D&D 5E What type of D&D sourcebooks do you miss from older editions?

[Ralif Redhammer]

Settings books. I don't know that I need the microlaser focused ones (don't get me wrong, I like them, but I don't know that that model needs to be brought back), but I sure would like to see the authoritative main setting tomes return.

 

[Enrico Poli1]

Settings in Boxed Set format!

Then something similar to Tome of Battle: Book of 9 Swords

 

[dave2008]

Draconomicon or the 5e (VGtM) treatment of such a book.

 

[GreyLord]

The one book I keep thinking about is Oriental Adventures.

I would love to see a full book that gave classes, races, spells, and so on for non-Western European campaigns.

I know that 5e is customizable, but I'd like to see a specific book.

This. I know many of the Asian themes, especially Japanese or Korean have been touched upon in various books thus far, like Xanathar's (but they haven't touched the Chinese Warlord yet as far as I know), but something which gathered them all as Classes distinct and separate from Western Classes found in the PHB, as well as gathering all different types of Monsters found throughout the Asian continent is something they haven't brought about in a while.

They could also use it to rename it to something more encompassing of all of Asia, and perhaps include things related to India, and Western Asia in general.

In regards to campaign stuff...not much to say. Would like to see a Dragonlance Campaign book of some sort which specifies archetypes particular to Krynn (I know they included Knights of Solomnia as optional takes on certain archetypes in SCAG) covering the whole gamut.

 

[JeffB]

Not more "save the realms from epic threats" 15 level hardback adventures.

On a specific note- Products like:

Volos Guides-Fun reads for player and GM. Tons of plot hooks, but nothing players shouldn't know. Perfect for creating adventures as well as improv adventures when players decide to do their own thing.

Setting products that cover a large area with less detail. DM focused. Examples-FR1 Waterdeep & the North, or The Adventure Begins as a entire setting example- Overview of the setting and then a focus on a smaller area (GH and the surrounding territory in that case)

Self contained 32-64 page adventures. Plenty of examples out there from previous editions.

Smaller more focused Monster books. Examples- 3E's MoF, 4E's Threats to the Nentir Vale. Van Richten's Guides.

Softcover Adventure books like some of the 3E Kalamar adventure products (these were official! ). The adventures have the same "theme", like say, the undead, but the adventures are not linked and are roughly the same length as classic "modules" or dungeon mag adventures. 5 or 6 adventures per book.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I want to say books like Martial Power, but that would include books like Complete Fighter's Handbook or Sword & Fist...

...and I suspect any 5e analog to first would likely end up more like the second.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

Complete subsystems like a Psionics Handbook or a Bo9S.

 

[Jer]

I'm not sure I'm actually "missing" anything as I think about it. Certainly I don't need retreads of the multiple shelves of setting material on my shelves. More monsters and magic items would be useful, but I've figured out how to reskin things well enough that I don't think I really need them - I can just use earlier edition materials as a guide and reskin stats and powers well enough.

I dunno. I personally like the focus on adventures (even as I hate the format they've settled on for them) and have gotten a lot of use out of them. I would like to see more products like the Essentials Kit though - I prefer it to the big hardcover books.

 

[Ash Mantle]

I really am a fan of boxed sets. Despite the possible financial impracticality of it all, I'd really like to see their come-back. Lands of Intrigue, and the Planescape Boxed Sets are some of my favourite things of all time, and they remain treasured possessions.

I'd want another Lands of Intrigue for any of the 5e books.

 

[Campbell]

Honest to goodness modules. Not adventures. Modules.