What are the "must have" 3.x supplements?

[Crothian]

I wouldn't consider any of them outside the core rules a must have. There are a few books that I'm not going to get rid of even when we play different games.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If you like alternative Paladins, check out the DIY Holy Knights section of Book of the Righteous. Its 3Ed, but easy enough to modify.

Besides WotC's Complete series (including the XPH and ToM), I find myself using Oriental Adventures (with Dragon #318 3.5 update), UA, and PHB 2 the most. I like Magic of Incarnum, but most feel the classes within are underpowered.

 

[SSquirrel]

Huh. I've found Weapons of Legacy to be very much more easily modifiable so as to be useful, than the Epic Level Handbook. Yes, it needs tweaking, or overhauling really, but the ELH needs burning, or perhaps recycling (if you are 'environmentally-minded'.)

I would send White WOlf a copy of the ELH for Exalted 2nd Edition

 

[nytflyr]

here are some from my own collection that I find are must haves:

Legends and Lairs: Darkness and Dread. I love the cut down classes, outside of E6, it is the only other setup that can do a low powered game (that I have seen). the only issue I have is the "entry requirements" for some of the classes, so where it says level + 3 on a prerequisite skill, im houserulling it to just a straight up 3.

Uneartheed Arcana. Optional rules galore. I initially ignored this becasue of all the racial variants, but the rules for wounds & vitality, action points, traits, and other things will now be a part of my games.

City State of the Invincible Overlord. I havent had a chance to actually run through this, but there is so much informtaion here, and it all seems so cohesive and well thought out.

 

[amethal]

1. Ptolus (Malhavoc)
2. Wilderlands Box Set (Necromancer Games)
3. Rappan Athuk Reloaded (Necromancer Games)
4. Castle Whiterock (Goodman Games)
5. Oathbound Campaign Setting (Bastion Press)
6. Fiendish Codex I (WotC)
7. Gazetteer of the Known Realms (Goodman Games)
8. Tome of Horrors 3.5 (pdf) (Necromancer Games)
9. Book of Fiends (Green Ronin)
10. Tomb of Abysthor (Necromancer Games)

I have a vast collection of OGL / d20 books, but I only have 3 of those (although I'd like the rest, obviously ).

My "must have" would probably look something like this (in no particular order):-

1. War of the Burning Sky, full colour compilation of 12 adventures, from EN Publishing (is it cheating to include a book that hasn't been written yet?)
2. Dragon Compendium (Paizo)
3. Expanded Pisonics Handbook (WotC)
4. Eberron Campaign Setting (WotC)
5. City of Brass (Necromancer)
6. Advanced Bestiary (Green Ronin)

 

[Sunderstone]

Not in any particular order...


The Grey Citadel (Necromancer)
Tomb of Abysthor (Necromancer)
Lost City of Barakus (Necromancer)
Tome of Horrors 3.5 pdf (Necromancer)
Castle Whiterock DCC #51 (Goodman)
Curse of the Emerald Cobra DCC #16 (Goodman)
Aerie of the Crow God DCC #5 (Goodman)
Shackled City Hardcover (Paizo)
Entombed with the Pharaohs J1 (Paizo)
Carnival of Tears E1 (Paizo)
Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale W1 (Paizo)
Rise of the Runelords #1-6 AP (Paizo)
Dragonomicon (WotC)
Stormwrack (WotC)
Frostburn (WotC)
Expanded Psionics Handbook (WotC)

 

[sckeener]

Here are my instant picks

• Fiendish Codex I (WOTC)
• Dragon Magazine (Demonomicon issues) : 329, 333, 337, 341, 345, 349, 353, 357, 357
• Ptolus
• Rise of the Runelords #1-6 AP (Paizo)
• Heroes of Horror
• Book of Fiends (Green Ronin)
• Lords of Madness (WOTC)
• Ancient Kingdoms: Mesopotamia (necromancer games)
• Magic Medieval Society: Western Europe (Expeditious Retreat)
• Unearthed Arcana (WOTC)
• Book of Vile Darkness (WOTC)
• Aasimar And Tiefling (Green Ronin) (though I reverse the names usually so it is the T&A book)
• Gazetteer of the Known Realms (Goodman Games)
• Wilderlands Box Set (Necromancer Games)
• Shackled City Hardcover (Paizo)
• Dragon Magazine (Core Belief issues): 338, 342. 346, 348, 350, 354, 356, 358
• Toolbox
• Liber Mortis

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Since I often like to run strange D&D games, I can't really limit myself to D&D books:

The 3.5 corebooks, of course
3.0 Dungeon Master's Guide
The original Dungeon Master's Guide
Book of Nine Swords
Rules Compendium
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Unearthed Arcana
Wilderness Survival Guide

Mutants & Masterminds 1st ed.
Modern d20
Future d20
Past d20
Urban Arcana
Cyberscape d20
Future Tech d20
Trinity d20
Adventure! d20
Monte Cook's World of Darkness
Hero 5th Edition
Ars Magica 3rd Edition
Mage: Dark Ages
Mage: Sorceror's Crusade
All the Polyhedron Mini Games (sigh, if Dungeon readers only realized they were still getting more Dungeon content than before).

 

[SignOtheTimes]

Toolbox (AEG) - Ryan Dancey told the authors (one of which is my DM) that it is the only book besides the core 3 that he has at every game. RPG.net Review

Let me second that -- not only that, but Toolbox is pretty useful regardless of system used, it's just a tremendously useful package of stuff