Worst D&D products ever.

[Psion]

The single most pointless product, I don't remember the name of, but basically it was an INDEX of all magic items in D&D.

Being shrink wrapped, I thought it was like the Encyclopedia Magica. I was misinformed.


I actually liked the Complete Priest book. Thoroughly underpowered... but when it came to defining priests in an adaptable generic format, it was inspired. I wish 3e's take on priests was so generic and adaptable, instead of sticking us with Greyhawk deities.

I'm not sure what problem anyone had with the Ninjas book either. It (finally) reintroduced martial arts into 2e (something I had to house rule in for years), and had some great roleplaying material in it. It was by Allston and had Halloway art. How could anyone not like that? Sigh. Some people I don't understand.

Likewise WSG. Nowadays it seemed primitive (and it doesn't hold a candle to WBG), but it really had the first major world building guidance in it. They even repritned part of it in the creative campaigning 2e book.

And I just noticed someone had the audacity to list World Builder's Guide itself. Fortunately, it appears he did not read it (it came with a PAD of forms; the book itself had NO forms in it. No, wingsandsword, you do not remember correctly). Which is, AFAIAC, the only possible explanation for why anyone would knock this book. I still use it today. It has great idea seeds for world creation and great guidelines for filling in blanks and fleshing out worlds.

 

[Nilhgualcm Leahcim]

The Return to the Temple?

Really? I am running this for my gaming group right now and we are really enjoying it. What about it made you go *shudder ughg shudder*? Just would like to know.
Michael

 

[Mystery Man]

Planar Handbook

Dragonlance...(modules)

That one old module where you wind up on a spaceship (can't remember the name)

 

[Psion]

Really? I am running this for my gaming group right now and we are really enjoying it. What about it made you go *shudder ughg shudder*? Just would like to know.
Michael

I know many people are reporting it's a monser slog.

I know the feeling, having tried to run book 2 of night below.

 

[billd91]

I know many people are reporting it's a monser slog.

I know the feeling, having tried to run book 2 of night below.

And that's what does it for me. It's little more than a monster slog and I get pretty tired with that style of D&D as it is. If you ask me, the "back to the dungeon" was the worst marketing idea any publisher of D&D could run with. I might as well be playing Diablo if all I'm going to do is rack up a body count.

 

[VirgilCaine]

And then you got into the crunch parts of the book: We had the widely-loathed bladesinger class kit, elven platemail, bladesinging combat style, the double-arrow shot, and my personal favorite: elf-only mithril artificial limbs. The book showers elf players with items, classes, and abilites that range from mildly to severely overpowered and are unavailable to any other race.

That IS bad. And hilarious.


Re: Wilderness Survival Guide---I had heard that this was useful and good--or am I thinking the 2e version, the 1e version sucked?

Close behind this stinker are Dungeonland and the Land Beyond the Magic Mirror. Arbitrary stupidity, and all IIRC by the same author!

It's for a change of pace, not for "serious" adventuring. You couldn't tell?

I like the free Al-Qadim stuff on the WotC website.
The Sha'ir is certainly different and I REALLY like the symbiotic snake-turban "monster" that helps wizards out. Theres even a 3e conversion of the stuff.

 

[Arnwyn]

I can only note the worst products from the books I actually own:

- Complete Priest's Handbook
- Complete Psionics Handbook
- Sword & Fist
- Player's Option: Skills & Powers
- Netheril box and the related adventure
- 2e Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms
- 2e Sages & Specialists
- most of 2e Ravenloft adventures

I'm not sure what problem anyone had with the Ninjas book either. It (finally) reintroduced martial arts into 2e (something I had to house rule in for years), and had some great roleplaying material in it. It was by Allston and had Halloway art. How could anyone not like that? Sigh. Some people I don't understand.

Likewise WSG. Nowadays it seemed primitive (and it doesn't hold a candle to WBG), but it really had the first major world building guidance in it. They even repritned part of it in the creative campaigning 2e book.

I'm with you on those two. I still use the WSG to this day (weather, fires, etc) and I liked the fact that, despite the poor name, the Ninja's Handbook brought back the pretty good 1eOA martial arts system. Really, it was the OA of 2e.

 

[kolikeos]

oh, and i forgot all the psionic stuff. it's not bad, but i really don't like it anyway.

 

[Warrior Poet]

OK, I'm old, and my opinions are probably just as dusty, but I must chime in about some of the comments on the Tomb of Horrors.

You are completely correct in your assessment of this stinker. It’s the module to buy if you want to kill off your players, it has no other purpose and there is no plot, so you can’t even use it by extracting some of the player-killers and using the plot.

Ack! Sacrilege!

I must protest (in the most respectful possible way). Tomb is awesome! Yes, it is absolutely a player killer, probably the ultimate player killer, in a way. However, I think it has many merits, which have grown over the years, rather than diminished.

I submit: when it was first published, I think it was a tournament module (I may be mistaken. The esteemed Mr. Gygax would know, as it was his baby). I think this is its intended setting. DON'T take your favorite characters through it! I suggest a different approach. Call up your gaming friends, have folks show up on a chill autumn evening with the wind whistling outside and the rain pattering on the windows, pour your favorite beverage, and have everyone roll up some 16th-17th level characters that are pure fun and to whom you have absolutely no attachment.

Then run Tomb. Will everyone (anyone?) survive? Doubtful. Will it be a blast? I think so. I don't really think the module is supposed to have a plot, or ultimate goal. I think it's just supposed to be awful-gleeful fun.

When I was in junior high school, our soccer team played the best soccer team in the city, probably the state, as part of an exhibition, off-record match. They stomped us 21-nil. 21! In a soccer game! And they even gave us THEIR goalie! Were we supposed to win? Not really. Did we all have fun? Actually, yes! It was hilarious, and once we stopped taking the game seriously, we laughed the whole time. Coach even moved everyone to forward, at one point (didn't help).

Anyway, I think Tomb is kind of like that. Not to be taken too seriously. That's my read, at any rate.

I also think Tomb was meant to really challenge the way dungeons are thought about and approached. Not so much kill monster/take stuff, but more how the hell do you navigate this thing? What's our strategy? Maybe we can finally use that 10' pole we've been carrying around. And who built this place?

Close behind this stinker are Dungeonland and the Land Beyond the Magic Mirror. Arbitrary stupidity, and all IIRC by the same author!

I feel faint . . . I should have a lie down . . .

Again, I have to stand up for a couple of classics. Goofy? Yes! Strange? Yes! Wildly wonderfully weird? YES! I know, these aren't everyone's idea of good, but I thought they were imaginative and interesting and challenging (like Tomb). I liked the departure, if only as exercise in something a little different.

Granted, I didn't want to experience these adventures all the time (including Tomb), but they were a nice break every so often.

But, as I said, I'm old, and mostly befuddled, and probably a poor judge of what makes truly compelling games. Still, I have fond memories of Tomb, especially a paladin called Sir Godboy and his holy sword, and the sphere of annihilation, and jumping in after the weapon . . .

Now, where're my pills?

Warrior Poet

 

[francisca]

Hero Builder's Guidebook

Anything Slade Henson wrote for Lankhmar. Pure rubbish. It's like he never read any of the stories.