Name your favorite D&D book

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

If Box Sets count I really loved the Al-Zakhara boxed set.

For books... hard to say but the first thing that pops to mind is Arcana Unearthed.

 

[johnsemlak]

While I agree with an above poster that the 3.5 PHB is one of the best products ever, I'll have to go with my GDQ1-7 Queen of the Spiders super module. Rose-colored glasses or not, this is a product I pored over again, and again, and again, and again, and still do (despite it's horrible editing).

Honorable mentions:

GAZ1 Grand Duchy of Karameikos
Rules Cyclopedia
1983 Greyhawk Boxed set

 

[Testament]

Libris Mortis
Player's Guide to Arcanis (PCI, I love you. Praise to Sarish!)
Eberron Campaign Setting, second best published setting, next to Arcanis.
3.X Player's Handbook

I started under 3.X, alright!

 

[pogre]

3.0 PHB
This book brought me back to D&D and the OGL has kept me in it.

 

[Gundark]

ooo this is a toughie, in no particular order.

I think it'll be the 3.5 PHB as this is the version of the game that got me back into to roleplaying again after 4 years.

next would be the the module "queen of the demonweb pits. I was pretty young when I played this however I still love it.

next would be Iron Kingdoms. I love how different the setting is, I mean the more I look the more I love this setting

Next would be Forgotten Realms Campaign book.....I really like the realms ...I just do.

Last would the the adventure X10 Red Arrow Black shield, this is my all time favourite adventure. If you havn't checked it out yet, do it's awesome.

 

[kerakus]

Can we go by edition? With the caveat that I don't get into 3rd party stuff very much...

Basic Edition: Rules Cyclopedia...too bad they can't mush everything together in one book for the current edition. Side note: Someone ought to introduce a campaign setting Gazetteer style...no big setting book, just one kingdom at a time.

1st Edition: Never played it.

2nd Edition: Council of Wyrms...loved the setting...rules were a little off though.

3.0: Hero Builder's Guidebook...My group and I create characters every other week and we use the alignment test and background generator every time.

3.5: Draconomicon is up there because of my love for Council of Wyrms, but Book of Vile Darkness wins this one.

Q

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Non-D&D or non-WotC/TSR d20 products are listed in italics where they would appear.

1. Spelljammer Boxed Set (2e, Spelljammer)
2. The War Captain's Companion (2e, Spelljammer)
d20 Modern (d20, Core)
3. Monster Manual II (3e, Core)
4. Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer (2e, Spelljammer)
OGL Steampunk (OGL, Steampunk)
5. Oriental Adventures (3e, OA)
Rokugan Campaign Setting (3e, OA)
6. Dark Sun City By the Silt Sea (2e, Dark Sun)
Conan the Roleplaying Game (OGL, Conan)
7. Complete Warrior (3e, Core)
8. Rules Cyclopedia (basic, Core)
Dragonlance Campaign Setting (3e, Dragonlance)
9. Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer 2 (2e, Spelljammer)
Iron Kingdoms Character Guide (d20, Iron Kingdoms)
10. Monster Mythology (2e, Core)

 

[Hellefire]

no contest

1st edition DMG, no question - had enough specifics and generalities to let me extrapolate any situation.

Aaron Blair
Foren Star
Seward, AK, USA
currently Poznan, Poland

 

[taliesin15]

I have major problems with every tome I've owned and perused, so its difficult for me to give any whole-hearted endorsements; but I'm surprised nobody's given a nod to my #1

1. Deities and Demigods, 1st edition. For Erol Otus' rendering of the Cthulhu Mythos *alone* it would outpace the rest. I have many problems with it--mainly that so many of the pantheons presented are incomplete--the Celtic pantheon is ridiculously abbreviated!--not to mention the fact that they aren't really presented as pantheons. But I would certainly say it was a major motivating factor in getting me to look at things I never would have read, like the Kalevala.

2. DMG, 1st edition. The Gygax humor is so goofy! (funny now to reflect on all the anti-Gygax vitriol I encountered when I first moved to Austin, mainly from the Steve Jackson camp) There's still so much interesting information that I can use in 3.0 campaigns. Stuff like the lists of potion description at the back of the book or typical temple furnishings. Especial kudos considering the fact that it was a trailblazing work, and by far, IMHO, the best of the first 3 books.

3. PHB, 3rd edition. Not much to add, but let's talk about the artwork. Some of it is just fantastic, some of it really, really bad. The "sample player character" renderings are particularly embarassing--you know, like Mialee, Jozan, etc. Just think 20 years from now how people will be laughing at all the half-elves with haircuts like the dudes in the band Creed, or the Haflings with haircuts that make them look like extras from Mad Max at Thunderdome (except they got their haircut at the Mall)

 

[VorpalBunny]

I agree with Wombat. For me it's the blue 1979 basic set, 'cause it was my first introduction to RPGs.