In short and no particular order:
- Green Ronin: Book of the Righteous, Testament, M&M, etc etc etc
- Mongoose Publishing: Babylon 5 done right, Armageddon 2089
- Atlas games: Occult Lore, Fantasy Bestiary, Nyambe
- Avalanche: Suberb detailed historicals like Celtic Age and Viking Age (I wish they would make more in depth historicals like these and lose the cheese covers)
- Skald books - Maidenheim (all supplements)
- Fantasy Flight - jumped into this list with Midnight, which is superb
- Kenzer: I don't buy much anymore as I don't play in Kalamar, but there stuff is quality
Honorable mentions (meaning that I only have one product and can't judge on just one)
- Expeditious Retreat Press - A Magical Medeviel Society
- Privateer - Monsternomicon is the best, but nothing else of theres has got me.
- AEG - Mercenaries was the bomb, and other "one word" books are good too.
In detail:
Gotta love Green Ronin for Book of the Righteous and Testament alone. While their products may not always be my cup of tea, everything they put out is good quality.
As for Mongoose, I am so happy with what they have done with Bab 5. They are doing so great with the line and only two books are out. I yearn for more B5 stuff from them.
Atlas always makes good stuff. I loved Occult Lore, and use almost the whole thing, which is rare for a gaming product and me.
I really dig Avalanche's two big historicals and also their Vlad the Impaler setting. I really hope they make more in depth historicals becasue they do it so well, and the smaller books are just to light for me to purchase. I can even tolerate the cheesy covers if they keep making great tomes like those two!
If you haven't checked out Skald books Maidenheim, check it out. All three PDF supplements are superb and create a very interesting setting or place to drop into your world. Well worht the bucks and a great read to boot.
Fantasy flight has always been up in the air for me - good stuff, but not really my cup of tea - until Midnight. Man this is a neat setting. Best original setting I have seen in years, IMO of course.
And Kenzer - I love those guys, and bought much of their earlier Kalamar stuff. I still buy there stuff if I can drop it into my world because their quality is so good. But alas I have made less purchases here as of late due to the above publishers.
As for the honorable mentions. I *LOVE* A Magical Medieval Society and look forward to their next product. And I think that the Monsternomicon is the best Monster tome out there in look, feel, and style. But nothing else by Privateer press has grabbed me - I wonder why they focused on minatures instead of developing a campaign setting?
Finally, I am looking forward to Dragonlance. Sovereiegn Stone has put out some good stuff that just doesn't fit my tastes. I am hoping DL changes that. I really can't wait for the Towers of High sorcery or the War of the Lance setting books. I am hoping to Add Sovereign to my top ten!
Also - I really spend nothing on WOTC nowadays, because I so dislike their direction and products. 3.5 really left a bad taste in my mouth, and settings and their products as of late have been bland and flat to me. I really think that the d20 publishers breathe so much life into the industry. So much passion and uniqueness.. We have books on Vikings, Mythic Africa, and Midnight! We have a tastefully done take on the mythic bible (testament) that is intriguing to Christians and non-christians alike. Babylon 5 is alive and strong and the coolest PDFs are coming out. My god this is a good time to be a gamer. You D20 publishers (mentioned and not) are leading the pack, and I can't wait to see what you come up with next.
That said I love these threads. I love expressing my appreciation, and I love hearing why people love their favs.
Razuur
