How do you read your TTRPG books?

[Mercador]

(Inner Sea World Guide for example)

This is the example I had in mind when I wrote this topic. I tried to read it sequentially and never went to the elements that I was looking for.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

This is the example I had in mind when I wrote this topic. I tried to read it sequentially and never went to the elements that I was looking for.

the thing that bugged me about Inner Sea World Guide (ISWG) was that there wasn't a quick inset map that showed where the nation was in the whole map. So I had to break out the big map to see. Minor point though.

What element were you looking for @Mercador ?

 

[shawnhcorey]

Usually with a glass of wine.

 

[jasper]

Mostly whilst pooping.

You wiped me out with this comment.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Depends on wether or not I am a player or a GM. If a GM, then sequentially. If a Player, then I will read the char-gen stuff, combat-rules, and whatever rules apply to my character. Of course, I also have a bunch of books, that I haven't read (yet)...

 

[Stormonu]

I'll do a few casual flip-throughs when I first get a book, stopping to read anything that catches my eye. If I plan to actually use it (vs. raid it for ideas or systems), I'll start at the beginning and read through it, skipping over any stat blocks (they just make my eyes glaze over if I'm not in game).

 

[Bluenose]

If it's a new setting then the first thing I'll do is look at the map and then check the world description to see what the places are like. I'll have a look at any sample characters provided to see what the game writers think could be suitable. Then I'll go to character generation and see what sort of character I can make based on one of the places that I find interesting. If it's still interesting then I'll browse through the rest of the book. A detailed look at the mechanics can wait till I'm about to play it.

 

[MNblockhead]

With rule books I'll go over the table of contents carefully to get a sense of how the rules and book are organized. Then I'll read the intro/over sections. I'll carefully read the most important mechanics and skim mechanics I think are going to be less commonly used. Some sections, such as spell lists I may page through and read what looks interesting but generally read them when I need to look them up or make a character that has to select from the spell lists.

With setting books, it tend to read them cover to cover, but may skim over sections. With Sword Costs Adventurer's Guide, I read it cover to cover skimming less interesting parts. With Eberron, I read it cover to cover like a novel. With Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, I skipped around, reading just parts that I found most interesting. Mordenkainen's I read cover to cover. Ultimately, it comes down to how relevant the setting book is to the campaign I'm running, or whether it is just an interesting read.

Bestiaries I flip around and read what's interesting or when looking up a monster as part of game prep. Yet, I probably spend more time looking at an reading/rereading bestiaries than rules and setting books.

 

[Voadam]

Usually I have and read them as reference books, either functionally for a game or as inspiration or general interest. This means I will focus in on the areas of interest at the moment, such as the descriptions for the one god I am researching at the moment, or zeroing in on applicable rules, or character options, or setting lore.

Modules I plan to run I either read cover to cover (usually) or at least enough to get the overview and comprehensively the beginning parts important for the next couple of games.

I also read cover to cover for non-modules. At any given time I usually have one RPG book set aside I am going through front to back, currently I am doing Xanathar's Guide to Everything.