The Best & Worst of 3rd Edition: FINAL FIVE: PHB II, UA, Eberon, Ptolus, Pathfinder

[Greylock]

Eberron again. I liked PH2, but Eberron is the best product to come from 3.X. Pathfinder doesn't feel like one product though it was wrapped up nicely, UA is just alt rules, and Ptolus I haven't seen, so it doesn't make the cut.

UA is "just" alt rules? UA is much more than that. UA changed the way I looked at D&D 3.x. A lot of the rules were common house rules for many groups, some were odd, some were insane, all were thought provoking. UA has been since it's publication the single most used non-Core book in any game I've been in. In fact, many of my friends agree with me that UA is Core.

The top two books in this poll are campaign settings. While they may rock for one person or another, they are not of broad appeal to all players. UA is of broad appeal to ALL players - DMs and PCs as well. And while the PHBII gets a lot of love, it's gotten only marginal use in any campaign I've been in. I've seen many more classes, for instance, and class options used from UA than from the PHBII.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

Shrug.

That's fine. You're entitled to your opinion. I personally have not used any alt rules from UA except for the action point rule. So, yeah, it wasn't an earth shattering experience for me, like it was you.

Personally, I'd have voted for PHB I if it was listed, but we didn't have that choice. From what was listed, Eberron is the most complete book IMO.

 

[moritheil]

Wow, UA has shot up from near-last to tied for first!

 

[Greylock]

Strange. Very strange. It WAS in last place the last time I bothered looking at the poll results, and the two I mentioned above in solid first place. Wasn't even close.

This poll is being used and disseminated in ways I can't imagine.

 

[Treebore]

Ptolus. It is very good.

joe b.

I agree, but Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords is simply awesome. The best adventure/setting ever done for D&D. I am very anxious to see the next "arc".

 

[Treebore]

I also just want to say I can agree with everything that is on the "list" except Eberron. That is only because Eberron simply isn't my thing.

The rest are all good for the many reasons posters have already stated. For me Pathfinder has been simply amazing, fresh, energized, and simply the best adventure/setting I have ever read through.

I might have thought similar about Ptolus, but after having bought and read everything else Malhavoc, it is just more of the same (albeit excellent) material. IE more of what I had come to expect, just in a super nice package.

So to me, the freshness and energy of Pathfinder is what wins me over.

Still, its an excellent group, and you have to split many fine hairs to decide which should be ranked better than the rest.

 

[andrewhedley]

The rise of the runelords is simply awesome.

I abandoned 15 years of a home-grown campaign world to switch to this setting, simply because the adventure writing was so good.

Fresh ideas, try and find another setting that reinvents classic monsters in such a new, fresh and fun way.

 

[Arnwyn]

UA is "just" alt rules?

Yeah, that's all we consider it to be. Glad to see it had more of an effect on you.

In fact, only about half of each issue is adventure. The other half includes articles and information on the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting, from fluff to mechanics such as new spells, feats, prestige classes, monsters, etc.

I consider that to be a liability, for me. I like the Pathfinder AP despite all that (scattershot and superfluous) Golarion stuff.

 

[evermind]

this poll is so broken.... first there are 200 out of 260 votes total within 12 hours for UA, then, next thing there are 120 votes for the Eberron CS within the next 12 hours, with hardly any votes going anywhere else....

fanboyz *groan*

As for the products, basically Ptolus and Pathfinder are heads above the rest, but this poll has certainly lost its integrity...

 

[SSquirrel]

Thus the problem with not having an option by the poll maker to only allow logged in people to vote once.