Top 5 D&D Books

[DonAdam]

Rather than supplements with additional material, I'd want books that let me experience radically different settings or even genres. So...

1. Grim Tales
2. d20 Future
3. I'd need monsters, so chances are I'd go with XRP's beast builder book once it comes out...
4. Unearthed Arcana (must have complex skill checks!)
5. This was a toss up between Eberron and AE, but I'd probably go with AE, because it's just a little more different than Eberron and gives me lots of pillageable feats and spells.

Of course, at the risk of sounding egotistical, I'd take a copy of Summa Fantasia above #4, if only because of its similarity to the Rules Cyclopedia in terms of the ground it covers...

 

[solomoncane]

<snip>
My 3" Green Campaign Binder
<snip>
.

Actually, if I had MY notebook, I wouldn't really need any other books, including the core ones.

At the risk of hijacking the thread, I think I could get down to 3 books without including the core:

Grim Tales (rules, rules, rules, and monster generator)
Modern Players Handbook (chargen, rules, gear, spells, monsters, meshes with Grim Tales)
Arcana Evolved (rules and setting)

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It's very gratifying to see so many shout outs for Grim Tales.

Thanks, folks!

Wulf

 

[Xath]

I think I'd rather bring 5 books from other games just for the variety, assuming the D&D core were already there. But if it's just 3.5:

1. BoVD
2. Complete Warrior
3. Complete Adventure
4. Complete Arcane
5. Unearthed Arcana

 

[solomoncane]

It's very gratifying to see so many shout outs for Grim Tales.

Thanks, folks!

Wulf

Oh Grim one,

I've been wondering about a Grim Sci-Fi, but it may not be necessary.

(Ramble On)
Perhaps GT, part 2:
GT has post-apocalyptic stuff, vehicles, etc.; you've got an alien generator at RPGNow; Slavelords shows us some alternate tech. Maybe all we need is an environmental (or for Sci-Fi, planetary) generator, some spaceship rule additions to Vehicles (more detailed & interesting than d20 Future), and a few skill/feat tweaks. Perhaps throw in some more equipment design rules (akin to the firearm system).

Now add a spell/powers-design system, and voila...

(Ramble Off--back to topic)

...now down to only two books:

Grim Tales
--and--
Grim Everything Else

With the inevitable success of GEE, we could eventually get the collectors edition GT/GEE combined into one leather-bound mega-edition.

(Aha!)

One book to rule them all!
;]

p.s. I know all of these separate sytems exist in the d20 universe, but Wulf does a great job of integrating things.

 

[solomoncane]

So, what are your top 5 D&D books or supplements? If you were stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere and you had only dice, paper and the core books, what other 5 D&D books would you take with you, bearing in mind that you might be stuck there forever.

OK -- a spate of new releases has caused me to revisit my thinking about this. I have two new Top 5 lists.

The original post said "D&D" books. To play only D&D-like games, my 3 core + top 5 would be:

Unearthed Arcana
Arms & Armor 3.5
Advanced Bestiary
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Worlds Largest Dungeon

If the concept were broadened to include anything under the d20/OGL aegis, then my list would be 3 core + these 5:

Grim Tales
Traveller T20
BESM d20 Revised (w/Mecha)
Spycraft 2.0
Mutants & Masterminds (2e would be nice, but 1e is ok)

Rules Rule! Has anyone else changed their minds given recent releases?

 

[dagger]

• Hammer & Helm
• Monster Manual III
• Lords of Darkness
• Silver Marches
• Lone Wolf RPG

 

[jcfiala]

Hmm. Interesting. So, I want to select for use.

A) Advanced Bestiary <- Lets me square the monsters in the base book.
B) Planar Handbook <- Lets me do fun outer plane adventures.
C) Book of Fiends <- Let's visit hell!
D) World's Largest Dungeon <- For when we want to dungeon craw.
E) Call of Cthulhu d20 <- For when we want a change of pace.

 

[philreed]

If the 3.5 SRD/core books is available then I'd also want (as of today):

1e DMG
Tome of Horrors
Advanced Bestiary
Book of Vile Darkness
When the Sky Falls

 

[Teflon Billy]

I'm guessing that the three core books are assumed...

• From Stone to Steel
• Dawnforge
• Grim Tales
• Denizens of Avadnu
• Advanced Bestiary