AD&D 1E Best 1E AD&D rulebook?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I started with AD&D, literally playing an adventure based on the cover of the Players Handbook at summer camp, so at some level, this is always what "real" D&D is for me, warts, High Gygaxian and all.

But not all of the AD&D hard covers are created equal. Like Great Druids, there can be only one!

 

[fuindordm]

I have to say the DMG for 2 reasons: 1, it is a smidge closer to being a complete game than the PH; and 2 because it is the book where Gygax truly lets his freak flag fly. It has plenty of problems but it is magical.

 

[ilgatto]

I started with AD&D, literally playing an adventure based on the cover of the Players Handbook at summer camp, so at some level, this is always what "real" D&D is for me, warts, High Gygaxian and all.

I think that's extremely cool, especially because I recently ran a series of adventures that mixed (To the) City of Brass with exactly that--the cover of the PHB (APHIS, DEMON OF FIRE, anyone?). And I've even got the T-shirt.

But not all of the AD&D hard covers are created equal. Like Great Druids, there can be only one!

I have to admit that I'm at a bit of loss there, for though I've been playing 2E ever since it came out, I still use most of the 1E books if I need to look something up--both versions of the game are still just AD&D to me. I find that I still automatically reach for the DMG whenever I need to look up anything about the rules--and only refer to the 2E DMG for specific things (such as monster xp...) or when I realize that something is outdated. PHB not so much, although I have had to use it quite extensively recently because we were doing 1E for a fairly long time. And I still love it whenever I have to look up something Greyhawk and I have to go through Greyhawk Adventures to find it. I also use the Wilderness Survival Guide a lot when I have to work out things outdoors, while my love of monsters has me going through both Monster Manuals and the Fiend Folio a lot.

But are the monster books "the best"? Is Greyhawk "the best"? The DMG? Perhaps it's actually the PHB? Can I vote for multiple books?