Best splat-book to buy

[Lamoni]

This has probably been asked many times before in different ways, but I have a little extra money and want to buy a book or two... or three. What books would you recommend?

I currently own just one book. The Player's Handbook. I use the SRD to reference everything else and to plan what items my character is going to buy (I have never been a DM).

Some things that I have been considering... I am currently playing a Paladin (but we are getting closer to the end of the campaign so I can't change much about him before he is retired). For the next campaign I am leaning towards playing a sorcerer, but there is also interest in playing a ranger, monk, or cleric. Are there any must have books for Sorcerer prestige classes? What books would you recommend to help flesh out the other classes?

I just don't want to spend the time at a local store thumbing through all the books, and I don't like spending money on something that I'll never use or reference. Thanks.

Also, if there are other threads that have discussed this same question feel free to post links to them rather than repeat things that have already been posted.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Even as a player, the DMG is nice -- especially if you might 'move up' and DM someday. Still, with the SRD there's no hurry.

Malhavoc Press' Complete Book of Eldritch Might is a wonderful resource, with spells, magic items, prestige classes, and so forth. There's also a bit of DM material (monsters, locations, backgrounds), but I think you'll still get a lot of use out of it. The book isn't pulished by Wizards of the Coast, but it was written by Monte Cook, author of the DMG and a longtime TSR/WotC employee.

The Book of Exalted Deeds is a player favorite, with new spells, prestige classes, and feats.

 

[Voadam]

Sorcerers

Here are the most relevant splat books IMO

Quintessential sorcerer
Forgotten Heroes sorcerers
Path of Magic
I think Spells and Spellcraft has sorcerer bloodlines.
Player's guide to Wizards Bards and Sorcerers (scarred lands) has a bunch of prestige classes.
Tome and Blood
The forthcoming Complete Arcane should have good stuff.
A sorcerer with vow of poverty from Book of Exalted deeds (of course he'd also have the material components feat) is pretty neat.

 

[Lamoni]

Sorcerers

Here are the most relevant splat books IMO

Quintessential sorcerer
Forgotten Heroes sorcerers
Path of Magic
I think Spells and Spellcraft has sorcerer bloodlines.
Player's guide to Wizards Bards and Sorcerers (scarred lands) has a bunch of prestige classes.
Tome and Blood
The forthcoming Complete Arcane should have good stuff.
A sorcerer with vow of poverty from Book of Exalted deeds (of course he'd also have the material components feat) is pretty neat.

That is a long list. And it doesn't help me narrow it down too much. So right now I am leaning towards Book of Exalted Deeds and Player's Guide to Wizards Bards and Sorcerers. Are all the books in your list equally good? I know it is a matter of opinion, but that is what I am asking for.

 

[Turjan]

@Lamoni: Actually, the best thing you can do is looking at the reviews here at EN World. Although opinions may vary, you will get a good overview about the contents of the books you consider to buy.

 

[JoeBlank]

You can find the reviews here:

http://www.enworld.org/reviews/

Most of the reviews are very thorough, and will tell you what you might like or not like about the particular books.

Another consideration: be sure your DM will allow, or at least consider, the rules from the book you buy. You wouldn't want to get all hyped up of some prestige class or spells from a new book you bought only to find out that your DM won't allow it at all.

 

[Crothian]

Quint Sorcerer is a good solid book. It has many many options specifically for Sorcerers. There are things in it that may seem a bit out there, but when you have a book aboiut a single class that tends to happen.

Players Guide to Wizards, Sorcerers, and Bards: Another good book, but it is written for the Scarred Lands. So, between the Scarred Lands stuff and the stuff aimed at the other two classes; the amount of Sorcerer stuff is not great. But it does have one of the best prestige classes for a meta magic happy sorcerer.

Spells and Spellcraft: A few sorcerer options, some new spelkls, things to do with your familiar, towers, and other things. No prestige classes, and few feats if that's what you are looking for.


Path of Magic: Some good Sorcerer stuff in here like prestige classes and Feats, but it is also a book about Wizards and Bards. So, the amount of Socerer stuff is not great.

Tome and Blood: More wizards stuff then Sorcerer in here, but it is wizards and more people find less fault with it.

 

[Ottergame]

I would avoid the WOTC class splat books, they are all 3.0 and most are partial obsolite, and will soon be completly once the 4 Complete Class books come out.

 

[Ghostwind]

Here are my suggestions which may or may not help your decisions.

For sorcerers, I would go with Path of Magic (Fantasy Flight Games) despite there being material for wizards and bards in the book. It is filled with a lot of good ideas, not to mention legendary classes that a sorcerer could follow. If you are thinking about going the route of specialized schools, Fantasy Flight also offers Evocation and School of Illusion that are essentially splatbooks for spell schools. Of the two, I like Evocation the best. But then, I'm always a sucker for those massive damage causing spells. Besides they are a bit cheaper than the various Path books.

For a paladin, Book of Exalted Deeds (Wotc) is certainly a strong choice, but Path of Faith (Fantasy Flight) also offers some good divine options for paladins (not to mention clerics and druids).

If you want to go the monk route, I have to say that Beyond Monks: The Art of the Fight (Chainmail Bikini Games/Goodman Games) is the best resource to date. It's been updated to 3.5 when it was published by Goodman Games, although I believe you can also still get it at RPGNow as a pdf download.

Hope this helps.

 

[Nightfall]

Players Guide to Wizards, Sorcerers, and Bards: Another good book, but it is written for the Scarred Lands. So, between the Scarred Lands stuff and the stuff aimed at the other two classes; the amount of Sorcerer stuff is not great. But it does have one of the best prestige classes for a meta magic happy sorcerer.

Not just meta-magic but also if you have a high enough Cha, you can get a lot more of the mid to high level spells too, at 3rd, 6th and 9th levels (for known spell slots). I figure if you do it right, you can get at least a total of 15 extra known spells, (12 you still obviously have to burn on the Scion feat, 15 extra still pretty good.)

Also check out Player's Guide to Monks and Paladins. The Virtue feats are pretty kick butt and Mithril Knight is pretty sweet, now being revised for 3.5.

Thirdly, Ottergame is right and also realistical, Defenders of the Faith sucked. Quin Paladin is a little better. Book of Hallowed Might is better, especially now in 3.5 format. The complete book of Eldritch Might is also a good buy.