What are the 10 most important d20/OGL books?

[Betote]

I can't claim to know all the 3x OGL products, so I won't even pretend to be objective here.

I'm a 'core only'-style GM, that is, I rarely allow anything that isn't in the core(s) book(s) in my games. From WotC, I just allowed some spells from the Spell Compendium (which were found in BBEGs' spellboks) and the feats from PHB2 to empower fighters. However, there were two books that I immediately put into use:

* Tome of Horrors
* Book of Iron Might

Apart from that, the modules I've used have been mostly from 3pp, so I could add them to my list. The top would be:

* Crucible of Freya, very useful if you like sandbox-style games, a starting point for a campaign as good as the Keep on the Borderlands.
* Tomb of Abysthor, a mini-campaign by itself, which can fill a lot of sessions if you play the dungeon politics with the different factions found within.
* The Pathfinder series, in fact, any adventure by Paizo. NPCs are so deeply described that their behaviour and motives can spawn many side adventures by their own.

 

[Zaukrie]

But Chris, if you'd have cancelled the Advanced line, you'd just be a cold, heartless company exec, and not a true gamer anymore! Don't you read the boards?

Book of the Righteous is the best written RP book I've ever read. Not even close. If more cosmologies and rules were written like this we'd all be better off.

Tome of Horrors and Creature Collection - for their place in line and encouraging others to get into the market

Arcana....from Monte Cook - for the best alternate PHB ever. It broke the mold of what "D&D is" by changing things enough so the rules and fluff were unique and integrated, yet still recognizable as "the same game". It paved the way for other similar experiments. I love this game, just never found anyone to play it.

Ptolus should be on the list, but I don't know if it changed the market or not (doesn't look that way). I argued with Monte about its lack of follow up products, and he convinced me it had them in the book. This is truly a creation of love for its developers. I wish all books were like this.

Monsternomicon - again, a should be. It has the best fluff, art, and creative monsters of most any book. This was the height (to me) of monster books that were innovative and where the fluff was so good you could just sit down and read the book. (interestingly, though, I find I play with the 4E books more, so WotC may have made the right choice)

Crucible of Freya - not the best adventure, but it was one of the first, and it really showed what could be done for 3PP (at least that is how it looks from the outside).

Other books I love: The fiend books from Green Ronin are awesome....oops, late for a meeting!

 

[Psion]

The comments regarding Advanced Bestiary (a great book that we're lucky to have from all appearances) prompted me to repost my review of it:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpg-book-reviews/244522-advanced-bestiary.html

 

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

Mutants and Masterminds:
Superhero, non-class/level base d20. It truly is a brilliant piece of work and astonishingly flexible. If there is a must include, this is the book.

Age of Worms:
Pazio's 2nd adventure path and an instant classic. While not technically a book, these adventures provide an iconic DnD campaign. Anyone seeking a "classic" DnD adventure would be wise to take part in these adventures.

 

[TerraDave]

nice threadmancy.

In order of personal preferance.

Testement: One of the best RPG products. Ever.
NeMoren's Vault: maybe the best level 1 adventure for 3E/d20
Battle Box: super handy
Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe: all time great world building guide
Tome of Horrors: Best Monster and Retro product of 3E/d20
Dragonstar: dwarves in space done right
True 20: "the" d20 game
Book of the Rightous: You can probably use something from this, even if you think you can't
From Stone to Steel: one of the best arms and armor guides
Mutants and Masterminds: I really wish I had played this

 

[JVisgaitis]

This entry from my blog exlains. It's entitled "And That Was the Worst Business Decision I Ever Made." Since I wrote it we have paid off all the outstanding debts from the Advanced books, so at least progress has been made.

Thanks for posting that Chris. It helps my ego a bit knowing that we weren't the only ones that made a mistake like this. Too bad we did it with our premier product...

 

[Psion]

Thanks for posting that Chris. It helps my ego a bit knowing that we weren't the only ones that made a mistake like this. Too bad we did it with our premier product...

And it grieves me. They were both knock-out-of-the-park products, quality wise. But the "stars were not right" in the market space.

I ought to throw together a review of CBOD, City of Brass, and other must-have d20 products.

 

[Treebore]

I ought to throw together a review of CBOD, City of Brass, and other must-have d20 products.

Heh. I looked at doing a review for City of Brass. I quickly realized that to do justice to the product with a review I would be writing a rather long short story.

 

[Krensky]

This entry from my blog exlains. It's entitled "And That Was the Worst Business Decision I Ever Made." Since I wrote it we have paid off all the outstanding debts from the Advanced books, so at least progress has been made.

I'm sorry it was a horrendous loss, but I do have to thank you for all three of them. Some of the stuff was hit or miss at my table, but I've used stuff from all three and I'm glad I have them.

 

[Flatus Maximus]

Now the Butthole Surfers say, "It's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't."

DoublePlusGood.

Anyone who finds a way to quote the Butthole Surfers in a D&D thread quite simply wins.