What non-d20 books do you have at your gaming table?

[Napftor]

Actually, if it's not too specific, I was wondering if any non-D&D books see regular use at your gaming table. Personally, I only have d20 books but I'd hate to limit my possibilities. Do books from other games come in handy? How about non-gaming books? Again, this is at the table and not part of research for a game.

 

[Thanee]

The only one I can readily think of would be an AD&D adventure campaign book, which I was running then.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Varianor Abroad]

From time to time I've brought some of my GURPS books to the table, generally when dealing with "other-than-fantasy" d20.

 

[Ed Cha]

Capes

 

[DaveMage]

None.

 

[Psion]

Well, if you count pre-3e products as non-d20, there are a variety of supplements I still find useful in some capacity (though not all "at the gaming table"):

• 2e World Builder's Guidebook - still the best World Building resource
• Complete Villains Handbook - still the best Villain idea resource
• DM Design Kit - great for quick plots, and has some nifty forms (like the chase matrix)
• Complete Necromancer - some great, moody ideas
• My entire Planescape collection sits within arms reach of the DMs chair
• 1e Fiend Folio - I prefer some classic takes on creatures and use FF as a reference
• 1e MotP has some nifty stuff for making planar/elemental creatures more interesting
• Dungeoneer's Survival Guide - I like the pre-FR underdark polluted "deepearth" setting.
• Van Richten's Guide to the Vampire and Lich have fallen victim to 3e re-imaginings.
• Every undermountain product - undermountain exists in my world, and I run occasional forays into it.

Notable non-D&D/d20 gaming resources:

• When I am running Traveller d20, my entire CT/MT collection tends to be very useful.
• Similarly, GURPS Space and GURPS Traveller First In are indispensible in Traveller or other Sci-Fi games.
• I plunder palladium books RIFTS Atlantis, Mystic China, and Plaadium RPG Book II: Old Ones
• The old Citybook series is still a useful idea mine for city encounters.
• Similarly, the Heroes of Legend/Now/Tomorrow series is nice for adding character details.

Non-gaming. I often use a variety of history books for inspiration:

• Atlas of World History and Encyclopedia of Illustration sit on my "game prep" bookshelf.
• I frequently used my Asian History textbook as well as visiting the school library for history and mythology references for my game.
• For SF games, I find the ideas/images presented in my "Terran Trade Authority", "Galactic Encounters", and "Space Wars: Worlds and Weapons" books great for inspiration and visuals. (Frex "this is what the bug-horse looks like" while holding up the pic of the insectoid horse in SW:W&W.)

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I often use my HarnWorld accessories for maps and descriptions of adventure sites, villages and castles.


Cheers


Richard

 

[HellHound]

You should clarify - do you mean at the d20 table, or at the gaming table in general.

If the gaming table in general, then a whole lot of books, as I run a lot of non-d20 games.

But for d20 play, then:

1e AD&D Lankhmar book, booklet & map
Cities of Harn
Undermountain
Principalities of Glantry and a few other gazeteers
Various editions of the old Elric! / Stormbringer games

 

[Kanegrundar]

For D&D, none.

For D20 Modern, various Rifts worldbooks when we're playing PA settings.

For non-D20 gaming: Warhammer Quest and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay v2.

Kane

 

[Voadam]

Actually, if it's not too specific, I was wondering if any non-D&D books see regular use at your gaming table. Personally, I only have d20 books but I'd hate to limit my possibilities. Do books from other games come in handy? How about non-gaming books? Again, this is at the table and not part of research for a game.

Print outs of pictures for various scenes, monsters, and npcs, have been used.

Counter and map products as well that are not d20 specific.

I try to limit the books I bring to the table for what I expect to need, most books are better for inspiration out of the game or in prep. At the table books are used as in use references, so monster books bookmarked to the entries I'll use, the module, rule books with relevant stuff for the PCs abilities, perhaps the campaign setting book, etc.