What is the best d20 book no one talks about?

[Crothian]

We always get these best of threads and they always give us pretty much the same answers. So, what are the best books that no one talks about?

The Pantheon and Pagan Faiths by Mystic Eye Games. Actually, I could list the whole Hunt: Rise of Evil setting and their books. The books are fantastic filled with some great ideas that are different and take chances. I like that as it is not run of the mill by any means. But it just doesn't like many people talk about the books.

 

[Ghostwind]

Arms & Armor v3.5 by Bastion and Dweomercraft: Familiars by Dark Quest both don't get a lot of kindness or word of mouth. And I put a lot of work into each of them...

 

[Tinner]

Monsters of the Boundless Blue by The Wanderers Guild/Goodman Games is by no means a flawless book, but I've got a lot of mileage out of it.
It's an entertaining read, the monsters are creative, fun, and easy to fit into a campaign.

 

[jeffh]

Character Customization, by Throwing Dice Games. Also, the new Everquest II Player's Guide. It's got some interesting alternative approaches to things like BAB, for all that it lacks magic rules (even basic spells for starting characters - a huge disappointment).

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Well, it isn't a completely obscure book, but Dynasties and Demagogues gets far less attention than it should. It really is the best out there. Just wonderful from start to finish.

And Swashbuckling Arcana deserves a lot more talk than it gets. A terrific book that's packed with flavor.

Patrick Y.

 

[Brakkart]

Backdrops by Atlas Games, a small book of generic location maps for buildings and place. The real beauty is that every one of them includes a note tewlling you by what percentage to enlarge the page when you photocopy it to get the squared grid large enough for use with miniatures. Pure genius! Shame their Penumbra line got cancelled, I would happily have bought a few more books like this.

 

[smootrk]

AEG Toolbox. Tables, tables, tables.

 

[DMH]

Anything by Spencer Cooley. The Enchridion series and Build Up Spells are just plain useful.

The Other Side by Valent (on rpgnow)- a different look at the humanoid races with cool PrCs and advice on running them.

Toxicant and the Kaiser's Bazaar series from Mad Kaiser. The former makes poisons more realistic (and has all real world examples including man made chemicals) and the latter looks at shops of all kinds plus new animals and materials.

Shaping the Self by Genjitsu. If there was an alternate way of using prestige races, this is the way to do it. Leveled templates of all types, from racial and environmental to curses. This is by far my most favorite short pdf and my choice for this thread.

Creature Weeklies by a company I can't spell. Cheap pdfs with not only the regular stats, but also those for sanity, taint and other d20 stuff.

F20 from Flying Mice. Not D20 Future, this is a totally different rule set that all procedes go to cancer research. More gritty than d20 and has different ability scores.

Experts from Skirmisher. A good way of populating a setting with NPCs of that class. Also useful in low power settings for PCs.

Foul Locals from MEG. All 3 have gems of locations and hooks.

Morningstar from Goodman. If not for the world, this setting still has value for the races and magical signatures. The latter is how the will of powerful beings literally change the world around them because of the massive amounts of magic. The rules for that are OGC.

Book of Templates (DE) from Silverthorne. The suggestions on how to use templates is invaluable. Better rules on applying them can be found in Advanced Bestiary (GR) and Beast Builder (XR).

 

[Bihor]

Yes the books from Spencer Cooley are good, I got the The Enchridion of mystic music is the only good book for bards.
Build up Spells is a good idea and esay to use.
And By the number is fantastic if you want to eliminat class, and usr the D20.

But my favorit are the Bad Axe Games, Heroes of High Favor, they are usfulle for player and to the point. There's not much I won't use in those.

 

[Jdvn1]

Arms & Armor v3.5 by Bastion

I really like that book...