Name your favorite D&D book

[kengar]

Moldvay Basic.

'nuff said.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

This question is almost too hard to answer. I want to go with the nostalgia of Rules Cyclopedia or the 1E DMG but, to be honest, I haven't played either in 10 years or even opened them since 3E came out. I'm going to go with the 3.0 PHB since it actually brought me back to role playing after a loing stint in CCGs and computer games. From the moment I opened it (and being the jaded 'seen it all' kind of guy I was I was fully confident I would hate it) I was hooked again. Since then I have actually been published in an RPG rulebook, ran one D&D 3E campaign to 15th level (something I never did back in the day) , started a second D&D game, ran a superhero d20 game, ran a Dragonstar campaign (still on haiatus but we will return to it one day) and played in a d20 Modern and two 3.5 D&D games. Not bad for a guy who said he would never play or run D&D again huh?

So 3.0 PHB for me (and to a lesser extent the 3.5 PHB)

 

[DaveMage]

1E Dungeon Master's Guide

I'm still amazed at the amount of stuff that was packed into that book.

 

[Faraer]

Today I'll have Dungeon Master's Guide, S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Forgotten Realms Campaign Set.

 

[TerraDave]

Hmmm....


2e Complete Elf
2e Complete Fighter

wow...I am guessing you will be the only one...but in terms of "unloved" 2e books I really liked, I would note Player's Options: Skills and Powers and Combat and Tactics. Deeply flawed, but at the time they definitley restored my interest in the game.

In terms of single best book, it has to remain the 1st DMG, closely followed by the 3.0 PHB, for reasons listed above. One really great book that has not been mentioned is Green Ronin's Testament: daring topic, great crunch, and highly readable. Like Cliff Notes on the Old Testament, but from a D&D perspective.

 

[Belen]

It is a tie between 2e Legends and Lore or 2e Complete Bard's Handbook.

Planescape CS and associated books are honorable mentions.

 

[Belen]

second edition Bard Handbook. It really allowed the class to do more and in a good way.

I knew there was a reason you're so cool.

 

[Desdichado]

Monsternomicon.

If you hadn't asked for D&D specifically, that'd be edged out slightly by the d20 Call of Cthulhu book.

And a close second is the Book of Fiends.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

I'll go with Rules Cyclopedia, only because its one book instead of the color-coded boxed sets. They were my first and I'll never forget (right, diaglo and wombat ). There are many other books. I'd say I also loved all 14 Basic D&D Gazetteers.

 

[Krieg]

No surprise. . .

While I think that the FF had some serious "misses" that marred it's "hits"....without a doubt it has my favorite cover.