Author Topic: Your favorite handbooks and why you like em  (Read 2800 times)

Offline 123456789blaaa

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ***
  • Posts: 623
  • Not very active here but still active online
    • View Profile
Your favorite handbooks and why you like em
« on: January 25, 2012, 10:02:41 PM »
Exactly what it says on the tin. Feel free to list however many you want, mine are:

The dragonfire adept handbook by janusjones: this is probably my favorite handbook. The handbook showed me that what i originally thought was a warlock with fire breath, was actually a very interesting and versatile class.  It is extremely comprehensive and full of personality and humor. You can find it at the WOTC forums. Unfortunately no one has transfered it yet. I may have to take up the task despite my technical ineptitude. Here's an excerpt:

"Gestalt: Hooooo boy. Gestalt makes for some crazy, kung-fu, epic, super-powered, world-shattering, DBZ-style action. Dragonfire Adepts can be an AWESOME half of a Gestalt combo, and make you look and feel like sex on the beach - dirty, naughty, and stylish. First choice here would be a caster, preferably one with access to metabreath spells a la the Draconomicon. These include such hits as Rebuking, Dispelling, Stunning, and even Enervating (negative levels on a breath weapon - yes PLEASE!). Other good choices could include skill monkey/casters (yay for Beguilers!), or even a nice fat Aoo-based warrior-type (thin Crusader with Stand Still - you'll be your own backup). If you're going the warrior route, be sure to trick out the metabreath feats, running up your recharge rate, and then use the other rounds to whomp your foes with martial strikes. Good times. Hard to blow a gestalt, but focus on complementing the DFA's significant at-will de-buff and utility abilities with damage and casting and you'll kick butt and take names. "

See what i mean by "full of personality and humor? Find it here
 

I'm feeling really tired right now. I'll edit in some of my other favorites later.

Edit: another one i really like is the new dread necromancer handbook. For some reason it is one of my favorites despite having a few flaws.  I like the tone and it was the first handbook I ever saw that had a section on roleplaying. It being one of the first handbooks i had read probably had something to do with my liking it too. Find it  here

« Last Edit: January 26, 2012, 12:37:05 PM by 123456789blaaa »
Please, call me Count :).

Offline akalsaris

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 71
  • I put the laughter in manslaughter!
    • View Profile
Re: Your favorite handbooks and why you like em
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2012, 12:20:10 AM »
I like that one a lot too!  Just from memory: "Fivefold Breath of Takhisis breath invocation: Hold me closer, 5-headed mistress."

Hrm...some of my favorites:

#1 is probably Gnorman's Practical Demonkeeping: A Guide to the Lower Planes. Lots of humor and made me really want to play a summoner.
#2 and very similar is Treantmonk's Mastering the Malconvoker handbook since it really opened my eyes to a really cool prestige class
#3 might be the Shadowcraft Mage handbook, since it has nice tone, organization, and is a brilliant combination of synergistic abilities

Special mention might go to "Sneak Attacking Spellcasters: God's Shifty-Eyed Cousins" and "Swift Hunter's handbook" - those two really helped me with a few character builds.

Offline trezac

  • Lurker
  • *
  • Posts: 23
    • View Profile
Re: Your favorite handbooks and why you like em
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2012, 09:55:06 AM »
I did realy have fun when reading The Tao of Truenaming from Solo

Offline RobbyPants

  • Female rat ninja
  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 8172
    • View Profile
Re: Your favorite handbooks and why you like em
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2012, 10:35:10 AM »
I liked K's Revised Necromancy Handbook as probably an overall favorite.

Beyond that, my interest tends to shift around depending on the class I'm currently looking at playing.
My creations

Please direct moderation-related PMs to Forum Staff.

Offline 123456789blaaa

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ***
  • Posts: 623
  • Not very active here but still active online
    • View Profile
Re: Your favorite handbooks and why you like em
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2012, 12:19:43 PM »
akal: I cannot believe i forgot practical demon keeping: "grazz't: marble adonis or mutant mastermind?"  :lmao

I honestly didn't realize how hard it would be to choose my favorites. I like ALL the handbooks you guys have mentioned so far which I think shows how great the optimization community is.  They're are a few I can rank lower than others but it is so very hard to choose.  Out of all the handbooks i can only remember disliking two or three.
Please, call me Count :).

Offline akalsaris

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 71
  • I put the laughter in manslaughter!
    • View Profile
Re: Your favorite handbooks and why you like em
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2012, 07:56:24 PM »
The artificer handbook is another one that has good notes on roleplaying. I like that it's aimed at a different level of optimization than most handbooks, actually.