What is your favorite RPG book of all time?

[Wolfpack48]

I have to add one more. The Runequest 3 rule book was the only one that was pure pleasure to read start to finish. Writing was succinct, clear and evocative throughout. Credit I think goes to Steve Perrin for that.

 

[Hex08]

Vampire: The Masquerade (second edition I think) was a revelation to me. My group pretty much abandoned all other RPG's in favor off it for a few years when I ran games. It was the first time I really felt deeply drawn into the setting of a game when reading the rulebook.

 

[HorusZA]

The original "Delta Green" sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu.
The writing and content is just so good. I literally read it cover-to-cover like a novel (something I hardly ever do with RPG books). The history, the conspiracies, the scenarios... just superb.
Honourable mention goes to 1e "Fiend Folio" for being such a treasure trove of unusual monsters to surprise my players with. As a longtime White Dwarf fan (lovingly eyes his 1-100 collection) I really appreciated the ephemeral "Britishness" of the designs.

 

[eyeheartawk]

I judge things by how "useful" they are at the table (that is, how many useful tables, rules etc are in it) but also how much it fires my mind and fills it with ideas and inspiration. In no particular order:

Both of these sourcebooks filled with tons of useful mechanical bits and lore and ideas spilling out of every page. I don't use them all the time but every time I do it gives me so many great ideas and fills me with a desire to play in the Old World.

The Greyhawk Boxed Set/Folio is another great book. It's my benchmark for how all setting books should be written ( well, mostly, I could do without the diversions about the types of trees, or the High Gygaxian). Every country has maybe three paragraphs of descriptive text. So it's nice and succinct, but those 3 paragraphs are just absolutely filled with plot hooks and ideas to get the setting moving from the knife edge at which it sits in 576 CY.

Paranoia 2E. Pitch perfect humor and mechanically a big improvement over the first edition. The Jim Holloway art is chef's kiss. Many great hours of fun with this one.

 

[eyeheartawk]

The expanded universe within the Expanded Universe was just so well done.

agrees in COMPNOR

 

[Reynard]

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The Greyhawk Boxed Set/Folio is another great book. It's my benchmark for how all setting books should be written ( well, mostly, I could do without the diversions about the types of trees, or the High Gygaxian). Every country has maybe three paragraphs of descriptive text. So it's nice and succinct, but those 3 paragraphs are just absolutely filled with plot hooks and ideas to get the setting moving from the knife edge at which it sits in 576 CY.

Total Aside: I never played Greyhawk. When people talk about it now, what is often said is that it is more "sword and sorcery" compared to FR's high fantasy feel. But this cover absolutely does not give me S&S vibes. This is straight up Arthurian.

 

[eyeheartawk]

Total Aside: I never played Greyhawk. When people talk about it now, what is often said is that it is more "sword and sorcery" compared to FR's high fantasy feel. But this cover absolutely does not give me S&S vibes. This is straight up Arthurian.

It is definitely more sword and sorcery than FR (though, it's not a high bar). But yeah, it's a weird mix if you step back and look at it. You have some darker sword and sorcery stuff in the background, and in the foreground political machinations and conflicts and like, Arthurian-esque knightly orders.

Though the best thing about it is the Drow in Greyhawk all canonically have epic mustaches.

 

[Wolfpack48]

Many of the early modules in AD&D were set in Greyhawk, including the notorious Tomb of Horrors. It's a harsher world than FR, and generally more primordial feel. Lots of factions, and no clear good guys.

 

[Corinnguard]

Outside of D&D, my next favorite would have to be Mutants and Masterminds 2e's Ultimate Power pocketbook. It does a nice job of IMO of letting you customize your character's superpowers.

 

[Reynard]

Many of the early modules in AD&D were set in Greyhawk, including the notorious Tomb of Horrors. It's a harsher world than FR, and generally more primordial feel. Lots of factions, and no clear good guys.

Most of those early modules were tounament modules. Especially ToH. I'm not sure how much they reflect actual campaign play by anyone, even Gygax.

That said, I am not arguing how S&S WoG is. I am just saying it is presented in typical 80s high fantasy style on the cover. I came in through BECMI and so the Known World was my introduction to what a D&D world looked like (at least until i discovered Dragonlance).