What RPG Book Should I Get?

[X-Marks!]

2 buy or Not 2 Buy

Arcana Unearthed is certainly hot, and for good reason. However, at this point, you should definitely wait for the upgrade: Arcana Evolved coming out early next year. It's all the same with extras and expansions, plus colour. And it combines several books in one. That's when to get in there! (I wish I'd known.)

If you can't wait, then M&M would also make a very cool addition to any bookshelf/reading list. Green Ronin seems to be using bits and pieces from its ruleset for its newer rpg's like Blue Rose. And it takes up a big majority of GR's top 10 sellers on Amazon.com as well -- backing up its popularity with the all-mighty confirmed sales.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Grim Tales.

Malleable into almost anything you want. Exceptionally well written, with lots of rules variations that spell out how changing the rule will affect the game. Excellent for most anything, especially low-magic type games.

 

[JoeGKushner]

All of the books on your list are good to an extent.

With Arcana Unearthed, I would definatly wait for Arcana Evolved.

In addition, as others have mentioned, Conan, the Atlantean Edition, and Grim Tales, are both worthy books to have in your collection.

 

[diaglo]

The Complete Idiot's Guide to d02 Roleplaying.

they are releasing it April 2005. Rich Baker and Bill Slavicsek

 

[Sunchaser]

I'd go with Iron Kingdoms or Midnight

 

[Lord Rasputin]

GURPS 4th Edition. Shouldn't the list above be titled just d20 books, not RPG books? There are other games out there besides d20, and there have been recent revisions of GURPS, World of Darkness and HERO.

 

[GlassJaw]

Vote #3 for Grim Tales. IMO, it's the best alternate PHB available.

M&M is amazing but doesn't have much crossover with D&D.

The Conan book is nice too but but I'd go with GT first.

 

[The_Universe]

Mutants and Masterminds and D20 Future! Those are my two favorite purchases of 2004!

 

[ShadeMoon64]

I am crazy about M&M! It is by far the best super game I have seen in 20 years of role playing. I know Champions has its fans but I prefer M&M.

I was blown away by Arcana Unearthed; however, I agree that if you can wait for the expanded edition next year do so.

 

[Nightwasp]

If you are playing D&D I would have to agree with many of the others here in that while Mutants and Masterminds is very inovative and fun I don't see it meshing well with a D&D game.

I would go with one or two extremes such as Nyambe:African Adventures or Iron Kingdoms. Both are very original, well written and you can either move your whole gaming to their worlds or grab bits from them to use in your own game.

You might also want to check out Chaositech to spice up an older campaign.