What's the best and worst D&D book you own from any edition?

[ccs]

Best - 1E DMG

So much history and nostalgia and bad design and good design and bad advice and good advice and I use it even with other editions.

And all jumbled together, sometimes concerning the same thing at the same time.

+ the Random Harlot table.

Like yours, my copy also sees use regardless of the edition.

 

[Parmandur]

Wow, interesting seeing some of these old answers.

Best: Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Chock-a-block with ideas, and very useful in prep and play.

Worst: I bought an old used copy of Greyhawk Adventures. I kind of like it, but dang, it's a mess.

 

[Imaculata]

Best: Stormwrack (3.5); a brilliant book that is a great foundation for a naval/aquatic campaign.

Worst: Dungeonscape (3.5); This should have been the resource book for creating interesting dungeons, but what it really is, is extremely by the numbers and short. There's not really anything in this book that you couldn't come up with yourself.

Runner up for worst: Cityscape (3.5). Same problem.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Agreed, it's been really interesting reading through all these old answers again. Again.

My votes haven't changed much, though I'll add Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperboria 2e Compleat to my "Best" category. Though it's a revision of a retroclone and therefore might not count.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Best - honestly...if i could just say DRAGON MAGAZINE i think i could easily pick a winner. But thats only if i could list all issues as one combined mega book. As im reasonably certain that would not be an acceptable answer I'll have to say UNEARTHED ARCANA from 3/3.5e is my pick for best.

Worst - i have to agree with a previous post. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING 4E. As that is likely not a valid pick as its not a single book I'll have to be specific. My nomination for worst is WHICHEVER 4E BOOK HAS THE MOST PAGES as more crap is never better than less crap. And that whole edition is a trainwreck. Their vision of d&d seems outright incompetent at times. As if they didnt even understand how the game works sometimes. Harsh i know im sorry but i mean it.

 

[Blackrat]

Well, the best would actually be three books that are sort of a bunch of the same theme. AD&D era Faiths & Avatars, Demihuman Deities, and Powers & Pantheons. Those books have awesome images of the priestly clothing of pretty much every deity in FR, as well as really specific descriptions of the religious practices and customs of most faiths.

The worst. Well, I actually have a copy of the Book of Erotic Fantasy for 3e. I have no idea where I got it, or why, but that book is as crappy as it was controversial way back then...

 

[Imaculata]

My votes haven't changed much, though I'll add Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperboria 2e Compleat to my "Best" category.

I recently bought the Conan 2e rules book, and it is amazing. I don't know when we'll find time to actually run a Conan adventure, but I'm now intrigued by the books that you've mentioned. Could you share more details on what's great about them?

 

[Bagpuss]

All time favourite would be the Birthright Campaign setting boxed set for 2nd Ed AD&D.

Best of more recent editions Heroes of Battle for 3.5, great resource, I would say much of the advice and the core system of Victory Points could be used in any version of D&D, or other games entirely.

I don't really have a worst.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Maxperson]

Best book - Player: Complete Adventurer - I used that book more than any other single book when playing.
Best Book - DM: The 4 volume Magic Item Compendium.
Worst Book: Magic of the Incarnum - I went back to it several times trying hard to find something I liked and would play, but I just couldn't do it.