Bookage

[Admiral Squish]

Can anyone come up with a list of books I need to understand what goes on in these forums? I understand a lot of it, but there's a lot of citings I don't understand. For example, the tome of battle talk makes no sense to me.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Every 3.5 splatbook you can get + core + dragon magazines + BoVD form 3.0

[Solo]

Can anyone come up with a list of books I need to understand what goes on in these forums? I understand a lot of it, but there's a lot of citings I don't understand. For example, the tome of battle talk makes no sense to me.

Go to your nearest B&N or Boarders, strol to the Roleplaying section, crack open the most attractive DnD books you see there, and start reading.

I recommend something with Drow in it.

[nerulean]

Yeah, you need to understand Tome of Battle to get most of what goes on round here. It's basically martial spells for characters who hit things with pointy sticks instead of blowing things up with fire. Your "spells" refresh every encounter instead of every time you sleep.

You'd also do well to familiarise yourself with this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19085) which is referenced on average about every eight seconds.

After that, it goes in rough order of frequency of references: core, completes, PHBII/DMGII, Races Of books, setting specific books, area specific books, dragon magazine.

[leperkhaun]

to under stand the tome of battle stuff you need to get. Book of the Nine swords: The tome of battle

[Saph]

Can anyone come up with a list of books I need to understand what goes on in these forums? I understand a lot of it, but there's a lot of citings I don't understand. For example, the tome of battle talk makes no sense to me.

90% of the references to Tome of Battle on these boards are arguments over whether it's too overpowered or too 'anime'. Honestly, you aren't missing much. :P

- Saph

[Amiria]

Uhm, list of books ? Problems with references ? Is that it ? Maybe take look at the D&D products page at Wizards of the Coast. Or start with this handy stickied thread: Common Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Terms (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18512)

[Admiral Squish]

I was looking more for 'crap I need to buy with my christmas money'.

[Azerian Kelimon]

I'd recommend using Xmas money to reserve a deluxe core set for 4ed, personally, but if you want 3.5, I recommend Magic of Incarnum, Expanded psionics handbook, or ToB.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Tome of Battle is a good book in my opinion, but since half the topics about it start off as complaining about it, you might want to consider it carefully:

Pros: Gives nonspellcasters a viable way to compete in usefulness and cool-factor with the spellcasters.
Cons: Some people think that having non-spellcasting abilities that are comparable in power to spellcasting is "over-the-top" or "silly".

If you want to play a character that are able to pull off superhuman stunts like you see in Greek mythology or Wuxia films, or perhaps just use a limited sort of sword-magic, buy it. If that sounds stupid to you, give it a pass.

Books I can recommend more solidly are the Player's Handbook II, the Complete series (less Psionic and maybe Divine [which is useful but poorly edited and balance-checked].) I can also recommend a number of good setting supplements for Eberron, but those are only useful if you want to play Eberron.

[de-trick]

I know what you mean on books with christmas money I'd say a complete or TOB,and PH2

[TheOOB]

Generally speaking what is most referenced in these forums is the material from the SRD (Core rulebooks, expanded psionics handbook, and Unearthed Arcana for the most part) as those are universal, every player who has access to the net has access to the SRD.

Apart from those the Players Handbook 2, and the Tome of Battle see a lot of mention, as they are both amazing books that should be in any serious D&D players library, the PHBII having several new classes(the duskblade in particular is common) and many great feats and concepts to for players, and the ToB creates a new martial combat system which helps make fighter types a lot more fun and useful and is generally considered one of the better books WotC has ever made. The Tome of Magic is also mentioned quite a bit, but it's not quite as well known, spellcasters are allready awesome, so the varients in it tend to acually weaken casters(which isn't a bad thing) which causes it to be less well liked.

Aside from those books the complete books see a lot of mention, though you don't really need those if you don't want them. Sure they have a lot of PrCs, feats, spells, items, and what not, but there is very very little rules and mechanics you are missing out by not having them, just discussions about how broken the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil is.

Generally speaking, the other books(and there is a lot of them) get mentioned quite a bit, but most of them aren't "must haves". Sure you won't get what people are talking about in those books, but people usually mention what book their talking about.