The next book to buy...

[tahu88810]

Ok, I have $40 to spend (yay being in middleschool and having a job!) and I'm thinking about buying a new rulebook.
I currently have the DMG, the Players Guide, and the first monstermanual. All of them are 3.5v

I don't know which book to look for, though. I'm thinking some magical or scary, but I don't really know. So any suggestions?

[Morty]

Player's Handbook II is good book. It has really nice new base classes, and a lot of good feats and spells. It'll give you many new options.

[tahu88810]

alright, cool, I'll check it out.

[Mad Wizard]

Tome of Battle is another good one. It does a good job of bringing fighter-types up to the level of casters.

[tahu88810]

Tome of Battle is another good one. It does a good job of bringing fighter-types up to the level of casters.

alright, that sounds cool.

[Morty]

ToB is overrated, I'd rather buy something else. It doesn't really help fighter types, it just introduces new ones.

[I_Got_This_Name]

ToB is overrated, I'd rather buy something else. It doesn't really help fighter types, it just introduces new ones.

It helps the type, not the classes.

I'd have to agree with the previous reccomendations; either ToB, PHB2, or (my new reccomendation) a setting book.

ToB replaces the existing melee classes with classes that can get high-level monsters (when they're high level) to pay attention to them and survive that attention; they also can do things that the mages can't emulate with their spells, but ToB is balanced around support/control mages, not blasters; it might feel a bit overpowered if the mage thinks that fireball is the best spell on the third level; if the mage casts his spells right, though, it's sorely needed. I personally like it just because the stuff in it is awesome; if you want to emulate martial arts movies, or give warriors distinctive weapon techniques, or anything of the sort, you need ToB.

PHB2 adds some nifty stuff to everyone, and I heartily reccomend it. It does have a few overpowered spells, though (celerity, I'm looking at you), but, overall, it's quite good for the balance of the game. It's got a lot of fun stuff for everyone, and much less balance debate; except for the few blatantly overpowered things, the rest of the book is fairly balanced.

For setting books, I personally reccomend Eberron (the book's called the Eberron Campaign Setting; every other Eberron book assumes that you have that one). Even if you don't plan on playing in it, it's got a lot of cool rules stuff (feats and so on) that you can borrow for your own setting, and shows how a complete setting fits together. If you don't plan on using the setting, though, I'd get PHB2 or ToB first.

[LotharBot]

If you have $40, get something for everyone: Tome of Battle to buff up and add interest to Melee (just scribble out "warblade" and write "fighter" at the top of the page), and Spell Compendium to add interest to casters (but beware broken spells and combos.)

EDIT: the total for the two books together is about $45 on amazon.com, with free shipping.

[Reinboom]

My list of recommendations:
Player's Handbook 2
Complete Adventurer
Tome of Battle

or if you like alternative playing styles or rules:
Unearthed Arcana

If you wish to help out all the caster's:
Spell Compendium

If you really like magical items or treasure:
Magic Item Compendium (the tables own for DMs and treasure also).

[Shas aia Toriia]

As the others said, get Spell Compendium if you want better casters, Tome of Battle for better melee combatants.

[Bow2Gaijin]

I happen to be a fan of both Magic of Incarnum and the Expanded Psionics handbook.

[lumberofdabeast]

Go with Unearthed Arcana. It has more variant rules than any other book.

Failing that, Expanded Psionics Handbook is a fun one.

[Ali]

Magic of Incarnum is very cool, and I also love the Complete Scoundrel.

[Corncracker]

Scoundrel is one of my favorite books. While not the most powerful, they have some awesome Class's to play, Like the Monteblank and Gray Gaurd. Spellwarp Snipers are rather cool as well, and Master of Masks being one of the best Ideas for a PrC I've ever seen, (Though it does seem a bit on the weak Side)

Though If you are in to Necromancy and other Undead, Libris Mortis is an awesome book, Another Favorite of Mine. Great for Clerics and Arcane Casters, in addition to adding rules for playing Ghosts.

[hewhosaysfish]

Go with Unearthed Arcana. It has more variant rules than any other book.

That it does. But most (I think all) of them are available online.

[Ikkitosen]

Yeah, Psionics and UA are both in the SRD.

Casters don't need the first buff you hand out, so skip Spell Compendium for now. Ditto CA, CD, CM, CC, etc.

Tome of Battle makes melee combatants into pseudocasters, which may not suit your players' styles.

PHBII is a really good book. Good base classes for flavour and options, if not power (probably a good thing). Good feats. Good fluff. I'd buy it.

[Rumda]

yeah the phb2 is a good book but i'll have to second the eberron campain setting it is definatly worth it

[Yvian]

I would throw my vote behind either

Players Handbook II
Complete Spell
complete Item

Since you are just starting I might also look at the source books for Forgten Realms or Eberon. Lots of good ideas to get you started.

Personaly, I would stay away from Tomb of Battle or Psionics book. The mechanics of those two books are very different from the core material - and unless you have a good DM and a good set of players you will find things unbalanced soon.

And then there are the splat books. I like Races of Stone, The Complete Scoundle, and the complete warrior - but they would not be my 1st pick if I only had $40.

[martyboy74]

Personaly, I would stay away from Tomb of Battle or Psionics book. The mechanics of those two books are very different from the core material - and unless you have a good DM and a good set of players you will find things unbalanced soon.

Because psionics adn ToB are so much more imbalanced than vancian magic?

...

Really, as long as you read the rules, they're much more balanced.