Essential handbooks for a newb?

[Captain NeMo]

Okay, so I'm thinking of buying some handbooks to flesh out my options. So far I've gotten along fine with the PHB, Warcraft d20, MM1 and Arms & Equipment guide along with a few issues of dragon magazine. My question is though: what to get next? I'm obviously in need of the DMG (or possibly the DMG2) but I'm looking for some generally useful books at a fair price that will help my options as both a DM and PC. Doesn't matter whether it is WOTC or third party, as I know a lot of the third party stuff can be great but I do need to able to get it relatively quickly in the UK (I'm thinking Amazon).

I'm looking for neat and flavourful rather than powerful, as I'm more of a roleplayer than a tactician (which is just as well as I suck at optimizing). Any help?

 

[twofalls]

Well, before Enworlders can advise you, we need to know what role you are planning to take in your game, GM or player?

If GM then you certainly need the DMG. It has information in there about DMing, however I don't think its enough if you are into running a story based game. I'd recommend Gamemastering Secrets 2nd Edition by Grey Ghost Games, as well as Robins's Laws by Steve Jackson games. GM Secrets gives you an excellent breakdown on your job as GM, and has a lot of good info on starting a game. Robin's Laws is a neat little handbook on how to run a better game and is geared to an audience of GM's who have been running games for a little while. I own both books, and while I would have found GM Secrets a better buy when I was starting out, there are still some useful articles in it for advanced GM's. It's best for newbies though. Robin's Law's I'd recommend to anyone.

If you are a player, find out from your GM what kind of game he is running, what the setting is, and then buy according to the game.

 

[sword-dancer]

I`second that Gamemastering Secrets is very useful to every GM.

 

[Jolly Giant]

As both player and DM I've had a lot of use and a lot of fun with the good/evil books, Book of Exalted Deeds and Book of Vile Darkness.

 

[Captain NeMo]

BoED & BoVD had both occured to me, as I certainly think they could add a bit of spice to things. I'd never actually heard of either Gamemastering Secrets of Robin's Law...I'm sure they'll be worth checking out. I'm gonna have to think over this a bit.

 

[Zander]

I'd never actually heard of either Gamemastering Secrets of Robin's Law...

They used to be available from Playin' Games on Museum Street in London. I think Leisure Games in Finchley, north London had them too. I don't know if either of these places still has them in stock. You may want to give them a call. They're both friendly and offer good service but Playin' Games can be expensive.

 

[SweeneyTodd]

If you're a player, I'll argue you don't need anything else.

GM-wise, Robin's Laws used to be available from Steve Jackson Games. The booklet (it's a little short for me to call it a "book") has some helpful advice, but most of it's along the lines of how to guess what your players want and give it to them under the illusion that they've done it themselves. There's a bit of "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" showmanship going on there, which I personally find a little distasteful, but a lot of people like it. And hey, the guy's done well, and the techniques certainly work for a lot of people. I'd buy it and read it as food for thought, but wouldn't recommend someone follow all the suggestions given in it without deciding for themselves whether they want to DM that way.

 

[Ghostwind]

You're going to get a wide variety of suggestions on this. Since you have the Warcraft book, I would offer these to complement it:

* Warcraft: Alliance & Horde Compendium
* Warcraft: Manual of Monsters
* Warcraft: Magic & Mayhem
* Torn Asunder: Critical Hits (Bastion Press)
* Arms & Armor v3.5 (Bastion Press)
* DMG
* GameMastering Secrets (Grey Ghost)
* Unearthed Arcana (Wizards)
* Complete Book of Eldritch Might (Malhavoc)
* Book of Iron Might (Malhavoc)

 

[Crothian]

none are essential, but there are lots of really good ones out there.

 

[Jdvn1]

BoED & BoVD had both occured to me, as I certainly think they could add a bit of spice to things.

I'm not a huge fan of those two, personally. BoVD isn't quite 3.5 and BoED is kind of overly powerful.

As Crothian said, none of them are essential. For new players, though, I like an idea I got from MerricB: the Races of ____ books are really good for learning how to flavor your characters.