D&D Essentials

[diaglo]

Hi

Which D&D books and gaming aids are so brilliant that I should go get them?

Men & Magic
Monsters & Treasure
The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures

 

[Odhanan]

Unearthed Arcana, hands down.

 

[Shade]

In order of sheer quality (not necessarily usefulness), and going WOTC-only, I like:

1.) Lords of Madness
2.) Fiend Folio
3.) Manual of the Planes
4.) Expanded Psionics Handbook
5.) Draconomicon
6.) Frostburn
7.) Stormwrack
8.) Serpent Kingdoms
9.) Magic of Faerun

 

[delericho]

I'd have to go with:

Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Book of Iron Might
Advanced Bestiary
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Shackled City (if a DM looking for a really good campaign book)
Dungeon magazine

Lords of Madness and Unearthed Arcana are also both exceptional, but I'm not sure I would consider either essential.

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

If you likes you some poison, give the ENnie-nominated Poisoncraft a try.

If you're looking for pantheon stuff, you can't go wrong with Book of the Righteous--a fantastic book.

I'll also second votes for:

Year's Best d20 (Couple of Poisoncraft items made it in, natch)
Battlebox (I have the AE version, and it's sublime)

 

[JoeGKushner]

Joe, you know if the Arcana Evolved Battlebox contains everything the regular BB does plus the extra, or is it all tailored specifically to AE?

Didn't see this thread but I don't own the AE battle box so couldn't answer, but another friendly poster has done so, and now I'm thinking... may have to go out and buy the AE battlebox.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

now I'm thinking... may have to go out and buy the AE battlebox.

Yeah, you do. The condition cards alone are worth the cost.

 

[Steel_Wind]

A subscription to Dungeon Magazine. (Best value in gaming, bar none).

A Battlemat from Chessex.

A 100 or so common and uncommon D&D miniatures.

 

[genshou]

Didn't see this thread but I don't own the AE battle box so couldn't answer, but another friendly poster has done so, and now I'm thinking... may have to go out and buy the AE battlebox.

I second that motion.

Hi all, as usual I'll reference Elements of Magic Revised, Lyceian Arcana, and Elements of Magic - Mythic Earth. One book that no one on this board ever seems to mention is Stronghold Builder's Guidebook. SBG is the #1 book I would recommend.

 

[Uder]

If you have CC2, here are some templates I've made for various spreads and cones, as well as some walls of fire.