The 30 book and only 30 book challlenge

[Ace]

Ok I got a silly challenge for you

Lets suppose ASB's (Alien Space Bats) decide to intervene in human affairs and tell you this

We have decided that you may only have 30 D&D books -- and only 30 to last you as long as you are gaming

These books will have to serve every group you are in -- in fact there will be no other books or internet published materials available ever

Choosing from any company or cost and any book likley to be made what would you choose

My Choices
#1 Players Handbook 3.5
#2 DMG 3.5
#3 Monster Manual 3.5
#4 Monster Manual 2
#5 Fiend Folio
#6 Fiend factory (?)
#7 Complete Warrior
#8 Complete Rogue
#9 Complete Wizard
#10 Complete Divine
#11 And Everyone Else
#12 Magical Societies Compiled (all of the varios magic cive books from Expeditious retreat press in 1 volume)
#13 Spell Guide (something like the Fast Forward Book with lots of spells)
#14 Oriental Adventures
#15 Magic of Rokugan
# 16 Monsters of Rokugan
#17 Rokugan
#18 Some book of Fighting/Martial Arts Options (not sure which one)
#19 Arcana Unearthed
#20 Eldritch Books (Montes) all 3 complied
#21 A good Pirate Book
#22 Testament
#23 a Highpowered option book with mechs and magic and more (i.e what the epic level handbook should have been)
#24 A book with Fae
#25 Nightamares and Dreamscapes Compiled
#26 Unearthed Arcana
#27 A big Book of gear (not sure which one)
#28 A big book of PRC's (not sure which one)
#29 Ravenloft Crunch complied
#30 Races Book (big with furries and weres and more)

 

[Knightcrawler]

1. PHB 3.5
2. DMG 3.5
3. MM 3.5
4. MM 2
5. FRCS
6. Magic of Faerun
7. Races of Faerun
8. Monsters of Faerun
9. Underdark
10. Lords of Darkness
11. Silver Marches
12. Book of Vile Darkness
13. Epic Level Handbook
14. Faiths and Pantheons
15. Complete Warrior
16. Unearthed Arcana
17. Complete Divine
18. Forgotten Realms Players Guide To Faerun
19. Fiend Folio
20. Deities and Demogods
21. Manual of the Planes
22. Arms & Armor 3.5
23. Ultimate Feats
24. Ultimate Equipment Guide
25. Ultimate Arcane Spellbook
26. Traps & Treachery
27. Spells & Spellcraft
28. Ultimate Prestige Classes II
29. Path of Magic
30. Path of Shadow

 

[Protean]

1. PHB 3.5
2. DMG 3.5
3. MM 3.5
4. Manual of the Planes
5. Psionics Handbook
6. Mindscapes
7. The Complete Book of Eldritch Might
8. The Book of Vile Darkness
9. Arcane Mysteries: The Artificier's Handbook
10. CoC d20
11. The Noble's Handbook
12. Plot and Poison
13. Chaositech
14. Dieties and Demigods
15. Complete Warrior
16. Complete Arcane*
17. Complete Skill-Monkey*
18. Oriental Adventures
19. Beyond Countless Doorways*
20. Hyperconscious: Explorations in Psionics*
21. If Thoughts Could Kill
22. Four-Color To Fantasy: Revised
23. City of the Spider Queen
24. Of Sound Mind
25. Of Sound Mind 2*
26. Warrens of the Ratmen
27. Creature Collection Revised (If only for Skaven).
28. Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game
29. Star Wars d20, Revised Edition
30. Hammer and Helm

* Indicates the tome meeting or exceeding my expectations.

 

[Blue_Kryptonite]

1. Mutants & Masterminds
2 - 30: 29 backup copies of M&M.

Seriously, I think this may the last and only RPG book I'll ever use again.

 

[Protean]

1. Mutants & Masterminds
2 - 30: 29 backup copies of M&M.

Seriously, I think this may the last and only RPG book I'll ever use again.

I see Mutants and Masterminds as such a large deviation from the d20 system, that I really wouldn't count it as such. It's the True D20 System, standard resolution of tasks indeed.

 

[Moulin Rogue]

THE CORE (#1-4):
3.5 editions of the PHB, DMG, MM and Psionics Handbook

BEASTIES (#5-7):
MM2, Fiend Folio, Tome of Horrors pending a 3.5 update

WORLD BUILDING (#8-11):
MMS:Western Europe, Fields of Blood, Dynasties and Demagogues, Strongholds and Dynasties

UNIVERSE BUILDING (#12-14):
Manual of the Planes, Book of the Righteous, Book of Fiends

TRAVEL & EXOTIC LOCALES (#15-20):
Book of the Sea, Broadsides!, Oriental Adventures, Nyambe, Underdark, one slot reserved for an Arabian Nights setting

SPLAT STUFF (#21-25):
all of the anticipated four "Complete" books (Complete Warrior, etc.) plus Path of the Sword

ICING ON THE CAKE (#26-30):
Book of Vile Darkness, Unearthed Arcana, From Stone To Steel, Artificer's Handbook, Advanced Player's Manual if it's good.

edited for a typo.

 

[Nightfall]

I'd shoot the bats and tell them if they don't let me have EVERY SL book in existance, then I don't want any of their technology. Nor do I want to participate. In fact I say we exterminate ALL alien bat races and enjoy what we can get!

 

[diaglo]

1. Volume I Men & Magic
2. Volume II Monsters & Treasure
3. Volume III The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures
3a. The Reference Sheets
4. Chainmail
5. although, not really a book - Outdoor Survival from Avalon Hill
6. Supplement I Greyhawk
7. Supplement II Blackmoor
8. Supplement III Eldritch Wizardry
9. Supplement IV Gods, Demigods, & Heroes
10. Swords & Spells
11 -17. Strategic Review Issues 1-7 (even tho i'm not a big fan of 5-7)

18-30. 3 ring binders for the characters in the game. i don't need any other material ever.

 

[Tsyr]

Bah.

Back in my day, this was called the Desert Island challenge, and it was 5! books!

But this shouldn't be hard. You say only 30 DnD books? Then my Shadowrun and Exalted books are safe! Woohoo!

 

[Li Shenron]

30 is too many, someone even posted Deities & Demigods!