Listmania!
3.5 beats AD&D
Eberron Campaign Setting (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory)Eberron Campaign Setting (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory) by Keith Baker
Buy used from: £5.07
4* Great art. Nations have variety & solid history. Good premises: unknown gods, rare high-levels etc. But dragonmarks etc. seem contrived for franchise; trains aren't fantasy. Needs a poster-map.
Eberron: Sharn City of TowersEberron: Sharn City of Towers by Keith Baker
Buy new: £14.44 / Used from: £10.64
3* Worth it for atmospheric free CD, the book brilliantly evokes mood but excessive location detail without clear maps. More history, economics and detailed adventure settings would've been good.
Player's Guide to EberronPlayer's Guide to Eberron by James Wyatt
Buy new: £14.44 / Used from: £9.95
4* Useful A-Z of the campaign world (adventuring to Xen'drik), some maps (e.g. Frostfell outline), little crunch (no prestige classes), links other supplement material, teaser for other sources.
Gazetteer of the Known Realms: A Complete Campaign Setting with Book(s) and Other and Map (Dungeon Crawl Classics)Gazetteer of the Known Realms: A Complete Campaign Setting with Book(s) and Other and Map (Dungeon Crawl Classics) by Mike Ferguson
Buy used from: £121.30
5* Wonderful classic-feel campaign setting (mysterious sites, memorable NPC, small tough armies, no steampunk), big world (3 continents including Aztec Yuan-ti), rich varied solid history & deities.
Unearthed Arcana (Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Supplement) ("Dungeons & Dragons")Unearthed Arcana (Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Supplement) ("Dungeons & Dragons") by Andy Collins
Buy used from: £18.85
4* Rich alternative rule collection adds great game flexibility (e.g. low AC combat, madness for horror). Less campaign ideas (element-race & scion-prestige weak, but traits great). Can't use it all.
Dungeons and Dragons: Players Handbook: Vol 3.5Dungeons and Dragons: Players Handbook: Vol 3.5 by Monte Cook
Buy used from: £69.99
5* The only essential game book, complete player & combat, wonderful flexible mechanic beats pre-d20 editions, though excessive unsystematic spells not great & more example characters would help.
Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide: Core Rulebook 2, v.3.5Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide: Core Rulebook 2, v.3.5 by Monte Cook
Buy used from: £18.99
3* Disappointing wandering tome, though traps & treasure good. Surprisingly little on campaign & encounter authoring, needs more example adventure, shocked no maps. Could try using free SRD alone.
Dungeons & Dragons: Monster Manual 3.5Dungeons & Dragons: Monster Manual 3.5 by Monte Cook
Buy used from: £11.99
5* Staggeringly rich collection, evolved well from previous editions. Great art, systematic stats, good bits on animals, modifications & templates complementing monsters. Could have more on cultures.
The Red Hand of Doom (Dungeons & Dragons Accessories)The Red Hand of Doom (Dungeons & Dragons Accessories) by James Jacobs
Buy used from: £7.58
4* Campaign independent adventure arc (lvl 5-10) following a hobgoblin (dragon) invasion story (so site-event encounter areas, not full dungeons), well produced (some fold-out tactical maps).
The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde (D&D) ("Dungeons & Dragons")The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde (D&D) ("Dungeons & Dragons") by David Noonan
4* 3 dungeon adventures (lvl 1-7) make solid 'vanilla' D&D campaign foundation (whole kingdom-in-wilderness introduced), well packaged (separate player book, clear maps), tough start for new players.