Best 'Not' Surprised by non-suckage?

[rgard]

Hi All, similar to Fishbone's post about pleasant surprises, what products did you expect to be very useful or great and the product did indeed live up to your expectations?

Mine would have to be Unearthed Arcana. I loved the 1st Edition book of the same title and did expect the 3.5 version to be as good. Between myself and all people I game with, we have probably used about 90% (ballpark) of that book.

Any other D20/OGL products you expected to be good and your expectation was met?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Psion]

First one that comes to mind... great expectations being well met... is Beyond Countless Doorways.

(What I am surprised by is how little love this gets over on Monte's "your turn" boards.)

 

[Greg K]

Blood and Fists
Elements of Magic
Psychic's Handbook
Shaman's Handbook
Witch's Handbook
Hordes of the Abyss

 

[crazy_cat]

Ptolus
Iron Heroes
The Shackled City
Tome of Magic

 

[Teflon Billy]

M&M 2E.

I was expecting awesome and I got it.

 

[BOZ]

FC1: Hordes of the Abyss. not disappointed in the least.

 

[Odhanan]

Ptolus
Arcana Evolved
Iron Heroes

For instance.

 

[Jack Morgan]

True20: it sounded like it was for me and my group, and, well, as it turns out, it was. I just scored a copy of d20 CoC, I hope to repeat the experiance.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Spycraft 2.0 - just what I wanted it to be. My only grumble (not even a complaint, really) is the name Spycraft, which leads some people into thinking that it is only good for espionage games.

The Auld Grump

 

[Nonlethal Force]

In order or importance ... although #5 is more of a stated afterthought than a true #5 for me.

1 - I drooled over the Draconomicon for about a year before I finally spent the money for it. I have never regretted that purchase.

2 - I would also say that the PHB II would be in this category for me. I wanted that book to rock and it did.

3 - The XPH was a book I bought blind. I never saw it and it was recommended from a friend. I got a good deal on it and picked it up. I love it, wish I'd have bought it sooner.

4 - Unearthed Arcana. I never picked this book up because I thought by the title it was something along the lines of the Spell Compendium (bleah). But then one day I picked it up and noted that it was not a simple a book about spells - it was book about rule variations. I bought it immediately. Wise purchase.

5 - This probably isn't worth mentioning but it should get an honorable mention: The 3.5 Core Gift Set. I didn't get into 3.5 until they offered all three Core books one year for something like $45 online. I thought that was a rather decent purchase in getting the set of three books for that kind of money. And, of course, I don't think there is much suckage in the CORE.