For me it was the 2E Skills and Powers. This was the min/maxer's dream come true. It had rules for splitting your stats into two categories each. Basically your stat was split into the bonuses and then the stuff you didn't care about. Then you could take from one to give to the other. Lots of min/max rules in there. It had nothing of any substance, just ways to try and squeeze out a bonus here and there by sacrificing thing that had no mechanical advantage.
Worst Purchase Ever?
E
Elderbrain
Guest
3E has some really pointless books taht caught me out as a completist:
But I did like the list of prices for mundane items like trade goods, clothing and jewelry in the Arms and Equipment Guide - wish they would reprint that page, page-and-a-half... I still use that info in my 5e game.
(P.S. miss old Alchemy rules - 5e ones only let you make six different things, per XGTE - one of which is soap.)
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Apparently I've been lucky, or maybe I'm just more chill than most. I can't think of anything that moved me to actual rage. I've certainly bought some duds, but I'm having trouble remembering them, because my reaction on discovering I've bought a dud is to sigh, put it on a shelf, and forget about it. I have a much better memory for the stuff I loved than the stuff I disliked.
One I do recall is the 2E Complete Priest's Handbook. There was just... nothing interesting, nothing useful. There was no reason anyone would ever play a priest from that book instead of a cleric or druid, and no interesting lore. There wasn't even anything worth getting mad at.
One I do recall is the 2E Complete Priest's Handbook. There was just... nothing interesting, nothing useful. There was no reason anyone would ever play a priest from that book instead of a cleric or druid, and no interesting lore. There wasn't even anything worth getting mad at.
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TiwazTyrsfist
Adventurer
3.X era
Book
Of
Vile
Darkness
EDIT: At least Book of Erotic Fantasy had the defense of being 3rd party. WotC is fully responsible for the awefulness that was BoVD. Also for that matter, Book of Exalted Deeds was only very marginally better, if only because it's subject matter wasn't late 90's style grim-dark edgy wannabe. (yes I know it came out in 2002/2003. doesn't stop it being 90's style bad). They both suffered from just being poorly written and based on bad premises. Uhg
Book
Of
Vile
Darkness
EDIT: At least Book of Erotic Fantasy had the defense of being 3rd party. WotC is fully responsible for the awefulness that was BoVD. Also for that matter, Book of Exalted Deeds was only very marginally better, if only because it's subject matter wasn't late 90's style grim-dark edgy wannabe. (yes I know it came out in 2002/2003. doesn't stop it being 90's style bad). They both suffered from just being poorly written and based on bad premises. Uhg
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MechaPilot
Explorer
Neither of my two worst purchases moved me to actual rage either. They just get the title of worst because of how little use I got out of them for the money I spent on them.
Never had the BoVD, but I do own the BoEF, and the majority of the non-crunch parts of the book are pretty good (the sidebar about spells and consent, and the section about different possible models for marriages are both very good). Doesn't make it worth the cover price, though. And I could have done without the CG art in it; drawings or paintings would've been just fine, and they probably would've drawn less negative attention to the book.
RedShirtNo5.1
Explorer
I think I've got three contenders.
3e Deities and Demigods. Ugh. I remember really liking the art, but thinking, "why am I getting this?" And regretting it 5 minutes later. At least in 1e Dieties and Demigods the stat blocks were short. And at least epic level handbook had some interesting monsters.
DL modules in anthology form. Knew its reputation going in, thought that I could fix those issues for my group and still get a fun epic high-fantasy adventure quest. Railroad was so ingrained it couldn't find a way to fix it. I admitted defeat I think in DL4. That module still pisses me off. The players are supposed to return the Hammer of Kharas to the dwarves. If the players return the hammer, everyone is happy and the players get the reward. If the players refuse, the dwarves take the hammer by force, no rolls necessary, and GIVE THE SAME REWARD. Talk about negating player agency.
2e Complete Book of Elves. Isn't it great to be an elf?
3e Deities and Demigods. Ugh. I remember really liking the art, but thinking, "why am I getting this?" And regretting it 5 minutes later. At least in 1e Dieties and Demigods the stat blocks were short. And at least epic level handbook had some interesting monsters.
DL modules in anthology form. Knew its reputation going in, thought that I could fix those issues for my group and still get a fun epic high-fantasy adventure quest. Railroad was so ingrained it couldn't find a way to fix it. I admitted defeat I think in DL4. That module still pisses me off. The players are supposed to return the Hammer of Kharas to the dwarves. If the players return the hammer, everyone is happy and the players get the reward. If the players refuse, the dwarves take the hammer by force, no rolls necessary, and GIVE THE SAME REWARD. Talk about negating player agency.
2e Complete Book of Elves. Isn't it great to be an elf?
Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
The single worst books I ever bought were the 3.x DMG2 and Magic of Incarnum. Not rage inducing, but definitely kick-myself-in-the-head-ers.
Old One Eye
First Post
Van Richten's Guide to Vampires. Such a pithy book that generates no ideas that inspire me. A boring book is fine if it has something table ready, even if crappy. But nothing in the Guide for use at the table. Just for inspiration, but it inspires nothing.
Gradine
The Elephant in the Room (she/her)
Magic of Incarnum was one of my favorite 3.5 supplements, actually. My Incarnate's still one of my favorite PC's I've ever played.
It was definitely out there though.
transtemporal
Explorer
Back in 3.5e days I bought that "Tome of Erotic Fantasy" in a misguided attempt to get my GF into DnD. Just an awful awful book. Don't know what I was thinking.
