Why don't you buy non-WoTC stuff?

[JRRNeiklot]

Ok, great but after the initial one purchase what made you come back for seconds...thirds etc.

Again not wanting to start any fights I am really curious and this thread is very interesting.

I can't really explain it. I think WOTC is Drizzt and Elminster and D20 is Conan and Alan Quartermain. It's just a different FEEL. Neither is neccessarily better, just different. Kind of like the difference between WOTC's official boards and these. It's a different atmosphere, and one that I enjoy more.

I still haven't explained crap, have I?

Oh well.

 

[Pramas]

I suspect If I were to see some more “well rounded” crunch books…I might get those…by well rounded I mean “not narrow in scope”…the majority of the crunch books devote a huge amount of material to ONE thing… traps… monsters (and usually one “type” like Demons, or Oriental monsters, etc,)…. spells…. rogues… elves....swords…etc…I think that’s the main reason why Necropolis has really impressed me, it’s got a huge epic adventure, it’s got a mini monster manual, it’s got a mini Deities and Demi-gods plus new domains, it’s got magic items, etc….It has a little of everything….And I think that’s why the FR books are much to my taste…they have a little bit of everything in them; Prclasses, spells, organizations, background history, adventures, magic items, etc. I’d rather spend my $30 on a book that has A LOT of different things I’d use, Instead of paying the same amount for a book wholly about traps (for example), and only use 1/10th of the content.

Hammer & Helm is a "crunch" book you might enjoy. Yes, the topic is dwarves, but you get a huge variety of material inside (prestige classses, feats, spells, monsters, magic items, exotic armor and other equipment, siege equipment, and some alternate racial concepts.

I'd also recommend Book of the Righteous, our latest release. It presents a complete mythology and cosmology, with 23 plug and play churches, plus some heretical cults and the like. The churches are highly detailed (with myths, dogma, holy days, symbology, sample prayers, and more), and they are supported with "crunch" like holy orders, magic items, monsters, and feats. And for those of you who like great art, the illustrations are gorgeous.

 

[tburdett]

What would make you decide to try a new d20 company (by new I mean one you have not gotten something from, not a brand new company).

Looking at their stuff in my FLGS and not immediately thinking that it's broken (Quintessential Elf, for example, set this alarm off right away).

 

[Nightfall]

I agree with Chris, Book of the Righteous is a GREAT resource. Certainly more useful than D&Dmg.

 

[Crothian]

I agree with Chris, Book of the Righteous is a GREAT resource. Certainly more useful than D&Dmg.

I'll second that and stress it is much more useful. At the very least even if you don't use the gods you have a great example on how to write up the religious in a useful way.

 

[JeffB]

Hammer & Helm is a "crunch" book you might enjoy. Yes, the topic is dwarves, but you get a huge variety of material inside (prestige classses, feats, spells, monsters, magic items, exotic armor and other equipment, siege equipment, and some alternate racial concepts.

I'd also recommend Book of the Righteous, our latest release. It presents a complete mythology and cosmology, with 23 plug and play churches, plus some heretical cults and the like. The churches are highly detailed (with myths, dogma, holy days, symbology, sample prayers, and more), and they are supported with "crunch" like holy orders, magic items, monsters, and feats. And for those of you who like great art, the illustrations are gorgeous.

Chris,

Thanx for the info. I have been a bit intrigued by your Book of the Righeous, simply because it's not a Monster Manual parading about as a book about dieties like D&DG is. That is the "toolkit" type of stuff I'm looking for (see below)

I'll check out your other book too, but as you said..It's JUST about dwarves. I realize there might be a TON of cool stuff about Dwarves in it, but it is still very narrow in scope. I can see where a player might find a need for this sort of thing, but as a DM I need more varied materials, and actually I'd rather buy a "toolkit" type product (Such as Manual of the Planes, or the Kenzer VDHB). I'd rather have the tools to do it myself, than have someone complete the project for me , if you get my drift.

Most who have read my posts know I am a fluff over crunch kinda DM anyday...but I do like some...But when I buy a "Crunch" book, I would like to have some variety...The Kalamar PG is a perfect example...It has a ton of stuff..not just for dwarves, but all races...not just for fighters but for every class...and it includes new PRclasses, spells, feats and whatnot for every type of race or class or whatnot...

That's not to say I won't buy a narrow scope D20 book If I think I'll need it, but I haven't yet...If I need to build a Dwarven Prclass from an idea I had, I'll make it up myself instead of buying a huge book that I don't really need. I'm just not your typical 3E gamer/buyer....I tend to do the mechanics stuff myself..I need the jumpstarts with plots/adventure hooks/ etc.

In any event, thanx very much for the info, and I'll definitely be buying M&M, so you got one sale for sure...and the BotR sounds like it might make it to my shelf as well!

 

[MEG Hal]

Mock up of next book cover

Here is #2 cover done by Jason Engle for our upcoming Nat20 Tournaments, Fairs and taverns: Let the Games Begin book, as always comments welcome. This is a mock up of the actual cover, the full version will be here soon.

 

[Buttercup]

I want a product called “Large City on the South Side of a Large River” that tells me where the temple district is, where the wizard guild is. How many blacksmiths are there, what are their names, and where are they located, and their stat blocks are. I want someone to do the grunt work and make it easy for me to add the details. For this service, I give them money

I can take “Large City on the South Side of a Large River” and turn into Dyvers. Some else can take it and turn it whatever city they want. I believe that such things would have very broad appeal to home brewers, and published campaign players alike.

Seven Cities comes close to this, but the cities are named. It's not real trouble for me, since I'll just scan the map, open it in Photoshop and remove the text I don't like. But it certainly would be easier if the city were unnamed.

So I'll second this request. I want a city book with 'Large City South of River', Large City North of River', 'Small City strategically located near Mountain Pass' and so forth. Honestly, I can't imagine having too many city, town & village maps.

 

[jmucchiello]

I want a city book with 'Large City South of River', Large City North of River',

C'mon! Can't you just turn the map around? One "large city on one side of a river" could both of your cities as well as the east and west cities.

Joe Mucchiello
Throwing Dice Games
http://www.throwingdice.com

 

[JohnNephew]

Seven Cities comes close to this, but the cities are named. It's not real trouble for me, since I'll just scan the map, open it in Photoshop and remove the text I don't like. But it certainly would be easier if the city were unnamed.

Our thinking was, it's easier to un-name a city than to create a name on the spot if you need to. Plus, many of the cities have very generic names -- "Battle City," for instance -- which could even be thought of as nicknames ("Oh, Markovolpolopolis -- right, that city; a lot of people call it Battle City for short, because it's less of a tongue twister, and there was a huge battle there a few generations ago...").

As a rule, I feel it's better, even in "generic" products, to use specific names. Better to say "Thorbald the Blacksmith," rather than "Blacksmith #1." It reads better, gets the reader more into the milieu, and should not be any trouble for a GM to replace the name if it's necessary. (GM campaign notes read: "Balthurin the Blacksmith: use stats for Thorbald, from book X, page Y.")

Anyhow, that's where we're coming from, and why we chose as we did after debating the issue.