Book buying [Archive] - Wizards Community

Book buying [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Fuzzychan
12-27-07, 07:36 PM Alright I got some holiday cash to spend and I want to spend it on some books (3.5).

I currently own the DMG and PHB. I've been looking into some other books mainly the monster manuals and the epic level handbook. This one site said that the MM 3 contains both MM1 and MM2. Is this true?

I want to get the Epic level because I have a character going epic soon, and I'm not a fan of using the online materials and enjoy having the books. But I am also a DM which is why the MM would be a good idea.

Can anyone recomend 2 good books to get? Thanks!
Jarjaxle
12-27-07, 07:43 PM Personally I would wait for 4E before buying anything. However, if you insist on buying 3.5 books - I would start with the Core 3: Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual (1). You friend is wrong when he says that MM3 contains all the creatures from the MM1. You really need these 3 books to have the complete D&D Experience.

After that I loved the first 4 "Complete" books.
Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer.

After that I would buy "The Book of Nine Swords"
That booked ruled...

However... I have to say - if you want to get some 4E goodness - buy Wizards Presents: Races and Classes. I am reading it now and it is great!
Lord Dynel
12-27-07, 08:10 PM Alright I got some holiday cash to spend and I want to spend it on some books (3.5).

I currently own the DMG and PHB. I've been looking into some other books mainly the monster manuals and the epic level handbook. This one site said that the MM 3 contains both MM1 and MM2. Is this true?

I want to get the Epic level because I have a character going epic soon, and I'm not a fan of using the online materials and enjoy having the books. But I am also a DM which is why the MM would be a good idea.

Can anyone recomend 2 good books to get? Thanks!

First off, great way to spend some holiday cash. 3.5 is the grandaddy of d20 games - the best d20 game on the market, in my opinion. No offense to Jaraxle in any way, shape or form, but waiting for 4E is like waiting for the big bonus from work only to find out it's a $10 Wal-Mart gift card. :P But it's all personal opinion, really - he thinks its the cat's pajamas, and I think it's a (huge) step backwards in the evolution of the game. C'est la vie.

Anyway, to answer your question, if you're about to go epic, the Epic Level Handbook is the way to go. Be aware that you'll need to convert some of the stuff from it to be 3.5-compliant. That is where this will come in handy - D&D v.3.5 Accessory Update Booklet (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a).

If you DM at all, then yeah, the Monster Manual is a must-have. To answer another question - the Monster Manual 3 is a brand new book of monsters, not MM1 and MM2.

Hope this helps!
Ikeman04
12-27-07, 09:45 PM http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii78/Ikeman04/1198704331110.jpg
This book. It's awesome.
pigknight
12-31-07, 01:19 PM 3 core, 4 original complete (the ones with classes), Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle (aka Book o' Nine Swords)
alchemyprime
12-31-07, 02:15 PM Let me see here... well, if you want to round off a collection, get a Monster Manual, preferabbly the first one, though I do so enjoy the Fiend Folio (replaced quite a bit of the MM for me for a while.). Also, while you're at it, get a character's option book. Complete books can be used to expand upon the existing classes, EPic Level helps understand, well, the epic levels, and the alternate system books (Expanded Psionics, Magic of Incarnum, Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle) help bring in something new. Then there are races books (Races of ...), Specific Monster Books (Drow of the Underdark, Draconomicon, Lords of Madness, etc.), campaign settings (Forgotten Realms, Eberron, DragonLance), and flavor books/environment books (Sandstorm, Heroes of Horror, Heroes of Battle, Frostburn, etc.). My suggestion?
Monster Manual
Advanced Bestiary from Green Ronin Publishing
Any other Green Ronin Book you think you'd like.

Those two will give you well over 2500 monsters total to use. (The BEstiary is a book of 100 templates. Most are ANy Creature templates. Love that book. Best Christmas Present I ever gave myself.)
StevenO
12-31-07, 02:44 PM My top book choices:
Core three (PHB, DMG, MM1) are MUST HAVES.
PHB2 (for the new classes and options)
Complete Warrior, Adventure, Arcane, and Mage

Those eight books would cover about at least 90% of the characters I build and most of my recommendations.

I don't have the Tome of Battle to comment on and so can't comment on that but from my understanding they take much of what I know about combat and changes everything.

I have the Complete Divine and while it has its uses isn't one of my favorites. It has (had?) too many editing errors but does have some uses although I often get as much use from the other "Complete" books.

If you aren't over whelmed by having too many options the the Complete Spell and Magic Item Compendiums may interest you. I have never owned either however.
Enigmis
12-31-07, 02:59 PM I highly recomend Tome of battle: book of the nine swords.
pigknight
01-03-08, 12:42 AM Why does no one like ToM?
StevenO
01-03-08, 01:11 AM ToM = Tome of Magic?

It is probably far from everyones "must have" list because I believe all it does is add complexity without really improving the basics. The ToB makes lists because people believed that physical combat needed some kind of "magic" like boost and the ToB provided that. With Magic already being as powerful as it is why does it really need some new systems?
CaptainPicard
01-03-08, 01:22 AM Can we not throw "weeaboo" around here?

Is this 4chan now?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fuzzychan 12-27-07, 07:36 PM	Alright I got some holiday cash to spend and I want to spend it on some books (3.5). I currently own the DMG and PHB. I've been looking into some other books mainly the monster manuals and the epic level handbook. This one site said that the MM 3 contains both MM1 and MM2. Is this true? I want to get the Epic level because I have a character going epic soon, and I'm not a fan of using the online materials and enjoy having the books. But I am also a DM which is why the MM would be a good idea. Can anyone recomend 2 good books to get? Thanks!
Jarjaxle 12-27-07, 07:43 PM	Personally I would wait for 4E before buying anything. However, if you insist on buying 3.5 books - I would start with the Core 3: Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual (1). You friend is wrong when he says that MM3 contains all the creatures from the MM1. You really need these 3 books to have the complete D&D Experience. After that I loved the first 4 "Complete" books. Complete Arcane, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer. After that I would buy "The Book of Nine Swords" That booked ruled... However... I have to say - if you want to get some 4E goodness - buy Wizards Presents: Races and Classes. I am reading it now and it is great!
Lord Dynel 12-27-07, 08:10 PM	Alright I got some holiday cash to spend and I want to spend it on some books (3.5). I currently own the DMG and PHB. I've been looking into some other books mainly the monster manuals and the epic level handbook. This one site said that the MM 3 contains both MM1 and MM2. Is this true? I want to get the Epic level because I have a character going epic soon, and I'm not a fan of using the online materials and enjoy having the books. But I am also a DM which is why the MM would be a good idea. Can anyone recomend 2 good books to get? Thanks! First off, great way to spend some holiday cash. 3.5 is the grandaddy of d20 games - the best d20 game on the market, in my opinion. No offense to Jaraxle in any way, shape or form, but waiting for 4E is like waiting for the big bonus from work only to find out it's a $10 Wal-Mart gift card. :P But it's all personal opinion, really - he thinks its the cat's pajamas, and I think it's a (huge) step backwards in the evolution of the game. C'est la vie. Anyway, to answer your question, if you're about to go epic, the Epic Level Handbook is the way to go. Be aware that you'll need to convert some of the stuff from it to be 3.5-compliant. That is where this will come in handy - D&D v.3.5 Accessory Update Booklet (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a). If you DM at all, then yeah, the Monster Manual is a must-have. To answer another question - the Monster Manual 3 is a brand new book of monsters, not MM1 and MM2. Hope this helps!
Ikeman04 12-27-07, 09:45 PM	http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii78/Ikeman04/1198704331110.jpg This book. It's awesome.
pigknight 12-31-07, 01:19 PM	3 core, 4 original complete (the ones with classes), Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle (aka Book o' Nine Swords)
alchemyprime 12-31-07, 02:15 PM	Let me see here... well, if you want to round off a collection, get a Monster Manual, preferabbly the first one, though I do so enjoy the Fiend Folio (replaced quite a bit of the MM for me for a while.). Also, while you're at it, get a character's option book. Complete books can be used to expand upon the existing classes, EPic Level helps understand, well, the epic levels, and the alternate system books (Expanded Psionics, Magic of Incarnum, Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle) help bring in something new. Then there are races books (Races of ...), Specific Monster Books (Drow of the Underdark, Draconomicon, Lords of Madness, etc.), campaign settings (Forgotten Realms, Eberron, DragonLance), and flavor books/environment books (Sandstorm, Heroes of Horror, Heroes of Battle, Frostburn, etc.). My suggestion? Monster Manual Advanced Bestiary from Green Ronin Publishing Any other Green Ronin Book you think you'd like. Those two will give you well over 2500 monsters total to use. (The BEstiary is a book of 100 templates. Most are ANy Creature templates. Love that book. Best Christmas Present I ever gave myself.)
StevenO 12-31-07, 02:44 PM	My top book choices: Core three (PHB, DMG, MM1) are MUST HAVES. PHB2 (for the new classes and options) Complete Warrior, Adventure, Arcane, and Mage Those eight books would cover about at least 90% of the characters I build and most of my recommendations. I don't have the Tome of Battle to comment on and so can't comment on that but from my understanding they take much of what I know about combat and changes everything. I have the Complete Divine and while it has its uses isn't one of my favorites. It has (had?) too many editing errors but does have some uses although I often get as much use from the other "Complete" books. If you aren't over whelmed by having too many options the the Complete Spell and Magic Item Compendiums may interest you. I have never owned either however.
Enigmis 12-31-07, 02:59 PM	I highly recomend Tome of battle: book of the nine swords.
pigknight 01-03-08, 12:42 AM	Why does no one like ToM?
StevenO 01-03-08, 01:11 AM	ToM = Tome of Magic? It is probably far from everyones "must have" list because I believe all it does is add complexity without really improving the basics. The ToB makes lists because people believed that physical combat needed some kind of "magic" like boost and the ToB provided that. With Magic already being as powerful as it is why does it really need some new systems?
CaptainPicard 01-03-08, 01:22 AM	Can we not throw "weeaboo" around here? Is this 4chan now?