D&D 3E/3.5 3E/3.5 collecting

[R_J_K75]

Three Forgotten Reams Books from the end of 2E are great, and actually not too many mechanics to translate iirc. Lands of Intrigue, Empires of the Shining Sea, and Sea of Fallen Stars. All by Dale Donovan and Steve Schend. Those 2 guys had a great FR run 95-2000

 

[Richards]

I've gotten a lot of use from the 3.X Manual of the Planes, Libris Mortis, and Draconimicon, to name a few.

Johnathan

 

[R_J_K75]

I've gotten a lot of use from the 3.X Manual of the Planes, Libris Mortis, and Draconimicon, to name a few.

Johnathan

As were alot of the 3.x era books, they were very theme driven? Not to say that you cant cherry pick from those books but they were aimed towards a specific campaign style. I won't deny that 3E had a good selection of books.

 

[Enrico Poli1]

For 3.0 (no 3.5):

• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is excellent
• I personally like splatbooks such as the Book of Vile Darkness, Deities and Demigods, and Epic Level Handbook, but some don't like them
• I also suggest Crucible of Freya, Tomb of Abysthor and the first version (in three booklets) of Rappan Athuk from Necromancer Games. Tome of Horrors is a good bestiary from the same 3rd party. Or Ravenloft 3.0.
• The Scarred Lands campaign setting is also excellent. I'd start with the Creature Collection, Relics and Rituals, and the Ghelspad Gazetteer.
• I think that some of the adventures of the original adventure path are good: Sunless Citadel, Forge of Fury, Speaker in Dreams, Standing Stone, and my favourite, Lord of the Iron Fortress
• I like some of the adventures in Dungeon magazine, for example the one about Vlaakith in issue 100 (I think). And The Razing of Redshore
• The Midnight campaign setting. But the revised second edition for 3.5 is better

 

[Enrico Poli1]

For 3.5:

• Eberron Campaign Setting
• Splatbooks: I really love Tome of Battle aka Book of 9 Swords. Fiendish Codex I & II, MM3, Draconimicon are quality products. The "Complete" series is good.
• Adventures: from Dungeon magazine, Age of Worms and Savage Tide - I consider these adventure paths the best D&D adventures of all times.

For Pathfinder 1e (very similar to D&D 3.5 and slightly superior imo):

• Adventure Paths: Curse of the Crimson Throne, Kingmaker and Reign of Winter are my top3, but there are many gems.
• Splatbooks: Occult Adventures is an interesting way of interpreting psionics. Many good splats, with the Advanced Player's Guide being the basis. The Bestiaries are all very good.
• 3rd party: I've a soft spot for Frog god Games' Sword of Air, that I own in the Pathfinder 1 ruleset

 

[Greg K]

WOTC (Note: I am not a big fan of WOTC's supplements, but these are my exceptions (not including setting or monster books))

• Unearthed Arcana
• Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
• Heroes of Horror
• Stormwrack

Third Parties

• Adamant Entertainment
  • Corsairs
• Alderac Entertainment (AEG)
  • Toolbox
  • Wilds
• Avalanche Press
  • Noble Steeds
• Bards and Sages
  • Koboldnomicon (pdf only)
  • Shark! (pdf only) (this is now free on Drivethrurpg)
  • Snakes! (pdf only) (this is now free on Drivethrurpg)
  • Spiders! (pdf only) (this is now free on Drivethrurpg)
• Bastion Press
  • Alchemy & Herbalists
  • Fairies
• Betabbunny
  • Bestiary: Predators (pdf only?)
• Blue Devil Games
  • Poisoncraft
• EN Publishing
  • Tournaments Taverns and Fairs
• Fat Goblin Games/ Tricky Owlbear
  • Behind the Spells: Compendium
• Green Ronin
  • Advanced Bestiary
  • Book of Fiends
  • Book of the Righteous
  • Master Class: Cavalier's Handbook
  • Master Class: Psychic's Handbook
  • Master Class: Shaman's Handbook
  • Master Class: Witch's Handbook
• Malhavoc
  • Book of Iron Might
• Monkey God/ High Moon Games
  • From Stone to Steel
• Silverthorne/Goodman Games
  • Deluxe Book of Templates Revised
• Skirmisher Press
  • City Builder
  • Experts 3.5
  • Insults & Injuries

 

[Zardnaar]

I kept all my 3E stuff.

 

[Greg K]

In my above post, I added products from Bastion Press, Bards and Sages, Fat Goblin Games/ Tricky Owlbear

 

[jdrakeh]

WotC books:

FR Campaign Setting
Ghostwalk
Red Hand of Doom

3rd party books:

Advanced Bestiary (Green Ronin)
The Black Company Campaign Setting (Green Ronin)
Thieves' World RPG Gift Set (Green Ronin)

 

[GreyLord]

Essential 3e books I'd say

PHB
DMG
MM
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Sword and Fist
Tome and Blood

Unnecessary but some of my most used

Oriental Adventures
Rokugan
Greyhawk Gazetteer or Living Greyhawk

3rd party
Blackmoor


And that's what I'd call 3e items that I'd always want to keep.

as for the DMG and MM mini rules at the end of the PHB, I think that means you have a first printing of the PHB. After awhile the new printings that came out did not have that at the back of the book if I recall. The other little treasure (if your book still had it) was a CD included which was a Character builder program.

For 3.5 I'd say books that were the best ones

Core 3 books still
FRCS (as above, still needed).
Waterdeep
PHB 2
Dungeonscape
Unearthed Arcana
Complete Adventurer
Dragonlance Campaign Setting