Your best and worst book picks

[maggot]

Most used: Libris Mortis.
Never used: Manual of the Planes

Wow! I took maybe two monsters from Libris Mortis, but I use MotP every game. I'm not bad mouthing Libris Mortis, it might just not fit my campaign. But how can you never use MotP?

 

[The Shaman]

For d20 Modern, excluding the core rule book -

Most used: d20 Weapons Locker
Least used: Menace Manual

Now here's the thing: If you asked my opinion on these two books, I would tell you that Menace Manual is very cool while Weapons Locker isn't all that great - yet I use WL quite often in running my Modern games while the monsters and organizations of MM are just interesting reading to me. Until now, I never really noticed that...

I did not consider TGMs' Modern Magic - it is "never used," not "least used" (but that's no reflection on the quality, rather I haven't had need of it yet). I actually used a set of yacht plans and stats for a helicopter from Menace Manual, so it is in the category of material that has appeared in at least one of my games.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Let's see.....

Actually purchased - Well that lets out a couple - I skilled Book of Vile Darkness and Heroes of Horror because after fairly solid readthough at the store, I realized I would never use them.

Most used -
For reference - The Ultimate collection books by mongoose (Feats, Arcane, Divine) - I use the spell books every session, and feats every character I make. I find these kind of collection invaluable (and I am just waiting for my copy of the Spell Compendium - I'm sure it will be up there).

Worst/least used....I have a whole bookshelf of crud that I bought during the first year or so of the d20 craze that sits and gathers dust, but among the worst were the FFE books I had - the item books that were nothing more than 2 pages of boring fluff, a paragraph that was game mechanics and the whole book was just an add for thier replicas they sold. The Green Race modules are are in there.

 

[Aus_Snow]

how can you never use MotP?

Easily! It sits on my shelf, as it has now for months upon months. I can understand perfectly.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

For d20 Modern, excluding the core rule book -

Most used: d20 Weapons Locker
Least used: Menace Manual

Now here's the thing: If you asked my opinion on these two books, I would tell you that Menace Manual is very cool while Weapons Locker isn't all that great - yet I use WL quite often in running my Modern games while the monsters and organizations of MM are just interesting reading to me. Until now, I never really noticed that...

I did not consider TGMs' Modern Magic - it is "never used," not "least used" (but that's no reflection on the quality, rather I haven't had need of it yet). I actually used a set of yacht plans and stats for a helicopter from Menace Manual, so it is in the category of material that has appeared in at least one of my games.

Almost the opposite of my experience. I only have access to d20 WL because a couple of my players were in another Modern campaign, and they brought that book over. I wish that book would go away, frankly. Players try to take the cheese from it. (They're smart enough not to tempt my wrath by playing with FNs, but they always go for the +2 mastercraft 2d10 weapons, even though they know I'll say no.)

I find WL to be pretty decent. I've used some of the NPCs (stat blocks - I wrote up their personalities). Too many of the heroic NPC groups have oddly matched levels (what are 6th-level NPCs doing in a group with 14th-level NPCs *ahem* Carver's Ministry *ahem* ) to actually use as written.

 

[shilsen]

Most used: Eberron Campaign Setting

Least used: Savage Species

 

[Crothian]

Most: Atlas En Route series and MEG Foul Locales. THose books have so many cool ideas in them that each time I read them I get plots and things for my games.

Least: Hard to say, I have lots of books I don't use. But the thing is Ijust becasue I'm not using it now doesn't mean I never will.

 

[A'koss]

Most Used: Iron Heroes & Arcana Evolved.
Least Used: Lords of Madness (I want to use it, but I'm just not running a gooey game right now... )

 

[Pants]

Wow! I took maybe two monsters from Libris Mortis, but I use MotP every game. I'm not bad mouthing Libris Mortis, it might just not fit my campaign. But how can you never use MotP?

By not running planar-focused games.

Most used: Expanded Psionics Handbook, Eberron Campaign Setting, Sharn City of Towers, Unearthed Arcana.
Never Used: Epic Level Handbook, Sandstorm.

 

[ZombieButch]

Hmm... well, my most used is probably The Psychics Handbook. Even though I haven't run a D&D game in forever, it's incredibly inspirational, since I'm a total fiend for psi powers in my games.

Least? I couldn't even tell you anymore. I reviewed about 200 or so products for GamingReport, most of those D&D, and most of those were used just long enough for me to review before they were shelved alongside similar books I bought for myself and decided I didn't like. Now I can't remember which ones are which.