What RPG books are the Gems of your collection?

[The Human Target]

My battered old Volo's Guide to Waterdeep.

 

[fuindordm]

I don't have all of these anymore after the big purge in moving to France, but:

Amber Diceless Roleplaying: probably the best DMG ever written.

Earthdawn: One of the most original and well thought-out fantasy settings I've ever seen, with wonderful flavor text throughout.

Champions: The ultimate reference book for issues of game balance.

Grim Tales: D20 explained.

D&D 3.0 PH: I've been too cheap to buy the 3.5...

AD&D PH and DMG: nostalgia factor.

Arcana Unearthed: All those new character classes!

Eberron (everything): I am a Keith Baker fanboy.

Ben

 

[Jupp]

Woody D&D 3rd Print 1975
Supplement I Greyhawk signed by Mr. Gygax
Supplement II Blackmoor signed by Mr. Arneson
All the classic Greyhawk modules (pre war)

Planescape Hellbound Bloodwar Boxed Set (great read, cool ideas)
Dead Gods / Great Modron March
Planescape Faction War (still waiting for part 2 )

Silver Anniversary Box
Desert of Desolation I3-5 (my favorite campaign book)

The Gord novels

C&C PHB and the boxed set (next best thing after AD&D)

There are more but those are the ones I really like

 

[Varangian]

The stuff I will take with me to my grave is all the old Tekumel stuff, including the Deeds Ever Glorious and the Book of Ebon Binding. Next up is Greyhawk from the Ashes and the Birthright core books (not the individual nation books, which while not bad, don't match the inspiration of the core books).

Varangian

 

[Psion]

Which RPG books are ones you wouldn't part with? Either due to their utility, innovative nature, etc.

Non-d20 books of general utility and/or good ideas
GURPS Space
Fantasy Hero
World Builder's Handbook

Prior edition books/products that are still useful:
World Builder's Guide
Complete Villain's Handbook
My collection of Planescape Boxed Sets
1e Manual of Planes
FR Atlas
Dragon CD Archive

d20 books I keep coming back to/are staples in my game:
Spells & Magic
Bow & Blade
Plot & Poison
Complete Book of Eldritch Might
Book of Fiends
Bluffside
Planes and Portals
Monsters Hanbook
Second World Sourcebook
Masters of Arms
Blood & Fists
Relics & Rituals
Relics & Rituals Excalibur
Creature Collection II
Tome of Horrors

WotC non-core books I find to be of great value:
Manual of the Planes
Book of Challenges
Draconomicon
Monster Manual II
Expanded Psionics Handbook

 

[diaglo]

Showoff!!
Especially ST1 and Lost Tamoachan, that is impressive.

But do you have Palace of the Vampire Queen, Dwarven Glory, and Pre-Pub R-series tournament modules ?!?

no. no. i did. i gave away my R series to my nephew. mostly cuz i picked up the compilation module and was never that impressed by them to start. i think my nephew sold them a couple years ago.

But seriously, which Tamoachan do you have?

Collector's edition with a light blue cover.

i also have the various modules afterwards by the other name.

 

[diaglo]

That's very cool. I have a photocopy of this, but not the real thing.

I did, however, park my car for about 3 and a half years on top of where most of them are buried.

And I do have a copy of the similiarly trashed-just-before-it-was-released Champions module, Wings of the Valkyrie.

i bought mine for $500. at auction.

the most i've ever spent on a piece for my collection. (not the most i've bid however)

you can still download the orange cover from www.tsr.com in their archive section of OoP material. they removed the free download of H1 about 6 or 7 years ago. but B3 is still there.

 

[reanjr]

I wouldn't part with any of them on the grounds that they are mine and there is no reason to part with them.

True gems, though?

Kingdoms of Kalamar Dungeon Master's Shield

 

[Desdichado]

I'm keeping (probably) everything I have, but to pare it down to my absolute favorites, I'll name three:

1. d20 Call of Cthulhu -- my favorite RPG book by far. The best GMing advice EVAR, great rules (although these days, I can think of ways to improve them even so) great monsters in d20 format so I can use them in any d20 game, etc. It just doesn't get any better than this.
2. Monsternomicon -- I love this book. I love reading it. I love looking at (and using in my game) the art. I love using the monsters. This book is teh r0xx0rz.
3. Book of Fiends -- a bit more narrow in focus, or it might bump up to at least equal to the Monsternomicon. I use stuff from here all the frikkin' time.

 

[loki44]

I'd have to say my old hardcover GW Enemy Within modules rank up there. The Hogshead reproductions are nice, but not gems. Gemwise I also treasure many of my old Judges Guild modules, especially CSIO.