The Best & Worst of 3rd Edition: FINAL FIVE: PHB II, UA, Eberon, Ptolus, Pathfinder

[TerraDave]

A new year begins and 3E comes to its end. To commemorate the end of Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition, a series of polls have been held to find the best (and worst products) of 3E.

And we are going to have two more. The last poll was so hardly fought, so voted in, and so contentious, it seemed a shame to stop there. And it has become clear that that poll alone is not enough to decide the matter.

This poll is for the FINAL FIVE. The two winners will then head to the truly final final poll, where the ultimate winner will be chosen.

Why 5? On the previous poll, four products: Ptolus, Eberon, Pathfinder, and Unearthed Arcana all held the lead at various points, and did well in the final results. The PHBII, which did almost as well as UA and had won the previous poll, has been added, making five.

EDIT: This poll is all in fun. I personally have no problem with linking, motivated fans of different products, and so on. I am annoyed if someone somehow votes more then once. Buts its just an internet poll, after all.

ANOTHER EDIT: Lets also praise those products that have already won. Here.

EDIT the Third: Its spelled Eberron.

 

[Ruined]

Sorry I missed the previous poll. It seems a bit odd grouping, but I understand how you got to that point.

I voted Pathfinder. I have all of the material, and out of the group, the only one to jump out at me and say "I must use this in a campaign" was Pathfinder. Considering that I used to never run pre-done modules, that really says something for me. Ptolus is well-done, but it lacks that initial appeal that I was hoping it would have for me.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

PHB 2 or UA
PHB 2 or UA

I think some of UA's material was better that anything PHB 2 had, but since I am a player I use the stuff out of PHB 2 much, much more.

So... PHB 2 it is.

 

[CharlesRyan]

Ptolus again. As a single product, I don't think any other single title compares. It may not be my favourite setting, and other products may see more use or be part of a overall range that's better, but I really don't think any individual title is as impressive.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Two of these, I don't own. One, I haven't even seen (that being Pathfinder: RotR.)

Interesting (but not surprising, at this site) to see - essentially - only one player-oriented book, out of five. And even the PHB II is not a terrible purchase for a DM, according to many folks.

Out of the three I do own, I would have to choose Unearthed Arcana, in the end. Opened the game up in several ways, and not just for me. So that gets my vote.

 

[Captain Howdy]

I don't see how anything else on the list can come close to Ptolus as the best single product. I like everything on the list, but as far as best product goes... It's less a matter of opinion and more just a fact that Ptolus is a great product, and the best of 3.x.

 

[Asmor]

The PHB 2, quite simply, is without peer. Not to say that there aren't other great books out there, but the appendices in the back of the book are worth their weight in gold. If PHB 2 were only 20 or so pages long, consisting solely of those appendices, it would still outclass every other product on the list.

All that other crap in there is just gravy.

 

[Greg K]

I voted Unearthed Arcana. Unearthed Arcana has plenty of rules that have shaped my house rule list including environmental races, class variants (which, imo, should have seen more official support back in 3.0), variant class features (favored environment), specialist wizard variant abilities, action points, weapon groups, death and dying rules that eliminate negative hit points, spontaneous divine casting, and spell points w/vitalizing

As for the others:

Ptolus: I generally don't buy settings and, while I am interested in looking at Ptolus, the cost kept me away as I would never actually use it.

Eberron: I disliked both the setting and the idea that everything DND can fit into the setting (the latter probably has to do with my dislike for the majority of new races, base classes, prcs, feats spells, and equipment introduced in WOTC supplements as well as their treatment of new subjects such as mental powers (i.e., psionics)).

Pathfinder: I don't like using pre-made adventures or adventure paths.

Player's Handbook 2: This book has a few good things (e.g, the druid variant that replaces wild shape, a few of the fighter feats, and the polymorph spells). However, I dislike the Dragon Shaman, Duskblade, and Knight and found myself liking the book less each time I looked at it.

 

[Vurt]

I vote Tom Zarek as the last of the Final Five. Whoops! Wrong forum...

It would have to be the Eberron Campaign Setting for me, then. It's definitely the book I've gotten the most mileage out of, the last few years.

 

[jolt]

Ptolus, hands down.

Though not the product on the list I used the most, the overall quality of the product is without peer.

jolt