Which of these books would you keep?

[Turjan]

The parcity of votes for the Spell Compendium confuses me.

The reason for that is probably that there's only a "Spell Treasury" on the list, and that's the title of a book for Arcana Evolved.

I voted for three books out of the bunch up there .

 

[joshuakanton]

I would say the Core 3; everything else is just flavor and preference.

Personally I'd own as many books as I could. I love to collect them, just to have them.

 

[KB9JMQ]

I would keep most except for the Races of and Complete Series for the most part.
If I had to get rid of most for some life or death reason I would keep the 3 Core, SC, ECS and UA.

 

[Festivus]

Spell Compendium (I assume that is what you meant by Spell Treasury) is a wonderful single book resource for gathering up all those spells from all over the place.

XPH, is my other choice. There just isn't enough psionic info in the core books.

I don't own DMG2 yet, it's on my wish list.

Beyond that if someone wanted to buy me a book great, otherwise, I can live without it.

 

[buzz]

The reason for that is probably that there's only a "Spell Treasury" on the list, and that's the title of a book for Arcana Evolved.

Crud. I meant Spell Compendium. No way am I selling my AE Spell Treasury.

 

[buzz]

Actually I find it more interesting which books were NOT on the list. A bit real-world, a nice change of pace from all the theoretical polls.

Yes, this is literally a list of what's sitting on my D&D shelf, barring the core books and the LGG.

 

[sckeener]

I don't think I can eliminate much....but if I had to get rid of some...here's what I would keep:

XPH
ELH
PHB2
DMG2
MM2
MM3
FF
Tome of Magic
Draconomicon
Libris Mortis
Lords of Madness
Magic of Eberron
FR CS
Player's Guide to Faerun
Frostburn
Book of Exalted Deeds
Book of Vile Darkness
Deities and Demigods
Savage Species
Unearthed Arcana
Manual of the Planes
Planar Handbook

The ones in white I probably could get rid of too, but I'd prefer not to...red are the must keeps.

 

[rowport]

Buzz-

I voted to get rid of all setting material (FR, Eberron, and Ghostwalk) presuming that you can always play in homegrown or Dungeon modules. If you would never be running games (and you rarely do GM D&D) you could also lose the MM2, MM3, and FF. I would keep the rest of the list, as all of them are good resources for character options, which should be your focus as a player.

 

[Greg K]

The only must keep for would be Unearthed Arcana. However, I probably should have also selected BOVD, Spell Treasury (er, Compendium), MM2 and FF (note: my only reason for keeping the MM2 and FF are that they contain several monsters from previous editions that I wish had been included in the MM).

The only other books that I would have listed are Fiendish Codex: Hordes of the Abyss, and, maybe, Stormwrack. However, neither was on your list.

 

[buzz]

I voted to get rid of all setting material (FR, Eberron, and Ghostwalk) presuming that you can always play in homegrown or Dungeon modules.

I've gotten rid of most of my FR books already. The only reason I've kept the FRCS and the PGtF is in case we ever finish the CotSQ campaign.

Ghostwalk I can see getting the boot, as intriguing as it is; I simply don't see it ever getting used. Eberron stuff I have a hard time parting with, simply because Eberron is so dang cool, and the books are beautiful.

If you would never be running games (and you rarely do GM D&D)...

I'd probably DM more if we didn't already have four freakin' campaigns going.

...you could also lose the MM2, MM3, and FF. I would keep the rest of the list, as all of them are good resources for character options, which should be your focus as a player.

Interestingly, I feel the opposite. Monster books are always of use, as it's easier to make use of monsters; monsters are the primary D&D adventure-fodder. Character options are only of use in making characters; in the three-plus years our group has existed, I've created/leveled, what, five PCs? I suppose if I was DM'ing a homebrew, I'd be rollin' up NPCs a lot... but my brain can only process so many feat chains.