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TigerHunter
2007-06-20, 05:54 PM
I'm a new player to DnD--I've picked up the three core rulebooks (PHB, DMG and MM1).
What other rulebooks should I get?

Neon Knight
2007-06-20, 05:58 PM
Tome of Battle. Makes melee more fun than being a caster, in my opinion.

Fax Celestis
2007-06-20, 06:00 PM
DMG-II is a good resource for new DMs. PHB-II is a decent resource for new players. Spell Compendium will give you many many new options for spellcasters. Complete Adventurer is probably the most versatile of the "Complete" books, and thus bears my recommendation.

However, if you're looking to expand the game in terms of options? I'd recommend getting the Tomes (Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle), the Expanded Psionics Handbook, and Magic of Incarnum.

LotharBot
2007-06-20, 06:00 PM
As I said in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48200):

Recommendations:

1) Spell Compendium - variety for all of the classes that can cast, including Paladins, Rangers, Assassins, and so on
2) Tome of Battle - melee classes that are as interesting as casters.
3) Fiend Folio - lots of cool bad guys
4) use the internet. Between the Netbook of Feats (http://datadeco.com/nbofeats/) and Forgotten Realms Helps (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/index.shtml), there's plenty of material available.

Dhavaer
2007-06-20, 06:01 PM
Player's Handbook 2. Aside from the feats and spells, most of which are very good, it patches Wildshape, changing it to the simpler and better balanced Shapeshift.

Sonofaspectre
2007-06-20, 06:17 PM
Any of the Completes. They all do their job well at mixing up the scope, giving DMs ideas, expanding the game itself without nerfing another part, and everyone accepts them as good (or at least, everyone allows them if they have them, generally.)

Vaniel
2007-06-20, 09:05 PM
Tome isn't quite necessary, as you only need those three to play. If you must, purchase before any Tomes PHB2, some completes (Warrior, Adventurer, Scoundrel). A campaign setting if you, as a DM, don't wante to waste time and energy in creating a complex world.

JMHO

/Vaniel

EDIT: The only necessary books you need are the core. The rest is just to expand your gaming with new feats, classes, prestige classes, etc.

Gavin Sage
2007-06-20, 09:25 PM
If you are new and a player stick to things like the Complete series and the Player's Handbook II. It expands your options for prestige classes, feats, and has lots of good stuff, without going off the deep end.

Avoid all alternate magic systems like the plague until you have a good handle on the core rules and basic expansions like the Complete Series and PHB II. I include Tome of Battle in the alternate magic system category also, since really that's what it does is add magic to fighting classes. I personally hold that a lot of stuff like the Tomes with different magic systems should be reserved for campaigns focused tightly around them, rather then pasted on to whatever normal campaigns you might have. That's me though, I hardly believe in alternate/non-core base classes as it is.

Oh and if you like good and evil there is a lot of matieral in Book of Exalted Deeds and Book of Vile Darkness, I find them big helps in defining my characters in roleplay sense.

RTGoodman
2007-06-20, 09:47 PM
I'd stick with just the three Core books first (which is why I think the 'Basic Set' or 'Starter Set' or whatever it's called is a good thing). Really learn the rules and stuff, and then when you want more options, go with PHB2, Spell Compendium, and Complete series. And if you want to try a new "magic" system, go for Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Shift in Tone
2007-06-20, 09:50 PM
I'd stick with just the three Core books first (which is why I think the 'Basic Set' or 'Starter Set' or whatever it's called is a good thing). Really learn the rules and stuff, and then when you want more options, go with PHB2, Spell Compendium, and Complete series. And if you want to try a new "magic" system, go for Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Agreed! Why overload yourself when you have alot of fun options you can do with just the 3 main books.

Bassetking
2007-06-20, 10:22 PM
If you are new and a player stick to things like the Complete series and the Player's Handbook II. It expands your options for prestige classes, feats, and has lots of good stuff, without going off the deep end.

Avoid all alternate magic systems like the plague until you have a good handle on the core rules and basic expansions like the Complete Series and PHB II. I include Tome of Battle in the alternate magic system category also, since really that's what it does is add magic to fighting classes. I personally hold that a lot of stuff like the Tomes with different magic systems should be reserved for campaigns focused tightly around them, rather then pasted on to whatever normal campaigns you might have. That's me though, I hardly believe in alternate/non-core base classes as it is.

Oh and if you like good and evil there is a lot of matieral in Book of Exalted Deeds and Book of Vile Darkness, I find them big helps in defining my characters in roleplay sense.

Do you also levy your disbelief against Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and all that is good and joyful?

I_Got_This_Name
2007-06-20, 10:43 PM
Core's all you need.

The Complete series is good, I can agree on that (I only have the first half: Adventurer, Arcane, Divine, Warrior), though; Divine isn't quite as good as the rest; I'd reccomend either Adventurer or Warrior, with Arcane a close third. Mage, Scoundrel, and Champion are, as I understand, expansions on Arcane, Adventurer, and Divine, respectively. Regardless, you don't strictly need any of it.

I don't have the XPH, so I can't give a judgement on that. You can get the stripped-down version of it here (http://www.d20srd.org/); this version is made so that designers know what they can use freely, though, so it's missing some essential rules and ease-of-use stuff; the site's a fairly decent reference work for core, too, although the real books are easier if you want to understand the rules instead of look up points in them.

I can say, though, that alternate/add-on mechanical systems are work to learn. Tome of Battle is one such system; Tome of Magic is three, although all four of them are fairly simple. I can't say about Magic of Incarnum, other than that it's another one. I'd reccomend getting comfortable with the rules first, then buying ToB.

The PHB and DMG IIs are great all-around books; PHB2 is possibly better than any given Complete, and has all-around stuff, rather than focusing on one niche; it also gives tips on how to make a character interesting and come alive, rather than just mechanically viable. DMG2 is the same thing, for DMs; I'd consider getting the PHB2 before DMG2 even if DMing.

One of the later Monster Manuals (3, 4, or I hear 5 is coming out soon) might be nice if you get bored of the stuff in the first one, or are DMing for a group that all have MMs and want to surprise them. The MM4 monsters are layed out in a new format, I hear, though. I'd reccomend MM2, but you'd have to update the monsters in it (wizards.com has an update manual).

Finally, a setting book might be a good investment if you're running a game. I personally reccomend the Eberron Campaign Setting, although a good number of people like Forgotten Realms.

So, in conclusion:
If you're playing and want to get a book soon, one of the Completes (which one depends on what you're playing) or PHB2
If you're DMing, same thing, or a campaign setting.
Once you're comfortable with the rules, Tome of Battle. Bear in mind that it replaces existing fighting classes; it does not improve them. PHB2 has rules to cover a character having an epiphany and coming out with a completely different class, or you can improvise (new character, same name, same equipment); starting a new game to integrate ToB works well.

If you're in an established group which you're not DMing, I'd reccomend asking your DM about whether or not you'll be allowed to use a book in that game before buying it.

TigerHunter
2007-06-20, 10:57 PM
Thanks everyone!

Behold_the_Void
2007-06-20, 11:03 PM
I say buy source books that interest you. Take a look through them, find out what you want, and then get it.