Worst D&D products ever.

[Macbeth]

Can't say they're many products I really consider the worst, but there was this one d20 product... a monster collection based around the premise that the fantasy world was the dream of the real world, or some such. Never clicked for me. Just had this odd feel to it. Couldn't use it, so I sold it to a used book store.

 

[Kaji]

3.0 Psionics. I really wanted to play a psion, but could never figure out a combination that seemed reasonable or that did not have crazy high stats for everything.

Book of Challanges. I'm ashamed I spent money on it. What was I thinking?

3.0 Deities and Demigods. Worthless to me.

Monsters of Faerun (or whatever it was called). I'd be willing to sell it

 

[twofalls]

One mans junk is another man's treasure. This thread is completly subjective, and frankly impossible to respond to unless it were changed to "which prodcut did you most dislike". Without that alteration there is no worst product.

The players handbook first edtion was a ground breaking game book. It was the first hardback rpg book I ever owned and I treasure it for the memories it has given me over 26 years of gaming. It came out just after the first edition Monster Manual and it revolutionized the game every bit as much as third edition has, more in many cases. Comparing the game to what it was before the 1st ed hardback was released, and what the game was before the 3rd edition hardback was released, I'd say that the 1st editon had more impact to the game as a whole. 3rd edition has certainly brought in more players, but the enviroment in 2000 bore no resemblence to the enviroment in 1978. I still have a space on my shelf for it and I take it down and dust it off once in a while just to look through it and reminince. The 1st Editon Players Handbook was a marvel for the fledgling industry. Is third edtion better? Yes, but then Halo 2 is better than Space Invaders, but calling Space Invaders the worst video game ever wont get you far in most circles.

With regards to Gary Gygax, I'll not trash one of the men who was responsible for starting our hobby. I don't agree with everything he has done over the years, or some of the things he has said or even liked all his products. But without him its probable that I wouldn't have my best friends in the world coming to my house every week for the past two decades and participating in the most enjoyable hobby I've ever engaged in.

No disrepect intended Janx, I just don't agree with you.

 

[Oryan77]

3.5 Deluxe Dungeon Master's Screen

It only cost me $17 with tax and had no real helpful info. It actually had LESS info than the original DM Screen or the FR screen. It also came with a "sweet" d20 modern screen that I'd never use cause I don't run modern games. It was also a prize because it was only $10 cheaper than a 3.5 PH and was only a piece of cardboard.

The FLGS guy let me exchange it for some mini's. I just said it's a better deal if I just stand my PH on it's ends and use it as a "deluxe" screen.

I was a sucker and bought it when it came out. The only thing deluxe about it was the price.

 

[David Howery]

hmm... wow, a lot of people on here hate some of the stuff I really liked. As a big fan of wilderness adventures back in my DM days, I rather liked the WSG... granted, it could have been done better, but it did have some useful stuff in it.
Maztica and the Horde... good book ideas, not so good gaming ideas. I did make use of Maztica.. not the Aztec lands, but the vaguely mentioned lands north of them (the counterpart to N. America).. basically, I had the PCs running around in pseudo-Iriquois lands, with a few Vinland viking type colonies for fun. The Horde.. never did make use of it.
I don't know if I can pick one D&D product that qualifies as the worst. As a general thing, sequels seemed to be bad. The first Undermountain set had some good stuff; the sequel was bad. The original GDQ and Slave Lords modules were great, but when TSR gussied them up in shiny new supermodule books, the add on stuff tended to be bad. And of course, there were all those 'Return to.." sequels to classic modules (KotB, ToH, etc.) that were pretty bad.

 

[Alan Shutko]

Y'all missed the WORSTEST D&D product ever.....

CardMaster

Or maybe, unlike me, you all avoided wasting your $20 on it.

Hey, I actually liked this product. Of course, I spent about $5 for two copies at KB. It makes a halfway decent mindless solitaire product that lets you roll dice. But gack, if I'd had paid full price, I'd be upset too.

 

[Minicol]

D&D Miniatures handbook : bad spelling, inconsistent rules, boring content.
Is this even really a D&D product ? I want nothing from i in my game.

Taken without the book, the minis are ok though.

 

[Alhazred]

Hmm...

Thoughts of Darkness (2e Ravenloft) The author, David Wise, apologised for the product on the Kargatane website. (To be fair to him, by the sound of it, he was forced to do a rush job which saw his initial idea totally revamped by TSR).

A Light in the Belfry (2e Ravenloft) It came with a CD full of sound effects. At the end of each effect was an annoying *bing*. Kinda ruined the mood.

Complete Halfling's Handbook and Complete Psionics Handbook (2e)

Hero Builder's Guidebook (3e), Sword and Fist (3e) and Song and Silence (3e), Deities and Demigods (3e).

There are a few more, but these are at the top of my list.

 

[Halivar]

Planar Handbook.

It's the first impulse buy I ever got for D&D, and will definitely be the last. Usually I mull over a book for a month before I buy it; coming to the book store, reading it, rereading it. I don't buy it unless I must have it.

Planar Handbook is the one exception I made, and it's pretty worthless. Even the fluff on Sigil (the only good part) is done better in 2nd Edition books.

 

[Remathilis]

Players Options: Skills and Powers. Why Gods Why? Sub-abilities? utterly castrated sub-races? Point bought characters that could kick the snot out of everyone? Ughh. Luckily, the other two PO books (C&T and S&M) made up for this mindless drivel.

Complete Priests Handbook: Or Complete lets-gimp-the-cleric-so-nobody-would-ever-play-one Handbook.

Deva Spark: A Half-WHAT? (Read the module)

Unearthed Arcana (1e): This is to first edition what PO: S&P was to 2e, a way of sacrificing play-balance in exchange for K3w1 P0w3rZ.
Enemies and Allies: Oh Good, pre-gened NPC's I'LL NEVER USE!