Over the last 9 years there have been thousands of third party D&D products released. Many of those products are of questionable value, but this thread
is to celebrate the great stuff.
List your Top Ten D&D based products that have come out from third party publishers over the last 9 years and why.
Here's My Top Ten:
1. Wilderlands of High Fantasy Box Set (Necromancer)
This is one of those special products that can be used with the core D&D books, and you'd never have to buy another gaming product again an you would
still have a lifetime of play. Not only does it have charts to create your own ruins, but almost every site detailed provides a hook that could lead to hours
and hours of adventure. Every time I read through sections of this masterpiece I am inspired to either play or design encounters. The only thing missing from
this set is colored maps.
2. Ptolus (Malhavoc)
Another one of those products that could be used with the D&D core books with which you wouldn't need another product for quite some time, if ever.
Reading through it gave me the feeling of actually being in the city and hankering to play. The very diverse play experiences possible (dungeon crawl, urban
adventures, political intrigue) add depth to this incredible product.
3. Rappan Athuk Reloaded (Necromancer)
This product is the epitome of the dungeon crawl I want to play and/or DM. The brilliance behind the design cannot be understated in my opinion. So much
coolness in the features (monsters, environments, mysteries) and, of course, facing off against minions of Necromancer Games' logo makes for a classic
D&D feel seldom duplicated elsewhere.
4. The Tome of Horrors (Revised 3.5 edition, Necromancer Games)
While the monsters in the original Tome were not supposed to be duplicated by WotC, they ended up doing many of them in official products. However, the value
to third party publishers continues to this day. Just look through the Section 15 in many, many OGL products and Tome of Horrors shows up again and again.
All of Paizo's adventure paths to date have used creatures from the Tome of Horrors (or Tome Revised).
5. The Book of Fiends (Green Ronin)
In addition to adding hordes of demons, daemons, and devils to the game, this book adds a number of unique personalities from the lower planes. This book
serves as an excellent compliment to the Fiendish Codices by WotC (and it helps that Erik Mona had a hand in the Abyss for both WotC's official books and
this one).
6. Ultimate Toolbox (AEG)
As a follow-up to the original Toolbox, the Ultimate toolbox has so many lists that allow a DM to fill in a blank in a pinch. It's helpful both at the
table and when planning a campaign.
7. Gazetteer of the Known Realms (Goodman)
A beautiful box set with both DM and player maps in full color. The campaign world is well-designed around Goodman's adventures.
8. Oathbound: Domains of the Forge (Bastion Press)
This is another campaign setting that inspired me to jump right in and play it. It's literally a world created for adventure, whereby PCs are brought from
other worlds to gain power and strength. A very unique setting where, to use what has become a cliche, the volume is turned up to 11.
9. Castle Whiterock (Goodman Games)
Goodman Games' megadungeon showcases what Goodman does best - the dungeon crawl. While not quite at the level of Rappan Athuk, there's enough here for
many, many hours of killing monsters and taking their stuff.
10. World's Largest Dungeon (AEG)
Make no mistake, this product has its flaws. But it was the first mega-product for 3.5, and, in my opinion, paved the way for prestige $100+ products like
Ptolus and Castle Whiterock. It introduces some unique dungeon conditions and manages to fit almost every creature in the SRD in there somewhere. It's
the ultimate in "beer & pretzels" D&D. (And, in the interest of full disclosure, it also has my username - though not my real name - in the
back of the book as I was a big cheerleader for this thing when it was announced and being worked on.)
Honorable mention (in alpha order) of other excellent products "just outside" my Top Ten:
Arms & Armor v. 3.5 (Bastion Press)
Caverns of Thracia (Necromancer Games)
City of Brass (Necromancer Games)
City State of the Invincible Overlord (Necromancer Games)
Lost City of Barakus (Necromancer Games)
Midnight Campaign Setting 2nd Edition (Fantasy Flight Games)
Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting (Paizo)
Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary (Atlas Games)
Tomb of Abysthor (Necromancer Games)
War of the Burning Sky Complete Campaign (Full Color Hardcover) (EN Publishing)








Old-school Admirers of Fourth
edition




