Book Advice

[Moff Chumley]

Help! I Have Thirty dollars and nothing to spend it on! Naturally, I'm getting a D&D book. My collection includes:

1. Core
2. PHB II
3. AaE
4. ToB
5. CAd, CW, CAr
6. FCS
7. PGtF
8. RoF
9. MoF
10. MC (Monster Compendium)
11. LEoF
12. PoF
13. HoB

FYI, I'm a DM. I was considering CM, and City/Dungeonscape. Advice?

[BardicDuelist]

If you're a DM, the Magic Item Compendium is pretty good (especially the random charts in the back).

I highly recomend the Spell Compendium, as it has all the spells you really need.

[bigbaddragon]

Eberron Campaign Setting?

[Fax Celestis]

HoB is satisfying indeed.

[cubecrazymonkey]

I enjoy Complete Scoundrel, because it has a couple prestige classes focusing on various aspects of sneakery and skills (as well as skill tricks) that are a lot of fun.

[Hzurr]

I also really like complete scoundrel. The skill tricks section was really neat, and a fun addition

[Bassetking]

If you do not own the Spell Compendium, buy it yesterday. Get it, love it, snuggle it, and make sweet, passionate music with its silky pages.

It is that good, and better. Were I to nominate any one book to be added to the base three "Core" officially, it would be the Spell Compendium.

[Iku Rex]

Spell/Magic Item Compendium, definitely. Right now I'd say MIC, but that could just be because it's newer.

Out of the two books you mentioned, Dungeonscape is better.

[Attilargh]

I see you don't have Expanded Psionics Handbook. I love it myself.

Alternatively, Iron Kingdoms Character Guide followed by Iron Kingdoms World Guide. It's a campaign setting by Privateer Press.

[nerulean]

I will second (third? Fourth?) the motion for the Spell Compendium. It is full of fun and usefulness. The only real trouble with that book is actually writing spell lists up when your options just increased so dramatically.

Of the two you suggested, I'd probably say Cityscape for a DM, despite my current adoration of CM as a player.

[Who]

I've got to agree with the above posts, go with Spell Compendium

[Moff Chumley]

Thank you everybody, Spell Compendium it is! The only reason I hesitated about that is because of some odd rumor bandied around about WoTC and thier plans to kill puppies that I was stoopit enough to believe. As for Ebberon Campaign Setting, A) My friend has that, and B) I've invested so much in FR that it seems silly to switch. I have been enjoying running stealthier characters lately though so complete scoundrel goes onto the list, eventually... A question about MIC, does it have any rules for creating items? Thanks for your help

[CASTLEMIKE]

Since you have made your choice. Some things to consider for the future.

Regarding the FRCS there isn't a complete picture of the world generally available and the same is true for ECS.

The campaign setting source books usually have the most information for the buck.

So with an ECS book you could add it to FRCS by having it on the otherside of Toril without the funny planarology or by simply having it on the moon and use what you like in the source book and ignoring the rest.

As a DM you might also like the DMGII. I really like the EPH and UA for a hard copy although most of the material is in the D20 SRD Hypertext document. The Spell Compendium is nice but still not comprehensive.

[Iku Rex]

Thank you everybody, Spell Compendium it is! The onley reason I hesitated about that is because of some odd rumor bandied around about WoTC and thier plans to kill puppies that I was stoopit enough to believe.

Spell Compendium and the Magic Item Compendium are both part of an insidious plan by WotC to trick you into buying more books by putting errata for the books you already own in new products. (Sort of a 3.5 revision light.) I still recommend them though, because a) there's a lot of useful stuff collected in one place in the compendiums and b) the evil plan is working.

A question about MIC, does it have any rules for creating items? Thanks for your help

The big item creation change in the MIC is that standard magic item bonuses like ability score boosters and common AC bonuses can now be placed on another item for no extra cost beyond the normal price, if the item is in the right item slot. (Typically three slots for each bonus type.) For example, you could get "Boots of Elvenkind and Dexterity" for 2500 (Boots of Elvenkind) + 4000 (+2 Dex) = 6500 gp.

[Moff Chumley]

the evil plan is working

Nooooooo! Just a note though, I havn't actually bought spell compendium yet, just resolved to buy it ASAP. I heard, though, that DMGII was horrible. Does anyone know about that? One last thing: Is tome of Magic any good? Thanks.

[Fax Celestis]

DMG-II is good if you're learning how to DM. Tome of Magic is more balanced than standard casting to the point of being underpowered, but is at the very least interesting.

[CrazedGoblin]

If you're a DM, the Magic Item Compendium is pretty good (especially the random charts in the back).

i agree this really is a great DM tool

[Moff Chumley]

^ Took your advice, got MIC, because it looked a tad more interesting, and if my players (what players?) want more spells, it's up to them. Plus, I have plenty of spells between CAr, PHB I&II and MoF.

[BardicDuelist]

With the books you have, you have most of the spell compendium, but it is nicer to have it all in one place when you play (or make an NPC) spellcaster. The MIC has more new content, and updated a lot as well.

[Behold_the_Void]

I tend to favor Expanded Psionics Handbook or Tome of Battle: Book of the Nine Swords myself.

[Prometheus]

MIC is good, but again be careful because they deflated the prices.
Spell Compendium is good, if your psionics don't complain.
I love to have as many Monster Manual books as I can, because to me that is something you can never get enough of and there is little to no fluff.
I'm too cheap for the Complete series, instead I get Sword and Fist, Song and Silence etc.