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What do you consider "de facto" core?
- Thread starter Asmor
- Start date
Mercule
Adventurer
What should be consider almost core? Basically, the SRD. So, I included XPH. I excluded UA because it's explicitly optional and occasionally self-excepting.
If you were to ask what I consider baseline IMC, I'd have gone with the above plus MIC and SC. The Complete and Races series are too inconsistant in quality to do anything besides use them piecemeal. Heroes of X are too niche, as are the environment series. Monster Manuals are also piecemeal.
Actually, the Races series is the one that seems wierdest to group together. "Races of the Wild" and "Races of Stone" are reasonably solid books and wouldn't give me much pause. "Races of Destiny" is weak, and would get a "whatever". "Races of the Dragon", though, would earn some mocking laughter. Even if I considered the first two to be core, I couldn't check that option because of my aversion to the last.
If you were to ask what I consider baseline IMC, I'd have gone with the above plus MIC and SC. The Complete and Races series are too inconsistant in quality to do anything besides use them piecemeal. Heroes of X are too niche, as are the environment series. Monster Manuals are also piecemeal.
Actually, the Races series is the one that seems wierdest to group together. "Races of the Wild" and "Races of Stone" are reasonably solid books and wouldn't give me much pause. "Races of Destiny" is weak, and would get a "whatever". "Races of the Dragon", though, would earn some mocking laughter. Even if I considered the first two to be core, I couldn't check that option because of my aversion to the last.
the Jester
Legend
Core = PH, MM and DMG.
In my campaign, there's a lot more that is included; but only the core books are automatically in the game. Anything else, you need to check with the dm (me!) before you try to use it. I pick and choose bits of the various books that I like, and there are always bits that I don't like.
If you reposted the poll with "what do you allow in your campaign?" as the question, my answer would be very different.
In my campaign, there's a lot more that is included; but only the core books are automatically in the game. Anything else, you need to check with the dm (me!) before you try to use it. I pick and choose bits of the various books that I like, and there are always bits that I don't like.
If you reposted the poll with "what do you allow in your campaign?" as the question, my answer would be very different.
derelictjay
Explorer
Core is core, that is PH, MM, DMG. Everything else is gravy, that the DM (whether me or someone else) lets you smother on top.
Rodrigo Istalindir
Explorer
De facto core = true core, for me. The *only* assumptions are PHB, DMG, and MM. Everything else would be on an item by item basis. I wouldn't give carte blanche approval for an entire book (much less an entire series of books).
Last edited:
Theocrat
First Post
Hi all -
I consider most of the WotC line to be core and available. Such new magic systems as Incarnum, Tome of Magic and Psionics are not of interest to me and thus aren't books that I've even considered picking up.
Races of the Dragon has spells that are overly powerful and thus isn't allowed. Book of Nine Swords is revolutionary but is something that I'm considering.
The Environmental books by Fantasy Flight Games are very good, detailed and came out long before WotC's and thus I use them extensively as the DM.
Green Ronin's Advanced Bestiary, Players Guide, and Game Masters Manual are by Skip Williams, KC Owens, and other veterans of WotC. With Skip writting the Players Guide after being the Sage for 20+ years I think he has what it takes to know the game well enough to warrant inclusion into my allowed resources.
Kenzer & Co has their Kalamar Setting with the D&D logo. They paid good money, have to have everything signed off by WotC to have that logo. Meaning that their KoK Players Guide is very well suited and viable. I use their Dangerous Denzions as much as I use the MM II-IV.
Necromancer Games has several books that I consider to be valuable as a DM - such as Grimtooths - although it is a very easy conversion from the originals as they were mechanics independant. Tome of Horrors I is very good, but Creature Collection I-III isn't.
For module design of course Dungeon comes to mind, but so does Rob Kuntz's adventures. I'm running his Cairn of the Skeleton King and a skeleton is an easy conversion to 3.5 from his generic system. And with the Monster Manual I-IV, Dangerous Denzions, and other monster books, I no longer believe that monsters are important to the concept of the adventure. All an author needs to give me now is the design and layout and monster concept - a ghost like being (important lvl drain, energy drain, incorpreal, etc...).
Well that's my rant.
Be Well. Be Well Considered.
Theocrat Issak
I consider most of the WotC line to be core and available. Such new magic systems as Incarnum, Tome of Magic and Psionics are not of interest to me and thus aren't books that I've even considered picking up.
Races of the Dragon has spells that are overly powerful and thus isn't allowed. Book of Nine Swords is revolutionary but is something that I'm considering.
The Environmental books by Fantasy Flight Games are very good, detailed and came out long before WotC's and thus I use them extensively as the DM.
Green Ronin's Advanced Bestiary, Players Guide, and Game Masters Manual are by Skip Williams, KC Owens, and other veterans of WotC. With Skip writting the Players Guide after being the Sage for 20+ years I think he has what it takes to know the game well enough to warrant inclusion into my allowed resources.
Kenzer & Co has their Kalamar Setting with the D&D logo. They paid good money, have to have everything signed off by WotC to have that logo. Meaning that their KoK Players Guide is very well suited and viable. I use their Dangerous Denzions as much as I use the MM II-IV.
Necromancer Games has several books that I consider to be valuable as a DM - such as Grimtooths - although it is a very easy conversion from the originals as they were mechanics independant. Tome of Horrors I is very good, but Creature Collection I-III isn't.
For module design of course Dungeon comes to mind, but so does Rob Kuntz's adventures. I'm running his Cairn of the Skeleton King and a skeleton is an easy conversion to 3.5 from his generic system. And with the Monster Manual I-IV, Dangerous Denzions, and other monster books, I no longer believe that monsters are important to the concept of the adventure. All an author needs to give me now is the design and layout and monster concept - a ghost like being (important lvl drain, energy drain, incorpreal, etc...).
Well that's my rant.
Be Well. Be Well Considered.
Theocrat Issak
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