What do you consider "de facto" core?

[Asmor]

Well, we all know what the literal core rulebooks are-- PHB, MM and DMG. My question to you all is... what do you consider "de facto" core? By this, I mean books that you think in general are, or should be, taken for granted to be allowed/used in a campaign.

I'm limiting this poll to Wizards of the Coast books because, frankly, it's the only stuff I know much of... I'm also leaving out a lot of stuff, I know. Heck, most of this is just from taking a quick glance at my bookshelf. I tried to be fairly inclusive, though, but feel free to point out any glaring omissions and I apologize ahead of time.

Oh, and here's an explanation of the options:

Complete series (classic): The first 4 complete books (Adventurer, Acane, Divine, Warrior). Arguably includes Complete Psionics as well, assuming you consider psionics to be core.
Complete series (new): The most recent 3 complete books (Mage, Scoundrel, Champion)
Eberron Campaign Setting: The Eberron Campaign Setting. Main book only, not the extras.
Environment series: The books like Sandstorm and Cityscape which focus on particular environs.
Expanded Psionics Handbook: 'Nuff said
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. Main book only, not the extras.
Heroes of ... series: Heroes of Horror and/or Heroes of Battle
Magic Item Compendium: 'Nuff said
Misc Alternate Systems: Things like Book of 9 Swords, Tome of Magic, Incarnum, etc
Monster Manual series: Monster Manuals 2 and on
Monster Types series: Books which focus on a particular type, like the fiendish codices and Lords of Madness
Planar: Manual of the Planes and Planar Handbook
Races of ... series: The series which focus on various races, including the originals as well as Races of the Dragon and Races of Eberron.
Spell Compendium: 'Nuff said
Unearthed Arcana: 'Nuff said
Other: If you think I left something out. Make sure to post and say what it is!

 

[Hussar]

Other - None of the above. Core is core. Full stop. Anything else might appear in my games, but, probably not. I gave up long ago collecting books and now I just buy whatever best fits my campaign.

 

[Grunk]

Player's Handbook 2?

My Core is comprised of: PHB2, the spell compendium, magic item compendium, all the completes (mostly just cause I like Scoundrel and Champ so much), MM 2&3 and the Fiend Folio.

 

[jdrakeh]

For me, just the Magic Item and Spell Compendiums, as well as Unearthed Arcana. Basically, things that generally extend the material present in the PHB and DMG, rather than tacking on new concept-specific classes, skills, feats, etc.

 

[crazy_cat]

Other: Core is PHB, DMG, MM

EDIT: Whats acceptable in a game - varies, and depends on what the players want to do and what the DM thinks of their ideas.

 

[robberbaron]

I'm with the cat.

 

[Destil]

Wow, where's the option of "none of the above"?

Other: Core is PHB, DMG, MM

EDIT: Whats acceptable in a game - varies, and depends on what the players want to do and what the DM thinks of their ideas.

Yep.

 

[blargney the second]

Most of it, really. There's some good stuff out there!

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Other: none of the above. I only count the actual core rulebooks as the core rules.

The "practical core rules" for any given campaign changes each time. For instance, in terms of classes none of the eleven core classes actually count as "core" in my latest little setting design experiment. I took the core classes for that setting from the Expanded Psionics Handbook, the Eberron Campaign Setting, Heroes of Horror, the Player's Handbook II, Complete Divine, Complete Psionic, Complete Adventurer, Magic of Incarnum, Arcana Evolved from Malhavoc Press, Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and True Name Magic, and Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords.

In any Eberron game I run, the "practical core rules" include at least the Eberron Campaign Setting, the Player's Guide to Eberron, and the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

 

[Ry]

Pretty much anything with feats - I mean, without feats, what would you do after 6th level?