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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: kythri on May 08, 2014, 04:42:40 PM

Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kythri on May 08, 2014, 04:42:40 PM
As I sit here, browsing RPG stuff on eBay, trying to determine if there's anything out there that I actually want right now, I became curious just what everyone's "holy grail" of a game book/supplement is.

Is there something out there that you're desperately craving and can't seem to find (or find for a reasonable price)?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: languagegeek on May 08, 2014, 04:54:46 PM
For a decent price: The Magic Box for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I'm sure there are others, but I'm not looking to buy them at the moment.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Gronan of Simmerya on May 08, 2014, 04:57:24 PM
CHAINMAIL second edition.

I had to sell my copy from my Lake Geneva days in order to eat.

I honestly still cry sometimes if I think too much about  it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Benoist on May 08, 2014, 05:17:58 PM
The first thing coming to my mind right now is Empire of the Petal Throne, the original boxed set.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: thedungeondelver on May 08, 2014, 05:23:11 PM
I've got 99.9% of the stuff I want, and the rest as .PDFs.  If I found those in print (and could afford them!) that'd be great but by and large, I'm good.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Doughdee222 on May 08, 2014, 05:41:32 PM
I don't know, would have to think about this. About six years ago my father and sister sold the old family home I grew up in. I managed to go up there for a couple days and found some of my boxes of game material and mailed it to my current home. But some boxes weren't found and one (with my hundreds of painted lead miniatures) was too heavy to mail, I had to leave it behind. If only I had more time to search around perhaps I could have found the box or two I was missing. Losing one's childhood home is a heartbreaking event.

I have heard rumors and seen listings for the old TSR product City Geomorphs or Outdoor Geomorphs. Don't think I've ever actually held the product though. It was a thing of myth in my youth during the 1980's.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: YourSwordisMine on May 08, 2014, 05:44:47 PM
I want to get the GAZ books I am missing. GAZ1 specifically. I'd also like to get the Mystara Box sets.

But I guess my ultimate goal would be to collect every Mystara product ever released. Especially the poster Maps. I'd like to get the Greyhawk maps as well. I'm a sucker for maps...


I also want a copy of Glory Hole Dwarven Mine, just because of the name.


I'd also like complete sets of the Marvel Superheroes Basic and Advanced boxes.

Oh, and an 1981 Expert set to go with my Basic set.

A copy of the Holmes Basic set. It has my favorite cover.



Mostly its an issue of not having the money at the time I see them come open on Ebay...
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: econobus on May 08, 2014, 05:52:49 PM
Quote from: kythri;747877As I sit here, browsing RPG stuff on eBay, trying to determine if there's anything out there that I actually want right now, I became curious just what everyone's "holy grail" of a game book/supplement is.

In games? Book of Drastic Resolutions (Chaos), maybe some combination of the Flame Kings Dynasty / Hrestol's Saga / Book of Kings books the Gloranthan super-fans have had access to in the past.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: K Peterson on May 08, 2014, 05:53:32 PM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;747896I've got 99.9% of the stuff I want...
Same for me.

I've found and purchased pretty much everything rare or hard-to-find that I've wanted over the past ~10 years. Some of it I've spent a bit of cash on, and some I've found for cheap. I don't really do much trawling on eBay anymore.

I did recently get introduced to WEG Star Wars 1e (for cheap through Half Priced Books). I'm not sure whether some of its supplements count as 'rare', but I may try tracking down some. It's not really something pressing for me, though.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Future Villain Band on May 08, 2014, 05:54:23 PM
When I went off to law school, I gave away 99% of my gaming stuff to friends, never expecting to have time or inclination to play again.  The friend who got the lion's share sold it on Ebay(!) when I assumed he'd keep it in trust to take care of, but enh, I should have been more specific.  Still, I had every book ever released for CP2020, third-party and otherwise, and those are gone; and every Werewolf The Apocalypse book.  I can probably rebuy those through DriveThru nowadays, but it rankles a bit.

With that said, the three or four games I hunted for for years have finally become mine after various searches: a complete run of Underground, Ringworld (including the companion), Living Steel, and Ghostbusters.  I would like to someday get my hands on the original Black Box Cyberpunk, but that doesn't nag at me like the ones listed above do.  

Sometime when I was down south, my Unknown Armies collection got rained on -- that's tough, and I'd really like to replace those in hardcopy one day.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dave on May 08, 2014, 06:02:25 PM
Right now, it'd be West End Games' Price of Freedom box set for a reasonable price.  It's one of those things where I either miss the auction entirely, wind up as a losing bidder or the seller wants an incredible amount for it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: ggroy on May 08, 2014, 06:23:57 PM
In general and in practice, I've found that every time I've gotten a "holy grail" of something I've been looking for, in the end it turns out to be either completely mundane and/or an outright disappointment.

(Whether rpg stuff, books, movies, music, etc ...).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: S'mon on May 08, 2014, 06:24:00 PM
The Mystara Gazetteers I'm missing - Elves & Dwarves are the main ones, Atruaghin & Shadow Elves & Halflings for completeness.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Caesar Slaad on May 08, 2014, 06:25:45 PM
Ringworld
Temple of Existential Evil (for HM)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RandallS on May 08, 2014, 06:28:39 PM
Bifrost (UK Fantasy RPG circa 1977).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Ladybird on May 08, 2014, 06:35:58 PM
I bought the Advanced Fighting Fantasy books I was missing (Allansia, Titan, Out of the Pit); Allansia was about £30. Of course, a few weeks later, 2e gets announced, which has much of the content anyway...

At the moment though, I think I'm good. I'd like to get a copy of Karma for SLA Industries, I just can't quite justify buying gearbooks because that side of games doesn't interest me much.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Benoist on May 08, 2014, 06:44:53 PM
TSR's Warriors of Mars, by Gygax and Blume.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dodger on May 08, 2014, 07:25:36 PM
Quote from: Old Geezer;747885CHAINMAIL second edition.
The Guidon Games one? Yellow cover?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Gabriel2 on May 08, 2014, 07:51:35 PM
I'd probably still pick up GDQ Queen of Spiders if I found one in good condition with the map book for unreasonably cheap even though I have all the component modules.

But over the past 15 years I chased down most of my grails and found that for me it was often better desiring them than owning them.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: ggroy on May 08, 2014, 09:11:38 PM
Quote from: Gabriel2;747931But over the past 15 years I chased down most of my grails and found that for me it was often better desiring them than owning them.

For lack of a better analogy, it's almost like trying to "recapture" the sensation of one's first love, after many years of absence.  But when one encounters that person of one's first love again, that long ago sensation is completely gone.

(Awhile ago I encountered my first gf again, after not seeing her in decades).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Gronan of Simmerya on May 08, 2014, 09:35:18 PM
Quote from: Benoist;747921TSR's Warriors of Mars, by Gygax and Blume.

I sold that, and my EPT, at the same time I sold CHAINMAIL.

Being poor, especially when you live in NYC, sucks.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Simlasa on May 08, 2014, 10:23:21 PM
I've always wanted a copy of Nexus the Infinite City... but that's mostly based on my thinking that it would somehow be Matt Howarth's aborted Bugtown RPG with the IP scraped off... which it probably isn't.
It's not that hard to find but whenever I do the person selling it wants just that bit more than I'm willing to pay.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: danbuter on May 09, 2014, 12:06:03 AM
At this point, I don't really have a Holy Grail to chase anymore. I've gotten all the books I had been looking for. Most of them ended up being a disappointment, and I either sold them or gave them away.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: The Were-Grognard on May 09, 2014, 12:25:51 AM
Quote from: danbuter;747979At this point, I don't really have a Holy Grail to chase anymore. I've gotten all the books I had been looking for. Most of them ended up being a disappointment, and I either sold them or gave them away.

This.

Still, I'd like to get a second Rules Cyclopedia, but not at current prices :hand:
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Simon Owen on May 09, 2014, 02:29:11 AM
Quote from: Dave;747911Right now, it'd be West End Games' Price of Freedom box set for a reasonable price.  It's one of those things where I either miss the auction entirely, wind up as a losing bidder or the seller wants an incredible amount for it.

There was a guy selling both the Price of Freedom box set and My Own Private Idaho on ebay uk about 2 weeks back , they looked in very good condition as well. The price was £19.99 which is about $30 I think.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Simon Owen on May 09, 2014, 02:40:13 AM
Still looking to get hold of the ' Dead Reckonings ' scenario book and ' The Golden Dawn ' supplement for Call of Cthulhu , and the original ' Griffin Mountain ' ( with the map !) and ' Gateway Bestiary ' for Runequest. There are a few books I would like in print for Classic Traveller as well but at least I can get the PDFs for those.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on May 09, 2014, 05:30:19 AM
I managed to find a few of my "holy grails":

I am still looking for:
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Simon Owen on May 09, 2014, 05:54:56 AM
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;748023
  • Dungeon Planner Set 1: Caverns of the Dead

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GAMES-WORKSHOP-RARE-BOXED-CAVERNS-OF-THE-DEAD-DUNGEON-PLANNER-1-/121333100896?pt=UK_Toys_RolePlaying_RL&hash=item1c40043160

May be useful :)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: smiorgan on May 09, 2014, 08:00:59 AM
I would like a hard copy of Aetherco's Further Information: Gamesmaster Supplement for the Continuum RPG.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: GameDaddy on May 09, 2014, 08:50:12 AM
Hmmm... let's see. For RPg's I'd have to say Judges Guild City State of Tarantis supplement, and the Wraith Overlord Dungeon. That's the Dunegon under the City State of the Invincible Overlord. Having those two would mean a complete Judges Guild RPG collection.

Got three on the search/buy list for wargames, well four actually.... never mind, more than that actually...

Strategy I from SPI games. Quite possible one of the best war games ever made.

Oil War... another SPI game originally published in the SPI magazine back in 1977. It plays out like the actual history of what happened in the middle east, over the last forty years.  

Dreadnaught, yet another SPI game, it's about naval battles in the age of steam and big guns... a nice addition for Avalon Hills' Submarine.

War of the Rings, yes, the SPI mega-game. Still the best War of the Ring Game around, a mix of roleplaying, with collectible cards, and a military board game all rolled into one.


Star Force, Star Soldier and Outreach, a trilogy of SPI sci-fi games.

I wouldn't mind having a copy of Avalon Hills Blitzkrieg, Third Reich, and of course Kingmaker.

and a new unpunched copy of GDW's Fifth Frontier War would be awesome.

Wouldn't mind having all of those again.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: BarefootGaijin on May 09, 2014, 09:02:58 AM
Quote from: Future Villain Band;747906Still, I had every book ever released for CP2020, third-party and otherwise

I had most of those too. Charity shopped it all years ago. Stupid stupid boy.

Everything I had I can find for an inflated price on the second hand market.

Though I do want some Fighting Fantasy books to read again.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: 3rik on May 09, 2014, 12:12:43 PM
"Holy Grail" is rather overstating it, but I'd like to get my hands on print versions of Escape from Innsmouth 2E for Call of Cthulhu and Lands of Mystery, a multiple-system adventure sourcebook from Hero Games. For a normal price.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Black Vulmea on May 09, 2014, 02:36:54 PM
Aboard the Death Ship, a Traveller adventure published by Reilly Associates.

Crimson Cutlass, a swashbuckling roleplaying game.

I've approached the author of Crimson Cutlass twice, once about putting out a .pdf and the other, on the recommendation of another gamer, about trying to track down a copy, and both times I've gotten a surly fuck-off. I can't imagine how much it must really suck to have people who are interested in your work and want to buy it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: DKChannelBoredom on May 09, 2014, 02:40:54 PM
Quote from: Simon Owen;747996Still looking to get hold of the ' Dead Reckonings ' scenario book and ' The Golden Dawn ' supplement for Call of Cthulhu

Heh, I got the 'Golden Dawn' (and actually up for sale - but shipping outta here, out-rageous), but I'm searching for the 'Walker in the Wastes', also from Pagan Publishing. And there's a couple of the translated Danish Fighting Fantasy books I'm missing from my collection. And of more recent stuff, I would like to get my hands on the first book in the 3.5 Dragonlance Age of Mortals Campaign - Key of Destiny - but I'm not willing to pay blood money for it. So if it turns up great, if not, I'll survive.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jeff37923 on May 09, 2014, 03:43:36 PM
The DGP books for Megatraveller - Starship Operator's Manual, Grand Survey, and Grand Census.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: The Butcher on May 09, 2014, 04:46:44 PM
French-language 30th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu, a.k.a. L'Appel de Cthulhu.

Got it a few weeks ago. Awesome.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Simon Owen on May 09, 2014, 05:19:37 PM
Quote from: jeff37923;748149The DGP books for Megatraveller - Starship Operator's Manual, Grand Survey, and Grand Census.

I've got the Starship Operator's Manual but I've never seen Grand Survey or Grand Census anywhere.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: dragoner on May 09, 2014, 05:37:22 PM
Quote from: Simon Owen;748172I've got the Starship Operator's Manual but I've never seen Grand Survey or Grand Census anywhere.

I wouldn't mind Dogs and Cogs, imo I always wondered why there wasn't a Vilani alien module. But with the amount of arguing over, and inflated price of DGP stuff, it's not a holy grail type item.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Black Vulmea on May 10, 2014, 01:05:04 AM
Quote from: dragoner;748176I always wondered why there wasn't a Vilani alien module.
:huhsign:

(http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz119/waynesbooksgames/100_4103_zps298f527d.jpg)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: dragoner on May 10, 2014, 01:33:03 AM
That's Cogs and Dogs; the alien modules were Classic, not Mega. I actually didn't buy any Mega stuff, none of it fit with what we were playing at the time. Then after a hiatus, I came back and it was TNE, so my group decided they wanted to play Rifts instead.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: MachFront on May 10, 2014, 03:34:48 AM
Besides the Games Workshop print of Holmes D&D (with the Fangorn art) I guess all the stuff I really want is really no big deal. But it's all stuff that is usually pricier than I'd imagine on Amazon and eBay, etc.

Like Thunder Rift. Though some say it's fairly cool, most insist it's really nothing too inspiring but like a five year old who wants an obviously crappy toy from the dollar store there I am: "But...but I really want it for real."

As a T&T fanboy sure I'd love copies of the first, second and third "editions" and the T&T Supplement but I'm more realistic than that... so why does the usual and boring D&D stuff I want (like Thunder Rift or the Bestiary of Dragons and Giants) so strangely pricey?


I guess my real Holy Grails are things that don't exist like a version of Swords & Wizardry Complete with a non-spell-casting ranger more like the one from C&C and the bard from Strategic Review and no more pixilation on the freakin' art!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: DKChannelBoredom on May 10, 2014, 03:54:32 AM
Quote from: The Butcher;748162French-language 30th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu, a.k.a. L'Appel de Cthulhu.

Got it a few weeks ago. Awesome.

If I may ask, how much did you dish out for it? I recently sold my copy of the 30th Anniversary English edition and I'm a little curious.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: The Butcher on May 10, 2014, 10:46:47 AM
Quote from: DKChannelBoredom;748266If I may ask, how much did you dish out for it? I recently sold my copy of the 30th Anniversary English edition and I'm a little curious.

Got it brand-new from Jeux Descartes in Paris, for 45 euro.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 12, 2014, 03:22:18 AM
Quote from: Ladybird;747919I bought the Advanced Fighting Fantasy books I was missing (Allansia, Titan, Out of the Pit); Allansia was about £30. Of course, a few weeks later, 2e gets announced, which has much of the content anyway...

Allansia is one of the few things I'd really want to get, as like you I never managed to get it the first time around.  But I'd be quite satisfied to get the new edition version, which I hope will be happening at some point...

RPGPundit
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: DKChannelBoredom on May 12, 2014, 08:42:39 PM
Quote from: RPGPundit;748709Allansia is one of the few things I'd really want to get, as like you I never managed to get it the first time around.  But I'd be quite satisfied to get the new edition version, which I hope will be happening at some point...

RPGPundit

Anyone knows why the Allansia book, the old one, ended up being so expensive (from used) while the others, Titan et al, could be bought for a song, more or less? Was it simply a case of fewer being printed and therefor available or is there a story/underlying reason?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: BigWeather on May 12, 2014, 11:10:19 PM
I went through a period of collecting some older AD&D stuff (mostly pastels and the Cthulhu D&D) from eBay in the late 90s.  I realized shortly thereafter that I was only really interested in keeping the stuff I had from that time and actually played and not in getting other peoples'.  Odd, I know.  It has saved me a ton of money, though!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 13, 2014, 02:12:54 AM
Quote from: smiorgan;748041I would like a hard copy of Aetherco's Further Information: Gamesmaster Supplement for the Continuum RPG.

I've got this one! Its quite good, even though I found the game almost unplayable, there's a lot of material here that would be really good even in other games and as general idea-fodder.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: skofflox on May 13, 2014, 04:55:12 AM
Mostly Dragon Quest, SPI 2nd ed. stuff.
Frontiers of Alusia and The Enchanted Wood.

Not hard to find but a bit pricey...

D&D City & Outdoor geomorphs always tempting as well.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Beagle on May 13, 2014, 07:50:38 AM
Lionheart by Columbia Games... I apreciate the overall level and love for detail in most of the Harnmaster publications and combining this with a halfway interesting time period seems really nice.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: thedungeondelver on May 13, 2014, 09:23:31 AM
You know what though, I think I would cry with joy if I found an actual copy of Realm of Yolmi or Spawn of Fashan (that I could afford).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 13, 2014, 04:54:08 PM
Quote from: DKChannelBoredom;748929Anyone knows why the Allansia book, the old one, ended up being so expensive (from used) while the others, Titan et al, could be bought for a song, more or less? Was it simply a case of fewer being printed and therefor available or is there a story/underlying reason?

I'm pretty sure it had a much smaller print run.  I'm not sure if it ever even got to Canada, for example.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on May 13, 2014, 06:19:05 PM
There was a role-playing game advertised in the back of Dragon in the eraly days. Shapeshifter or Skinwalker, something like that. It was a digest sized book I believe. I never bought it I always wished I had. I don't know the publisher sadly. If I could find a copy that would be cool. Other than that I have all the 'classic' games I want I believe.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Doughdee222 on May 13, 2014, 07:49:27 PM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;749012You know what though, I think I would cry with joy if I found an actual copy of Realm of Yolmi or Spawn of Fashan (that I could afford).

Was Spawn of Fashan a real thing though? I thought that was just a joke column in an issue of Dragon magazine, not a real game.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: thedungeondelver on May 13, 2014, 07:58:27 PM
Quote from: Doughdee222;749194Was Spawn of Fashan a real thing though? I thought that was just a joke column in an issue of Dragon magazine, not a real game.

very much a real thing:

http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/66975/the-spawn-of-fashan

As was Realm of Yolmi

http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/122023/the-realm-of-yolmi
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: BigWeather on May 13, 2014, 10:58:56 PM
Quote from: Beagle;748998Lionheart by Columbia Games... I apreciate the overall level and love for detail in most of the Harnmaster publications and combining this with a halfway interesting time period seems really nice.

Somehow I missed this -- I have to get it, sounds awesome!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: flyingmice on May 13, 2014, 11:00:20 PM
None. I'm fine thank you!

-clash
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Patrick on May 13, 2014, 11:30:47 PM
If anyone remembers Wargames West from the late 80's and early 90's, they advertised a few things I REALLY wanted:  one was some type of universal conversion engine to convert characters to different systems (I think Palladium threatened to sue and it disappeared from the catalogue fast) and the other was Zody Games Fantasy Earth.  Mainly because the tag line : Even the mightiest wizard should be nervous around a loaded crossbow.  Or something along those lines.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Silverlion on May 14, 2014, 12:59:01 AM
Quote from: Tetsubo;749166There was a role-playing game advertised in the back of Dragon in the eraly days. Shapeshifter or Skinwalker, something like that. It was a digest sized book I believe. I never bought it I always wished I had. I don't know the publisher sadly. If I could find a copy that would be cool. Other than that I have all the 'classic' games I want I believe.


Was it the one that had the map of forms you had to go through to get to other forms?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kythri on May 16, 2014, 09:28:15 AM
Quote from: Patrick;749228If anyone remembers Wargames West from the late 80's and early 90's, they advertised a few things I REALLY wanted:  one was some type of universal conversion engine to convert characters to different systems (I think Palladium threatened to sue and it disappeared from the catalogue fast)

This sounds like "The Primal Order" from early WotC.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Gabriel2 on May 16, 2014, 11:00:03 AM
One I've always been a little curious about is the Paragon System.

It had a full page advertisement in one and only one issue of Dragon Magazine during the 80s.  The advertisement was for membership in The Paragon Society for Wargaming, or something like that.  By sending them some amount of money, you'd become a member of their organization and they'd send you their Paragon system along with regular updates.

I've always wondered what, if anything, someone who joined would receive.  I've asked about it several times over the years.  One person said they had joined back in the day and had received some comb bound mimeographed rules which were basically a houseruled D&D.  

With Google Street View, I've done a search of the address provided in the advertisement and it seems to point to a little strip mall.  There's no gaming connection to the location as of the last time I checked, and I doubt anything has changed, but I also have no problem imagining a little game shop may have operated out of that strip mall sometime in the 80s.  There may have been a gaming club there with grand dreams of selling their fantasy heartbreaker.

Anyway, I have no interest in paying for the Paragon System.  But it would be nice to see a scan of it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: grodog on May 16, 2014, 10:43:41 PM
I'm more interested in early D&D manuscripts and tourneys in general these days (like, say, Castle Greyhawk ;) ), but one tourney that I've still not found any good leads on and continues to elude me is "Treasure of the Dragon Queen" (details at http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_tourneys_dragon_queen.html (http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_tourneys_dragon_queen.html)).

On the minis front, I'm still looking for early Grenadier sets and figures c. 1977-1980 to use for the second edition of Fantastic Worlds of Grenadier.  I found a Superior Dragon Turtle recently, which was high on my list (need it for one of my Castle Greyhawk levels, and S4).  

Oh, and I'm pretty sure I have a spare reading/play copy of LionHeart I'm willing to trade or sell, too.  Shoot me an email and I imagine we can work something out.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Anglachel on May 19, 2014, 06:35:34 AM
I guess i'd like to own a copy of the Dune RPG...mostly out of curiosity and because the setting fascinates me. Unfortunately, the prices for this book are so beyond the pale that this will always remain a "wish i had..." .
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dodger on May 19, 2014, 03:12:37 PM
A few years back, I found a pristine copy of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Collector's Edition online for £40. Only 500 were printed. It originally cost £75. Today, it fetches over £120 on Ebay.

Clearly, Sigmar chose to reward one of His Most Loyal and Faithful servants (not once have I succumbed to the seductive temptations of the 3rd Edition) with His Book of Truth, Glory and Awesomeness. So, behold the Most Awesome and Glorious Book of Sigmar! Gaze upon Its Magnificence! Wonder at Its Glorious Beauty! Bow your head before the Shining Sign of Sigmar that has been laid upon Its slipcover and weep with joy as its most Glorious and Awesome Words are revealed!

(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/6523/wfrp2ece2.jpg)

(http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2015/wfrp2ece1.jpg) (http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3320/wfrp2ece3.jpg)

(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2629/wfrp2ece4.jpg) (http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5302/wfrp2ece5.jpg)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: DKChannelBoredom on May 19, 2014, 03:25:18 PM
Quote from: Dodger;750412Gaze upon Its Magnificence! Wonder at Its Glorious Beauty! Bow your head before the Shining Sign of Sigmar that has been laid upon Its slipcover and weep with joy as its most Glorious and Awesome Words are revealed!

Meh. I'm more of a 1st edition kinda guy.


I kid (mostly)! It's a really good looking book, that one :)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 21, 2014, 04:58:25 AM
Jesus fuck! That is quite the find!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: 3rik on May 23, 2014, 02:38:57 PM
Quote from: Dodger;750412A few years back, I found a pristine copy of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Collector's Edition online for £40. Only 500 were printed. It originally cost £75. Today, it fetches over £120 on Ebay.
Fantastic looking book!

Quote from: Dodger;750412(...) not once have I succumbed to the seductive temptations of the 3rd Edition (...)
I take it you're joking? I've personally never thought 3rd Edition looked all that seductively tempting.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: tenbones on May 23, 2014, 03:42:31 PM
Spellbound by Craftygames.

Oh wait... that still hasn't been finished.... /sighhhhhhh
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: GrimJesta on May 23, 2014, 10:29:31 PM
Wraith the Oblivion's Ends of Empire. People must think their copy comes with heroin and a blowjob from the Playmate of the Month for what they want for it.

-=Grim=-
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: BarefootGaijin on May 24, 2014, 12:40:41 AM
Be good to find the D&D 5e character generation document.

/sarc.

But seriously. The Ravenloft set with the Tarroka cards in. Maybe also the Dragonlance "Mage stones" set.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Thornhammer on May 24, 2014, 02:52:41 PM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;749012You know what though, I think I would cry with joy if I found an actual copy of Realm of Yolmi or Spawn of Fashan (that I could afford).

I obtained a copy of Spawn of Fashan through the most direct route possible.

I asked the author.  Kind of a "screw it, I've been looking for this for long enough, and what's the worst that can happen?" thing.

Find the review over on Big Purple, the "last known e-mail address" is at the very bottom of the review.

This was quite some time ago, so I have no idea if it will still work or not, but that's how I got one.

My last "grail" item was a hardcopy of Dinky Dungeons, and I found that not long ago.  I'm sure I'll come up with a new item to find.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TheShadow on May 24, 2014, 11:56:59 PM
First edition Runequest.
Wait, I have a copy.
:D
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: David Johansen on May 25, 2014, 12:04:46 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;749139I'm pretty sure it had a much smaller print run.  I'm not sure if it ever even got to Canada, for example.

I got my copy of Allansia at Coles.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on May 26, 2014, 05:14:23 AM
Quote from: David Johansen;752298I got my copy of Allansia at Coles.

I got a used copy from Australia...
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on May 26, 2014, 07:16:52 AM
Quote from: Silverlion;749233Was it the one that had the map of forms you had to go through to get to other forms?

I have no idea as I only ever saw the ad in Dragon.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on May 26, 2014, 07:19:15 AM
Quote from: Thornhammer;752232I obtained a copy of Spawn of Fashan through the most direct route possible.

I asked the author.  Kind of a "screw it, I've been looking for this for long enough, and what's the worst that can happen?" thing.

Find the review over on Big Purple, the "last known e-mail address" is at the very bottom of the review.

This was quite some time ago, so I have no idea if it will still work or not, but that's how I got one.

My last "grail" item was a hardcopy of Dinky Dungeons, and I found that not long ago.  I'm sure I'll come up with a new item to find.

My copy of Spawn is autographed. I seem tom remember someone convincing the author to re-releasing the game somehow.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Silverlion on May 26, 2014, 11:32:44 AM
Quote from: Tetsubo;752500I have no idea as I only ever saw the ad in Dragon.


Hrms. Well, I've got a copy of the game I described--its very cool shapeshifting magic. Beyond that its basically a simple dual other wizards boardgame. (It can do RP stuff, but its very light. The rules however are fairly standard fare)

The game I described is called Shapeshifters. The 10th Anniversery edition I have is from Fat Messiah Games. Copyright of materials is 1991.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: shalvayez on May 27, 2014, 01:20:47 AM
I had a bunch of 1st ed. Earthdawn books that were stolen from me in the mid 90's. Included was the players guide and Barsaive box. :/
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on May 28, 2014, 08:10:34 PM
Quote from: David Johansen;752298I got my copy of Allansia at Coles.

huh. Well, my mistake. But clearly it didn't have all the same penetration; I saw Dungeoneer and Blacksand all over the place, but never once (to this day) have I seen a physical copy of Allansia.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: beasterbrook on August 17, 2014, 05:53:42 AM
I collect old and hard to get rpg's.. as soon as you get one there always seems to be a few others that take its place..

Brette:)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: finarvyn on August 17, 2014, 07:09:04 AM
Quote from: Old Geezer;747885CHAINMAIL second edition.
This is my own "Holy Grail" -- a goldenrod cover copy of Chainmail.

Years ago my Holy Grail used to be Warriors of Mars but I finally bit the bullet and bought one.

I suppose a woodgrain box OD&D would be up there as well, but I know it's not really that different from my 4th printing set.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TheShadow on August 17, 2014, 10:52:04 PM
My holy grail was Jorune first edition, until I managed to get a pdf copy. That's satisfied my curiosity. In many ways it's a better game than later editions, with less weirdness and more of an accessible sword and planet vibe.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: BarefootGaijin on August 17, 2014, 11:15:34 PM
I have all of AD&D 2E (spells, core, magical items), BECMI is now complete with Rules Cyclopedia and box sets (dice and crayon in place). At a loss for what to crave next.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Matt on August 17, 2014, 11:51:56 PM
I'd like to read Superhero 2044, but wouldn't pay more than $20 for it so I doubt it will ever happen.

I'd like the two modules GW put out for Golden Heroes.

Saw someone mention Lionheart upthread: yes, it is awesome, especially if you want to run an Ivanhoe-style game. Combined with GURPS Robin Hood you have a huge amount of background you can use.

Someone mentioned Price of Freedom earlier, too: also a great game. Very funny to read. Costikyan is one of my favorites.

I'd love to replace my original boxed set of Traveller. Not much else I want as I have nearly  every other game that has interested me.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: danskmacabre on August 18, 2014, 12:28:28 AM
Quote from: kythri;749787This sounds like "The Primal Order" from early WotC.

I have that book. I bought it when it first came out, then lost it and about a year ago got it again in a 2nd hand book store.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jeff37923 on August 18, 2014, 12:44:51 AM
Quote from: jeff37923;748149The DGP books for Megatraveller - Starship Operator's Manual, Grand Survey, and Grand Census.

I just purchased Grand Survey and Grand Census from Noble Knight Games today. That part of the quest has ended successfully.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jeff37923 on August 18, 2014, 12:47:05 AM
Quote from: Matt;780629I'd love to replace my original boxed set of Traveller.

I'd be more than happy to help you with this.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: danskmacabre on August 18, 2014, 12:57:20 AM
I would love to get the 2nd edition Spacemaster Boxed set.
I can see it's available and I might get it one day, it's just not at the top of my RPG priority list.

That's about the only old RPG (that I'd probably never run again anyway) that I want as a collector's item.  I have everything else I want.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: purpleplatypus on August 18, 2014, 02:12:09 AM
Castle Zagyg, but it was like $400 physical and totally unavailable (legally or otherwise) in .pdf last I checked.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on August 18, 2014, 02:14:48 AM
I'm always looking for something, but earlier this summer I hit the jackpot and scored two of my grails- 1st edition Cyberpunk (Set in the dark future of 2013) and TSR's Gangbusters.

Both for ten bucks each. That was pretty sweet.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Necrozius on August 18, 2014, 09:40:03 PM
I wish to find a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia at a second-hand bookstore or flea market. I always feel a faint glimmer of hope that I might find it. Kind of silly.

Yeah I know that you can get it for ~100$ on eBay. Too much for me right now, sadly.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: YourSwordisMine on August 18, 2014, 11:11:06 PM
Quote from: Necrozius;780844I wish to find a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia at a second-hand bookstore or flea market. I always feel a faint glimmer of hope that I might find it. Kind of silly.

Yeah I know that you can get it for ~100$ on eBay. Too much for me right now, sadly.

Our FLGS holds a Swap Meet every 3-4 months. That is where I found my copy of RC. I was also able to get the majority (Missing GAZ1) of the Gazetteers at the same time. All for $20.

Check with your FLGS, they might hold something similar. If not, suggest it. What everyone does is buy Funny Money from the store itself. Then uses the funny money to buy from other people attending the Swap Meet. Everyone profits. They are rather popular here in my area.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Barbatruc on August 18, 2014, 11:20:53 PM
Quote from: Necrozius;780844I wish to find a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia at a second-hand bookstore or flea market. I always feel a faint glimmer of hope that I might find it. Kind of silly.

Yeah I know that you can get it for ~100$ on eBay. Too much for me right now, sadly.

Keep hoping! I stumbled across a near-mint copy for $40 just the other week, and now it's off my list. It was one of the last things on there, actually. Among the few things left is most definitely Castle Zagyg.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Skywalker on August 18, 2014, 11:22:52 PM
Quote from: DKChannelBoredom;748929Was it simply a case of fewer being printed and therefor available or is there a story/underlying reason?

Pretty much, and it was only released in certain countries IIRC. The others were released in greater numbers and in more countries.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Skywalker on August 18, 2014, 11:26:44 PM
Quote from: Necrozius;780844I wish to find a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia at a second-hand bookstore or flea market. I always feel a faint glimmer of hope that I might find it. Kind of silly.

I found mine there and bought it for NZ$5, which converts to about US$3.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Black Vulmea on August 19, 2014, 02:58:45 AM
Crimson Cutlass, a swashbuckling roleplaying game.

Aboard the Death Ship, a Traveller adventure.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jeff37923 on August 19, 2014, 04:39:18 AM
Quote from: Black Vulmea;780870Aboard the Death Ship, a Traveller adventure.

Do you remember who published it?

EDIT: Is this it?

(http://travellerbibliography.org/reilly/113.jpg)

Crap, it won't let me link to it.

Aboard the Death Ship
by Gary E. Reilly
©1982 Reilly Associates, 20pp.
Adventure

It has an entry in the FFE Traveller Bibiography project at http://travellerbibliography.org/reilly/113.html .
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: 3rik on August 19, 2014, 07:12:52 AM
Still looking for Lands of Mystery (http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/50863/lands-mystery)...
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Blacky the Blackball on August 19, 2014, 07:28:29 AM
A book I've always wanted to add to my collection but which is incredibly rare is Rhand: Morningstar Missions.

This was the precursor to the Living Steel game. I have the entire Living Steel product line, but not this book.

For those who are unfamiliar with it, Living Steel was a post-apocalypse sci-fi rpg set in the future on a human colony planet that had been devastated by an failed alien invasion and which has lost contact with the oppressive human empire for which it was formerly a colony. The general camaign aim is for the PCs to help rebuild civilisation on the planet and make it better and freer than it was before. It used the Phoenix Command mechanics, and is generally known as one of the most rules-heavy rpgs out there.

Rhand: Morningstar Missions was actually set in the far future of the colony where it had regressed to a medieval tech level and the psychic powers that were the result of bioengineering were believed to be magic.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Exploderwizard on August 19, 2014, 08:03:07 AM
I am still hoping to find an original Lace & Steel boxed set someday.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kobayashi on August 19, 2014, 08:56:34 AM
I'm still looking for some Call of Cthulhu french boxed sets (Dreamlands and Cthulhu by Gaslight) and a few scenarios.

With a bit of patience I managed to get my hands on Ghostbusters 1st edition, the whole Games Workshop's Judge Dredd collection and Ringworld + Companion, all for very decent prices.

So far my thirst for OOP rpgs has been quenched.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Lord Hobie on August 19, 2014, 10:25:52 AM
I finally got a pristine copy of Aaron Allston's Strike Force for Champions. It was in the middle of a general Champions bundle that the whole thing - maybe nine or ten books - went for around $25.00 on eBay.

Lord Hobie
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Larsdangly on August 19, 2014, 10:38:08 AM
Quote from: The_Shadow;752296First edition Runequest.
Wait, I have a copy.
:D

We'll have to have a brag fest on old Runequest material some time. Opening bid: Original Balastor's Barracks (the tatty softcover, pre Pavis boxed set).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Black Vulmea on August 19, 2014, 12:40:58 PM
Quote from: jeff37923;780877Is this it?
Yep.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Simlasa on August 19, 2014, 12:58:25 PM
I'd like to find the original 'black book' version of The Whispering Vault. Supposedly it has setting content that didn't make it into subsequent versions.

Also a copy of Star Rovers... which is kindasorta Arduin in space, having some of Hargrave's scifi components on their home turf.

Lands of Mystery and Nexus: The Eternal City are also on my list.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: K Peterson on August 19, 2014, 02:31:43 PM
I'd like to pick up some more old issues of The Unspeakable Oath. Haven't put a lot of effort into it so far.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Soylent Green on August 19, 2014, 02:44:07 PM
I could be tempted by the WEG Star Wars Introductory Adventure Game (or whatever it was called) as I can see the point of an even simpler D6 Star Wars game and I like props. And, if for curiosity sake, getting hold of a copy of Marvel Saga would be cool. But generally speak I seem to have gotten over the whole collector thing.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: daniel_ream on August 19, 2014, 02:51:52 PM
Quote from: 3rik;748093Lands of Mystery, a multiple-system adventure sourcebook from Hero Games. For a normal price.

Make me an offer.

Quote from: Beagle;748998Lionheart by Columbia Games...

Make me an offer.

Quote from: Patrick;749228one was some type of universal conversion engine to convert characters to different systems

If you're thinking RPG Data Con, make me an offer.

Quote from: danskmacabre;780640I would love to get the 2nd edition Spacemaster Boxed set.

I'm not sure if I still have mine.  If I do, it's in with Star Strike and the three ship books.

Quote from: Exploderwizard;780893I am still hoping to find an original Lace & Steel boxed set someday.

You'll need to make me a pretty good offer, but I could be convinced.

Quote from: Soylent Green;780968And, if for curiosity sake, getting hold of a copy of Marvel Saga would be cool.

Make me an offer.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Exploderwizard on August 19, 2014, 05:30:37 PM
Quote from: daniel_ream;780972Make me an offer.



Make me an offer.



If you're thinking RPG Data Con, make me an offer.



I'm not sure if I still have mine.  If I do, it's in with Star Strike and the three ship books.



You'll need to make me a pretty good offer, but I could be convinced.



Make me an offer.

OK gang this guy has all the loot. Lets kill him and take his stuff!!  :p
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Black Vulmea on August 19, 2014, 05:37:00 PM
Quote from: Exploderwizard;781016Lets kill him and take his stuff!!  :p
I'll bring the ten-foot pole.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jcfiala on August 19, 2014, 08:50:57 PM
I'd love to have a copy of Ringworld, yeah.

Castle Zagyg would be neat too.  

Beyond that, I'm doing pretty well.

(And that person who wanted Marvel Saga, I think I've got the whole line laying around here somewhere.  Reed Richard's guide to the universe is fun.)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Larsdangly on August 19, 2014, 09:07:27 PM
ooo, Ringworld! That is a great one. It is to the BRP line as 1E Gamma World is to the D&D family of games.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: 3rik on August 20, 2014, 07:07:23 AM
Quote from: daniel_ream;780972Make me an offer.
I'm afraid the shipping will cost me three times the price of the book, whatever my offer. :(

There's two used copies on Amazon for $1,055.24 (+ $3.99 shipping) and $1,452.56 (+ $3.99 shipping)... :teehee:
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: daniel_ream on August 23, 2014, 07:13:05 PM
Quote from: 3rik;781126There's two used copies on Amazon for $1,055.24 (+ $3.99 shipping) and $1,452.56 (+ $3.99 shipping).

Yeah. :rolleyes:  If I ever need to pay rent, I can sell my NM copies of Aria and Aria Worlds.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: David Johansen on August 23, 2014, 11:36:36 PM
I've got a Spacemaster second edition box but I don't have any plans to part with it.

I'd like Atlas of the Imperium of course.  I know a guy who has one but I like him too much to kill for it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: tenbones on August 25, 2014, 12:40:44 PM
I'd really like a copy of the Dune d20 game that never materialized.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jeff37923 on August 25, 2014, 01:25:45 PM
Quote from: tenbones;782536I'd really like a copy of the Dune d20 game that never materialized.

I remember reading ads for that but it never made it into print, did it?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: K Peterson on August 25, 2014, 01:47:01 PM
Quote from: jeff37923;782549I remember reading ads for that but it never made it into print, did it?
Nope. All that was released was Dune: COTI, which used Last Unicorn Games' house system. The d20 version was shelved.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on September 02, 2014, 12:21:33 AM
to think I used to own both Aria books.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Imaginos on September 02, 2014, 02:46:35 PM
Quote from: Tetsubo;749166There was a role-playing game advertised in the back of Dragon in the eraly days. Shapeshifter or Skinwalker, something like that. It was a digest sized book I believe. I never bought it I always wished I had. I don't know the publisher sadly. If I could find a copy that would be cool. Other than that I have all the 'classic' games I want I believe.

Was it Shapeshifter by Fat Messiah Games?  If yes, it was actually a board game of sorts. Used to have it and loved it.

For my entry on this list, I'd like to replace my copy of Cutthroat: The Shadow Wars that was stolen when I was at the game store.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: tenbones on September 04, 2014, 02:47:14 PM
Quote from: K Peterson;782559Nope. All that was released was Dune: COTI, which used Last Unicorn Games' house system. The d20 version was shelved.

This is the closest I guess we'll get...

http://squaremans.com/the-dune-rpg/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/9663350/Dune-RPG-d20
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: IceBlinkLuck on September 05, 2014, 04:14:04 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;784339to think I used to own both Aria books.

::sigh:: My copies of Aria are still sitting on the shelf boring the pants off my copy of WFRP 1st. The problem is that I was sucked in by the beautiful Kaluta cover art and didn't stop to look at them before I picked them up at a convention when they first came out.

I would really like to get a copy of Ringworld, but I think that's so far out of print as to be near impossible.

Would also like a fresh copy of the original Lace and Steel. Mine's been through several campaigns and the box is mostly held together by good wishes. I'm actually looking at getting one of these specialty card printers to print me up a couple of sorcery and fencing decks. I've got two sets right now that are good condition, but I'm pretty sure I can create something a little more attractive.

A copy of the second edition of Kult would be nice. I've got the first edition and a lot of the sourcebooks. I like that version, but I would like to see what, if anything, changed.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dirk Remmecke on September 05, 2014, 01:28:17 PM
Quote from: IceBlinkLuck;785150The problem is that I was sucked in by the beautiful Kaluta cover art and didn't stop to look at them before I picked them up at a convention when they first came out.

But their saving grace is the really good, b&w, line art by the early William O'Connor (before 3e and PF color & dungeonpunk).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: daniel_ream on September 05, 2014, 05:28:37 PM
Quote from: IceBlinkLuck;785150Would also like a fresh copy of the original Lace and Steel.

How badly?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Necrozius on September 05, 2014, 06:31:22 PM
I spotted 1st ed Advanced D&D Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide in an overpriced used bookstore. They're in so-so quality (a bit warped by water stains and lots of handwriting inside the covers). Each is going for 20 bucks. Is that a good deal?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Imaginos on September 09, 2014, 08:46:50 PM
If you are in the USA, I think that is kind of pricey.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Gabriel2 on September 10, 2014, 12:01:41 PM
Quote from: Necrozius;785286I spotted 1st ed Advanced D&D Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide in an overpriced used bookstore. They're in so-so quality (a bit warped by water stains and lots of handwriting inside the covers). Each is going for 20 bucks. Is that a good deal?

You can buy new copies of the reprints for less than that.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Géza Echs on September 10, 2014, 12:06:53 PM
I had to sell a lot of my library when I was a young man to make some extra money for food or rent. A lot of it wasn't necessarily hard to find or all that rare, but there was a lot of it. I'd like to get some of it back, someday, when I have more ready cash. Stuff like my complete run of Paranoia, including the novels, or the complete set of oWoD Mage and Vampire books.

Man, I don't even like thinking about this, to be honest. There was shelves of stuff that I just had to get rid of in order to survive. A massive amount of Call of Cthulhu stuff. I think my run of Kult books. Ugh.

Edit: Slightly off-topic, though, there is one rare (non-RPG) book I've regretted not getting for years. When eBay first came around, I went on and checked out their book auctions. The very first one I saw was a hardcover first edition of Brave New World, personally autographed by Huxley to the original owner, with a photograph of the owner and Huxley together. The original owner? HARPO FREAKING MARX. The bids had hit $2500 when I found it, and I swear that if I'd had a credit card at the time I would have been all over it. But I had to let it go... Sigh.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: camel7 on June 23, 2016, 02:04:36 AM
Quote from: Gabriel2;749799One I've always been a little curious about is the Paragon System.

It had a full page advertisement in one and only one issue of Dragon Magazine during the 80s.  The advertisement was for membership in The Paragon Society for Wargaming, or something like that.  By sending them some amount of money, you'd become a member of their organization and they'd send you their Paragon system along with regular updates.

I've always wondered what, if anything, someone who joined would receive.  I've asked about it several times over the years.  One person said they had joined back in the day and had received some comb bound mimeographed rules which were basically a houseruled D&D.  

With Google Street View, I've done a search of the address provided in the advertisement and it seems to point to a little strip mall.  There's no gaming connection to the location as of the last time I checked, and I doubt anything has changed, but I also have no problem imagining a little game shop may have operated out of that strip mall sometime in the 80s.  There may have been a gaming club there with grand dreams of selling their fantasy heartbreaker.

Anyway, I have no interest in paying for the Paragon System.  But it would be nice to see a scan of it.

http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.it/2011/10/i-do-not-think-this-exists.html (http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.it/2011/10/i-do-not-think-this-exists.html)

It seems that Mr. Mike Monaco once owned a copy of it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: camel7 on June 23, 2016, 02:14:12 AM
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;748023I am still looking for:

  • Dune RPG (if only to make up for the mistake of once owning six copies of it, and selling all of them for retail price... but I really don't need it at all)


If a digital copy will suffice, PM me.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: camel7 on June 23, 2016, 02:17:13 AM
Quote from: thedungeondelver;749012You know what though, I think I would cry with joy if I found an actual copy of Realm of Yolmi or Spawn of Fashan (that I could afford).

As you probably know, a PDF copy started circulating in 2014.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: camel7 on June 23, 2016, 02:19:21 AM
Quote from: Patrick;749228If anyone remembers Wargames West from the late 80's and early 90's, they advertised a few things I REALLY wanted:  one was some type of universal conversion engine to convert characters to different systems (I think Palladium threatened to sue and it disappeared from the catalogue fast) and the other was Zody Games Fantasy Earth.  Mainly because the tag line : Even the mightiest wizard should be nervous around a loaded crossbow.  Or something along those lines.

I own a copy of "Fantasy Earth", and it's not a bad game, though there is much mathematics in it. Also, it has tons of skills.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: camel7 on June 23, 2016, 02:20:41 AM
Quote from: Anglachel;750237I guess i'd like to own a copy of the Dune RPG...mostly out of curiosity and because the setting fascinates me. Unfortunately, the prices for this book are so beyond the pale that this will always remain a "wish i had..." .

 PM me.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: chirine ba kal on June 23, 2016, 02:28:43 AM
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;748023I managed to find a few of my "holy grails":

  • Allansia, the fifth AFF book
  • Record of Lodoss War, the Companion edition (not the D&D or Sword World version)
  • Record of Lodoss War Crystania (similar rules, different setting)
  • Die andere Welt (one of the earlier German self-published RPGs that had a more "pacifistic" bent)
  • Monster Maker (a Japanese fantasy RPG that saw three editions, all long OOP - I would have been content with any one but I managed to find all three on the cheap, only to find that they were completely different games)
I am still looking for:
  • Arduin Grimoire Book I-III (I don't think that I will find even one usable idea in those but they interest me for their historic relevance - and because I won't be using them I am not willing to pay collector prices)
  • Empire of the Petal Throne (first TSR edition - as with Arduin this is merely for historic reasons, I'd like to see how much of EPT's DNA really is in Midgard, the first German RPG)
  • Dune RPG (if only to make up for the mistake of once owning six copies of it, and selling all of them for retail price... but I really don't need it at all)
  • Dungeon Planner Set 1: Caverns of the Dead (a 1984, system-less, GW dungeon floor plan module of which I have Set 2, this is just nostalgia)
  • Dungeons & Dragons Basic (the pocket book edition of the Mentzer Red Box, published by TSR UK during the Fighting Fantasy craze - I once owned it but it was stolen from me)
  • AD&D Players Handbook (the Games Workshop softcover edition that I saw only once on a game table at Euro Gen Con 1991)
  • City of Chaos (a Talisman-like board game that had many flaws, I believe, but is hard to find, anyway)

There's a  lot of EPT in Midgard; one of the very first editions of the latter is a direct translation of most of the former; it's the rules without the Tekumel 'fluff'. I have scans of both in the archives.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Jason Coplen on June 23, 2016, 02:39:40 AM
Copies of the OD&D books sans Greyhawk (I own it). Right now it looks like I'm going to have to piece it together one book at a time due to finances.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on June 23, 2016, 06:52:22 AM
Finish my collection of Star Frontiers modules.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on June 23, 2016, 07:42:06 AM
Quote from: Omega;904761Finish my collection of Star Frontiers modules.

You know that digital copies are available free and legal, right?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TristramEvans on June 23, 2016, 04:01:53 PM
I'd love to get ahold of some of the Planescape stuff I lost in a move
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Christopher Brady on June 23, 2016, 05:43:48 PM
I actually managed to score the hated Champions New Millennium line a few years ago.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on June 23, 2016, 10:50:47 PM
Quote from: Tetsubo;904764You know that digital copies are available free and legal, right?

PDFs are not the same.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Ravenswing on June 23, 2016, 10:52:14 PM
Yep, some of us just prefer dead trees.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on June 23, 2016, 10:52:30 PM
Quote from: Christopher Brady;904845I actually managed to score the hated Champions New Millennium line a few years ago.

My security tech has, or had, several of the C:NM books. The core and at least two others. No idea what now as its been a decade.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on June 24, 2016, 06:49:48 PM
Quote from: Ravenswing;904885Yep, some of us just prefer dead trees.

yah me to and people keep trying to get rid of dead trees
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on June 24, 2016, 06:59:39 PM
Quote from: kosmos1214;905093yah me to and people keep trying to get rid of dead trees

PDFs are fine. But since I lack a printer so PDFs are kinda useless away from the comp.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TheShadow on June 25, 2016, 02:09:59 AM
Still hunting for two Aaron Allston books - Lands of Mystery and Autoduel Champions...prices are ridiculous for the former, and the latter is hard to find with the original cardstock insert.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Christopher Brady on June 25, 2016, 02:21:15 AM
Quote from: Omega;904886My security tech has, or had, several of the C:NM books. The core and at least two others. No idea what now as its been a decade.

I believe there was a total of three books, the Core, Bay City and Alliances, before Cybergames got their hands on them and tried to clumsily mesh them all into a single, smaller book.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: JesterRaiin on June 25, 2016, 07:07:26 AM
Quote from: Omega;905097PDFs are fine. But since I lack a printer so PDFs are kinda useless away from the comp.

Tablets are extra chep nowadays and even relatively "weak" one will be enough to read PDFs...

...unless they come from Paizo and/or FFG.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: daniel_ream on June 25, 2016, 09:29:50 AM
Quote from: The_Shadow;905164Still hunting for two Aaron Allston books - Lands of Mystery

I'm pretty sure I still have my copy. I'll hunt around.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on June 25, 2016, 04:14:13 PM
Quote from: Omega;905097PDFs are fine. But since I lack a printer so PDFs are kinda useless away from the comp.
im in a similar position but i personally prefer books
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Teodrik on June 25, 2016, 06:51:26 PM
The Gazetteer series for the classic D&D line. Karameikos, Alfheim, Glantri etc. A few years ago I had the opportunity to buy them all in mint condition, dirt cheap, from the leftovers of a very old gaming store that closed in the 80's. I will probably never stop kicking myself over taking too long time to decide on the deal and the books went to other people. Too expensive for me to collects them now. They are available through D&D Classics. But for me pdf means zero except printing out maps, handout&stuff.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: remial on June 26, 2016, 04:22:44 AM
currently I'm searching out a copy of Those who Walked Amongst Us for Anima Beyond Fantasy (in english). as it is now that is the only book I need to complete the english run of the books.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Thornhammer on June 26, 2016, 11:18:45 AM
Quote from: kosmos1214;905255im in a similar position but i personally prefer books

Same here.  I'm not going to deny the sheer utility and ease of transport of a PDF library - I can't tell you how many times I've been flipping through a hardcopy trying to find a specific passage, or wish I had Book X with me instead of Book Y - but flipping through a PDF just isn't as satisfying to me.  If I can get both for one price, great, otherwise I'm going for the printed version.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on June 26, 2016, 06:48:28 PM
Quote from: Thornhammer;905388Same here.  I'm not going to deny the sheer utility and ease of transport of a PDF library - I can't tell you how many times I've been flipping through a hardcopy trying to find a specific passage, or wish I had Book X with me instead of Book Y - but flipping through a PDF just isn't as satisfying to me.  If I can get both for one price, great, otherwise I'm going for the printed version.

yah i honestly can find stuff faster in a book most of the time my self.
the other end is i look at a screen enough and its hard on the eyes after a point where as a book is soft and easy on them
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: DavetheLost on June 28, 2016, 09:41:21 PM
I wouldn't say no to a print copy of the original Mechanoid Invasion. I have The Mechanoids and the reprint trilogy anthology volume, so I don't really need it.

I would realy like to find a copy of the Chaosium Elric of Melnibone board game.

Most of the old games I want have a way of being reprinted just after I finally track them doiwn and bite the bullet. Most of them I want to read and/or play so I would be perfectly happy with the reprints if only they came out before I parted with my bucket of cash.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Shawn Driscoll on June 28, 2016, 09:49:26 PM
Quote from: kythri;747877As I sit here, browsing RPG stuff on eBay, trying to determine if there's anything out there that I actually want right now, I became curious just what everyone's "holy grail" of a game book/supplement is.

Is there something out there that you're desperately craving and can't seem to find (or find for a reasonable price)?
Rare RPG stuff isn't worth looking for. It's rare for a reason.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TristramEvans on June 29, 2016, 03:14:27 AM
Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;905735It's rare for a reason.

Its been out of print for a while and lots of people want it because its great?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Matt on June 29, 2016, 07:35:28 PM
Not RPG books, but I would love to locate the last 2 Dumarest books ("The Return" and "Child of Earth") by E.C. Tubb at a price I can afford. I've read the first 31 that are easy to get a hold of used.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Ratman_tf on June 30, 2016, 11:12:57 AM
One day I'm going to pull the trigger on getting a Moldvay Basic rulebook. And I really want Mekton II/Roadstriker II books.
Though I already have a PDF of the basic D&D book, and I only want them for nostalgia, so I'm not in a hurry to get them.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: daniel_ream on July 01, 2016, 12:44:32 PM
Quote from: Ratman_tf;905956And I really want Mekton II/Roadstriker II books.

Make me an offer.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Ratman_tf on July 01, 2016, 04:01:21 PM
Quote from: daniel_ream;906159Make me an offer.

What condition are the books in?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Mordred Pendragon on July 01, 2016, 05:59:26 PM
I just recently got a copy of Vampire: The Masquerade 1E for a fairly reasonable price off of Amazon. I also am currently looking for a copy of Chicago by Night 1E for a reasonable price.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Gabriel2 on July 02, 2016, 06:58:35 PM
Quote from: camel7;904734http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.it/2011/10/i-do-not-think-this-exists.html (http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.it/2011/10/i-do-not-think-this-exists.html)

It seems that Mr. Mike Monaco once owned a copy of it.

I'm sad to say that I still periodically do a search for this game, hoping that someone has discovered a copy and has more information about it or a PDF of it.  That's what led me back here because this thread popped up.

I know there is no way that this game can meet any of my expectations for it.  It's not that I think it's good.  It's just that it's such a huge mystery to me.  It's one of the only two unresolved game questions I have from childhood (the other being about a Dragon Magazine advertisement for a play by mail game where players struggled against the space Pope's battle fleets).  I'm sure it's a spiritless and boring overly complex fantasy heartbreaker.  But I still have this irrational desire to see it and read it.

I've even thought it's ripe to be forged in some kind of Encounter Critical-like stunt, because NO ONE seems to have or know anything about this game.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Ronin on July 02, 2016, 07:05:25 PM
Quote from: Gabriel2;906439I'm sad to say that I still periodically do a search for this game, hoping that someone has discovered a copy and has more information about it or a PDF of it.  That's what led me back here because this thread popped up.

I know there is no way that this game can meet any of my expectations for it.  It's not that I think it's good.  It's just that it's such a huge mystery to me.  It's one of the only two unresolved game questions I have from childhood (the other being about a Dragon Magazine advertisement for a play by mail game where players struggled against the space Pope's battle fleets).  I'm sure it's a spiritless and boring overly complex fantasy heartbreaker.  But I still have this irrational desire to see it and read it.

I've even thought it's ripe to be forged in some kind of Encounter Critical-like stunt, because NO ONE seems to have or know anything about this game.

First rule of Paragon, dont talk about Paragon
Second rule.... :)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 03, 2016, 01:19:29 AM
Quote from: Gabriel2;906439I'm sad to say that I still periodically do a search for this game, hoping that someone has discovered a copy and has more information about it or a PDF of it.  That's what led me back here because this thread popped up.

I know there is no way that this game can meet any of my expectations for it.

Heres a quote from someone who got it.

Quotemikemonaco  - January 23, 2013 at 2:16 PM

Well as I said at CL's blog, my bro & I actually "joined" and got a stack of three-hole punched, single-sided pages of manuscript game. I can't remember a lot about the game because we never even got so far as rolling up characters for it. It went into a large binder, and was eventually tossed. I forgot they promised to send updates and all that. Nothing else ever came but a few hundred pages of loose leaves. From what little I do recall, there were fixed (rolled) stats and many derived stats from the fixed ones. I think there may have been some distinction between sharp and blunt weapon damage, and a fatigue system. All very complex and confusing (we like 14 and 15 at the time). I think we moved shortly after we got the Paragon package and I suppose there is a slight possibility that other things did come in the mail, but were not forwarded.
Basically a huge disappointment though. $25 in 1986 was a ton of money. Maybe the whole thing was more of an overly optimistic project than a scam, I don't know.

Apparently I am the only person on Earth who bought Ground Assault Gamma Force. A mecha wargame. Still have it and the minis.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on July 03, 2016, 05:16:42 AM
Quote from: Ravenswing;904885Yep, some of us just prefer dead trees.

As do I. My collection covers 60+ linear feet of shelf space. But a digital copy beats no copy in the interim.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on July 03, 2016, 01:10:07 PM
Quote from: Omega;906499Apparently I am the only person on Earth who bought Ground Assault Gamma Force. A mecha wargame. Still have it and the minis.

The rulebook looks incredibly crude for a 1990 game (I say that actually as a compliment)... what on earth were the miniatures like?

Several years ago at a small con I purchased this game for two bucks called Divine Battle Lust. It's an "Adult" fantasy miniatures skirmish system with rules for gang rape, prostitutes, etc. It seems to be trying to be to Warhammer what FATAL is to D&D. Not "Ironic" and not a parody. The rulebook encourages you to set up a lead workshop and make your own damn miniatures. On one hand it's embarrassing, but on the other it's got a weird "Roll up your sleeves" ethos to it that's sorta admirable. Really odd.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Settembrini on July 03, 2016, 01:28:34 PM
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on July 03, 2016, 01:48:45 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;906585The rulebook looks incredibly crude for a 1990 game (I say that actually as a compliment)... what on earth were the miniatures like?

Several years ago at a small con I purchased this... thing for two bucks called Divine Battle Lust. It's an "Adult" fantasy miniatures skirmish game with rules for gang rape, prostitutes, etc. It seems to be trying to be to Warhammer what FATAL is to D&D. Not "Ironic" and not a parody. The rulebook encourages you to set up a lead workshop and make your own damn miniatures. On one hand it's embarrassing and pathetic, but on the other it's got a weird "Roll up your sleeves" ethos to it that's sorta admirable. Really odd.
That must be rare i cant even find any other references to it but this one not even a crummy picture
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 03, 2016, 04:31:05 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;906585The rulebook looks incredibly crude for a 1990 game (I say that actually as a compliment)... what on earth were the miniatures like?

The minis were all little snap together Gundam models. I asked around later and was told they were a claw machine prize in Japan. About 50mm.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Géza Echs on July 04, 2016, 02:45:25 AM
I don't have many rarity interests, aside from some CoC related stuff. Weirdly, though, I wish I hadn't lost my set of the old Paranoia novels. I'd give a lot for ebook copies of those!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TristramEvans on July 04, 2016, 02:51:19 AM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;906585Several years ago at a small con I purchased this game for two bucks called Divine Battle Lust. It's an "Adult" fantasy miniatures skirmish system with rules for gang rape, prostitutes, etc. It seems to be trying to be to Warhammer what FATAL is to D&D. Not "Ironic" and not a parody. The rulebook encourages you to set up a lead workshop and make your own damn miniatures. On one hand it's embarrassing, but on the other it's got a weird "Roll up your sleeves" ethos to it that's sorta admirable. Really odd.

That's not this one is it?
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic240682_md.jpg)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on July 04, 2016, 05:19:02 AM
I just thought of one. here was a shapeshifting game advertised in the back of Dragon magazine at one time. Anyone know what it was called?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on July 05, 2016, 12:05:24 AM
Quote from: TristramEvans;906763That's not this one is it?
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic240682_md.jpg)

No. Totally different animal.

It was published  by "Your Mother's Fear Games" in 2002. The cover art (Which is really not bad at all for such a small-press game) has a succubus with a whip leading a bunch of creatures.  I have no phone or such at the moment (Just the desktop) , so unfortunately I can't share pictures.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on July 13, 2016, 02:10:30 AM
Well, since it was brought up recently in another thread, one of the few old books I'd still love to find sometime (not so much that I'm scouring the world for it or anything, but if I were to happen across it I'd be really pleased) is the rare Allansia sourcebook for Advanced Fighting Fantasy.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Luca on July 13, 2016, 05:55:00 AM
I still dream of getting ST1 "Up the Garden Path", "The Jade Hare" with cover, and a copy in good conditions of the first printing of OD&D.

I mean, you can actually find these every once in a while on Ebay. But the prices are an order of magnitude higher than my reach...
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Necrozius on July 13, 2016, 06:11:35 AM
Not rare, per se, but affordable hard copies of the Savage Worlds Companions. I live in Canada, so I get stabbed in the rear end with shipping, exchange and duty costs. None of the local shops carry any of them except the odd 50$+ campaign sourcebooks that I feel are superfluous. Those Companion books are awesome.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 13, 2016, 06:33:00 AM
Quote from: Tetsubo;906774I just thought of one. here was a shapeshifting game advertised in the back of Dragon magazine at one time. Anyone know what it was called?

Night Life?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on July 13, 2016, 08:52:18 AM
Quote from: Omega;908008Night Life?

Not Nightlife. It wasn't horror based. It was all about playing a shapeshifter in a traditional fantasy setting. I think it was a 'plain' paper book with B&W art. Had a brown or tan cover if I remember correctly. Thanks though.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on July 13, 2016, 02:10:31 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;906878No. Totally different animal.

It was published  by "Your Mother's Fear Games" in 2002. The cover art (Which is really not bad at all for such a small-press game) has a succubus with a whip leading a bunch of creatures.  I have no phone or such at the moment (Just the desktop) , so unfortunately I can't share pictures.
That actually seems to be part of the problem is that most people who hear of it assume its this game.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Claudius on July 17, 2016, 03:49:42 AM
Quote from: 3rik;781126There's two used copies on Amazon for $1,055.24 (+ $3.99 shipping) and $1,452.56 (+ $3.99 shipping)... :teehee:
Wow!! These prices are absolutely ridiculous!!! :eek:

I owned both Aria books twice, and twice I resold them, the first ones for €10 (they were in bad shape), and the second ones for €50 (in almost new condition). The idea that I could have gotten more money than that is ludicrous.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Claudius on July 17, 2016, 03:58:08 AM
I am currently searching for BRP Merrie England and BRP Wind on the Steppes, of Alephtar Games, for an acceptable price. If any of the fine lads who frequent this place has a copy in very good condition that he would like to get rid of, I'm all ears.

Other than that, I had my holy grials of gaming (that I finally found), don't know if they were that rare to find or not, but they sure interested me, such as RQ Land of Ninja, RQ Vikings, the supplements of Aquelarre 1st edition, lots of historical supplements of GURPS, etc
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 17, 2016, 06:57:22 AM
Quote from: Tetsubo;908017Not Nightlife. It wasn't horror based. It was all about playing a shapeshifter in a traditional fantasy setting. I think it was a 'plain' paper book with B&W art. Had a brown or tan cover if I remember correctly. Thanks though.

Remember what year or general era of Dragon it was from? Was it on the actual back cover or one of the inside ads?

Did though find an ad for WEG's Price of Freedom and some other oddities never seen in stores or cons.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: K Peterson on July 17, 2016, 08:31:55 AM
Quote from: Claudius;908590I am currently searching for BRP Merrie England and BRP Wind on the Steppes, of Alephtar Games, for an acceptable price. If any of the fine lads who frequent this place has a copy in very good condition that he would like to get rid of, I'm all ears.
I could part with my copy of Merrie England, though I don't know what the shipping cost, and time, are like to Spain from the US. Drop me a PM and we can chat further.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on July 17, 2016, 11:16:47 AM
Quote from: Omega;908605Remember what year or general era of Dragon it was from? Was it on the actual back cover or one of the inside ads?

Did though find an ad for WEG's Price of Freedom and some other oddities never seen in stores or cons.

It was definitely an inside ad. Might have only been a quarter page at that. As for era I'm going to guess within the first hundred issues.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on July 17, 2016, 11:18:26 AM
Quote from: Claudius;908589Wow!! These prices are absolutely ridiculous!!! :eek:

I owned both Aria books twice, and twice I resold them, the first ones for €10 (they were in bad shape), and the second ones for €50 (in almost new condition). The idea that I could have gotten more money than that is ludicrous.

Those prices have very little to do with reality or how much those books are actually valued by gamers. They are an artifact of pricing algorithms.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TheHistorian on July 17, 2016, 06:04:36 PM
Here are the top contenders from my want list. Any leads appreciated! (But I'm not holding my breath. :rolleyes:)

Format: SYSTEM - Title (Publisher)

And then there are the magazines... anyone have a connection for oddball 80s and 90s UK titles?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Spike on July 18, 2016, 02:06:49 AM
Dune!

Okay. Its not exactly rare or hard to find. I've never seen it NOT for sale on Amazon.  Its just... its three hundred fucking dollars.  Has been for at least ten years now.   I think I managed to buy it once for less than a c-note, and the fucking seller pulled it and reposted it for five hundred.  

I swear, one day I will get a copy, that day I will upload it to ALL THE SITES so no one else has to cry about an overpriced under-quality item like I have for ten years now...
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 18, 2016, 03:18:16 AM
Quote from: Spike;908719Dune!

The board game from Avalon Hill?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Spike on July 18, 2016, 03:25:03 AM
No, the infamous RPG released by Wizards of the Coast for, like one day due to contractual obligations, and then buried.   I'm pretty sure I know what they system is (the same as the Star Trek RPGs released by Unicorn... something, press?), which I for some reason don't own (oh yeah... something about licensed properties being almost, but not quite, anathema!).

I managed to choke down half a dozen Kevin J. Anderson* penned books out of my love of Dune, but damned if I can ever remember to pony up the bucks when I've got 'em for the damn game.






* In case it is not readily apparent, I find KJA to be among the very worst of hacks in modern authordom.  I might put Scalzi above him, but I only managed to read Scalzi's mangled attempt at H Beam Piper before deciding 'Never Again!', so my sample size is small.  I will admit Anderson has one advantage over Scalzi, he at least has his own ideas. Always in someone else's universe, but they are his ideas all the same.

Also: I know Anderson's not that bad. I mean, he IS that bad, but compared to the hacks working and publishing en mass today? He's a fucking one eyed man in the land of the blind.  A pox on all their houses.  
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 18, 2016, 07:44:15 AM
Quote from: Spike;908732No, the infamous RPG released by Wizards of the Coast for, like one day due to contractual obligations, and then buried.   I'm pretty sure I know what they system is (the same as the Star Trek RPGs released by Unicorn... something, press?), which I for some reason don't own (oh yeah... something about licensed properties being almost, but not quite, anathema!).

Last Unicorn Games just as WOTC was laying them off. Uses the ICON system rather than d20 or d20m far as can tell.

Here is a review of it over on you know where.

https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11518.phtml (https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11518.phtml)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on July 18, 2016, 06:45:13 PM
Quote from: Spike;908719Dune!

Okay. Its not exactly rare or hard to find. I've never seen it NOT for sale on Amazon.  Its just... its three hundred fucking dollars.  Has been for at least ten years now.   I think I managed to buy it once for less than a c-note, and the fucking seller pulled it and reposted it for five hundred.  

I swear, one day I will get a copy, that day I will upload it to ALL THE SITES so no one else has to cry about an overpriced under-quality item like I have for ten years now...
All i can say after reading this is ow.
I have some expensive tastes but nothing quite that bad.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: IskandarKebab on July 19, 2016, 06:04:42 AM
Does anyone have a PDF copy of "Cold Steel Reign"? I've heard a lot about it and have been wanting to mine some stuff from it for a deadlands campaign.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 19, 2016, 08:47:12 PM
Another in the growing list of "took the money and (eventually) ran" stories in the gaming biz.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: FaerieGodfather on July 20, 2016, 01:13:06 AM
I already found my "holy grail", almost a decade ago. It took me four years, but I finally put together a complete play-set of Street Fighter: the Storytelling Game. The Player's Guide set me back $130 alone, but it was the most expensive book. Challengers was the hardest to find, but reasonably priced when I finally landed a copy.

It's not rare or hard to find, but there's so many books involved I think it counts: I would like to re-assemble my AD&D 2e collection-- the black border core, all of the Player's Option and DM's Option and Campaign Option books, all of the PHBRS, and the Encyclopedias. Plus something I didn't get into until it was far too late-- a complete set of Spelljammer. One of these days, I'm going to write my heartbreaker.

I'd also like to get a Rules Cyclopedia with Wrath of the Immortals and a complete set of Gazetteers.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on July 22, 2016, 09:22:04 PM
Quote from: Claudius;908589Wow!! These prices are absolutely ridiculous!!! :eek:

I owned both Aria books twice, and twice I resold them, the first ones for €10 (they were in bad shape), and the second ones for €50 (in almost new condition). The idea that I could have gotten more money than that is ludicrous.

You almost certainly couldn't sell them for the Amazon price listed.  Just because they're pricing it that way doesn't mean anyone will buy it.  Then again, people are idiots.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 23, 2016, 07:57:08 AM
Right. You'll see people trying to sell games just a few months OOP at 3 to four times their sale price. Whats really hilarious is when you see an old game or whatever for sale at 10x its sale price. When the item in question was mass produced.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Thornhammer on July 26, 2016, 08:07:46 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;906585The rulebook looks incredibly crude for a 1990 game (I say that actually as a compliment)... what on earth were the miniatures like?

Several years ago at a small con I purchased this game for two bucks called Divine Battle Lust. It's an "Adult" fantasy miniatures skirmish system with rules for gang rape, prostitutes, etc. It seems to be trying to be to Warhammer what FATAL is to D&D. Not "Ironic" and not a parody. The rulebook encourages you to set up a lead workshop and make your own damn miniatures. On one hand it's embarrassing, but on the other it's got a weird "Roll up your sleeves" ethos to it that's sorta admirable. Really odd.

Waaaait wait wait wait...

Divine Battle Lust...

I was one of the playtesters on that.  Good times!  Can't say I remember any gang rape happening while I was playing.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: TristramEvans on July 27, 2016, 01:16:55 AM
Quote from: Thornhammer;909952Waaaait wait wait wait...

Divine Battle Lust...

I was one of the playtesters on that.  Good times!  Can't say I remember any gang rape happening while I was playing.

There's another game by that name. The one in question seems to have zero internet existence besides offhand mentions of the TMP forums
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on July 27, 2016, 02:18:41 AM
Quote from: TristramEvans;909979There's another game by that name. The one in question seems to have zero internet existence besides offhand mentions of the TMP forums

I need to beg, borrow or steal a phone so I can post photos of it. I had no idea it was as rare as it apparently is.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on July 28, 2016, 03:19:38 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;909981I need to beg, borrow or steal a phone so I can post photos of it. I had no idea it was as rare as it apparently is.

Lay it on a scanner and scan the cover? What I did to show the Ground Assault cover. (Unfortunately at the time my scanner was on its last legs so its not the best of images.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Thornhammer on July 30, 2016, 01:10:44 PM
Quote from: TristramEvans;909979There's another game by that name. The one in question seems to have zero internet existence besides offhand mentions of the TMP forums

After visiting The Thornhammer Vault for Wayward Games and reviewing the book, I have determined that it is indeed the one in question.  Section in the back about making your own miniatures, scenarios about raiding a convent.  One involves capturing a woman on a hill and attempting to satisfy her.

I remember having a bunch of gaming sessions with the author - we'd play D&D or Divine Battle Lust.  I do remember him talking about getting it published, but he moved and I lost track of it until I saw a copy of it the second-hand bin at a game shop.  Looked at it, thought "HEY!  I remember this!" and picked it up.

I do recall that the game made some of the players really, really mad and we had people storm out on occasion.  Still, it was fun.

The tone during playtesting was goofy (fun goofy) and over-the-top, not necessarily High Lord of Edge territory.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on July 31, 2016, 08:15:34 PM
Quote from: Thornhammer;910684After visiting The Thornhammer Vault for Wayward Games and reviewing the book, I have determined that it is indeed the one in question.  Section in the back about making your own miniatures, scenarios about raiding a convent.  One involves capturing a woman on a hill and attempting to satisfy her.

I remember having a bunch of gaming sessions with the author - we'd play D&D or Divine Battle Lust.  I do remember him talking about getting it published, but he moved and I lost track of it until I saw a copy of it the second-hand bin at a game shop.  Looked at it, thought "HEY!  I remember this!" and picked it up.

I do recall that the game made some of the players really, really mad and we had people storm out on occasion.  Still, it was fun.

The tone during playtesting was goofy (fun goofy) and over-the-top, not necessarily High Lord of Edge territory.

Did he make is own miniatures? How were they?

Serious question. The game was really amateurish and had a lot of material in that would make me never want to mention it in mixed company, but it's "Can do!" ethos was admirable.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Thornhammer on August 01, 2016, 10:29:17 AM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;910862Did he make is own miniatures? How were they?

Serious question. The game was really amateurish and had a lot of material in that would make me never want to mention it in mixed company, but it's "Can do!" ethos was admirable.

I honestly don't recall if he had sculpted his own, but I do remember discussion about casting figures.  He had access to a spincaster, my group had access to a different spincaster, so we talked about technique and the like.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Coffee Zombie on August 01, 2016, 10:36:19 PM
It's not impossible to find, but I'd love a copy of the Rules Compendium. I've got it digitally, but having that baby on my shelf would make me pointlessly happy. Probably because I found a copy of this many moons ago on a shelf and passed it over before I realized what it was!

Recovering my copy of Nights' Edge for Cyberpunk. I lent it out one night to another GM who decided, on the spurt of a moment, to introduce vampires into his Cyberpunk game and never got it back.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: FaerieGodfather on August 02, 2016, 04:49:45 PM
Quote from: Coffee Zombie;911002It's not impossible to find, but I'd love a copy of the Rules Compendium. I've got it digitally, but having that baby on my shelf would make me pointlessly happy. Probably because I found a copy of this many moons ago on a shelf and passed it over before I realized what it was!

I gave my copy away when I gave away my AD&D books to get light for a move.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Kellri on August 02, 2016, 07:56:03 PM
My sister sold all of my rare(r) gaming books in a yard sale - because she figured the only reason I would keep them preserved in ziplock bags in a filing cabinet was because I didn't want them and she couldn't imagine that any of that stuff would be worth selling on Ebay. For my part, I've resigned myself to just not having a civil conversation with her ever again - and trying to at least get pdf copies of what's gone. Some of it might not be all that rare, but mostly it just warms my heart to know I can look at it occasionally.

- A 1st edtion copy of Boot Hill signed by Gary Gygax. Gary was kind of drunk at the time, pointed out to me that the game was written by Brian Blume and made a comment along the lines of 'Fuck that guy' and signed it anyways.
- Tony Bath's 'Wargaming Campaigns'. This is the ur-tome of early roleplaying games (and how to conduct and design them) and makes Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign look childish by comparison.
- The first Starfleet Battles boxed set and the 3 microgame-sized supplements.
- SPI's Freedom in the Galaxy and John Carter of Mars
- Bard Games' Arcanum, Bestiary and Lexicon
- All the 1e WFRP hardbacks
- The AH Powers & Perils and Lords of Creation boxed sets
- FGU's Royal Armies of the Hyborian Age
- Ivan Stang's High Weirdness by Mail and the mountain of hilariously bizarre shit I got from writing to most of the people and groups listed within (especially the ones who wrote back in longhand)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on August 02, 2016, 08:14:22 PM
Quote from: Kellri;911119My sister sold all of my rare(r) gaming books in a yard sale - because she figured the only reason I would keep them preserved in ziplock bags in a filing cabinet was because I didn't want them and she couldn't imagine that any of that stuff would be worth selling on Ebay. For my part, I've resigned myself to just not having a civil conversation with her ever again - and trying to at least get pdf copies of what's gone. Some of it might not be all that rare, but mostly it just warms my heart to know I can look at it occasionally.

- A 1st edtion copy of Boot Hill signed by Gary Gygax. Gary was kind of drunk at the time, pointed out to me that the game was written by Brian Blume and made a comment along the lines of 'Fuck that guy' and signed it anyways.
- Tony Bath's 'Wargaming Campaigns'. This is the ur-tome of early roleplaying games (and how to conduct and design them) and makes Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign look childish by comparison.
- The first Starfleet Battles boxed set and the 3 microgame-sized supplements.
- SPI's Freedom in the Galaxy and John Carter of Mars
- Bard Games' Arcanum, Bestiary and Lexicon
- All the 1e WFRP hardbacks
- The AH Powers & Perils and Lords of Creation boxed sets
- FGU's Royal Armies of the Hyborian Age
- Ivan Stang's High Weirdness by Mail and the mountain of hilariously bizarre shit I got from writing to most of the people and groups listed within (especially the ones who wrote back in longhand)
OW i feel for you man.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: grodog on February 03, 2017, 11:49:06 PM
Still seeking "Treasure of the Dragon Queen (http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_tourneys_dragon_queen.html)" and also The Black Vial (a digest-sized OD&D book of poisons).  

Allan.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Voros on February 04, 2017, 02:57:22 AM
Would like most of the Gazeteers and the Cyclopedia back.

I gave away most of my collection stretching from B/X, BECMI, 1e up to 2e back in the mid-90s. I tried to sell them but was offered such a pittance for it all I decided to just donate it to the local thrift shop in the hope that some kid would discover it all like I did.

Recently saw Cyborg Commando at the local used rpg shop and thought of picking it up for the laughs.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on February 04, 2017, 08:59:59 AM
Quote from: Voros;944023Would like most of the Gazeteers and the Cyclopedia back.

I gave away most of my collection stretching from B/X, BECMI, 1e up to 2e back in the mid-90s. I tried to sell them but was offered such a pittance for it all I decided to just donate it to the local thrift shop in the hope that some kid would discover it all like I did.

Recently saw Cyborg Commando at the local used rpg shop and thought of picking it up for the laughs.

'Laugh' would be generous. It might rate a 'titter'.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Larsdangly on February 04, 2017, 12:03:22 PM
My collection is honestly pretty great; I have complete series of originals in good shape of most of the great 1970's game systems and their supplements, setting books, etc. (though I don't have many of the super duper rares collectors covet - convention modules that were never republished, etc.). But there are four things I wish I could track down for a price I'm willing to pay:

- The original Arden Grimoire books
- EPT boxed set
- The 25th anniversary republishing of Divine Right. I own the original but its a bit beat up from heavy use, and I'd like a fresh copy of the full game.
- White Bear and Red Moon

I understand all of these can be found online, but I'm not really a collector - I just like playing these old games and hate working from pdfs, so I like to have hard copies that are in solid enough shape I'm willing to pull them out and put them on the gaming table. I'm not really willing to spend $500 for something on that basis.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jcfiala on February 04, 2017, 12:23:16 PM
(While discussing Cyborg Commando)
Quote from: Tetsubo;944057'Laugh' would be generous. It might rate a 'titter'.

I am John Fiala, and I approve of this message.  I used to have a copy of this, and I think I read it once.  Which may have been once too many.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kobayashi on February 04, 2017, 02:17:55 PM
Bought Cyborg Commando when I was 13 or 14 because it had the name "Gary Gygax" on it... I even thought of making a clone out of this just to get something positive from that... "thing".

Concerning hard-to-find books, I'm on a quest to find some Star Frontiers modules (those that weren't remastered yet).
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tristram Evans on February 04, 2017, 02:21:39 PM
Quote from: kobayashi;944093Concerning hard-to-find books, I'm on a quest to find some Star Frontiers modules (those that weren't remastered yet).

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/STAR-FRONTIERS-TSR-FRENCH-Regles-1-2-Volturne-Chroniques-dOutre-Monde-7-/162375538281?hash=item25ce561669:g:rOkAAOSw5cNYjcVA

Do you belong to any ofthe RPg trading groups on Facebook? I see Star Frontiers stuff show up quite regularly
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Herne's Son on February 04, 2017, 02:49:30 PM
On my list of things I'm on the look out for:

Flying Buffalo Catalyst RPG Supplements
the Hole Delvers’ Catalog
Citybook VI
Citybook VII
Maps: Cities
Maps: Places of Legend

Task Force Games
Central Casting: Heroes of Legend
Central Casting: Dungeons

TOR Books
Willow Sourcebok

The Companions RPG Supplements
Curse on Hareth, The
Places of Mystery #1 - Chilling Chambers
Treasure Trove #1 - Cards of Power
Brotherhood of the Bolt
Gems for Death
Places of Mystery #2 - Alluring Alcoves
Places of Mystery #4 - Highroad
Plague of Terror
Streets of Gems

Boardgame:
Dark Tower
None of them are -extremely- rare, but they're always going for stupid piles of money, so I'm hoping to find them cheap.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kobayashi on February 04, 2017, 03:23:57 PM
Quote from: Tristram Evans;944095Do you belong to any ofthe RPg trading groups on Facebook? I see Star Frontiers stuff show up quite regularly

Thanks for the link ! Unfortunatly no I don't use Facebook that much, I'll try though.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Lunamancer on February 05, 2017, 07:17:11 PM
Exotic Realms of Hazgar
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: K Peterson on February 06, 2017, 11:32:30 AM
My answer hasn't really changed from nearly 3 years ago: I still have pretty much everything I need, and found whatever 'rare' Rpg material I wanted a decade ago. I have a metric fuckton of Call of Cthulhu material, that I could run for decades, in different historical eras, and still not run out of material.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Votan on February 06, 2017, 05:34:18 PM
Quote from: GameDaddy;748050Strategy I from SPI games. Quite possible one of the best war games ever made.

Oil War... another SPI game originally published in the SPI magazine back in 1977. It plays out like the actual history of what happened in the middle east, over the last forty years.  

Dreadnaught, yet another SPI game, it's about naval battles in the age of steam and big guns... a nice addition for Avalon Hills' Submarine.

War of the Rings, yes, the SPI mega-game. Still the best War of the Ring Game around, a mix of roleplaying, with collectible cards, and a military board game all rolled into one.


Star Force, Star Soldier and Outreach, a trilogy of SPI sci-fi games.

SPI had a game called Universe, that I once owned and have fond but faint memories of.  Not sure if it would hold up today, but I'd buy it out of curiosity if it crossed my path and wasn't pricey.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Larsdangly on February 06, 2017, 05:50:31 PM
Quote from: Votan;944507SPI had a game called Universe, that I once owned and have fond but faint memories of.  Not sure if it would hold up today, but I'd buy it out of curiosity if it crossed my path and wasn't pricey.

I have Universe. It is nicely organized and parsimoniously written, like all SPI games. But it also feels dated, mostly for its complexity. I would rank it beneath Dragonquest.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: GameDaddy on February 06, 2017, 07:14:37 PM
Quote from: Larsdangly;944082My collection is honestly pretty great; I have complete series of originals in good shape of most of the great 1970's game systems and their supplements, setting books, etc. (though I don't have many of the super duper rares collectors covet - convention modules that were never republished, etc.). But there are four things I wish I could track down for a price I'm willing to pay:

- The original Arden Grimoire books
- White Bear and Red Moon

I understand all of these can be found online, but I'm not really a collector - I just like playing these old games and hate working from pdfs, so I like to have hard copies that are in solid enough shape I'm willing to pull them out and put them on the gaming table. I'm not really willing to spend $500 for something on that basis.

I have the Republished Compleat Arduin published by Dave, which I like better, and this very very reasonably priced. These 8-1/2"x11" reprints includes everything that was in the LBB and a bit more, and is much better organized and cleaned up;
 
The Compleat Arduin Book One - The Rules $26.63
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1881632008

The Compleat Arduin Book Two - Resources
$29.81
https://www.amazon.com/Compleat-Arduin-Book-Two-Resources/dp/1881632016/

Dark Dreams, Vol V. Available for another day and a half or so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dragon-Tree-Arduin-Arduin-Grimoire-V-Dark-Dreams-SC-VG-/152412163815?hash=item237c790ee7:g:C-YAAOSw5cNYiwsP

House of the Rising Sun, Vol VI. available for another day and a half or so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOUSE-OF-THE-RISING-SUN-ARDUIN-GRIMOIRE-VOLUME-VI-/252749747907?hash=item3ad90f16c3:g:zc4AAOSw9GhYkVpR
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Herne's Son on February 07, 2017, 01:00:00 AM
Quote from: Kellri;911119- Tony Bath's 'Wargaming Campaigns'. This is the ur-tome of early roleplaying games (and how to conduct and design them) and makes Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign look childish by comparison.

I'd never heard of this until you mentioned it. But it sounded neat so I did some looking, and it looks like it's been reprinted recently along with another Bath book, "Ancient Wargaming" in an omnibus volume: http://www.lulu.com/shop/society-of-ancients-and-tony-bath-and-john-curry/tony-baths-ancient-wargaming/paperback/product-15463540.html

If you want it for the content, not the collectibility of an early edition, maybe that's a way to go.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Larsdangly on February 07, 2017, 01:21:42 AM
Quote from: GameDaddy;944528I have the Republished Compleat Arduin published by Dave, which I like better, and this very very reasonably priced. These 8-1/2"x11" reprints includes everything that was in the LBB and a bit more, and is much better organized and cleaned up;
 
The Compleat Arduin Book One - The Rules $26.63
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1881632008

The Compleat Arduin Book Two - Resources
$29.81
https://www.amazon.com/Compleat-Arduin-Book-Two-Resources/dp/1881632016/

Dark Dreams, Vol V. Available for another day and a half or so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dragon-Tree-Arduin-Arduin-Grimoire-V-Dark-Dreams-SC-VG-/152412163815?hash=item237c790ee7:g:C-YAAOSw5cNYiwsP

House of the Rising Sun, Vol VI. available for another day and a half or so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOUSE-OF-THE-RISING-SUN-ARDUIN-GRIMOIRE-VOLUME-VI-/252749747907?hash=item3ad90f16c3:g:zc4AAOSw9GhYkVpR

cool; thanks for the tip. I'm biassed toward originals, but will give these a look
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Nihilistic Mind on February 07, 2017, 01:44:03 PM
Otosan Uchi Box Set for L5R 1e.

I've been pretty lucky on ebay with my collection of Kult eng 1e and L5R 1e, but that Box Set still eludes me.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tristram Evans on February 07, 2017, 01:56:09 PM
Quote from: Nihilistic Mind;944609Otosan Uchi Box Set for L5R 1e.

I've been pretty lucky on ebay with my collection of Kult eng 1e and L5R 1e, but that Box Set still eludes me.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AEG-L5R-RPG-1st-2nd-Ed-Otosan-Uchi-Box-NM-/361880679798?hash=item5441c4f576:g:v9AAAOSw-0xYe2hR
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Nihilistic Mind on February 07, 2017, 02:47:40 PM
Quote from: Tristram Evans;944610http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AEG-L5R-RPG-1st-2nd-Ed-Otosan-Uchi-Box-NM-/361880679798?hash=item5441c4f576:g:v9AAAOSw-0xYe2hR

Yep, that's more than I'm willing to spend on my holy grail. Cheers!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tristram Evans on February 07, 2017, 07:42:11 PM
Quote from: Nihilistic Mind;944614Yep, that's more than I'm willing to spend on my holy grail. Cheers!

I understand, there's a reason my Planescape collection lies 2 books short of completion. I can't bring myself to spend more than $200 on any gamebook. $150 is about my cutoff and that's only for very special items
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on February 09, 2017, 12:24:27 AM
Quote from: Voros;944023Recently saw Cyborg Commando at the local used rpg shop and thought of picking it up for the laughs.

You should be glad you didn't.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: ffilz on February 09, 2017, 06:38:17 PM
Quote from: Herne's Son;944100On my list of things I'm on the look out for:

Flying Buffalo Catalyst RPG Supplements
Maps: Cities

Task Force Games
Central Casting: Heroes of Legend

I could fix you up with these, the prices I have are:

$6 Maps Cities (Catalyst Series - Flying Buffalo)

$25 Central Casting - Heroes of Legend (Task Force Games, somewhat worn)

Frank
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Herne's Son on February 20, 2017, 01:39:00 PM
Quote from: ffilz;944966I could fix you up with these, the prices I have are:

$6 Maps Cities (Catalyst Series - Flying Buffalo)

$25 Central Casting - Heroes of Legend (Task Force Games, somewhat worn)

Frank

I totally missed this. Shoot me a PM and we'll see if we can work something out?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dumarest on June 09, 2017, 05:41:16 PM
Wouldn't say I'm searching for it so much but I'd like to find a copy of Merc Campaign Book 1: Rhodesia.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1042[/ATTACH]
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Dumarest on June 09, 2017, 05:43:02 PM
Quote from: Votan;944507SPI had a game called Universe, that I once owned and have fond but faint memories of.  Not sure if it would hold up today, but I'd buy it out of curiosity if it crossed my path and wasn't pricey.

I've seen it for $10 recently. Is that too much?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: DavetheLost on June 09, 2017, 08:36:53 PM
I wouldn't mind replacing my copy of Kult: Beyond the Veil if I could do it without parting with an organ or two.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on June 09, 2017, 10:15:39 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;906585The rulebook looks incredibly crude for a 1990 game (I say that actually as a compliment)... what on earth were the miniatures like?

Several years ago at a small con I purchased this game for two bucks called Divine Battle Lust. It's an "Adult" fantasy miniatures skirmish system with rules for gang rape, prostitutes, etc. It seems to be trying to be to Warhammer what FATAL is to D&D. Not "Ironic" and not a parody. The rulebook encourages you to set up a lead workshop and make your own damn miniatures. On one hand it's embarrassing, but on the other it's got a weird "Roll up your sleeves" ethos to it that's sorta admirable. Really odd.

I know it's been a while but any chance you can post A picture of this I still wanna at least see a copy.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on June 11, 2017, 11:59:10 PM
Heres one for the DOH! category.

Been on the lookout for 1st edition Palladium Fantasy.

Turns out... er... I had it all along... :o
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on June 12, 2017, 12:14:16 AM
Quote from: kosmos1214;967456I know it's been a while but any chance you can post A picture of this I still wanna at least see a copy.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1050[/ATTACH]
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on June 12, 2017, 12:29:05 AM
Quote from: kosmos1214;967456I know it's been a while but any chance you can post A picture of this I still wanna at least see a copy.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1052[/ATTACH]
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: (un)reason on June 12, 2017, 05:45:09 AM
Polyhedron UK issues 4, 6, 7 & 8. The last things keeping me from having a complete collection of that and starting another go on the epic Let's Read merry-go-round.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Just Another Snake Cult on June 12, 2017, 01:21:42 PM
Quote from: (un)reason;967931Polyhedron UK issues 4, 6, 7 & 8. The last things keeping me from having a complete collection of that and starting another go on the epic Let's Read merry-go-round.

The UK had a different Polyhedron than us?

Whoa. Wonders never cease.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Omega on June 12, 2017, 01:37:34 PM
Wasnt Imagine the UK version of Dragon?
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: kosmos1214 on June 12, 2017, 06:31:14 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;967891[ATTACH=CONFIG]1052[/ATTACH]

Thank you. :]
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Thornhammer on June 12, 2017, 09:28:20 PM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;967891[ATTACH=CONFIG]1052[/ATTACH]

HA!  Yep, that's the one.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: (un)reason on June 13, 2017, 06:28:02 AM
Quote from: Just Another Snake Cult;967992The UK had a different Polyhedron than us?

Whoa. Wonders never cease.
Not for a huge length of time, but while it did, it had higher production values than the regular issues. You can see the covers here, but they're incredibly hard to find physical copies of, and no-ones bothered to scan .pdfs yet.
http://www.loscha.com/tsr/uk/uk.htm
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Johndesmarais on June 13, 2017, 03:36:58 PM
Midnight at the Well of Souls (https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/54877/midnight-well-souls).  It was a horrible game, but I want it anyway.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: CanBeOnlyOne on June 13, 2017, 03:47:34 PM
Demon Magic for Stormbringer. I have seen it for sale a couple of times on Ebay but I have yet to be able to afford it.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: beasterbrook on July 04, 2017, 10:18:06 PM
I really do need to finish up my want list and post it places like this.. I collect these sorts of obscure titles...

I've had good luck in tracking down books over the years.. It seems like that's all I do these days.. but there is still a rather long list of books that I'm after..
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: jcfiala on July 05, 2017, 09:23:45 AM
Quote from: Johndesmarais;968287Midnight at the Well of Souls (https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/54877/midnight-well-souls).  It was a horrible game, but I want it anyway.

I've got this, or at least some of it - I'm pretty sure it was originally a boxed set, but I'm pretty sure I don't have the box anymore.  It's a sentimental value to me - I'm both fond of the original novels, and I remember it being on sale at my first Gen Con (88) but not buying it there and then never seeing it again until I came across it, used, at a convention many years later.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on July 09, 2017, 03:40:51 AM
Quote from: beasterbrook;973174I really do need to finish up my want list and post it places like this.. I collect these sorts of obscure titles...

I've had good luck in tracking down books over the years.. It seems like that's all I do these days.. but there is still a rather long list of books that I'm after..

Hmm, I'd say welcome to theRPGsite, but it seems you've been here for almost 4 years. Still, only your third post, so hello.
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: beasterbrook on July 10, 2017, 03:05:23 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;974049Hmm, I'd say welcome to theRPGsite, but it seems you've been here for almost 4 years. Still, only your third post, so hello.

Thanks;) I'll try and make it to double figs...

Brette:)
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: RPGPundit on July 14, 2017, 04:34:29 AM
Quote from: beasterbrook;974258Thanks;) I'll try and make it to double figs...

Brette:)

Reach for the sky!
Title: What "rare" or hard-to-find book/books have you been searching for?
Post by: Tetsubo on July 14, 2017, 03:35:23 PM
Quote from: Johndesmarais;968287Midnight at the Well of Souls (https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/54877/midnight-well-souls).  It was a horrible game, but I want it anyway.

I concur. I also have a copy, box included. Bought it new when it was released. I am old.