Freaking Awesome 3rd Party Books That Don't Get Enough Praise


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I know Mongoose isn't that popular around here, but...

Ultimate Equipment Guide Volume 1. (I wasn't that impressed with Volume 2)
Classic Play - Strongholds and Dynasties.

Necromancer Games:

The Book of Taverns.
Doom of Listonshire.

Green Ronin:

Freeport. (of course)
The Witches Handbook.
The Shaman's Handbook.

Sword and Sorcery:

Ravenloft: Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends.
 

Yeah that was one the better Ravenloft books before Arthaus cancelled/sold the line back to WotC.

Ari did a great job with that book.

Book of Taverns = awesome taverns that deserve to be in...everywhere! ;)

Dunno about Freeport. It gets love when people talk about great cities.
 

Here are links for some suggestions upthread:

#8: Redhurst, Academy of Magic. I think about this product whenever a "harry potter D&D" thread pops up (there will be a new one this summer, just wait for it). This does the concept in sterling form, but I understand it does MORE than that concept, too. :)

#9:Visions 1: The Pumpkin Patch. Dude, this is a stellar idea, even out of season. A bunch of things with a Jack O Lantern theme...so much good mythic/horror stuff!

#10:"Tombs!" by Dreaming Merchant Press. This one, I couldn't find anyplace to actually buy it. :( If you've got the link for the free pdf, care to post it? I didn't see it on DMP's website, either, but part of the purpose of the thread is to help promote the stuff that people didn't see, so if it's out there, bring it here!

ColonelHardisson said:
My pick: #7: The City Quarters series by Game Mechanics. Good, solid, useful.

Describe that a bit more. What is it? What does it do so well? :)

Jaws said:
It has to be Ptolus. What better way to blow your whole tax return on.

I dunno if Ptolus counts as "under the radar," seeing as it was made by the author of the DMG and all. ;)
 


For third-party, I love and recommend Black Company Campaign Setting.

Yes, as a campaign book, it'll be quite a bit more, especially considering how much they fit in their -- the license was only good for one book.

Things I enjoy:
Mass combat -- on the company scale, where each squad is detailed/statted out like a PC, making it almost like PC on monster combats; or army scale, where it's basically a contested roll, and then you determine the percentage of the casaulties.

The magic system - You choose an effect, and other modifies, such as number of targets, number of damage dice, etc, and then you have a Magic skill DC to beat; then you take drain damage.

The lethality - natural 20s (not all crits, just nat-20s) have permanent effects on your PCs/NPCs, loss of limbs, fingers, etc. Little healing magic -- best use of Heal skill is to convert lethal damage to nonlethal.

The masterwork items -- awesome rules. When's the last time you've seen an item in a game that gave +16 to a Diplomacy check when given as a gift? Or a masterwork mace that does an additional two points of subdual damage since it's so brutal?

Sleepy and rambly. A big fat book for a reasonable price, I think; plenty to use for anything
 



Deekin,

2000 XP for you! Yes, if you want GOOD psionics, this is the place to look it. It comes right after Hyperconscious and before the XPH. ;)
 

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