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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 3887012" data-attributes="member: 3146">I noticed a few patterns in my use of material other than the core three books.1. I (and my groups) used several modules. Red Hand of Doom, Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, The Dead of Winter (which I found on a promo CD somewhere), and now the Lost Caverns of Tsjocanth.2. I and my group have made extensive use of the wizards class books. Complete Warrior, Complete Arcane, etc.3. I have tried to make use of the Player's Guide to Arcanis with limited success.4. I had limited success using some Fighting Styles prestige classes developed in the House Rules forum years ago.5. I have made limited use of various monster books.6. I had no success using any of Monte Cook's Book of ____ Might that I bought online.7. I have had mixed success using 0one games' battlemap products and the WotC maps from Fantastic Locations.What can be gleaned from this?1. Anything that requires multiple player/DM buyin has much more limited success. The WotC class books succeeded because most everyone in the play group had them and everyone used them for their characters and NPCs. As a player, coming in with a book that the DM doesn't have is difficult because the DM may not like the rules and balance. As a DM, offering players access to things in books that they don't have is largely pointless--especially if it is a core item like a class or race. Players tend to develop character concepts on the basis of what they know and the possibility of using Hallowed Mage from Monte Cook's Book of Hallowed Might instead of Divine Oracle or Sacred Exorcsist from Complete Divine (or even Exalted Arcanist from BoED) doesn't mean anything to them.2. Things that need to find space in the game are more difficult to use than things that make their own gamespace. For instance, I have used various map products in my games but they get a lot more play when there is a module that goes with them. Otherwise, my drow temple from the Fane of Lolth or my beautiful dwarven clanhold from 0one games get little use.3. Things that only require DM buyin are easy to put in a game. Monster Manual V fits nicely in my game because, as the DM, I'm the only one who needs to have it and I can use stuff from it without worrying about if the players understand how it works.</blockquote>

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