and Races of Faerun..
Comus 08-15-06, 03:56 PM	Hm. I'd say my three favorite suppliments would be, in no particular order, the XPH, the PHBII, and Magic of Incarnum.
shadow_kras 08-15-06, 04:09 PM	Tome of Magic, my favourite plot hooks and non-core classes. Denizens of Darkness (Ravenloft), my favourite monsters (even thought it has a TON of stats errors)
Telos_Savant 08-15-06, 06:38 PM	i totally agree with zvbxrpl, but for actual dnd material my favorites would be tomb of battle magic of incarnum book of exalted deeds and book of vile darkness but IMO tomb of battle is the best, it offers something that arcane and psionics cant and gives the people who like to use weapons and a somewhat realistic playstyle a way to do that but also making them very viable chaaracters... plus its almost all crunch but the crunch in itself gives off a tremendous amount of flavour
Apollo's Will 08-16-06, 05:31 AM	The book that holds the highest value for a new gaming group, would be the Hero Builders Guidebook. If the group is new, no need to overwhelmed the players with more rules than what can be found in the Core books, and with the Hero Builder's Guidebook, the players (and DMs) will be able to really flesh out the character's background and personality, which can lead to exciting and personal adventures. Unearthed Arcana for the experience group. Can really add some flavor to your gaming.
Fion81 08-16-06, 10:04 PM	psionics handbook. the complete series are great. and ive personally found the shining south books and dark lords books extremely useful for FR campaigns, theyve helped me alot.