What's the best and worst D&D book you own from any edition?

[Paul Masao Wisham]

DMG 1e (AD&D)
Great writing ... And loved the dark tomb like feel with that artwork.

Honorable mention: Ravenloft orig.
And Dungeoneer’s Survival guide. (Orig. Deities as well...)

 

[Son of the Serpent]

I feel prompted to list the worst books of my favorite edition(s) (3/3.5). I cant pick a single worst. Sorry. I can only par it down to a section. Too many bad ones to pick definitively.

First of all i must agree with the previous poster.
Exalted deeds actually makes my list. That out of the way, the list is:

Exalted deeds: i refuse to exalt this book. I disavow. (i have no idea why people bother saying bovd when boed exists. What complaints you have that are valid and many that you dont even make about bovd are as applicable or more to boed without fail and it is bad in so many more ways than bovd. Besides bovd is actually a pretty useful book when hamdled with care and boed generally doesnt even have that going for it. Its like its neutered retarded twin with chicken wings growing out of its divine ass.)

Oriental adventures: nails on chalkboard. This book really rubs me the wrong way. Also i dont like the content. I tried so hard to get into this book and be excited but just found myself bored. Eh...also just didnt like much about it. Also what an odd name.

Anything psionic: for the pure raw abyssal cancer. Get these things away from me. My body is not ready.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Of the general adulation of the 1e AD&D DMG...

From my point of view, I can't understand how anyone can find it good, let alone the best, other than perversity, ignorance, or nostalgia.

I assure you, it's not out of ignorance!

 

[NineLizards]

Best and worst...

Best... either something Planescape (love that setting) or Ptolus (unfortunately I don't have an original print, I had to buy the PDF's and print them and have them bound in hardcovers, looks fantastic though). I also like the old AD&D 2e PHB, but that's probably just me.

Worst? Without a doubt the 2e Magic Encyclopedia. Worst product ever, probably. Utterly useless. Closely followed by most 4e stuff...

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Worst? Without a doubt the 2e Magic Encyclopedia. Worst product ever, probably. Utterly useless. Closely followed by most 4e stuff...

What was so bad about the magic encyclopedia? Just curious.

 

[NineLizards]

What was so bad about the magic encyclopedia? Just curious.

Well, all it is is an index / price list. Admittedly, that's what it says on the back cover so I only have to blame myself buying it. It would have been a great book if the two thin volumes would have been combined into a thick hardcover, with descriptions of different variations. For example, a Death Rattle is worth 500 GP and described in AC04-059, but the book doesn't tell me what it does, what the difference is between a death rattle and a summoning rattle etcetera. And how is a violin / wine bottle rack magical in any way?

In other words, it's not an encyclopedia, it's an index. So yeah, as an index it's useful. As an encyclopedia? Not so.

(Heh. Coming to think of it, I can think of other bad products, it's just that this particular one was such a personal disappointment that it immediately came to mind, probably related to wrong expectations )

 

[ccs]

From my point of view, I can't understand how anyone can find it good, let alone the best, other than perversity, ignorance, or nostalgia.

With that attitude it'd just be a waste of effort for us to explain it to you.

 

[R_J_K75]

Exalted deeds: i refuse to exalt this book. I disavow. (i have no idea why people bother saying bovd when boed exists. What complaints you have that are valid and many that you dont even make about bovd are as applicable or more to boed without fail and it is bad in so many more ways than bovd. Besides bovd is actually a pretty useful book when hamdled with care and boed generally doesnt even have that going for it. Its like its neutered retarded twin with chicken wings growing out of its divine ass.)

Have you ever actually used anything from the Book of Exalted Deeds?

 

[Nebulous]

How in the world....

Seriously, what was anyone involved in this project thinking?

There has been a ton of useless poorly written crap written for D&D over the years, but this goes straight to the bottom of that stack for being not only useless and poorly written but tasteless and offensive.

I can't even... I have no words. People's ability to imagine and create evil continually leaves me astounded.

To be fair, they knew it was naughty word, and poorly written, merely to get a rise out of people by "tweaking your nipples" and run away laughing.

 

[Celebrim]

To be fair, they knew it was naughty word, and poorly written, merely to get a rise out of people by "tweaking your nipples" and run away laughing.

Some people think kicking over apple carts and tripping old people is both funny and profound. But there is really no less self-aware response than, "I was just joking." It makes it worse, not better.