I bought something that is my vote for any 2002/2003 award's best d20 (or even roleplaying) accessory: the d20 Ranger, made by a new little start-up company called
Boneman Press
If you've seen this, you know what I'm talking about. Basically it's a clear plastic ruler, marked in d20 "feet" (every inch is marked off in units of 5 feet), that gives you d20 (fantasy) ranges and their effects. From weapon ranges, to the extent of different sources of light (both normal and low-light vision), to some feats' edge of effectiveness, and then on the edge of some common spells' area of effect. I picked a two pack up at Origins, and I went back to get four more rulers at Gen Con.
More than any other d20 product I have picked up so far this one takes the prize for being the most used, next to d20s themselves. Talking to the folks at Boneman Press at Gen Con, I also found out that they plan to produce spell templates...yummy!
I also picked up
Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering. This little book is a canon work for game mastering. Long-time gamemaster will read it and think, "wow, I knew that, but Robin says it so well and concisely!" For new gamemasters, you'll find the advice in this book enlightening, rewarding, and game-saving. For old pros, a little of that, but some great reminders waring about the traps of lazy gamemastering that even the best GM can trip from time to time, and some great exercises on how to succeeding at Search and Disable Device checks before hitting the next one.
Lastly, I got a copy of E-Tools. Helpful? Yes. Disappointing? Yes. I am not even talking about the lack of a map-maker program, E-Tools does what is was refocused to do in a dissapointing manner. As interesting as a bit of banking software, E-tools helps create characters and format them, but the statblocks are so strange and sloppy, you have to go through and spend time fixing what it produces. That said, just like any computer program, its mistakes are flawlessly consistent, and taking five minutes fixing, can be better than 30 producing and checking for human error. I definitely don't feel I was ripped off, but I get the feeling that Wizards of the Coast may have been.
Adso of Montier-En-Der
"What would be the most entertaining thing that could possibly happen right now?"
--Robin's Law prime question for helping GMs get out of any trap.