Need some aid in decision on which book to get...

cybernetic · Dec 30, 2003

I'm going to be heading out to my local FLGS in about a half-hour to an hour to pick up a new book.....having some trouble deciding, however...need some advice...

I've spent the past 4 to 5 months completely cut off from DnD, d20 and rpgs...got burnt out and lost interest about the time 3.5 started to come out.

For X-mas, my nephew bought me the DnD 3.5 Collection (all three 3.5 core books in a nice case) and it has rekindled my love of the game (I'm already starting putting together a new campaign world and preparing to get a game going with a couple of the guys in my band..whom I found out the other night that they have been playinf DnD for years! and are wanting to start up with 3.5)

The campaign I am putting together will take place (primarily) in a low magic setting where magic is around and is the life of the world but spellcasters are extremly rare, and magical items are remnents of a lost era and are rare as well...it will have a somewhat Lord of the Rings feel to it and be somewhat combat oriented.......so what would your advice be on a book selection...

1.) Unearthed Arcana (I'm a big fan of Monte's work)
2.) The Complete Warrior
3.) Miniature's Handbook
4.) Warcraft RPG Manual of Monsters (I have, and really like the Warcraft rpg setting book)
5.) Another suggestion? (I have pretty much eveything I want from before 3.5 came out...so please only suggestions after 3.5's release..)

der_kluge · Dec 30, 2003

Gosh, I hate to sound like Mr. Obvious, but do you want to
A) play Warcraft the RPG
B) play Arcana Unearthed
or C) play regular D&D.

That should pretty much answer your question. All three books have gotten solid reviews, and you probably would be good with any of them. If your friends are playing regular ol' D&D, then the Complete Warrior will be your best bet, as the other two are going to be incompatible (at least on some levels)

Nightfall · Dec 30, 2003

Yeah might be nice if we knew what your needs were.

*[subliminal message] Buy Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad! Or Creature Collection 3!![/subliminal message]*

But seriously I'd say if you're planning for a low magic setting, get Midnight for the spell system. It's cheap and easy to use.

cybernetic · Dec 30, 2003

die_kluge said:
Gosh, I hate to sound like Mr. Obvious, but do you want to
A) play Warcraft the RPG
B) play Arcana Unearthed
or C) play regular D&D.

That should pretty much answer your question. All three books have gotten solid reviews, and you probably would be good with any of them. If your friends are playing regular ol' D&D, then the Complete Warrior will be your best bet, as the other two are going to be incompatible (at least on some levels)

Actually, none of the above.....It'll be my own campaign setting that molds regular dnd into something different with a few ideas from the Warcraft book...

Nightfall · Dec 30, 2003

Well sounds to me Cyber, you're really fond of the Warcraft book. So I'd get Manual of Monsters. That or another WC book sounds right up your alley.

Altalazar · Dec 30, 2003

If it's your own setting with variations in the rules, I'd say go for Arcana Unearthed - that is a treasure trove for that sort of thing.

Thresher · Dec 30, 2003

Unearthed Arcana, didnt grab me as much as I thought it would, sort of reminded me a bit too much of FASA's Earthdawn, which I didnt like. Thats not to say theres anything wrong with it as a game, its just not my cup of tea.

Complete Warrior, I'd highly recommend this one. Some of its re-hashed/3.5ed'ed material which brings most of the old 3ed splat books up to speed for the new stuff. That said, theres a lot of good material in here for most everyone who's character has some homicidal tendancies in DnD and its definatly one of the better produced books wotc have churned out in the last 12 months or so. (by that I mean they've finally gotten over just making splat-crap books full of uber-overwhelming PRC's/Weapons/Spells/Feats etc and decided to write something that makes use of existing material and throws in a few new ways to use it.)

Wombat · Dec 31, 2003

Well, as you like the Warcraft setting, and I have heard good things about the rpg book from people who like the games, I'd say go that route.

OTOH, I have really enjoyed Arcana Unearthed -- the only game from this last year over which I have not had one whiff of Buyer's Remorse!