Seven Essential Books (change your answers)

[DungeonmasterCal]

This was actually pretty tough:

Expanded Psionics Handbook
DMGII
Libris Mortis
Complete Book of Eldritch Might
(though I'd try like heck to sneak Unearthed Arcana 3e along).

 

[Synthetik Fish]

IMHO...

3 core books

Unearthed Arcana
Complete Adventurer
Expanded Psionics
[insert whatever campaign setting book that your party is using]

That should cover jsut about all the bases, and give yo ua lot of wiggle-room. If your group isn't playing in a paticular setting, or you don't find the book all that useful, then the final book should be one dedicated to your character's class (or at least a class that you play fairly often.)

 

[Wombat]

Exalted
Unknown Armies
Paranoia XP
Ars Magica

What? Sometimes I don't want to play D&D....

Hey, I may not be much of an Exalted fan, but this is a darn solid list. For myself, I'd probably replace Exalted with something like either Over the Edge or Castle Falkenstein.

As for D20 books...

The Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Arcana Evolved
The Book of the Righteous
Blue Rose

That should lead to many themes and variations

 

[pogre]

1.

I just...can't...do...it.

If I were really limited to only seven books, I would jump out a window or something.

I'm the opposite - I do not have 4 essential books.

 

[devilbat]

3 core plus:

Deadlands: The wierd west (Original)
The City of Gloom (Deadlands box set)
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Iron Heroes
Arcana Evolved
PHB
MM

 

[Synthetik Fish]

What's so great about the Forgotten Realms campaign setting anyways? (Unless, of course, your party is playing under that setting... then yeah i could see wanting it!)

To be honest Forgotten Realms seems kinda boring...

 

[Tinner]

Tome of Horrors
Monsters of the Boundless Blue
Draconomicon
AMS: Beast Builder

 

[Grimstaff]

essential!

Tome of Horrors (boy, thats a popular one!)
Eldritch Sorcery (spells!spells!spells!)
Complete Arcane
City State of the Invincible Overlord (Even if you dont use the actual city, this is a necessary resource for how a D&D city SHOULD be. Great idea mine!)


"If I was stranded with the Swedish Bikini Team, d20 wouldn't be the game on my mind. Maybe poker, sans chips, but not d20."
That's be a short game with a BIKINI team, wouldn't it? ;-)

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Wow, this is a tough question.

1. Grim Tales
2. Tome of Horrors
3. Mutants & Masterminds 2e
4. DMG II

 

[Man-thing]

1. Forbidden Arcana
2. Book of the Plane
3. Expanded Psionic Handbook
4. Advanced Bestiary