What are the most useful books you've ever used?

[Calico_Jack73]

Besides the Core Books (not counting PHB, DMG, ALL Monster Manual-ish books, and Campaign Settings) what are the most useful books you've ever used?

Personally I find my Volo's Guides to be the most useful. Nothing is better than to be able to whip out a book that has a complete description of a particular tavern or inn and also includes notable NPCs, rumors, and the standard bill of fare. The book is all fluff so you can even allow your players to spend their gold to buy one of the guides in-game and then allow them to use the book for reference.

Anyone else?

 

[Agback]

Besides the Core Books (not counting PHB, DMG, ALL Monster Manual-ish books, and Campaign Settings) what are the most useful books you've ever used?

Not counting ForeSight and HindSight in the spirit of not counting core rules:

The Penguin Atlas of World History.

Regards,


Agback

 

[The Cardinal]

all my GURPS books

 

[Arnwyn]

Very useful to me:

- another vote for the Volo's Guides
- many of the other FR geographical accessories (FRxx series, LoI, EotSS, CoS)

 

[Crothian]

Aura's guide to the realms, used it so much my book literally died.

 

[MarauderX]

OD&D Gazetteers for setting flavors you can build realms around.

Fields O' Blood for a mass combat system I can't wait to start implementing.

 

[Thanee]

Hmm... that doesn't leave much... PHB... out... DMG... out... MM... out... FRCS... out... Silver Marches? If that doesn't count, I'd have to answer: None!

Yes, I have quite a few more books, but they come nowhere near the usefulness of the above!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Stone Dog]

Odly enough, mine is the Everway Spherewalker's Handbook. It is such an interesting collection of ideas and themes that I have gotten better use out of it than any other gaming book I own. Best dollar I ever spent in gaming. Yay for the bargain bin!

As a runner up, Kenneth Hite's 'Nightmares of Mine' was an excellent buy too. This little Iron Crown book helped me through some of the best shudders I ever inflicted on a group of players.

 

[Erratic K]

What an exclusion list...

I almost thought you had me. Then the answer came to me. I felt so bad it wasn't on my regular list:

Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering.

It out to be required reading for any GM.


-E

Even if it doesn't ring true to you, it is thought provoking.

http://www.sjgames.com/robinslaws/

 

[BiggusGeekus]

GAZ3: Principalities of Glantri changed how I looked at gaming.

Seriously.