Core Books only or Everything?

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Core + Complete + Expanded Psionics Handbook, a handful of other sources-- campaign setting material, Four Color to Fantasy, if appropriate, and then my own house rules, including a good chunk of material from Unearthed Arcana.

I selected Core + narrow selection.

 

[Orius]

I generally allow anything I've got in my personal D&D library, which is probably small compared to some people here, but still fairly extensive. I like having plenty of options to keep my players guessing. however, I don't allow just anything either, there's a lot of third party stuff that either overlaps/is redundant, or really isn't compatible in tone with what I'm using.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I use the Core, and a large amount of third party stuff, with a little of the WotC splats.

I tend to be leery of the non-core WotC stuff, too much does not fit my game, and I have a player who immediately gravitates toward the least appropriate stuff. (An oozemaster in Iron Kingdoms? ) For some reason folks seem more likely to try to argue that I should allow WotC stuff than third party publishers, whereas I have an easier time just sayng what books we are using rather than going through each WotC book one PrC at a time. Saying no to the whole book actually causes fewer arguments than trying pick and choose. Why picking and choosing from third party books does not bother them I really do not know, they are all one to me.

The Auld Grump

 

[Turjan]

I voted for core with a few other options (#2). Usually, my players choose from core material only. I generally don't use any of the WotC splats, but pick sometimes something from 3rd party products, like 'Spells & Magic' or 'Hammer & Helm'. As none of my players has any 3rd party products, they don't have a problem with it, because they won't notice .

 

[Ibram]

I allow core, with some restrictions, as well as bits and pieces from other books (WotC and non-WotC). Players are not allowed to use anything not in the core or my notebook unless I aprove it before hand (which usualy means no).

My current campaing uses: my DM's notebook, Orental Adventures, Conan d20, and the Warcraft MM primarily (with a few scattered bits from other sources).

 

[Turanil]

I voted Core Books plus a couple of favorite rules or items. Usually, as a DM, I am the only one to have a wide array of books. Players barely have the core rulebooks, and generally don't buy anything else. As such, I do add some stuff from other gaming supplements, make a small word document, and give it to the players to widen (and also restrict: no gnomes!) their choice of classes, feats, etc. Then, I can use some monsters and else from third party publishers when running the game.

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I'm involved in three campaigns and we use slightly different additional stuff in each. Books that have had a lot of use are the Complete Warrior, the 3.0 splats, Complete Book of Eldritch Might, Arcana Unearthed, Epic Level Handbook, Book of Exalted Deeds, Book of Vile Darkness and various monster books (MM II, Fiend Folio, Monsters of Faerun, Creature Collections 1 & 2 etc).

If someone wants to use a cool class or feat from a new book I'll take a look and we'll try it out. For example, one player ran a half-celestial monk with the vow of poverty in our epic game.

Cheers


Richard

 

[RichGreen]

Hmmm, just remembered -- towards the end of 2nd Edition, I ran a "core books only" game. This was after a long hard slog through half of Night Below where we were using stuff from the Complete X Handbooks and Skills & Powers.

At least stuff these days is a bit more consistent and well-thought out.....

Cheers



Richard

 

[DanielJ]

the only D&D books i own are:

3.5 core books,
Eberron CS
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Expanded Psionics handbook.

pretty much only use the core rulebooks tho, i only read settings to get angles of development ideas that i never thought of before while making my own world.

 

[shilsen]

I voted for "Core plus medium". In my current Eberron game, I use the core books and the ECS, and allow use of things from the four Complete books on a case-by-case basis. On the whole, the only non-core items we've used thus far are some feats and a couple of spells.