Best of the books [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best of the books [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SterlingHeart PaganPummel
07-09-06, 08:18 PM Apart from the 3 core books, which hardcovers do you value above the rest and why? What makes them really stand out from all the other hardcovers? Which gives you the most mileage?
Milo HoBo
07-09-06, 10:33 PM XPH because it's balanced. I want it leather bound too.
m o n k
07-09-06, 10:59 PM I second the XPH cause it learned me but good about psionics.
Steidas
07-09-06, 11:03 PM Ua
Chicharron
07-09-06, 11:31 PM I'd say the Complete series.
Anguirus23
07-09-06, 11:45 PM The Expanded Psionics Handbook. I suppose that distant runners-up would include Tome of Magic, the Players Handbook II, and Complete Arcane.

Reasons why these are winners include art, organization, how much fun they are to read, and sheer frequency of use. XPH for practically everything, PHBII for the feats and sometimes the base classes, CA for the spells and occaisonally the warlock, and ToM for pact magic.
Board_Rider
07-09-06, 11:56 PM Complete Adventurer, PHB 2 and the FRCS.
MindWandererB
07-10-06, 12:24 AM PHBII is rapidly becoming the standard for must-have accessories.

Spell Compendium is up there, too, although it diminishes in value the more of its source books you own.

If you like "Alternate System" books, the XPH, MoI, and ToM are all good.

Of the Complete series, I'd rank them in decreasing order of utility: Arcane, Adventurer, Divine, Warrior, Psionic. Arcane slips to 2nd place if you own Spell Compendium. Divine maybe, too. The range there is pretty high: CA is a great book; CP is not very good at all.

More monsters are always good. MM3 is probably the highest-quality, followed by MM2 and Fiend Folio, although the worse the book, the more "traditional" D&D creatures it contains. I think I get more use out of these books than any others; each campaign only uses so many character options, but you use hundreds of monsters. I'm preparing for MMIV to not be a good buy; the space used up in garbage like pregenerated treasure tables, lairs, encounters, etc. will probably mean the book has half as many monsters as its peers.

The Race series is not generally very good, although Races of Eberron works pretty well if you don't have the Eberron Campaign Setting. Eberron, Stone, Wild, Destiny, and Dragons would be my rank ordering there, again in decreasing order, although Stone and Wild are pretty close. The 6-page PrC format really hurts the value of these books.

FRCS and ECS are apparently great products if you can use them. I don't, so I wouldn't know. People swear by them, though. They are, of course, pretty much essential for running games in their respective settings, but they have some material that can be used in a homebrew game as well.

Draconomicon and its bretheren (Lords of Madness, Libris Mortis, Fiendish Codex) are a mixed bag: the material is high-quality, but it's awfully specific. You could say the same about the environment series and the Heroes series. If you plan to use that kind of material, it's money well spent. If not, forget it.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple
07-10-06, 01:51 AM Mark up another notch for the XPH. You'll find that there's a reason why a large portion of the people who use it consider it Core Rulebook IV.

Of the campaign settings, I'd say Eberron is the best presented and best balanced. I've heard a lot of good things about the Realms, mainly from people who have used it in previous editions, but I find that I really don't like the setting in its 3.x incarnation. I think it lost something in terms of balance in the mechanics transition (or so my friends tell me), and almost everything worth holding an adventure on that makes it a Forgotten Realms game is either very close to Epic or already past it. Eberron has a nice spread at all levels, and a nice refreshing feel to the setting as well.

Of the setting-specific splatbooks, Underdark(FR) would have to be best. It's essentially the first of the Environment book, and it's only really the back quarter of the book that's really setting specific. Everything else is pure, underground crunch.

Of the Complete series, I (as a DM) get the most use out of Complete Adventurer (and it holds a special place in my heart for finally getting me to buy the XPH... I just loved the Shadowmind). As a player, I get the most use out of Complete Warrior.

Heroes of Horror will see ENDLESS use by me, partly for entertainment away from the table, partly for inspiring the nightmares of my players without killing their characters (the best amusement a DM can get ;)), and partly because of ALL the books I have, it's the only one that's almost entirely useful regardless of game system or edition. While there may be other "here's some useful tips for running a campaign" books, Heroes of Horror is the only one that actually has something to teach an experienced DM.

Races of Eberron gets the best "Races of..." nomination from me, but then, I get a lot of use from it as my area's primary Ebervangelist. It's a handy "So you wanna play a Kalashtar/Warforged/Shifter/Changling" resource, but it's also good for explaining both why a certain race is GREAT in Eberron and why the Elven nature freak, although possible (hey, anything is...), it's not exactly the typical elven archetype in Eberron... But then, I still hate Shifters... I generally explain to players who are interrested taking them that most people are going to regard Shifter PC's with anything between general apathy and extreme racial hatred, that most people like Warforged more than Shifters (I know it's not true RAW, but I just really HATE shifters), and that I primarily run campaigns heavy on social interaction.

Of the monster-specific books, the original Monster Manual gets bonus points for including the ilithid, but Lords of Madness and its aberrationy goodness wins it for me (in spite of the grells and the neogi, neither of which I will EVER use). In terms of actual table-use, Libris Mortis is the stuff of nightmares, both for players (I'll never forget the looks on their faces the time I pitted them against zombies made from the children of a small village by a 5-year-old sorcerous prodigy taught by a slaymate...) and DM's... you'll scare yourself how much fun it is getting a player to act in character by scaring him as much as his character...
Flack Jack
07-10-06, 02:55 AM I vote for dear Eberron. With my XPH a close seconfd of course for blowing 3.0 out of the water.

No book in my DnD group was fought for more than Eberron for its art alone. Four guys, one book, eight clambering hands.
Izodor_Shadowcaster
07-10-06, 03:33 AM I vote Tome of Magic. I love that book

I know I must be crazy :D
Manic Man
07-10-06, 04:10 AM In order,
PHB2
XPH
Tome of Magic

XPH and ToM are both extraneous as they allow for expanded rules (fun and interesting though those maybe) but PHB2 makes it so that the core rules are better balanced. That alone makes it the best book out right now
Azezel
07-10-06, 04:29 AM The PHB II is the new must-have, after the three cores, and the Spell Compendium is also almost indespensable.

So far as Settings go - anyone who thinks that a party must be Epic to play in the Realms is really rather missing somethingl, or seeing something that isn't there, or something. However, my vote for Setting has to go to Ravenloft - the best there's ever been.
Anguirus23
07-10-06, 11:31 AM I have to throw a mention to Eberron Campaign Setting and/or Races of Eberron. We play in Eberron occasionally and enjoy it, but in general campaigns someone wants to use one of the Eberron races very often, so those books see heavy use.

The ECS also has one of the best feat sections in WotC D&D books period, and most of them are suitable to general play. In fact, I want to see the feats like "Whirling Steel Strike" and "Serpent Strike" condensed into a general feat that just lets you flurry with one other weapon of your choice in which you are proficient.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SterlingHeart PaganPummel 07-09-06, 08:18 PM	Apart from the 3 core books, which hardcovers do you value above the rest and why? What makes them really stand out from all the other hardcovers? Which gives you the most mileage?
Milo HoBo 07-09-06, 10:33 PM	XPH because it's balanced. I want it leather bound too.
m o n k 07-09-06, 10:59 PM	I second the XPH cause it learned me but good about psionics.
Steidas 07-09-06, 11:03 PM	Ua
Chicharron 07-09-06, 11:31 PM	I'd say the Complete series.
Anguirus23 07-09-06, 11:45 PM	The Expanded Psionics Handbook. I suppose that distant runners-up would include Tome of Magic, the Players Handbook II, and Complete Arcane. Reasons why these are winners include art, organization, how much fun they are to read, and sheer frequency of use. XPH for practically everything, PHBII for the feats and sometimes the base classes, CA for the spells and occaisonally the warlock, and ToM for pact magic.
Board_Rider 07-09-06, 11:56 PM	Complete Adventurer, PHB 2 and the FRCS.
MindWandererB 07-10-06, 12:24 AM	PHBII is rapidly becoming the standard for must-have accessories. Spell Compendium is up there, too, although it diminishes in value the more of its source books you own. If you like "Alternate System" books, the XPH, MoI, and ToM are all good. Of the Complete series, I'd rank them in decreasing order of utility: Arcane, Adventurer, Divine, Warrior, Psionic. Arcane slips to 2nd place if you own Spell Compendium. Divine maybe, too. The range there is pretty high: CA is a great book; CP is not very good at all. More monsters are always good. MM3 is probably the highest-quality, followed by MM2 and Fiend Folio, although the worse the book, the more "traditional" D&D creatures it contains. I think I get more use out of these books than any others; each campaign only uses so many character options, but you use hundreds of monsters. I'm preparing for MMIV to not be a good buy; the space used up in garbage like pregenerated treasure tables, lairs, encounters, etc. will probably mean the book has half as many monsters as its peers. The Race series is not generally very good, although Races of Eberron works pretty well if you don't have the Eberron Campaign Setting. Eberron, Stone, Wild, Destiny, and Dragons would be my rank ordering there, again in decreasing order, although Stone and Wild are pretty close. The 6-page PrC format really hurts the value of these books. FRCS and ECS are apparently great products if you can use them. I don't, so I wouldn't know. People swear by them, though. They are, of course, pretty much essential for running games in their respective settings, but they have some material that can be used in a homebrew game as well. Draconomicon and its bretheren (Lords of Madness, Libris Mortis, Fiendish Codex) are a mixed bag: the material is high-quality, but it's awfully specific. You could say the same about the environment series and the Heroes series. If you plan to use that kind of material, it's money well spent. If not, forget it.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 07-10-06, 01:51 AM	Mark up another notch for the XPH. You'll find that there's a reason why a large portion of the people who use it consider it Core Rulebook IV. Of the campaign settings, I'd say Eberron is the best presented and best balanced. I've heard a lot of good things about the Realms, mainly from people who have used it in previous editions, but I find that I really don't like the setting in its 3.x incarnation. I think it lost something in terms of balance in the mechanics transition (or so my friends tell me), and almost everything worth holding an adventure on that makes it a Forgotten Realms game is either very close to Epic or already past it. Eberron has a nice spread at all levels, and a nice refreshing feel to the setting as well. Of the setting-specific splatbooks, Underdark(FR) would have to be best. It's essentially the first of the Environment book, and it's only really the back quarter of the book that's really setting specific. Everything else is pure, underground crunch. Of the Complete series, I (as a DM) get the most use out of Complete Adventurer (and it holds a special place in my heart for finally getting me to buy the XPH... I just loved the Shadowmind). As a player, I get the most use out of Complete Warrior. Heroes of Horror will see ENDLESS use by me, partly for entertainment away from the table, partly for inspiring the nightmares of my players without killing their characters (the best amusement a DM can get ;)), and partly because of ALL the books I have, it's the only one that's almost entirely useful regardless of game system or edition. While there may be other "here's some useful tips for running a campaign" books, Heroes of Horror is the only one that actually has something to teach an experienced DM. Races of Eberron gets the best "Races of..." nomination from me, but then, I get a lot of use from it as my area's primary Ebervangelist. It's a handy "So you wanna play a Kalashtar/Warforged/Shifter/Changling" resource, but it's also good for explaining both why a certain race is GREAT in Eberron and why the Elven nature freak, although possible (hey, anything is...), it's not exactly the typical elven archetype in Eberron... But then, I still hate Shifters... I generally explain to players who are interrested taking them that most people are going to regard Shifter PC's with anything between general apathy and extreme racial hatred, that most people like Warforged more than Shifters (I know it's not true RAW, but I just really HATE shifters), and that I primarily run campaigns heavy on social interaction. Of the monster-specific books, the original Monster Manual gets bonus points for including the ilithid, but Lords of Madness and its aberrationy goodness wins it for me (in spite of the grells and the neogi, neither of which I will EVER use). In terms of actual table-use, Libris Mortis is the stuff of nightmares, both for players (I'll never forget the looks on their faces the time I pitted them against zombies made from the children of a small village by a 5-year-old sorcerous prodigy taught by a slaymate...) and DM's... you'll scare yourself how much fun it is getting a player to act in character by scaring him as much as his character...
Flack Jack 07-10-06, 02:55 AM	I vote for dear Eberron. With my XPH a close seconfd of course for blowing 3.0 out of the water. No book in my DnD group was fought for more than Eberron for its art alone. Four guys, one book, eight clambering hands.
Izodor_Shadowcaster 07-10-06, 03:33 AM	I vote Tome of Magic. I love that book I know I must be crazy :D
Manic Man 07-10-06, 04:10 AM	In order, PHB2 XPH Tome of Magic XPH and ToM are both extraneous as they allow for expanded rules (fun and interesting though those maybe) but PHB2 makes it so that the core rules are better balanced. That alone makes it the best book out right now
Azezel 07-10-06, 04:29 AM	The PHB II is the new must-have, after the three cores, and the Spell Compendium is also almost indespensable. So far as Settings go - anyone who thinks that a party must be Epic to play in the Realms is really rather missing somethingl, or seeing something that isn't there, or something. However, my vote for Setting has to go to Ravenloft - the best there's ever been.
Anguirus23 07-10-06, 11:31 AM	I have to throw a mention to Eberron Campaign Setting and/or Races of Eberron. We play in Eberron occasionally and enjoy it, but in general campaigns someone wants to use one of the Eberron races very often, so those books see heavy use. The ECS also has one of the best feat sections in WotC D&D books period, and most of them are suitable to general play. In fact, I want to see the feats like "Whirling Steel Strike" and "Serpent Strike" condensed into a general feat that just lets you flurry with one other weapon of your choice in which you are proficient.