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oxinabox
2009-06-19, 11:58 PM
If you went out today, to buy the 3.5 books.
(assuming all of yours/ your clubs) were burnt in a fire or something.
And you had enough money to buy 4. 3.5 books.
Which would you buy, assuming the first 3 are the Core 3 (PHP,DMG,MM)

Mine:
Planar HandBook.
Such great races, and it has a chapter on the planes.
it has monsters (and templates), Class Substitution levels, prestige classes.
Spells and feats.
It's like a microcosm of dnd.
But it's the races that sells it to me.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-06-20, 12:04 AM
If you went out today, to buy the 3.5 books.
(assuming all of yours/ your clubs) were burnt in a fire or something.
And you had enough money to buy 4. 3.5 books.
Which would you buy, assuming the first 3 are the Core 3 (PHP,DMG,MM)

Mine:
Planar HandBook.
Such great races, and it has a chapter on the planes.
it has monsters (and templates), Class Substitution levels, prestige classes.
Spells and feats.
It's like a microcosm of dnd.
But it's the races that sells it to me.Tomb of Battle, Spell Compendium, Magic Item Compendium, and...I'm not sure.

After all, I already have the core 3, and more. (d20srd.com)

OverdrivePrime
2009-06-20, 12:06 AM
For me, it's the Tome of Battle. 20 levels of melee fun? Yes please!

Proven_Paradox
2009-06-20, 12:10 AM
If for some reason I didn't have access to the SRD and thus could only buy one book in this, add my voice to those shouting Tome of Battle. I rarely go into melee without it.

If I could use the SRD to avoid buying the core three... Spell Compendium and Magic Item Compendium would be the next two for sure. My fourth would depend on how I'm feeling at time. Maybe Magic of Incarnum--since the rest of our books burned maybe I could finally get some people to read the book and give it the love it deserves. Maybe Complete Scoundrel--I love me some skill tricks. Perhaps PHBII; it's practically Core anymore and has a lot for everyone to love.

d13
2009-06-20, 12:13 AM
Tome of Battle... Still, I never read it D:

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2009-06-20, 12:19 AM
I'll agree that you don't need the core 3. My choices would definitely include Spell Compendium and PH2. The other two would probably be between MIC, ToB, and MM3. If it had to be just one book plus the core 3, that one book would probably be Spell Compendium, though PH2 is a close runner-up.

TheThan
2009-06-20, 12:19 AM
Players handbook II
Or possibly TOB though its not quite my first pick.

Cedrass
2009-06-20, 12:20 AM
Tome of Battle.

'nuff said.

If SRD is included: Tome of Battle, Spell Compedium, Magic Item Compedium, Player's Handbook 2 (the classes are awesome!)

strawberryman
2009-06-20, 12:22 AM
Tome of Battle, fo'sho.
Not sure what else, since the SRD comments are valid. All I really care about is TOB.

erikun
2009-06-20, 12:22 AM
Expanded Psionics Handbook. Then again, that is already available in the SRD for free.

Nohwl
2009-06-20, 01:27 AM
if i could only get 1 book, it would be complete divine.

if i can pick 4, complete divine, spell compendium, complete champion, and players handbook 2.

i prefer playing divine casters, so complete divine for prestige classes [and divine metamagic, even if it is without nightsticks], spell compendium and players handbook 2 for a better spell list, and complete champion for a few feats.

the next books i would be trying to get after those are complete arcane, races of the dragon, players guide to faerun, and fiendish codex 2, all of them are for a few feats.

Quietus
2009-06-20, 01:29 AM
I'd pick up the PHB, DMG, PHB2, and probably the Magic Item Compendium.

PHB : Core rules, starting wealth, mobile spell source (won't always have the SRD with me)
DMG : Wealth by level, rules on certain things that aren't in the PHB, and easy access to common magic item information
PHB2 : Just all around neat, I like it.
MiC : Never poked around in it, but it'd be nice to toss a few new items around for the players, as opposed to "A belt that casts Giant Size X/day at Y caster level"

RTGoodman
2009-06-20, 01:40 AM
Depends on how my gaming was going at the time. If I were DMing, I'd definitely grab Monster Manual 3. If I were playing, it'd either be ToB or PHB2 - both are pretty great.

MCerberus
2009-06-20, 01:47 AM
Ever since I bought ECS, my players have been using more and more of it. For some reason, they can't get enough of the setting. One player especially flipped over Warforged. Your mileage will vary, but for my group it was a solid choice.

Ichneumon
2009-06-20, 01:49 AM
Tome of Magic was great in how it had so much new fluff and ways to incorporate it into a system.

Tempest Fennac
2009-06-20, 01:52 AM
I'd pick Tome of Battle (due to pretty much all of the core books, and more, being freely available online, it's the only sourcebook I've brought so far, and I like the book's classes a lot).

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-06-20, 01:53 AM
Tome of Magic was great in how it had so much new fluff and ways to incorporate it into a system.You mean the Tome of Pact Magic? I remember them releasing a Tome of Shadow Magic and Tome of Truespeach packaged with it, but ToPM is the only one worth using.

Zen Master
2009-06-20, 02:17 AM
I think my 4th book would be Andrzej Sapkowskis Blood of Elves. Yup - I think that's it.

Thurbane
2009-06-20, 03:21 AM
Player's Handbook II

Cicciograna
2009-06-20, 03:22 AM
Tome of Battle, without any thought.

oxinabox
2009-06-20, 04:09 AM
I can't see what's so great about ToB, I guess i should sit down and read it
Great point about he SRD.
Hypertext srd's fun. The Wiki has the Races organised by LA,ECL, and Hit die.
I'm a race nut, can you tell?

So since i now have 4 books... dunno
Planar handbook.
Playershand book (SRD forbids the telling of how to create characters)
Manual of the planes
2nd ed Planescape EDIT: on second thought: Spell compedium


*Goes to Gaming club and gets book. Picks up DungeonScape while he's there - let's have a look at factotum*

I don't like Tome of Blood... It's so bad if you just want to simply sell your soul, I was disapointed

Irreverent Fool
2009-06-20, 04:53 AM
If I could only have one extra book I'd have to add my voice to Tome of Battle.

The Spell Compendium and Magic Item Compendium are very important as far as I am concerned. Those three extra books are absolutely vital to all the games I've played in or DM'd for. The Rules Compendium is pretty handy too, but it'd probably be close to the last book I'd ever buy again. :smallsmile:

obnoxious
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J.Gellert
2009-06-20, 04:56 AM
Very easy for me as well, Spell Compendium. It's really the only book I have near me on the table anyway.

T.G. Oskar
2009-06-20, 05:34 AM
Book of Exalted Deeds. Not even the legendary Tome of Battle (also known as the Book of Nine Swords, or the Book of Awesome Wuxia Moves and Supernatural Fighting Techniques) can compare to the sheer brokenness inspiring power of Good distilled into one book. It's a shame that the Celestial Hebdomad couldn't get a pimpin' like their enemies did on the time 3.5 was still kickin'. Or that the awesome Retributive Amulet was nerfed to oblivion (though that gave me the idea to call it the Greater Retributive Amulet) Or the fixed Paladin Fist of Raziel, or the cheap-skate feat Vow of Poverty.

Kaelaroth
2009-06-20, 05:36 AM
Monster Manual Three, methinks. MM never had quite enough monsters for my groups, and MM3 provided some great (albeit slightly overpowered) bosses.

ghost_warlock
2009-06-20, 07:01 AM
I'd skip on the DMG and MM and pick up Spell Compendium, Tome of Battle, and Expanded Psionics Handbook. My rationale is that someone else can frigging DM from now on! :smalltongue:

Tetsubo 57
2009-06-20, 07:34 AM
It would be a very hard choice between the Expanded Psionics Handbook and the PHB II. I can access the EPH data via the SRD of course. But I like holding a book. The PHB II info is only obtainable in print form though... so I guess I would go with the PHB II.

paladin_carvin
2009-06-20, 07:57 AM
I take it the point of this exercise is not to see how you can avoid buying three books but what is the most important non-core.

That said, I guess I'll be the first to say Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. The thing is thick, and as it's been said before- you can pick a random page in a random FR book and you can probably make a quest if not an entire campaign centered on what's on that page. But I DM a lot. If I wasn't, I'd probably pick Races of the Dragons, 'cause I love me some Kobolds.


Tome of Battle people: Why? This isn't sarcasm... I've looked at the thing a few times and never found anything worthwhile. But it's easy to scratch the surface of something and find nothing when a treasure awaits inside. So let me in on what it's all about.

Josh the Aspie
2009-06-20, 08:05 AM
Expanded Psionics Handbook. No question. I love psionics, and enjoy including it in my games, even if it is an exotic tradition that the PCs are completely unaware of at the start of the game.

AslanCross
2009-06-20, 08:33 AM
Tome of Battle was actually the 4th book I bought.

Irreverent Fool
2009-06-20, 08:47 AM
Tome of Battle people: Why? This isn't sarcasm... I've looked at the thing a few times and never found anything worthwhile. But it's easy to scratch the surface of something and find nothing when a treasure awaits inside. So let me in on what it's all about.

Because as you level up as a fighter, rogue, or even ranger, the most interesting combat options available to you are either based off of your magical items, or possibly tactical feats. Magical items tend to be granted at the whim of the DM and can be taken away from you. Tactical feats tend to be rather mediocre and only of use in highly specific situations.

And of course there's the fighter who's pinnacle ability is the Power Attack, which he obtains at level one and continues to be his best attack option through his career.

The Tome of Battle options (whether or not you like the fluff) allow for a great deal of true customization in what a 'melee character' can actually do. I am particularly fond of the Insightful Strike and its Greater version as it allows a character who wishes to use a shield to do significant damage. (It does damage based on a Concentration check, which is further beneficial to the defense-based character since it's CON-based).

There are arguments that it's just 'spells for fighters', but if you've ever seen a fighter played for several levels as opposed to a warblade, you'll probably find that the warblade player is much more interested in tactical combat since he actually has some options.

This is why I chose the book for this little poll. I tend to play spellcasters, so the main book I bring to a table is the Spell Compendium and when I DM the main book I bring is the Magic Item Compendium. But there are plenty of spells in the PHB and it's easy to make your own spells. Similarly, it's very easy to come up with your own magic items. But ToB offers new mechanics and base classes that can really spice up the game. Every other supplement (with the exception of Tome of Magic) can be extrapolated from the core 3.

Of course, if I had the option I'd just keep all my books on hand. I love them all.

Note: ToB also has the best multiclassing mechanic. Non initiator classes count as 1/2 each when determining level-based maneuver learning and other effects based on IL. If casters had something like this you might see a full caster willing to take a PrC that doesn't advance casting at every level (though that'd probably still be unlikely).

obnoxious
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Lady Tialait
2009-06-20, 08:52 AM
Complete Scoundrel.

For some reason I'm in love with Luck Feats....

Seriously...every 3.5 feat I takes seems to be a luck feat....and I use them..alot.

paladin_carvin
2009-06-20, 09:05 AM
Lots!

I suppose so... but I play fighters and for the most part I enjoy it for the simplicity and clarity of role, while being front line. While I haven't looked deep into ToB, I doubt I need to. If I wanted tons of options, I'd pick the monk or the ranger, rather than a fighter or Paladin (yea, I include Paladin in there. Paladins are slightly weaker fighters who cure and beat down evil doers.).

But that's just an opinion, nothing more than musings. I can see your point, though. And I do like being able to do things with shields.

oxinabox
2009-06-20, 09:31 AM
wow, noone shares my love of players guide to the planes...
:smallsigh:

woodenbandman
2009-06-20, 09:33 AM
ToB was the first book I bought, at the same time as Magic of Incarnum and Tome of Magic.

Haven
2009-06-20, 09:36 AM
2nd ed Planescape EDIT: on second thought: Spell compedium

This, without the second thought.

Eldariel
2009-06-20, 09:46 AM
Tome of Battle or Spell Compendium. Really tough choice between the two, but ultimately casters are just fine with just PHB, while melee really needs Tome of Battle.

Malicte
2009-06-20, 10:07 AM
Tome of Battle. After that, Eberron Campaign Setting, Magic of Incarnum, Tome of (Pact) Magic, and the compendiums can all fight for #5.

oxinabox
2009-06-20, 10:42 AM
This, without the second thought.
2nded Planescape is a pretty good Setting.
I'm running it in 4thed.
The inner planes modal nicely replaces the *shudder* elemental chaos.
Although I'm in the process of "finetuning" some of the name/direction of the quasielemental and paraelemental planes.

ColdSepp
2009-06-20, 10:56 AM
Tome of Battle.

The best thing that happened to Melee classes.

only1doug
2009-06-20, 11:04 AM
Very easy for me as well, Spell Compendium. It's really the only book I have near me on the table anyway.

ROFL, I'm sitting here reading this statement while leaning one elbow on spell compendium, the only DnD book on the table... possibly the only one in the room.

dragonfan6490
2009-06-20, 11:15 AM
ToB. It's the only book that I want that I don't own. But if we're not counting books that I own, ToB. It really is one of the best books out there.

GreyMantle
2009-06-20, 02:31 PM
The Tome of Awesome (or any of its alternate names) (http://www.mediafire.com/?hbtfnmmynzd). Seriously better than just about anything WotC published. I don't know what I would do without it.

But if I was limited to books I actually had to buy (and not just download), probably Tome of Battle, or maybe the MMIII.