Books Bought on Reviews/Recommendations?

[shady]

Most WotC stuff I just buy automatically (OK, OK ...)

Some other stuff I might buy once I get into a series (e.g. Arcana Unearthed) or a particular designer (e.g. Mike Mearls).

Any other stuff, absolutely any speculative purchases, I look to ENWorld pretty much exclusively for guidance. Most of the time it's done OK by me, my only mispurchases were from the massively overrated Kalamar line (and maybe in those cases I purchased the wrong things). Also that was back when I looked at the overall rating (and there are still a few 2 line reviews with 5/5 lying around in the database) rather than the better reviewers.

Kudos to ENWorld's reviews, by the way, they're excellent reading and rarely wrong. And I think they've saved me some cash along the way.

 

[Krieg]

Too many to list, but the list does include:

Grimm

Dark Legacies

A Magical Medieval Society

DarkLore Campaign Setting

Slaine

Frost & Fur

Spells & Magic

 

[Ed Cha]

Ed Cha's adventures

Thank you, Diaglo! I love getting my books reviewed and since they've gotten so much praise from reviewers, I try to promote that all the time. For me, it's really all about spreading the word rather than trying to make it seem like the books are better than they really are.

To answer Joe's question, I buy ALL of my books after checking out the reviews here on EN World and elsewhere. If it has bad reviews, I won't buy it. But just because something has good reviews that doesn't mean I'll necessarily buy it either. I try to look at what the reviewers are saying about it and it really helps when the reviews talk about what the book contains and how useful or well-written or well-presented it is. Art matters to me, so I like to read about whether the art is good or not. I also look at text density. There are certain publishers I simply refuse to buy from now because all of the products I've got of theirs had very low text density: a sign that they do not respect the consumer and want to rip you off. I've seen this happen lately on certain products by some publishers who did not do this before and that is very disappointing. If I don't like their art style, I won't buy from them either. Also, some publishers have a great cover and concept, but the execution is just off-center, I won't buy their stuff either.

Sometimes though, I will get a book, even if it's just got mediocre reviews, just because I am interested in its subject matter. For example, I really like settlement books (villages, towns, etc), so I try to always pick those up. There are A LOT of boring villages though. I wish the characters were more interesting.

Anyhow, I have bought a lot of stuff based pretty much ONLY on good reviews. To name a few: A Magical Medieval Society, Masterwork Maps: Castles & Keeps, Artifacts of the Ages: Rings, etc.

 

[scourger]

I read the reviews here and at RPG.net, but I can't remember one that I was convinced to buy after reading a review. I'm sure there must have been some, but my buying is restricted now. I should probably wait for some reviews before getting Slavelords of Cydonia, but I probably won't (based on the positive threads I've been reading here).

 

[Ed Cha]

Oh, I forgot to mention probably one of the best d20 books of the year and an absolute must-have... Poisoncraft: The Dark Art!

It has to be the most useful book I've bought this year and that's why we're carrying it at Indie Press Revolution. I really love this book! It's on sale now for $12.95 (24% off), so now's your chance to get a great book on everything poisonous. In fact, it was nominated for TWO ENnies this year! I didn't really use that much poison in my game until I picked this up and now I have a lot of EXCELLENT ideas that will really surprise my players!

 

[Krieg]

There was a thread/poll on here that had listed the best book for Mass combat rules. When I find that thread I'm going to buy the book that was listed as the best.

Good luck:


http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=97781

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93065

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=88760

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=88990

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=83783

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=79506

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=72476

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=68117

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67130

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=66286

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65988

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65864

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=63960

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=63195

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=61880

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=61354

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=50724

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49400

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=50339

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=48898

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=48717

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=44329

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

There was a thread/poll on here that had listed the best book for Mass combat rules. When I find that thread I'm going to buy the book that was listed as the best.

Wow, that was nice of Krieg to provide you with those links! I believe Eden's Fields of Blood was highly rated in comparison with Cry Havoc and others. If you buy that one, make sure you get a SECOND print edition. It incorporates the changes from errata...

 

[Eremite]

I've bought a number of books based on recommendations here; actually, most books in my non-WotC collection were purchased after reading reviews and recommendations. My favourite purchases of all time, FFG's Midnight and its supporting books, were purchased after reading both the reviews and also, amazingly enough, the story hours. Any campaign world that could inspire such consistently well-written story hours must be worth looking at.

My worst regret has been buying Goodman Games' Underdark Adventure Guide after reading the fglowing reviews on this site. This is possibly the worst product I have ever purchased... which shows that the reviewers have done a good job steering me away from some of the other books which are supposedly even worse.

 

[Crothian]

My worst regret has been buying Goodman Games' Underdark Adventure Guide after reading the fglowing reviews on this site. This is possibly the worst product I have ever purchased... which shows that the reviewers have done a good job steering me away from some of the other books which are supposedly even worse.

What didn't you like about it? It was not one of Mearl's best works, but it is by far not the worst book I have seen. Personally, I think it rates about average.

 

[Treebore]

Definitely! For example I bought 3 more books from Bastions awsome sale than I otherwise would have (completed my Oathbound set). I got two of the "Into" books and the Torn Asunder rules because of reviews here, one just because you, Joe, gave it a 4 out of 5.
I probably should have bought Faeries and a second copy of Alchemy and Herbalism, but I'll regret that later.

I have bought nearly 200 D&D titles and I am sure I bought at least half of them because of reviews here on ENWorld.