The 3 Core Books plus THIS ONE BOOK are all you can use to game--What's the one book?

joethelawyer · May 17, 2009

I all you could use were the 3 core rulebooks and just this ONE book what would that one be?

Pick a specific book that exists, rather than saying a type of book.

Narrow it down and just pick one. Note: it doesn't even have to be a RPG book.

And tell us why you feel that way.

For me it is Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved Spell Treasury. I like it because the spells in there are so unique, in that they bring more to the game than just different ways to damage or tinker with stats and scores. Just by reading them I think of how my casters can be more creative, envisioning scenarios in which I can do the unexpected.

Jack99 · May 17, 2009

A Magic Medieval Society: Western Europe

Aus_Snow · May 17, 2009

A setting.

Whether my own or someone else's, and whether in actual book form or not, yep. . . a setting it has to be.

edit --- The OP has changed, so my answer must as well: One of my homebrew settings, then. No sourcebook, supplement or whatever should be chosen before a setting in which to run a campaign. At least, to my way of thinking, there's no alternative here. So again, a setting it has to be, and if I must choose a specific one. . . my most recent homebrew setting, as it's my favourite, and is working very well in actual play, best of all.

Aramax · May 17, 2009

Adventures Vault,I gotta say its my favorite 4e book.I love the whetstones and the reagents especialy

Crothian · May 17, 2009

Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies, and I wouldn't even need the three core books.

fba827 · May 17, 2009

For a class-based RPG (such as D&D) then the extra book would be one with more class options. As a DM, I can create monsters and magic items, and continuously tweak them as needed. But coming up with new classes that see some playtesting/analysis and aren't just reskins of existing classes is harder to make up on my own. Because classes are not something I can tweak on my own during a campaign without it causing a bigger problem for the player of that class/feature/etc.

For a nonclass-based RPG, then the extra book would be one that presents more skills/feats/talents (whatever it is that the players get to pick for their abilities).

that'd be my own choice anyway.

Aberzanzorax · May 17, 2009

Ptolus.

I almost feel like I'm cheating with that one.

But a book that combines a setting and an adventure path across every level...yeah.

That or the Epic Level Handbook.

Mustrum_Ridcully · May 17, 2009

For D&D 4, it might depend on whether I feel player or DM friendly.

Adventurers Vault is certainly a good choice, since it contains material for every character. As a DM, Manual of the Planes or MM2 might contain the most interesting stuff for.
Generally, I wouldn't pick a book but a DDI subscription, but that's clearly cheating.

In D&D 3, I think it would have to be PHB 2. It contains a few actually interesting (or should I say powerful) feats.

For Shadowrun 3.0, I think Magic in the Shadows would be my choice, since it adds a few integral rules to spellcasters. Though that's unfair to every non-mage that now don't get Bioware or cool weapons. (Arsenal and Man & Machine) I don't know about SR 4, it seems the core rule books is more complete there.

I am not sure how Arcana Evolved or Iron Heroes actually fit into this - are the variant PHBs plus the 3.x DMG and 3.x MM the standard assumption on what constituties the 3 core rulebooks? If yes, I am not sure what I'd really need for Arcana Evolved. Iron Heroes probably needs the Mastering Iron Heroes book or the monster book, since these contain villain classes and they make the DMs job considerably easier.

Hunter In Darkness · May 17, 2009

Humm would have to be 3.o FRCS that and the core what else does one need

Fallen Seraph · May 17, 2009

Can I cheat and say DDI subscription for my book

Hmm... If had to narrow it down to three books, I would say... PHB3 even though it isn't out yet, we know it has Psionics and I adore my Psionics so that one (plus hopefully will have Elan in it).