What is the most useful d20 book or supplement you've purchased (outside of the Core Books)? It can be an alternate rules set, source material, setting, whatever. What book contributed the most to your d20 games, and why?
Oh, and the title should read supplement/book. Too hasty, far too hasty.
Modern Backdrops.
Of all the books I own (and I don't have many), this location resource has influenced my games more than any. I honestly can't conceive of a modern adventure that doesn't start out in one of the five cities laid out in the book. Light on the stats, heavy on the plot hooks and details.
Strangely, Traps & Treachery. It's got a new NPC class -- the Thug -- a Thievery domain, a few prestige classes, and a few wizard spells. Somehow, though, every bit of the crunch has been useful to me at one point or another. :)
It will soon be surpassed by Iron Heroes, though. I'm stealing their skill system for everything, including Star Wars.
I have a few answers actually.
Monster Books: Definitely Tome of Horrors 1 - 3. You get most of the monsters from previous editions that they didn't include with the Monster Manual with ToH I. Numbers II and III contain all new material, but they're also very, very good. Also, a bonus for freelancers, they're all 100% open game content.
Alternate Rules: True20. I can't say enough good things about this. I like it because it leaves the stuff I like in D20 while streamlining the rest. Excellent, excellent product if you want to speed up your game play and prep time.
Setting/Source Material: Darwin's World 2nd edition. For me, it has become the definitive post apocalyptic game system ever. Great rules additions and excellent source material for a post apocalyptic game. Keep in mind that I say this having contributed a third of the material to D20 Apocalypse for WotC.
Mine I think so far would have to be Traps & Treachery for all the cool stuff in it. Also Arms & Armor 3.5 is invaluable just because it gathers stuff fronm like 20+ books.
For me, it would have to be the "Toolbox" supplement. So many wonderful tables...
After that, probably Call of Cthulhu D20.
And third place would be a tie between Fantasy Flight's Cityworks (written by Mike Mearls, if I recall correctly) and Penumbra's Dynasties & Demagogues (that book is pure GOLD for any politically-themed campaign).
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPunditFor me, it would have to be the "Toolbox" supplement. So many wonderful tables...
After that, probably Call of Cthulhu D20.
And third place would be a tie between Fantasy Flight's Cityworks (written by Mike Mearls, if I recall correctly) and Penumbra's Dynasties & Demagogues (that book is pure GOLD for any politically-themed campaign).
RPGPundit
I've not tried Dynasties & Demagogues. My games have really began to have more & more political and diplomatic themes in them--I'll have to give it a look. Thanks!
Total strangeness--I just put my copy of Cityworks down as I got online. I've gotten so much mileage out of that and Wildscape--in fact, the whole Legends & Lairs line was pretty great.
It's a tie between BESM d20 and Silver Age Sentinels d20. Together those two gave me the universal d20 rules I'd been looking for with enough compatibility that I could use them with existing material more or less "as is."
Spell Compendium probably.
Two best things about Dynasties and Demagogues: The rules for the "Beaurocratic maze trap", and the rules for elections/faction voting in parliaments.
Absolute gold.
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPunditTwo best things about Dynasties and Demagogues: The rules for the "Beaurocratic maze trap", and the rules for elections/faction voting in parliaments.
Absolute gold.
RPGPundit
I also think that Dynasties & Demogogues is a tremendous supplement. Its an extremely useful book if you want to move you game more towards political intrigue and things that the chracaters can't just slaughter. Lots and lots of great information.
I have probably used the Book of Vile Darkness the most.
But that was also the last book I bought. :)
I buy less than 1 book a year these days.
Iron Heroes. No question.
Hey, how is Mastering Iron Heroes? Any good?
I get the most utility out of monster books. I like chucking new stuff at my players that they have to figure out how to fight properly.
Beyond that most of RPGObjects' D20 Modern line. DW2 is a great tool to use with D20 Apocalypse. D20 Future has also seen a lot of use since I'm working on a big Sci-Fantasy setting.
I really enjoyed the much-maligned Hero Builder's Guide, not for any rule/mechanical innovations but because of the way it set the wheels turning in my head for different character concepts.
Unearthed Arcana was great too. I'd like to see some of the options in there become core rules in 4E.
Quote from: Zachary The FirstI've gotten so much mileage out of that and Wildscape
What am I missing? Wildscape was the first non-WotC book I picked up. It looked pretty cool on the shelf, but when I got it home and read it, I didn't actually find anything I wanted to use. Not trying to crap on it, but I've heard lots of people recommend it, while I'd recommend against it. So, seriously, what am I missing?
For me, the most useful non-core book has been Unearthed Arcana. I really have very few true "house" rules, any more. UA provided me with most of what I needed.
I'm not a rabid purchaser of RPG books, but I've used two books quite heavily in my own campaign: A Game of Thrones d20 (for combat and social rules), and A Magical Medieval Society (for their society generation and other tidbits).
We're getting a lot of mileage out of the Spell Compendium.
Arcana Evolved. After that probably Iron Heroes.
I have a completely different game that I use for d20... Everway. By itself it was a pretty useless game, but the cards it came with are great for character building. Deal out five of them and use the artwork and questions on the back to build a character concept.
But sticking to the original post topic (and the category of the forum in which it was placed)... my favorite and most used d20 (in this case Modern) product I purchased was/is Ronin Art's:
d20 - Modern - Monstrous Advanced Classes - Vampire.pdf
Made being a vampire in d20 Modern doable.
True20 Adventure Roleplaying - It can beat up DnD and take all it's stuff.:heh:
Quote from: SigmundTrue20 Adventure Roleplaying - It can beat up DnD and take all it's stuff.:heh:
Now that really does follow in the true Gygaxian spirit of D&D!
Toolbox
True20 will probably overtake it eventually, but I have gotten a lot of use out of the tables in Toolbox. Most other supplements sit on my shelf (or in a box).
Quote from: SobekWhat am I missing? Wildscape was the first non-WotC book I picked up. It looked pretty cool on the shelf, but when I got it home and read it, I didn't actually find anything I wanted to use. Not trying to crap on it, but I've heard lots of people recommend it, while I'd recommend against it. So, seriously, what am I missing?
Well, for me it really helped flesh out the terrain in my games. Instead of my players just going down a river, I had an entire section dedicated to helping me describe that river in better, more exciting, concise terms. In doing so, it also provides DCs, addresses possible challenges or questions that might pop up.
It also does a great job describing features and possible encounters for every type of terrain mentioned. It's also great in that it doesn't just give you, say, a "desert", but minor, moderate, and severe versions of a dozen or more types of deserts. For some folks, that's the sort of thing that comes automatically, but it's always been something I've had to work harder at. So, for picking it up for $5 during a FFG sale, I'd say it's been worth it.
Quote from: Zachary The FirstWhat is the most useful d20 book or supplement you've purchased (outside of the Core Books)? It can be an alternate rules set, source material, setting, whatever. What book contributed the most to your d20 games, and why?
Oh, and the title should read supplement/book. Too hasty, far too hasty.
Stone to Steel: I ran a homebrew and outfitted several of the "civilized" human races in Roman arms and armor, as well as other ancient earth civs.
Conan d20 core book: It's currently my favorite d20 rule set, which is ironic. I have long bitched about the complexity and bookkeeping required for D&D 3.x. Conan d20 has a bit more, but the payoff is a pretty darn good evocation of REH's Hyborian world, and to me, it's worth it.
Another vote for Toolbox. I don't think I've every just opened it and rolled up stuff, but it's been handy to thumb through and send me spinning off on tangents, which is good for creativity.