I just got the Core book and the Beginner's game over spring break to play with my younger boys and they really enjoyed it. Barnes and Noble is going to have a 25% educator's sale next week and I'm thinking about purchasing another book or two. What would you folks recommend?

Suns of Fortune is a must IMO. And depending on what careers your boys are, either Dangerous Covenants or Enter the Unknown.

I like SoF as well. The two splat books are cool although just personal taste I like DC better but use gear from EtU. The GM screen is handy and what you would expect from one.

For me, Suns of Fortune has been beyond useless. My absolute favorite book so far has been Dangerous Covenants. Even as the GM, I think the player books just do more for the game than SoF did.

The modular encounters and the host of named NPCs introduced in SoF are nice.

Suns of Fortune gives you a whole setting to play in, which is awesome as a GM. Definitely my favorite so far.

I can't really give advice though, as I'm just buying everything that comes out.

If you don't have to budget, pick 'em all. I have yet to be disappointed. (Actually, I don't know about Jewel of Yavin...I'm going to be a player, but it was arranged after I ordered it, so it's sitting on my shelf and I can't read it...agonizing! )

If you have to budget, it depends what you want. If you need locations locations locations, Suns of Fortune has great planetary overviews, and some very handy modular encounters. If you need more player options, I was surprised to enjoy Dangerous Covenants (hired guns) more than Beyond the Rim* Enter the Unknown (explorers), even though I thought EtU was excellent.

* Edit: brain lapse on the title. But yeah, BtR was a great adventure, I'm hoping to run it again soon with a different group.

If you don't have to budget, pick 'em all. I have yet to be disappointed. (Actually, I don't know about Jewel of Yavin...I'm going to be a player, but it was arranged after I ordered it, so it's sitting on my shelf and I can't read it...agonizing! )

I've read through it, and--not to add to your agony--it's a pretty awesome adventure. I'm sure you'll have a blast playing through it.

This is really helpful; I almost posted this same question myself earlier today!

Just out of curiousity, which of the two adventures (BtR and JoY) do folks like the most?

And which of the career books (DC, and EtU) have people found most valuable? I'm thinking I'd like our campaign to be more about exploring and discovering and not as much about killing stuff in the face so I was leaning towards EtU first.

Also which book has your favorite pieces of gear and favorite ships?

This is really helpful; I almost posted this same question myself earlier today!

Just out of curiousity, which of the two adventures (BtR and JoY) do folks like the most?

And which of the career books (DC, and EtU) have people found most valuable? I'm thinking I'd like our campaign to be more about exploring and discovering and not as much about killing stuff in the face so I was leaning towards EtU first.

Also which book has your favorite pieces of gear and favorite ships?

Beyond the Rim and Jewel of Yavin are radically different adventures. BtR is definitely a more fast-paced adventure geared toward beginning characters. It takes you from The Wheel to the jungles of Cholganna to the junkyards of Raxus Prime and has plenty to offer for just about everyone. JoY is more sandbox-ish and definitely designed for higher level groups. It also requires PCs to explore a little more, think outside the box, and creatively deal with challenges instead of direct fighting.

In general, BtR is very much oriented toward beginning Hired Guns, Bounty Hunters, and Explorers, though with room for all careers.

In general, JoY is very much oriented toward more experienced Colonists, Smugglers, and Technicians, though with room for all careers.

Between Enter the Unknown and Dangerous Covenants, I personally like DC better. I think the new gear, ships, and modification rules are very, very useful for a GM and for players in any Edge of the Empire campaign. Enter the Unknown does have some cool non-weapon exploration gear, but it's the less impressive of the two in my view.

Every book has at least a few jems, I've got them all and regret nothing.

Im going to run both BtR and JoY, but what little I've read of JoY makes it sound harder, both to play and run, but the premise is way cooler IMO.

I totally dig DC. Macross missile pods for my ship? Yes please...

I'm thinking I'd like our campaign to be more about exploring and discovering and not as much about killing stuff in the face so I was leaning towards EtU first.

Well, there's your answer It also goes well with BtR, bit of a natural synergy there.

I love DC, firstly I can't wait to play a Heavy, it looks so fun. But, what I was most impressed by in DC are the mods, both weapon and starship. My favorite starship mod is oversized weapons array, it lets you use a weapon from a higher silhouette. It lets you put a turbolaser on your YT-1300 (that's silhouette 4 right?). Badass.

I'm glad that people have found use out of SoF, but I just haven't. It may be that my campaign isn't all that regionally bound (Major locales have been Ord Mantell, Eriadu, and now Corellia... so kind of all over) or that the major players were already established by the time the book was released. But try as I might, aside from the gear my players wanted and Taming the Dragon, which I ran before the book was out, I just haven't been able to use any of it. I'm certainly not saying it's a bad book, I think it's just not something I wanted despite being excited going in.

Between the two Player books, I generally enjoy Dangerous Covenants more. However, your description of your campaign sounds right out of the back of Enter the Unknown, so I'd sooner recommend that for you. It honestly underwhelmed me the first time I read it, but I think that's simply because it wasn't the campaign I was running at the time. As I've read it a few more times, it is really well written, but a bit narrowly focused. The non-combat oriented gear is excellent though. It made a big impact on my non-explorer game.

Which books? ALL THE BOOKS!

I'm glad that people have found use out of SoF, but I just haven't. It may be that my campaign isn't all that regionally bound (Major locales have been Ord Mantell, Eriadu, and now Corellia... so kind of all over) or that the major players were already established by the time the book was released. But try as I might, aside from the gear my players wanted and Taming the Dragon, which I ran before the book was out, I just haven't been able to use any of it. I'm certainly not saying it's a bad book, I think it's just not something I wanted despite being excited going in.

Between the two Player books, I generally enjoy Dangerous Covenants more. However, your description of your campaign sounds right out of the back of Enter the Unknown, so I'd sooner recommend that for you. It honestly underwhelmed me the first time I read it, but I think that's simply because it wasn't the campaign I was running at the time. As I've read it a few more times, it is really well written, but a bit narrowly focused. The non-combat oriented gear is excellent though. It made a big impact on my non-explorer game.

I have used the beasties in the SoF book as both templates and as direct encounters for my players while they were hunting on a jungle world.

I LOVE the amount of critters, fluff, and ships in that book.

As to the OP, I would suggest all of the books so far except the Beyond the Rim adventure. I don't think it will have the same utility as the other books, but if you want a pre-made adventure go for it.

If I had to put it in order so far...

Core Rules

GM Guide & Screen

Enter the Unknown

Dangerous Covenants

Suns of Fortune

Jewel of Yavin

Beyond the Rim

Edit - Finally purchased and read Jewel of Yavin. It seems to have much better location descriptions than Beyond the Rim for places you may wish to revisit in your chronicle. While I am not too fond of the racing rules contained inside, it does have a few more attachments for smaller vehicles which are pretty cool.

I'm glad that people have found use out of SoF, but I just haven't. It may be that my campaign isn't all that regionally bound (Major locales have been Ord Mantell, Eriadu, and now Corellia... so kind of all over) or that the major players were already established by the time the book was released. But try as I might, aside from the gear my players wanted and Taming the Dragon, which I ran before the book was out, I just haven't been able to use any of it. I'm certainly not saying it's a bad book, I think it's just not something I wanted despite being excited going in.

Between the two Player books, I generally enjoy Dangerous Covenants more. However, your description of your campaign sounds right out of the back of Enter the Unknown, so I'd sooner recommend that for you. It honestly underwhelmed me the first time I read it, but I think that's simply because it wasn't the campaign I was running at the time. As I've read it a few more times, it is really well written, but a bit narrowly focused. The non-combat oriented gear is excellent though. It made a big impact on my non-explorer game.

I have used the beasties in the SoF book as both templates and as direct encounters for my players while they were hunting on a jungle world.

I LOVE the amount of critters, fluff, and ships in that book.

As to the OP, I would suggest all of the books so far except the Beyond the Rim adventure. I don't think it will have the same utility as the other books, but if you want a pre-made adventure go for it.

If I had to put it in order so far...

Core Rules

GM Guide & Screen

Enter the Unknown

Dangerous Covenants

Suns of Fortune

Beyond the Rim

I don't yet have the Jewel of Yavin.

I think the most useful aspect of SoF is definitely the creatures. I haven't used them yet, but I do like that they are there.

Otherwise I like that order you have, I would just drop the GM screen right down to the bottom. It looks pretty, but I actually prefer not to be divided from my players. The Nemesis section didn't do much for me, and I have yet to run the adventure, but it seemed campy.

I like the GM screen not as a divider, I lay it flat, but just to have the cheat charts handy. It would be nice if AoR's has some different useful charts, like Ship weapons and upgrades and such. Maybe rarity and trade stuff, etc.

I like the GM screen not as a divider, I lay it flat, but just to have the cheat charts handy.

I've heard that a few times, but I'm not sure it's worth it. There are printable references that you can print out if you're not attached to the pretty pictures. But that's certainly not a bad idea.

Everything on the GM screen can be reproduced from elsewhere, so it's certainly not an essential. That said, it is really good. It puts almost every "go to" chart right on hand. I don't use it as a screen but always keep in nearby as both a player and a GM for quick reference.

The GM screen comes with an adventure as well, and although I don't buy canned adventures that is a nice add on buying it as well.

Just one? Suns of Fortune for sure.

I guess I am mostly swimming upstream for opinion.

But my choice for books would be:

#1 Edge of the Unknown. I like running games that are more than just swapping swords for blaster and killing everything to get da loot. So EtU was a pleasant and welcome surprise. A wealth of information geared toward exploration. Well, no surprise since it is the Sourcebook for Explorers.

#2 Dangerous Covenants. Only #2 because there are only 2 Sourcebooks out. Don't get me wrong, it is a well written book and contains a LOT of great information. But I would have liked to see the other Sourcebooks come out first, Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, Colonist and then Hired Gun. I am really trying to avoid even a hint of a Swords swapped for Blasters kell'em all and steal their stuff dungeon delve'ish game. Dangerous Covenants adds a lot of good info and all rightly aimed at PC's that are there to kick a$$. But it is too early in the release line and will push the game in a direction I don't really want to go. After all, players that build a Heavy want a game that lets them kill stuff, .......a lot of stuff, .......often.

#3 Suns of Fortune. You may wonder why I place SoF last when I obviously wasn't thrilled with DC? Well to not put too fine a point on it, this is Edge of the Empire where the players are freelancing semi-criminals making a living on the edge of known space with as little contact with the Empire as they can. And the first Campaign setting is practically in the Core?! Heck, why not start with Coruscant? You wouldn't need to get much closer to the Core. It does have a little gear that is of use and the Modular Adventures can be re-purposed. But the rest is not much use unless you are running a Core world style game. If you want to run an EofE game that actually takes place on the Edge of the Empire, you'll still need to build it from scratch.

But as always YMMV.

For the advanced GM I'd not recommend Enter the Unknown. Except for some items, vehicles, starships and specializations, there is virtually nothing useful. The first three things I can make up on my own, the specializations are for the players. Of course if you are a SW RPG fan, you should buy everything like me !

I too would prioritize Dangerous Covenants over Enter the Unknown. It is a more universally useful book, though both are worth purchasing.

The screen is very useful, and I don't use screens other than as reference.