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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Argyle King" data-source="post: 6277371" data-attributes="member: 58416">I agree with Hussar here.  If I'm required to have an "optional" product then it is by definition not optional.That being said, when it comes to something like an adventure path, the definition gets a little trickier because an adventure path is itself something which is optional.  With that in mind, I do not believe that something which is already optional requiring something else which is also optional makes either of those items 'not optional' for the purpose of the baseline game.  Still, if it becomes a regular occurrence for a specific book to be referenced, I think that particular book (whatever it may be) does start to become something of a requirement.I'd dare say that if one adventure path references a dozen "optional" books that I'd have some question about the quality of design of the adventure path.  I don't mind an adventure path referencing things; adventures for a game should use material created for the game, but I do think there is a limit to what is an acceptable amount of referencing.  At the very least, the AP should include a line which says something like "if you do not have supplement X, you can instead substitute monster Y from the core monster manual."  Sure, an experienced GM will likely know that anyway or choose to just make something up, but not everyone has the experience or the confidence to do that.</blockquote>