Thanee
First Post
Core Books (PHB 3.5, DMG 3.5, MM 3.5)
Core Books II (PHB II, DMG II)
Compendium Series (except Rules Compendium)
Complete Series (except Complete Psionics)
Races Series
Unearthed Arcana
Bye
Thanee
What's your core?
- Thread starter Betote
- Start date
Core Books (PHB 3.5, DMG 3.5, MM 3.5)
Core Books II (PHB II, DMG II)
Compendium Series (except Rules Compendium)
Complete Series (except Complete Psionics)
Races Series
Unearthed Arcana
Bye
Thanee
3 Core rulebooks
PHB2 (shapeshift variant is mandatory)
ToB
MIC
XPH (using magic/psionics transparency rule, so it is really just another spellcasting variant)
Spell compendium (barring a few broken spells like wraithstrike)
Savage Species (for monster PCs)
Beyond that, stuff is allowed on a case-by-case basis, rather than by splatbook. Though I consider myself fairly accommodating, so the earlier part isn't as draconian as it seems. The funny thing is that I may turn down builds if I feel they are too weak to contribute meaningfully to the party...
PHB2 (shapeshift variant is mandatory)
ToB
MIC
XPH (using magic/psionics transparency rule, so it is really just another spellcasting variant)
Spell compendium (barring a few broken spells like wraithstrike)
Savage Species (for monster PCs)
Beyond that, stuff is allowed on a case-by-case basis, rather than by splatbook. Though I consider myself fairly accommodating, so the earlier part isn't as draconian as it seems. The funny thing is that I may turn down builds if I feel they are too weak to contribute meaningfully to the party...
FriarRosing
First Post
If I were ever going to do a 3.x game again (which I suppose is entirely possible), this is what I would have as core:
Standard 3--PHB, DMG, MM
MM 2
Book of Iron Might
Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Book of Hallowed Might
Unearthed Arcana
I guess that's it. Though, if I ever were to run a 3.x campaign again I'd probably try to pick up the Tome of Horrors as well as the Spell Compendium, and might just add those to my list.
Standard 3--PHB, DMG, MM
MM 2
Book of Iron Might
Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Book of Hallowed Might
Unearthed Arcana
I guess that's it. Though, if I ever were to run a 3.x campaign again I'd probably try to pick up the Tome of Horrors as well as the Spell Compendium, and might just add those to my list.
Obryn
Hero
I grew to love gonzo 3.5, so I allowed pretty much anything by WotC. 
HeroForge made this very, very easy. Were I to run a new 3.5 game, I would likely do the same, since I think flexible characterization is a strength of the system.
Were I to pare back, I would go with Core 3, PHB2, the Complete series (especially Complete Mage with its outstanding Reserve Feats), and any monster books I could lay my grimy fingers on. I'd mostly ignore the Races series, completely ignore the Spell Compendium, and only allow psionics if one of my players really, really wanted it.
-O
HeroForge made this very, very easy. Were I to run a new 3.5 game, I would likely do the same, since I think flexible characterization is a strength of the system.Were I to pare back, I would go with Core 3, PHB2, the Complete series (especially Complete Mage with its outstanding Reserve Feats), and any monster books I could lay my grimy fingers on. I'd mostly ignore the Races series, completely ignore the Spell Compendium, and only allow psionics if one of my players really, really wanted it.
-O
There really isn't a core in my long-running 3.5e Tales of CITY campaign. We use whatever material seems interesting (and fix whatever problems that come up along the way).
I'm completely unconvinced that limiting a campaign to a small number of "core" books solves any of 3e inherent balance problems. There's plenty that potentially unbalanced in the PHB, while there's great, usable material to be found in some of the later books, like the Bo9S.
Game elements are probably best evaluated on a case by case basis. Wait, strike that, it's actually best when they're not evaluated at all; when you play in a high-trust environment where the players are free to use any material that strikes their fancy and the DM trusts that they'll work out any balance or campaign flavor issues that might crop up.
I'm completely unconvinced that limiting a campaign to a small number of "core" books solves any of 3e inherent balance problems. There's plenty that potentially unbalanced in the PHB, while there's great, usable material to be found in some of the later books, like the Bo9S.
Game elements are probably best evaluated on a case by case basis. Wait, strike that, it's actually best when they're not evaluated at all; when you play in a high-trust environment where the players are free to use any material that strikes their fancy and the DM trusts that they'll work out any balance or campaign flavor issues that might crop up.
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scruffygrognard
Adventurer
Now that 3.5 is officially dead (at least as "D&D 3.5"), we have the opportunity to fix a core set of books to use in our campaigns. So, which books are you using to play 3.5?
I find myself quite comfortable with PHB/DMG/MM alongside with Tome of Horrors, Spell Compendium and Book of Iron Might. That's the core of D&D 3.5 to me.
When Pathfinder RPG comes in Aug' 09... We'll see
My core, should I ever run 3.5 (again), will be:
PHB
DMG
UA (odds and ends)
MM
Complete Class books (odds and ends)
Tome of Horrors Revised
I'd use Ptolus or Greyhawk as my setting.
Remathilis
Legend
CORE
PHB, DMG, MM 3.5
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Eberron Campaign Setting
Rules Compendium
SUPPLEMENTS (limited options available)
All Eberron Supplements
PHB II, DMG II, MM II, III, IV, V
Complete Warrior, Adventurer, Divine, Arcane, Mage, Scoundrel, Champion
Races of Wild, Dragon, Stone, Destiny
Dragon Magic
Spell Compendium
Magic Item Compendium
Heroes of Battle, Horror
Draconomicon, Libris Mortis, Fiendish Codex I & II, Lords of Madness
Sandstorm, Frostburn, Stormwrack, Dungeonscape, Cityscape
VERBOTEN (No options available)
Forgotten Realms, et all (except that which has been made "core" in other books)
Manual of the Planes
Deities & Demigods
Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle
Weapons of Legacy
Magic of Incarnum
Oriental Adventures
PHB, DMG, MM 3.5
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Eberron Campaign Setting
Rules Compendium
SUPPLEMENTS (limited options available)
All Eberron Supplements
PHB II, DMG II, MM II, III, IV, V
Complete Warrior, Adventurer, Divine, Arcane, Mage, Scoundrel, Champion
Races of Wild, Dragon, Stone, Destiny
Dragon Magic
Spell Compendium
Magic Item Compendium
Heroes of Battle, Horror
Draconomicon, Libris Mortis, Fiendish Codex I & II, Lords of Madness
Sandstorm, Frostburn, Stormwrack, Dungeonscape, Cityscape
VERBOTEN (No options available)
Forgotten Realms, et all (except that which has been made "core" in other books)
Manual of the Planes
Deities & Demigods
Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle
Weapons of Legacy
Magic of Incarnum
Oriental Adventures
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