D&D General Best D&D product of any edition (non-core book)

[aco175]

I always liked this booklet and got a few campaigns out of it. I found it to be a good style and formed what I think of Forgotten Realms (FR). First one I thought of reading the thread title.

 

[sevenbastard]

Complete Fighters Handbook/Complete Theifs Handbook: Yeah it's the start of the 2e splat books, but they opened my mind to low magic campaigns and the kits in them where really not that powerful. We ran so many all thief urban campaigns after these came out.

Nights Dark Terror/Lost Mines Phandalin: Two compact sandbox esq adventures both great adventures in small packages.

 

[Theory of Games]

AD&D's Player's Option series. They introduced several great alternative rules for D&D:

• Point-buy character creation
• Traits/Feats
• Disadvantages/Flaws
• Backgrounds (with recommended Non-Weapon Proficiencies)
• Sub-Abilities
• Expanded Races (including traditional "monsters" as races)
• Expanded Racial Abilities (including variant Humans)
• Social Ranking system
• Kits (combined with normal Classes)
• NWP rating system (similar to modern skills)
• Weapon Groups
• Wealth system
• The Alchemist
• Magic Specialization
• Expanded Psionics

Combat & Tactics took Fighters to a new level, as well. It's pretty clear IMO that Player's Option was the foundation for D&D 3e

 

[thullgrim]

2e: Planescape boxed sets. Still the high water mark for creativity. World Builders Guidebook. Such a great tool.

3x: Cityscape. Great city supplement. Shackeled City. Set the design paradigm for the entirety of Paizo’s existence.

4e: Dungeon Masters Guide. A great DM’s guide for introducing and running games for newer DM.

5e: I’ve mostly skipped 5th edition but Lost Mines of Phandelver is the best intro adventure written for D&D ever. I’ve run it in multiple systems, used it to introduce kids to roleplaying games, and more. Just a great adventure tool.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Rules Cyclopedia. The best one and done D&D book you can buy.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Rules Cyclopedia. The best one and done D&D book you can buy.

I'd consider that a core rulebook though. I wanted to omit core rulebooks because otherwise it's just a "my favorite edition" post and I wanted to focus on other often overlooked products.

 

[Velderan]

BECMI: The Grand Duchy of Karameikos Gazetteer

B/X. Grand Duchy of Karameikos.

How does the Karameikos Gazetteer compare to the material in the 2e boxed set?

 

[bedir than]

al-qadim

 

[dave2008]

Rules Cyclopedia. The best one and done D&D book you can buy.

It didn't include the Immortal rules though - so not quite one and done!

 

[overgeeked]

How does the Karameikos Gazetteer compare to the material in the 2e boxed set?

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the boxed set.