D&D 5E What Do You Think is the Best 5E Book for DMs So Far?

[Quickleaf]

Oh! That reminds me – when I'm creating monsters and I get stuck evaluating unusual special abilities, this thread has been quite helpful: So You Want to Build a Monster (a guide for DMs)

I'd say the order I refer to resources when designing monsters is:

A) My own creative sorcery
B) Forge of Foes
C) 2014 DMG & MM
D) That "So You Want to Build a Monster" thread
E) A medley of conversations online, other monster books, etc.

edit: drats, i keep mixing up "Tome / Forge" of Foes!

 

[Micah Sweet]

Strangely, there hasn't been much DM-facing content for 5E that has impressed me, beyond monster books (I love bestiaries).
I'd probably have to say Xanathar's and Tasha's has had the most helpful DM information, between the expansion on Downtime activities, Traps & Riddles and Patron information.

I loathe the 5E DMG as probably the worst DMG I've ever run across. If it weren't the source of magic items, I'd have tossed it a long time ago. I'm happily looking forward to the 2024 DMG and hoping it'll live up to its previews so far.

I was also not counting bestiaries.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master and the Lazy DM's Forge of Foes.

If I were a new DM, these are the next two purchases I would make after the core books, without question.

After that, Roll & Play Press' Game Master's Fantasy Toolkit, which is full of easily accessible (and spiral-bound!) random tables to help create a detailed village on the fly, tell you what's in an NPC's pocket the rogue decided to pick, etc. It's a great tool to have on hand when players inevitably throw a curveball at you without warning.

 

[Distracted DM]

I am super impressed by the Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide. So much so that I bought the physical copy, after I had thoroughly perused the PDF.

Other folks have mentioned A5E's Trials & Treasures, it's great... And I don't know if we're talkingmonster books but A5E's MoMe still takes the cake for me.

 

[Xenolith234]

The Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master and the Lazy DM's Forge of Foes.

If I were a new DM, these are the next two purchases I would make after the core books, without question.

After that, Roll & Play Press' Game Master's Fantasy Toolkit, which is full of easily accessible (and spiral-bound!) random tables to help create a detailed village on the fly, tell you what's in an NPC's pocket the rogue decided to pick, etc. It's a great tool to have on hand when players inevitably throw a curveball at you without warning.

If you like the GM Fantasy Toolkit, I saw that Roll & Play just dropped a new Kickstarter today (I backed it).

 

[Clint_L]

Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. It's a fantastically usable setting, in a fairly traditional fantasy style. Easily my favourite 5e book, and on the short list for favourite setting guide in any game or edition.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I am super impressed by the Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide. So much so that I bought the physical copy, after I had thoroughly perused the PDF.

Other folks have mentioned A5E's Trials & Treasures, it's great... And I don't know if we're talkingmonster books but A5E's MoMe still takes the cake for me.

I would have given it to MoMe if I was talking bestiaries.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If you like the GM Fantasy Toolkit, I saw that Roll & Play just dropped a new Kickstarter today (I backed it).

I need someone to explain why a quarter of the RPG industry have launched crowdfunding projects on the same day and why another 25% have launched theirs in the past four weeks. Who is telling them this is the time of year we're all flush with cash?

I'm sure the new There's No Place Like Homebrew book will be great, just like I'm sure One-Shot Wonders is, but I just don't have enough cash to collect them all.

 

[Xenolith234]

I need someone to explain why a quarter of the RPG industry have launched crowdfunding projects on the same day and why another 25% have launched theirs in the past four weeks. Who is telling them this is the time of year we're all flush with cash?

I'm sure the new There's No Place Like Homebrew book will be great, just like I'm sure One-Shot Wonders is, but I just don't have enough cash to collect them all.

I absolutely agree…my wallet is sobbing today. I’m debating cancelling some of them.

 

[Parmandur]

Guildmastets Guide to Ravnica is an absolutely awesome book, stuffed with great stuff.