The best D&D books (Regardless of Edition)

[Atlatl Jones]

The 2e Forgotten Realms gods & religions books, Faiths and Pantheons etc. The game balance of the 2e specialty priests was extremely dodgy, but the flavor and ideas were excellent.

My favorite 3e book is the Tome of Magic. For occult flavor and art quality, it can't be beat. I don't know if it would be useful outside of a 3e game, aside from maybe flavor for opponents or Warlocks, but I still consider it one of the best D&D books.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

The 2e Forgotten Realms gods & religions books, Faiths and Pantheons etc. The game balance of the 2e specialty priests was extremely dodgy, but the flavor and ideas were excellent.

My favorite 3e book is the Tome of Magic. For occult flavor and art quality, it can't be beat. I don't know if it would be useful outside of a 3e game, aside from maybe flavor for opponents or Warlocks, but I still consider it one of the best D&D books.

 

[Greg K]

1e:
- DMG

2e:
- Complete Thief's Handbook
- (edit): Faiths and Pantheons and similar books
- PO: Combat and Tactics
- PO: Spells and Magic
- Witches (Mayfair Games)

3e (Note: This list might actually grow as I still have yet to see certain books from Atlas, Bastion Press, Malhavoc and Silverthorne)
- Unearthed Arcana
- Fiendish Codex 1: Hordes of the Abyss
- Heroes of Horror (added 9/19/10)
- Advanced Bestiary (Green Ronin)
- Psychic's Handbook (Green Ronin)
- Shaman's Handbook (Green Ronin)
- Witch's Handbook (Green Ronin)
- Elements of Magic: Revised (EN Publishing)
- Elements of Magic: Lycean Arcana (EN Publishing)
- Hot Pursuit (Adamant)
- Hot Pursuit: On Foot (Adamant) (added 9/19/10)
- Book of Iron Might (Malhavoc)
- From Stone to Steel (Monkey God/Highmoon)
- Poisoncraft (Blue Devil) (added 9/19/10)
- Deluxe Book of Templates Revised (Silverthorne/Goodman Games)
- Experts 3.5 (Skirmisher Publishing)(added 9/19/10)

 

[Zaukrie]

The best written books that I enjoy reading, but didn't play with much:
Faiths and Pantheons books - incredible depth, but useful depth
Book of the Righteous (best written book ever in RP, but not used)

Well written and used:
3.5 version of the Fiends book from Green Ronin (name out of my head)
4E DMG - I've already used this as much or more than I've used any other DMG (and I own them all)

 

[Obryn]

The 1e Manual of the Planes is among my favorite gaming books ever.

All of my faves from 2e were setting-specific. I think Faiths & Pantheons was outstanding, even if it were completely munchkined-out. Earlier Dark Sun materials were pretty sweet, too.

3e's Lords of Madness was outstanding in about a dozen different ways. I also loved Fiendish Codex I; although it was a much shorter book, it updated a lot of great stuff.

I'll put both the 1e and 4e DMGs up for consideration, as well. The 1e DMG is a mess, but tons of fun. The 4e DMG is what every other DMG should have been, IMHO.

If we're counting D&D-like OGL, I'll add in Arcana Evolved. Great setting, and mechanics that tied in with the flavor. It gets severe balance issues with casters/non-casters past about 11th level or so, but that does little to dampen my love for it.

-O

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It's hard to pick a favorite - especially since my collection is probably pitiful to most.

But stuff I liked:
- Manual of the Planes (3E). It was very interesting because it gave so many ideas how planes could look like. I suppose if I actually owned Deities and Demigods, I might consider it similar.
- DMG 4E. I love its DMing advice. Yes, I should already know all those things, but it is nice to be "reminded" on it.
- Arcana Evolved. I really liked the entire setting and the rules. I think my AE campaign has been the longest I ran yet.
- Legacy of the Dragons (Arcana Evolved) It is my favorite monster book. I haven't used many of them, admittedly, but I found some really interesting stuff in there.

 

[The_Gneech]

I'd say the 1E DMG, Lankhmar and Complete Thief's Handbook from 2E and -- although it's not really a "book" per se -- the late run of Dungeon magazine under Erik Mona generally from 3E.

A fair number of honorable mentions in 1E adventures and 3E books, but most of them are definitely "second tier" by comparison.

-The Gneech

 

[AllisterH]

I agree that one could use the "Faiths and Pantheons" books anywhere...

That said...It was called "Faiths and Avatars" (Greater-Intermediate-Lesser power of the main Faerun pantheon)

"Powers and Pantheons" was the book that dealt with the Demigods and the other Realmsian pantheons (not the kara-tur Celestial Bureaucracy or Maztica's pantheon)

"Demihuman Deities" dealt with the non-human deites, those of the main PC races and the main humanoid enemies...

Great flavour but talk about eyebrow raising specialty classes (I'm looking at you Mystra). Once F&A was released, I get the impression that EVERYONE was playing a specialty priest.

 

[Holy Bovine]

The 1E DMG for nostalgia reasons alone. As a reference book it was a nightmare but it was damn fine reading.

I'd also place the Rules Cyclopedia and 4E DMG next to it without hesitation.

 

[Korgoth]

Volume III: The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures (OD&D)
Supplement I: Greyhawk (OD&D)
Basic Set by Moldvay (Classic)
Expert Set by Cook/Marsh (Classic)
The Dungeon Master's Guide (1E)
Lords of Madness (3E)