3.X essential books

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

The core three are all you need. I was part of a group that played from level 1-20 over the course of a couple years and no one (DM or player) used anything other than the core three.

I agree that I've heard nothing but brokenness from using player options. But there are a crazy number of great ideas to be taken from the DM oriented stuff. You can never have enough or too many Monster Manuals. Watch your local garage sales and craigslist and fill out your library for just $2-$5 a title!

The player's books are great if you only use the fluff and stay away from the crunch.

The only thing I miss about 3rd Edition is the fluff. 4E has been a big let down for me in that respect. I picked up the the Complete and Races series last year and use the name generator tables and other fluff in my 4E game. The 3rd Edition Draconomicon is better than the 4th Edition one. The planar book for 3rd is better than 4E, but of course the 4E universe is completely different and incompatible.

 

[Crothian]

I urge excessive and great caution in expending player choices beyond the Core rules. Change your game and its setting to make it different -- but resist the siren call of new classes and spells for the players. The players may think they'll love it - but the DM will end up hating it. It's just not worth it.

I'm still running 3e with all the books and it is still going just fine. Sure with options players can abuse the rules, happens in any game with players that abuse the rules. It also takes different type of DM to be able to handle all those options. Not everyone can do that. It is not a good or bad DM that can just a different kind. I agree, use caution but more importantly know the limits and ability of your players and yourself. It doesn't matter if a book destroyed or made some one else's game what matters is what it is going to do for yours.

As for advice I could come up with a great reason for every book to be needed and I could come up with a great reason why the book should be avoided.

 

[blargney the second]

Options are fun for players, just don't let them run roughshod over you. In particular, you should be really really careful about allowing players to choose magic items for themselves.

My favourite player options are the books that introduce entirely new subsystems:
* Expanded Psionics Handbook
* Tome of Battle
* Magic of Incarnum
* and Tome of Magic (in that order).

My second favourite player options are the books that introduce new base classes:
* Player's Handbook 2
* and some of the Complete books


As a DM, I like to have a few setting books and some monster manuals. The rest usually takes care of itself after that.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Many have mentioned these texts before, but I'll just add fuel to the fire.

Unearthed Arcana: Big recommendation on this one. Like the racial paragon classes, regional racial variants (for games where there's a difference between desert-dwelling and jungle-dwelling groups of demihumans), the alternate class features (halfling wizard with riding dog animal companion FTW), action points, etc. I'm a big fan of the generic classes, & it's the only version of 3.5 I'm still keen to run.

Player's Handbook 2: Lotsa good stuff in this as well. New classes & new feats were the big thing for me.

Races of... Sourcebooks: Kinda hit-&-miss, but I'd still recommend them.

Campaign Setting Books: There may be some things to loot for a homebrew, but generally I'd stay away from them only if you are not going to run a campaign based in those settings. Maybe get crunch-heavy books from these series if you'll use a lot of the crunch for them (for me, that would be the Races of Eberron sourcebook).

Magic Item Compendium and Spell Compendium: Useful resources. Use with caution.

Expanded Psionics Handbook: Nice utility, if you intend to allow psionics in the game. Enjoy the Soulknife class. If you get this, get the Complete Psionic psionics-themed splatbook that includes the Ardent, Lurk, and Divine Mind classes.

Complete... Sourcebooks: I'd recommend these as well. New classes, new role-based elements, etc. Really like the Reserve Feats introduced in Complete Mage.

Hope this helps.

 

[Greg K]

I am, honestly not a fan of WOTC supplements. However, after the core three, I do like the following:,
Unearthed Arcana
Fiendish Codex 1
Lords of Madness
Heroes of Horror
Stormwrack
MM2
Fiend Folio

Depending upon my mood: Complete Warrior, Complete Arcane Complete Mage

(edit: Book of Vile Darkness.: This book is not bad if treated as a DM book. However, I would not consider it essential)

Everything else I recommend is third party starting with the following:
Artificer's Handbook (Mystic Eye Games)
Psychic's Handbook (Green Ronin)
Shaman's Handbook (Green Ronin)
Witch's Handbook (Green Ronin)
Advanced Bestiary (Green Ronin)
Book of Templates Deluxe, Revised (Silverthorne/Goodman Games)
Book of Iron Might (Malhavoc)
From Stone to Steel (Highmoon/Monkey God)

 

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

As 3.xx recedes in the rear-view mirror, I've come to regard a good portion of my massive 3.5 library with a great deal of contempt.

Fact is, WotC was putting out at least one and often two hardcovers a month. They made a ton of money - sure - but there is no way - not even a smidgen of a chance that expansion material was properly play-tested. Not even close.

In the result, when it comes to 3.5, my opinion comes down to this:

If it's a DM book - get it. By "DM book" I mean:

Monster Manual II-V, Libris Mortis, Lords of Madness, Fiend Folio, Fiendish Codex 1 and 2, Draconomicon, Heroes of Battle, and to a lesser extent Frostburn, Stormwrack, Sandstorm, Dungeonscape....

All of these WotC books for D&D 3.5 are useful to a DM in varying their adventures, coming up with new types of adventures and posing new foes for their players. As a DM book? I think they all rock. Heroes of Battle is probably the most original and under-rated book in the entire 3.5 product line.

But the key here is that these are DM BOOKS. They are not Player books (or at least, not principally Player books). Because that's where 3.5 broke into a BILLION PIECES.

If it's a Player Book? Don't Allow it.

The more classes, spells and items that 3.5 added to the system via player books - the more it broke into an unplayable state.

Spell Compendium? Utterly broken. The Complete Anything? BUSTED. Magic Item Compendium? Broken. PHB2? Skip it. Book of Nine Swords? Nope. Book of Exalted Deeds? Vile Darkness? No and no again.

Every time you see a new spell or new class for a player to use? Say no -- and say it loudly.

By all means - use all the DM stuff to change your game and provide a new experience to your players. But the moment you go beyond the Player's Handbook for player classes and spells, your campaign is just circling the bowl. It's just degrees of broketastic at that point. Worse, you will assure yourself that any published adventures or modules become instantly unbalanced in favour of the increasingly broketastic power your players bring to the table.

I fully expect there will be a LOUD dissenting voice on ENWorld concerning this opinion.

Dissenters: "XXXX was bad in that book sure, but YYYY and ZZZZ were fine. Keep the book but don't allow XXXX."

Un-huh. And how much after-the-fact-playtesting do you need to do for your campaign as you go on using this method of retcon permission to use an expansion book? line by line review? Allowing this spell and disallowing that one? Time after time, book after book? Nope. Screw it. Just say no.

The best thing, imo, about Pathfinder is that it allowed DMs to escape the Reign of Error that the Spell Compendium and the Complete Series inflicted upon late cycle 3.5 campaigns.

I won't go back to that crap for any reason. I am, for the same reason, extremely hesitant to permit the forthcoming Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide at our table.

I urge excessive and great caution in expending player choices beyond the Core rules. Change your game and its setting to make it different -- but resist the siren call of new classes and spells for the players. The players may think they'll love it - but the DM will end up hating it. It's just not worth it.

I'm coming around to this point of view.

 

[Celebrim]

After the core 3, I wouldn't say any are essential.

My recommended list to expand the core 3, based on what I've used, would be:

Best
Book of the Righteous (Green Ronin)
Tome of Horrors (Necromancer)
Bestiary: Predators (Betabunny)
Manual of the Planes (WotC)
Toolbox (AEG)

Very Useful or Inspiring
The Shaman's Handbook (Green Ronin)
Ravenloft Player's Handbook (S&S)
Advanced Bestiary (Green Ronin)
Savage Species (WotC) (To use as a DM book, not a player book)
Stormwrack (WotC)
Lords of Madness (WotC)
Liber Mortis (WotC)
Any of Malhavoc's 'Book of ... Might' series. (Use judiciously with an eye on balance)
Arcana Unearthed (Malhavoc)
Hot Pursuit: The Definitive D20 System Guide to Chases (Adamant)

 

[blargney the second]

I fully expect there will be a LOUD dissenting voice on ENWorld concerning this opinion.

Dissenters: "XXXX was bad in that book sure, but YYYY and ZZZZ were fine. Keep the book but don't allow XXXX."

Babies! Bathwater! Sploosh!

I think a lot of the problems you're talking about can be handled by DMs and players working together to make sure the game doesn't get stoopid. If you have some sort of mutually antagonistic relationship, then sure, ban books as a form of self-defense. Otherwise, there's plenty of fun, usable, and interesting material to be had.

 

[Celebrim]

I'm coming around to this point of view.

I've been there since 3.5 came out, although Steel Wind said it better than I ever have and I need to give him XP because that is absolute 100% spot on.

 

[Windjammer]

The single best reference on which 3.5 books to pick was the Enworld review section before it got killed in the edition overhaul (something I still can't forgive the mods for - all the effort that went into writing substantial, thorough, and often meticulously documented reviews of 3.5 and d20 material... all gone).

Nowadays my go-to reference is the 3.5 Sanctuary, which features a review of nearly any 3.5 book ever published. For example, this one. I use that site as a reference before buying stuff on Ebay & co.