Best Books for a DM to own? (3.5e)

[HunterOfJello]

In your opinions, what are the best books for a DM to physically own for playing 3.5e?

I have access to tons of DnD resources on my PC, but having a pdf (or the SRD) and having a book in your hand are completely different.


At the moment I have physical copies of:

The Player's Handbook 3.5e
Dungeon Master's Guide 3.5e
Monster Manual 3.5e
Tome of Battle
Cityscape (borrowed)
Heroes of Battle (borrowed)

AD&D DM Guide
The Spell Compendium


For basic information about feats or base classes I can print out pages or copy a few sentences down from a random book off my PC. What I'm looking for are books that are especially useful to have in-hand while playing or for constant use.

I've been told that a copy of the DM Guide II 3.5e has a lot of useful information for DMs on how to roleplay. I've been told the same thing about Player's Handbook II 3.5e but for players (which might concern me less since I'm a DM). The Magic Items Compendium seems very desireable for generating magical items outside of the basic magic items from the DM guide. And the Arms and Equipment Guide looks like it could be useful, however I think it's 3e and might be the same stuff that's featured in the Magic Items Compendium.

Any information you can give about which books you find the most useful as a DM, think could help me improve my skills as a DM, or add a lot to the game by having in-hand would be much appreciated.


*edit*

Also, does anyone know any good places to purchase 3.5e books online other than amazon or ebay?

[Jodo Krast]

Well, I recommend the Monster Manual II, but III and onward just gets silly. I have everything I need for creatures in I and II. In addition, I have found that Complete Warrior helped me a lot in my mercenary campaign.

[Tyndmyr]

Unearthed Arcana.

On the downside, much of it is on the SRD, making it less attractive to buy....but on the upside, the book is practically designed for DMs. All sorts of fun alternative options, it's an exciting book for those of us who like to toy with things.

Arms and equipment is much more mundane focused than MiC is...but frankly, MiC is better. Vastly better item balance in general than the DMG, and it introduces a lot of variety. Item sets are kind of cool too, as are adding bonuses to existing gear.

[Jodo Krast]

Well, I recommend the Monster Manual II, but III and onward just gets silly. I have everything I need for creatures in I and II. In addition, I have found that Complete Warrior helped me a lot in my mercenary campaign.

Ha! I quoted myself!

[Chrono22]

I'd say the magic item compendium has made all levels of play for my group more fun.

The spell compendium... eh, not so much. It only powers up casters.

[Jodo Krast]

I agree, Chrono22. The book Complete ARcane also makes spellcasters too powerful. One of the other people in a group I'm in is a wizard, and they recently got that book. Now they're hogging all the XP and treasure.

[Noedig]

As a DM the following are good books.
Tome of Battle is a great book if you want to run a war or an over arching conflict in your campaign.
Lords of Madness, Elder Evils, Book of Vile Darkness, Exemplars of Evil, the Fiend Folios(1,2) Libris Mortis and Heroes of Horror are all great evil themed books for a DM dealing with a party of good players.
Conversely the Book of Exalted Deeds, and the like are great for DMs with evil parties.
Book of Challenges is a good one.
Arms and Equipment is an awesome gear book.
Enemies and Allies is good for developing npcs.
Manual of the Planes is essential in case your party unexpectedly leaves the material.

There are tons of great books out there.

[Jodo Krast]

I agree, Chrono22. The book Complete ARcane also makes spellcasters too powerful. One of the other people in a group I'm in is a wizard, and they recently got that book. Now they're hogging all the XP and treasure.

God, I hate Resonant Lightning Bolt.

[Jodo Krast]

Tip: you don't really need the Epic Level Handbook, even if you players go past 20th level. It's just a waste of paper in my opinion.

[arguskos]

DMG2 is pretty good actually. PHB2 is also good, even as a DM (give it to your players for sparking ideas).

I personally like Elder Evils as well, just because it's got a lot of good adventure outlines, which can help you build a good campaign yourself.

[Jodo Krast]

Also, the Psionics Handbook is good if you're planning on using mind flayers (who isn't). The Expanded Handbook isn't that good though. That's all the advice I've got.

[Tyndmyr]

Tip: you don't really need the Epic Level Handbook, even if you players go past 20th level. It's just a waste of paper in my opinion.

This is true. Anything you could possibly want is on the SRD already. Mostly...epic feats and epic monsters are plenty. If someone tells you epic spellcasting exist, remember, it's a damn lie.

[Innis Cabal]

Also, the Psionics Handbook is good if you're planning on using mind flayers (who isn't). The Expanded Handbook isn't that good though. That's all the advice I've got.

What? The Psionics Handbook 3.0 was replaced by the XPH. Which is a -far- better product. Not only is it more streamlined, but it gives alot of options. On top of improved Psion rules...well. The point is, Psionic's Handbook would require houserules. And why bother with a broken product?

[Tyndmyr]

If you're looking for a book on mindflayers, Lords of Madness is the place to go. It's got all the abberation goodness you could possibly want and more.

[HunterOfJello]

I've used info from an Unearthed Arcana pdf pretty regularly and really love the book. I'm not sure how much more useful it would be to have on hand all the time compared to just grabbing ideas off of every now and then.


I should probably also ask, are there any non-WoTC books that you've found useful?


*edit*


Aberrations are fun. That sounds tempting.


As far as psionics go, none of my players have shown any interest in it at all, so I may just avoid it completely in the campaign I'm setting up.

[Hallavast]

I'd like to add emphasis to the suggestion of Arms and Equipment. This book is great for world building. While the Magic Item Compendium is far superior for magic items, Arms and Equipment is a great source of useful nonmagical items. Any campaign or DM concerned with the logistics of travel, magical animal handling/training, economy and trade, or maintaining an army would greatly benefit from this book.

[Tyndmyr]

I should probably also ask, are there any non-WoTC books that you've found useful?

I enjoy a few of the mongoose books, but quality varies wildly. Their Ultimate Spell Compendium, for example, has an issue with far too many spells doing untyped damage. However, the class focused books tend to have a bunch of not-particularily powerful, but rather interesting and well fluffed options. Not campaign critical by any means, but something fun to read through for inspiration.

As far as psionics go, none of my players have shown any interest in it at all, so I may just avoid it completely in the campaign I'm setting up.

If nobody is interested in them, that's exactly what I'd do, with a possible exception for a boss or something once to make them feel exotic. In general, it's easier to focus on the things people care about.


Edit: Oh, SBG fits in nicely with arms and equipment for building a believable world. Some excellent options in there, just mostly ignore the prices.

[Grommen]

Undearthed Arcana is a good one if you want to tweek rules. It's also a good read.
Players Handbook II is pretty good.
Spell Compendium and Magic Item Compendium are good, but some of the things can wreck your game.

From a development standpoint to write your own adventures I have found the following books really good works.

Fiendish Codex I and II (Tons of info on Demons and Devils)
Frostburn (Freezing your players never felt so good)
Book of Vial Darkness (It's Vial and it's dark)
AEG's "Book of Evil" (very good incite into the mind of the bad guys)

Some of the Forgotten Realms books were good, the one on the Moonsea was a good read.

[Artemiz]

I'm going to go ahead and inadvertently endorse Rich a bit here in saying that I absolutely love Dungeonscape. The dungeon elements and gear detailed within have proved to be of more than great use to me over the past few years. It's a spectacular book, and I'd highly recommend it.

For any online gaming material purchases, I use Troll and Toad. They've never failed me, and they run a great service.

[Tyndmyr]

That's a very good point. See, the thing is, other campaign settings, like frostburn or stormwrack, are unlikely to be included in a campaign unless you plan specifically to focus on that.

Cityscape and Dungeonscape are extremely likely to be useful without any particular campaign direction, and thus, you'll get more use out of them.

I do like the others, particularily stormwrack, but Ive never played a full campaign on the water, even in 7th Sea, yet it's extremely rare that Im in a campaign where cities and dungeons don't feature prominently.

[Artemiz]

Cityscape and Dungeonscape are extremely likely to be useful without any particular campaign direction, and thus, you'll get more use out of them.
...
Ive never played a full campaign on the water, even in 7th Sea, yet it's extremely rare that Im in a campaign where cities and dungeons don't feature prominently.

Very true. I can honestly say that I crack open Dungeonscape at least a couple times with every dungeon I design, and my players even use it during sessions to buy gear from.

[Sinfire Titan]

Might I suggest Magic of Incarnum? Complex six ways to Sunday, but a great resource for unique character builds.

[Samb]

Any of the complete series is nice to have for NPC and Villian generation. I like stronghold builder with dungeonscape to make detailed dungeons or for my PCs to eventually take hold of.

Monster manuals 1-5. You should have them especially if you have players that know every iconic monster, this can really shake them up and add some new flavor to the same old same old.

[god666LOLLIRONY]

I second DMG2, it basically has useful tips and tricks for being a solid DM, and ideas about and for NPC's, PC's, organizations, and locations. I think it complements the DMG really well. And MIC is very good to have a physical copy of too. Good luck!

[Egiam]

I like campaign setting books. Even if I don't use the setting, I can often transplant stuff into my game.

[arguskos]

I'll also toss out Tome of Magic. If you want some fairly complex magic systems to shake things around and really put a fire under your players boots, the Binder and Shadowcaster can provide. Just remember: there is no Truenamer.

[Dr Bwaa]

MIC is a must-have, period. The sheer number of items tables, not to mention how much better everything is done in there... it's worth getting just for that. Plus, it's full of lovely items. That would be my first buy.

[Kaiyanwang]

Unearthed Arcana.

Seconded. It simply amplifies by 1000 your ability of world building.

Heroes of Horror and Manual of the Planes, I found very inspiring, too.

[Emmerask]

I should probably also ask, are there any non-WoTC books that you've found useful?

All the mongoose Slayer's Guide to are really interesting and add a lot of backstory to various monsters.
I also liked the mongoose Encyclopaedia Arcane - Star Magic quite a lot

[Killer Angel]

Fiendish Codex I and II (Tons of info on Demons and Devils)

I cannot do anything except join this recommendation. They're both GREAT for fluff and ideas.
Also, merely for the fluff, I suggest the manual of the Planes (AD&D), with description of Sigil, the Factions, etc. etc.