Have you ever been sold on an RPG book by something OTHER than the rules?

[Ragitsu]

It could be a character description, the way the book was constructed, the artwork, the genre, or even just a friend's recommendation.

If you don't mind sharing what it was, please do so. Keep in mind, this is an instance where you didn't consider the rules AT ALL prior to purchasing.

For me, it was the artwork, and engaging writing in the 3.5 Eberron Campaign Setting.

[arguskos]

Sure. Dragons of Faerun was a big one for me in this respect. I loved the detail of the descriptions and the depth of the character analysis and creation of the titular dragons.

Faiths and Pantheons was another great one for this. Man, that book is awesome in almost every respect, but not mechanically.

[Velaryon]

I dunno if this counts, but my friends got me into Aberrant a couple years ago because the whole superhero angle is pretty cool. I didn't even consider that it was the d10 system which I do not particularly care for (or have a good grasp of, for that matter).

[AslanCross]

If I could buy them now, I'd get the Pathfinder books. The art and layout are just so eye-catching.

[The Rose Dragon]

Does anyone buy Exalted for any rules-related reason to begin with?

Also, Qin and Weapons of the Gods.

[starwoof]

I think the only book I bought for the rules were core. Otherwise its always been "Ooh pretty cover!".

[Stryke]

The Eclipse Phase rulebooks, the setting is increadable, and the detail is fantastic not to mention the concept of the TITANS

[Temet Nosce]

Excepting 3.5 I don't think any other systems I play are for the rules. However, if you want a specific example - Nobilis (if there is any other book which can live up to the complex nuances of its flavor I have yet to hear of it).

[Anterean]

Violence, the roleplaying game of egregious and repulsive bloodshed.

And it is one of the funniest things I ever read

[Caliphbubba]

I'm just getting into Exalted, right now, after having missed the bus for a good long while. And I have to say the main reason is the fluff.

Edit: oh and add every Rifts book, ever, to this as well.

[Telasi]

Anything about 2e Forgotten Realms. BS setting rules (2e epic...), but really interesting fluff once you got past the irritating Mary Sue NPCs, imo.

[Kaun]

I dont remember ever buying a book because of the rule's, usually it's the setting or concept that makes me choose it.

[LibraryOgre]

A number of times. Vampire and the World of Darkness stuff because it was cool in the early-mid nineties, and the ideas seemed interesting. Shadowrun, too, for that matter, for all of the system-wank we did. Eclipse Phase I purchased in SPITE of the rules (which read a lot better in paper than they do in PDF), and Fading Suns, too. Ars Magica has always been a setting-over-system for me.

[Garygolf]

Shadowrun 4ed Anniversary Edition.

I enjoyed the setting and the look of the book.

[Starscream]

I bought 3.5's Draconomicon because the artwork was so fab. There have been tons of cool pics of dragons in D&D's long history, but that book had illustrations that looked like they were out of some sort of old style textbook, and really gave the different types of dragons their own identities.

[Dimers]

I bought Deliria and one of its splatbooks sight unseen, because I was really impressed with the author's work in oWoD Mage. Didn't turn out to be one of my better purchases. I bought GURPS Shapeshifters for the fluff and ideas. Likewise BoED, BoEF, and a third-party 3.0 book called Evil -- better fluff than BoVD, but mechanically weak.

Most 3rd-ed GURPS books are worth the price regardless of what system you run.

I bought oWoD Wraith in order to be able to play the game (i.e. for mechanics) but if I'd known what was in there I would've snatched it up anyway. That book oozes Jungian psychology, and a game could easily lead to someone becoming a more whole person IRL -- maybe even just a read. Also, I totally freaked out when I got it home, went to bed, and found out the cover included glow-in-the-dark material ... freeeeeeaked out.

[Knaight]

I can't stand GURPS mechanics, and still have god knows how much GURPS stuff, simply because of how well researched it is. Then there is the matter of Qin: The Warring States.

[true_shinken]

Of course.
Other than systems for which I buy everything (such as D&D), I initially want flavor, rules come later.
I could say Time of Thin Blood and Era do Caos (Age of Chaos), a brazilian RPG with a conspiracy theme.
Time and time again, this aproach disappointed me greatly. I regret to this day the money I spent on BESM d20.

[Telok]

Call of Cthulhu books, Paranoia, several Rolemaster books for creatures and treasure, Amber.

D&D is really the only system I know where people seem to obsess so much about rules.

[Callista]

...no, not really.

I'm the kind of person who stands in the bookstore being an obstacle to other shoppers until she's absolutely sure she wants to spend her money.

[TheCountAlucard]

Pretty much every non-D&D game book I've obtained has been for the art, setting fluff, or the intrigue I felt when thinking about playing something from it.

This includes Exalted, Shadowrun, Paranoia, Vampire: the Masquerade, and even a few D&D books, like Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss.

[dgnslyr]

World of Darkness, because it was $5 at the library book sale. I'm not even all that familiar with it, but I can tell it looks fun!

[The Rabbler]

This was the reason that I bought Weapons of Legacy over Tome of Battle. Granted, I didn't understand what the Book of Nine Swords was at the time (it looked like just another incarnum), but my actions stand.

[Loki_42]

I don't own it(yet), but I'd buy Bliss Stage just for the concept descriptions I've read.

[Rappy]

I've gotten Conspiracy X, GURPS, and World of Darkness titles for the flavor, and I've gotten Pathfinder titles for the flavor and art, so...yep.

[HunterOfJello]

I like Cityscape for all the DM advice it has along with the info on building cities. Very little of it is actual rules, but I've found it very helpful.

[Lurkmoar]

...no, not really.

I'm the kind of person who stands in the bookstore being an obstacle to other shoppers until she's absolutely sure she wants to spend her money.

Glad I'm not the only one.

Once a clerk said that the store wasn't a library. I replied that I wanted to be sure before I spend over thirty bucks on one book. In my own defense, I probably bought 250-300 dollars worth of material from that store before I moved.

[Ragitsu]

People say art doesn't matter in game books? Bull. Maybe in the long term, maybe, but in the short term, it sure as hell helps sales.

[Saintheart]

In Nomine. I still have no idea whatsoever how the mechanics worked, but the fluff text made for awesome reading.

[Kerrin]

I don't even play Gurps but I've bought a few of their source books (e.g. Celts) because they are usually reasonably researched, well written, and a fun read.