Top five books?

[cheshire]

Let's assume that you had to list the top five official WEG books that you use the most (with the exception of the main rulebook). What books would those be?

I'm thinking the books that get the most use in my collection are (in no particular order)

Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters
Pirates & Privateers
Tales of the Jedi Comanion
Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition Sourcebook
Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook

I think I would choose a different set of books if I was listing which ones I got the most adventure or setting inspiration from, but I still think these give me the most use in game. Largely because of a good set of stats, supplemental rules, and even an occasional location.

The Special Edition sourcebook is good for me because it allows me to look at how my players are progressing in relationship to the major and minor characters in the trilogy. It also allows me to give them a bounty hunter modeled ofter the ones in ESB without necessarily ripping the stats for Dengar or IG-88.

[Ankhanu]

I'm not sure that there are 5 in my top used; I access what I have kind of randomly for stats and such to suite my needs... plus I tend to be an improvisational GM, so I make up my own stats as I go, as I need them.

However, The Special Edition Trilogy Sourcebook definitely would be in the list if I were able to compile a full five. Planets Collection might be on there as well, again for models moreso than actual stats.
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[Orpheus]

I'd probably have to go with the three sourcebooks (Imperial; Rebel Alliance; and the general sourcebook), the aforementioned Tales of the Jedi Companion, and the Trilogy-era book as well.
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[ifurin]

i'm like Ankhanu, i improvise most of the rules ans stats that are not in the main book. (at least while we are playing) but the five books i use the most to prepare for a session are:
alien species
planets of the galaxy vol 1
cynbars fantastic tech
plats starports guid
wreched hives of scum and villany

[garhkal]

For me it would be:

Rules of engagement
Imperial source book
Plats starport guide
Tramp freighters
Galadiniums.
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[Xynar]

Now without our fanbooks I would say:
Main Book
Planet Collection
Alien Encounters
Thrawn Trilogy
Pirates & Privateers
with Tales of the Jedi Companion, Heroes & Rogues, and Galladinum really close after

With our books:
Main Book
Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters
Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters
Rules of Engagement
Platt's Smuggler's Guide

(sometimes people miss the obvious! I cannot not include the main book)
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Xynar
The Great Adventurer

[cheshire]

Yeah, Platt's Starport Guide is a great one. Peter Schweighoffer did a brilliant job with that book. I've talked with him a bit (via e-mail) and he said he really enjoyed writing it... it shows. It really went a long way to providing backdrops and inspirations for more locations. Wretched Hives of Scum and Villainy was a lot like that too. Platt's had some brilliant art work though, only a few of the pics from Wretched Hives stood out.

[masque]

Aside from the corebook (of course), the top 5 books I used in the last campaign were:

Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook
Pirates and Privateers
Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters
Galaxy Guide 11: Criminal Organizations
Platt's Smuggler's Guide

Needless to say, we didn't have much Jedi activity in our campaign.
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[scott2978]

I just noticed this thread... thought I'd resurrect it what with the other similar thread going off track a bit.

The top 5 books I used in my previous campaign (besides the R&E rulebook) are:

Planets collection
Pirates and Privateers
Wreched hives of Scum and Villainy
Galladinium's Fantastic Technology
Flashpoint: Brak Sector (where the campaign took place)


I would also say that Instant Adventures is a very handy book, it allows you to run little one-off adventures during your normal campaign that aren't connected to the main story. Very handy.

I tend to use the books just for the planning stage of an adventure, not during the game, so I look for books that have interesting places or people that I can use. Each one is usually very well described with it's own little backstories for the PCs to get sidetracked on if they want. Makes the world seem more real if there is "something going on" everywhere they go, if they care to get involved.