The Arms and Equipment Guide (1991) continues the historical re-enactment trajectory of the DMGR sourcebooks. It is exactly what it says: a big book of weapons and equipment.

This one has gotten a lot of use at the tables I’ve played at. True: the mechanical differences between all the various weapons and armors are minimal in the best case, but there is something to be said for pouring over page after page of lists, kitting your character out with the perfect ensemble. It’s a nerdy fashion show, in a way. And so unrelentingly useful — I can’t think of another D&D book that is so explicitly utilitarian. Also, as someone who regularly plays thieves, I appreciate the amount of attention that is paid to thieves’ tools.

Some very nice art from a big pool of artists, all rendered with an eye towards accuracy. I kind of love it when this sort of conservative take on fantasy art collides with, say, a drow war party checking out a beholder corpse. Valerie Valusek’s lizard steed barding is a fave.