The best of....?

[eris404]

Not to be confused with the Monte Cook product, I was wondering what you all thought were the best things to happen to RPGs in 2004 were. Unfortunately, a discussion like this often times leads to the worst, but I'm hoping to keep it positive.

What was the most underrated product? The most surprising? The best writing in an RPG book? The best artwork? What product inspired you or sparked your imagination the most?

How about some gems in what was otherwise a mediocre book? To be d20-specific, for example, what was the best prestige class? The best new rule(s)? The best new monster or race? What was the best book for players? The best for game masters?

Please feel free to add any other categories I haven't mentioned.

 

[exile]

With the end of the year looming, this is a topic that has gone unanswered for too long.

I am a huge fan of the Iron Kingdoms Character Guide which came out this past summer. Along those same lines, I really like the Iron Kingdoms miniatures (distinct from, but very compatible with the Warmachine miniatures).

For the latter part of the year Green Ronin's Hamunaptra: Egyptian Adventures and The black Company campaign settings represent a trend of Green Ronin producing ever better (and their earlier stuff was pretty darn good) product.

Chad

 

[Crothian]

What would really be helpful is a list of what came out in 2004. I'll admit that many things in the beginning of the year I can't reclal exactly what came out when.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

Best WotC hardcover: Monster Manual III.

I love this book. I know it has a lot of detractors because some stats are off. But very few people are going to notice any of that in play. What people will notice is whether the monsters are fun and scary, or lame. This book is filled with tons of creative, interesting, FUN monsters! It's worth every penny.

 

[warlord]

Eberron Campaign Setting, it is the best setting since Dark Sun. Psionics finally has a home again.

 

[exile]

How could I forget Eberron...it's good.
Chad

 

[eris404]

What would really be helpful is a list of what came out in 2004. I'll admit that many things in the beginning of the year I can't reclal exactly what came out when.

Oh dear. You know, I didn't realize how much stuff came out for d20 alone until you try to list it. Anyone know if RPG Now can sort by year? Most of the stuff I bought this year was from them.

Three books I really, really liked this year: The Book of Iron Might, Beyond Countless Doorways and the Iron Kingdoms book. Even if I haven't had the chance to use either Malhavoc book yet, they have really sparked my imagination. Great ideas in both. I was really jazzed about he IK book because I play a gun mage and finally having the official version (as well as new spells, gun rules and other cool ideas for the character) was very cool.

Book that made me want to dungeon crawl again: World's Largest Dungeon. It's taken our group a little while, but we're going to start it probably in a month or so (we have a campaign running down right now). I think the DM has a really cool idea for running it (if he's doing what I think he's doing) and I want to write an official ENWorld story hour for it.

Product I resisted buying until recently that I really like: Complete Spell Cards. We have a great printer at work that can print on both sides of cardstock. The cards print beautifully and it really did speed the game up for me. People in my group did make a little fun of me though ("can you actually read that tiny type?" "Proof of the further magic-the-gathering of D&D, I see.").

Prettiest Product: Iron Kingdoms Player Guide. Really nice artwork.

Most consistent product lines: "101" and "A Dozen" lines. Inexpensive books that are just full of great ideas I can't wait to use. These lines made me want to DM a new campaign more than any other.

 

[Psion]

It seems like there was another thread like this recently, but I'll contribute a few thoughts, totally off the top of my head, probably missing some obvious observations:

• Campaign Setting- Hamunaptra. I am jaded by "near standard" campaign settings; that included Eberron. Egyptian Adventures: Hamunaptra is a great take on blending the familiar with the exotic.
• Crunchy Sourcebook- Advanced Bestiary. Lots of great ideas. Lots of utility. And WotC: Take note of the technique of NOT REPEATING ABILITY DESCRIPTIONS THAT WERE ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE
• Background Sourcebook- (I refuse to use the term fluff) - Beyond Countless Doorways. A ton of great worlds, places to visit or spend a long time
• Monster Sourcebook- Denizens of Avadnu. I see people are sitting up and taking notice of this one. (The ENnies judges obviously gave special consideration to smaller publishers. There's no way that a small company book can hold a candle to their well heeled superiors, right? Pah!)
• Trend in d20 sourcebooks- More planar support. Special mention goes to DMs Directory of Demiplanes and Planar Faction by Ronin Arts, Book of Planes by Mongoose, and the above mentioned Beyond Countless Doorways.
• New Mechanical Convention- Substitution levels.
• Prettiest Book- I think I'm gonna have to go with Red Star for this one.

More as I think of 'em.

 

[eris404]

It seems like there was another thread like this recently, but I'll contribute a few thoughts, totally off the top of my head, probably missing some obvious observations:

There probably was. I looked through the first few pages of posts but didn't see one and being the time of year that it is, I wanted to reminisce about the year that was 2004. I apologize for any duplication.

Trend in d20 sourcebooks- More planar support. Special mention goes to DMs Directory of Demiplanes and Planar Faction by Ronin Arts, Book of Planes by Mongoose, and the above mentioned Beyond Countless Doorways.

Amen to that! This is an area that is still so wide open. I hope a few more people take on this subject in the future.

New Mechanical Convention- Substitution levels.

Have to agree with that as well. It's a nice middle ground -not as specialized as a prestige class and not a completely new class either. I'd like to see more of this as well.

 

[Remathilis]

Frostburn: If you can't find 100 ideas for your campaign in that book (assuming you aren't running in a desert) you aren't really reading it.

Eberron: Can't say enough about this.