Rating: 
Summary: A horrible introduction for beginner RPGers
Review: If you want a review of the rules and playtests, go to another review. This review is from a beginner's perspective.For an experienced gamer who has played 1e and/or 2e AD&D, it's everything you'd expect. Nothing surprising. In fact, I didn't even feel compelled to write a review b/c it would have been redundant... until I read the D&D Player's Handbook from a beginner's perspective. The first few pages ask the player to design a character with abilities and feats that haven't even been discussed yet. On top of that, the instructions refer the player to race and ability modifier tables elsewhere in the book. In fact, every step in the character setup section pretty much has the player flipping to different chapters in the book, making this book more a reference guide than a handbook. You're asking, "So what's wrong with that?" There is no context. There is no sample to look at. What is a newby going to learn by filling out a character sheet with points that he/she doesn't understand? What if the player doesn't know any RPGers and wants to start a game from the ground up? (For example, "What's the difference between Wisdom and Intelligence?") In the Class section, terms are thrown around left and right without explanation. Difficulty Class and Saving Throws, for example, are not defined until 20 pages after they are first mentioned. From a technical writer's perspective, that is a crime! If you want to alienate or frustrate your audience, this is the best way to do it. And I think DC is new to 3e, which makes it even more of a crime that it's not defined earlier. For those of you who bemoan the decline of pen & paper RPGs, you have to wonder if this book is going to be able to pull Generation Y away from their Playstations. I can tell you right now: It won't. What this book needs: A better overview/introduction from the beginning. Also, maybe a narrative of action that takes place within a sample adventure from a fictional character's perspective; this should be followed by a dialogue transcript of how that action would mechanically transpire within the game between the PCs and the DM, including dice rolls, etc. (this could be in the appendix or maybe even a cheap supplement). Then the player could see how imagination can really take over in a well-run D&D game. There are sample transcripts in the Player's Handbook, but they are too short; an afterthought and useless to experienced gamers and to novices. Also, since the d20 open game license specifically requires THIS BOOK to run any of the d20 games out there, don't you think the d20 logo should be on this book... you know, to help newbies connect the dots? I was in a comic book shop last year and remember some kid asking a clerk where he could find the d20 manual. I laughed at him then, but now I wonder how many clueless kids are out there like him who want to get into D&D. I went to the Wizards of the Coast website to see if they would have an online tutorial to supplement the Player's Handbook. They don't. Perhaps the PHB isn't the place to hold hands for new players, but where else can they turn? The WotC website advertises that a Basic Set is coming out in August. Uhh... how long has the 3e PHB been out? A little late, guys. And how hard would it be for WotC to do a Flash online tutorial? Honestly. I challenge you to search Amazon and try to find a d20 beginner's book published by ANYBODY, let alone Wizards of the Coast. Conclusion: Wizards of the Coast has published a non-user-friendly handbook that, without a local RPG support system, could never hook the average kid nowadays. I guess Wizards is counting on Generation X to support their products... Gen X who all have jobs and may have families, but don't have a lot of time to be playing games for hours on end. If Wizards wants to pass the torch to Gen Y, they had better do a better job at selling their analog game in an entertainment market dominated by digital games. Tip to WotC publishers: Write your books as though your entire audience has ADD (because most of them do).
Rating: 
Summary: A desperately needed update and a successful endeavor
Review: It seemed as if the genre wasn't really dying out, it was merely fading away from the giant that started the revolution. Now, bought out by Wizards of the Coast (who brought us Magic: The Gathering, amongst other CCGs), the old star is back and better than ever! I was convinced when I checked out 3.0, but 3.5 is truly a gift to the world of RPGs. It's very simple to get through, the titles and chapters are intelligently organized in an order that will help the players create their characters. That's important, rather than having to flip haphazardly back and forth through the book. The titles are clearly labeled, sections which a person does not need can be easily skipped, and the language is even humorous to boot. No, it's not a laugh riot, but it keeps reminding us that yes, it's just a game. If you're planning on getting back into it, I would recommend the three-pack as well, which holds this volume, plus the Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide. Obviously, if you don't want to DM, don't bother, but every player should have their own copy of this handbook. You just can't be without it. If you haven't played it yet and are merely curious, Amazon here has the best price and it's a mere pittance for the sheer enjoyment you will garner from role-playing. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Yet more of the same from WotC
Review: It seems that Wizards of the Coast has an obsession with balancing. The company will not be satisfied until every class is equivalent to every other class at every level. The idea that a high level Wizard or Sorcerer should be more powerful than a high level fighter is somehow immoral. One of the wonderful things about earlier editions of D&D and AD&D was that, like most other "old school" RPGs, each class was as powerful as was reasonable. Hence those who could control magic eventually became superbeings, while the melee characters had to settle for commanding armies. That was the beauty of the system. WotC, however, with the new generation of gamers that has been weened on MMORPGs and Diablo II in mind, has decided that if the classes are not all equally powerful at all times, then players will play as just one class. What they seem to forget is that true role playing differs from roll playing: role players don't just choose the most powerful options, they choose the options that they think would be entertaining. WotC leaves that all behind in these new editions of the core rulebooks, continuing a trend that was first evident in the feats section in the Epic Level Handbook. Spellcasters are being further and further weakened in comparison to the other classes. Spell resistance is becoming more common and effective, characters can eventually learn to deflect SPELLS back at the caster with their bare hands, and spellcasters' favorite spells have been weakened to the point of uselessness. The Sorcerer, already a victim of weakening before the release of 3.0, has been further weakened by the inclusion of extra wording that didn't make it into the 3.0 text. The Ranger class was made needlessly complicated. Furthermore, there are tons of subtle changes to the stats and mechanics of various spells, so while you may think that you know how a given spell works, considering that you've been casting it for a year, you can't be sure of anything anymore. You may find that the duration of one of your favorite spells has been cut to one sixtieth of its original length - no joke. Not only that, several spells have been completely renamed. For example, Random Action has become Lesser Confusion. This might actually create lesser confusion in the real world. WotC also seems to want you to play with miniatures, as all combat measurements are in squares - as in squares on a map. Weapon categorization makes little sense now: whereas it used to be the case that a longsword was effectively a greatsword for a small character and a shortsword for a large one, now there are different sizes for each type of weapon, e.g., small longsword, medium longsword, large longsword, etc. It's complicated and gets in the way of having fun. Some of the changes made are actually beneficial, such as reducing the cost for Wizards to scribe spells into their books, giving Sorcerers the ability occasionally to swap a few of their lower level spells for more useful ones, or having the Druid's animal companion advance with the character. These are good things.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a great book
Review: I'm back to D&D after many years of not playing. I think the 3.5 players handbook is very well done. The writing, graphics, and organization are excellent. I can't think of any ways to improve it. It's full of useful stuff and well-written!
Rating: 
Summary: Newer's Better...Right?
Review: After reading the 3rd edition (sorry 3.5 edition) Players Handbook, and subsequently the DM's guide, I am still not convinced that this is indeed a superior edition to the previous ones (i.e. 1st and 2nd edition, heck, probably even the Basic edition.) I think that much of the information presented therein is not of any real use in gaming D&D - that is does make playing the game a richer experience. From what I can discern, the rules have simply been reworded (like referring to things with hip catch phrases such as calling extra-planar creatures "outsiders") and the game mechanics have been unnecessarily tinkered with (like how AC is dealt with, ya, the old way was clunky but so what). I do not think I need "Feats" to make playing better. They, and the d20 system as a whole, gives this version of D&D a feeling like its has been reduced to being a game wherein player tries to turn their characters into some kind of superhero. Granted, players have always tried this since the dawn of gaming, but now it is officially sanctioned. The design and artwork in the books is overblown, cluttered and lacks character. It gives me the impression that I'm playing a game based on comic books, or maybe even their movie and, so-called, "novel" spawn, rather than being derived from such talented writers as Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber and Lovecraft. Also, I hate the idea of being force-fed their official D&D deities - deities that are vapid and uninspiring. Gimme the old stuff. This 3rd edition seems like a gimpy stepchild whose genes have become watered down through inbreeding (as an aside: not to mention that this book is for version 3.5 when version 3.0 only came out four or so years ago! It took about eight years for TSR to amend and expand on the 1st edition and 2nd edition was around for about twelve years. So in another four years will I have to shell out more money for version 3.75? and then version 3.755?) I get the feeling that the makers of this product have lost the spark of imagination that created this game. They lost sight of what is the essence to playing D&D is all about. I think that Wizards of the Coast needed to make more money by reselling people something they already had. Or, maybe, just maybe, they did not lose that spark at all. Maybe they believe that the true essence of D&D will be felt by everyone through the collective act of purchasing this book. Like the way ants must feel when the queen ant sends a chemical "good boy" signal to the whole nest. Finally, and to the point, is all the extraneous garbage that they added to the books really what is needed if you want to play the game? I say that answer is no. They, much like their abyssmal movie, missed the point.
Rating:
Summary: OMG!
Review: OMG! What a mess. The 3rd is very good,and i like it very much. But the errata 3.5 just makes the powerful classes more powerful and less powerful classes even less powerful. The mage is castrated, the fighter and bard classes strengthened without any logical reason.No thanks.
Changes here are made for the change itself not for playability! The release of this book has only one reason:money.
Nothing more, nothing less. Save it, and don't be the fool of WOTC!
Rating:
Summary: Sad! Very Sad!
Review: First let me start with the things that I found to be improvements over 2E. Expanded character classes. These were great, though they were mostly a rehash of 1E, and could be found again in 2E rule supplementals, but it was nice to bring them all back into one book. The new combat rules and armor class rankings were very helpful. The D20 systems definitely has its many advantages. The reworking of feats and skills, from proficiencies was also very nice. The class skills were also a nice addition. However, the praise ends there. The format of the book was horrendous. In 1E and 2E everything was more or less linear, there was not the constant need for flipping back and forth. Most of the nice player friendly rules and changes were in fact almost standard "house rules" that had been around since 1E, and TSR(the original publishers) never felt the need to put into print(such as critical hit on natural 20) and so forth. The spells have been made considerably weaker. A Fireball used to be almost certain death, now it only does a good bit of damage, thus making the Mage one of the most undesirable classes around. It used to be that you became a Mage because if you could survive to about 7th level you could then start to take serious revenge all those who previously tormented you. Now we have the sorceror who is far more powerful than the mage, with no apparent weaknesses(again in terms of survivability I have to ask why be a Mage?) thus creating an unbalanced character. The leveling of experience/level system I find to also be troublesome. Mages are not as likely to be able to survive as long as Warriors, but still have to earn just as many points to advance, again taking away one of the great trade offs in becoming a non-warrior class. Then there is the new saving throw system... it is wofully unbalanced. Take for instance that to make a succsess full saving throw against an Ancient Red Dragon's breath weapon, you need(with bonuses a roll of 36) which means up until you reach about level 15 you will have to roll a perfect 20 to make it and possibly survive. This make work in the Dragon scarce worlds of the Realms, Ravenloft, and Lankhmar. But in the Dragonlance setting in a world such as Krynn where adventurers rarely go a day without meeting a Dragon or two or three... this is quite easily the death of the party with nothing to save them. Finally my biggest gripe with 3.5E is the same as that with 3E it is not at all compatible with 1E and 2E. So for those of us who have been long standing D&D fans, who have invested large sums of money into adventures, campaign settings, and other supplements, this comes as a real slap in the face. Understanding that in bringing D&D into the D20 system of play required a fairly major overhaul, they should have at least given a system to convert old characters and old campaigns into 3.5E.
Rating:
Summary: middle times
Review: If you played Dungeons and Dragons you would know how I like it. The "Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook" 3.5 tells me all the new updates.The handbook 3.5 helped me understand the game better than before.It told me all the new abilities.There was a lot better pictures and more weapons. This book has action and also adventure in this role playing game. I bought other things like the monster manuals,D&D player heros for X-Box. This is a great book to get if you like adventure & action, and more. This whole thing is taking place in the Middle Ages.
Rating:
Summary: This is some bad stuff
Review: It's funny, people seem to act like 3.5 D&D is just the best thing to roll off a printing press since the bible without seeming to understand that much about what they're reviewing. I have nothing against new version of the dungeons and dragons game, I appreciate Basic D&D, 1st, 2nd and 3rd edition too. If this edition had been wholeheartedly better than 3.0 then I would be praising this book but instead I feel like a lot was changed just for the sake of change itself. Take for example, weapon handedness in 3.5, the whole system has changed... and not for the better, it's actually more complicated now than it was in 3.0 Also, the ridiculous amounts of space that minatures take up on the gaming board... what's that all about? If you remember right, we were told that Wizards of the Coast was making changes to reflect how the game was actually being played so where the heck did some of the changes come from??? That's what I want to know. And, what's up with reducing spell durations so much, buff type spells like bulls strength are now much less useful. I agree that some of the character classes are now more interesting to play (Ranger, Barbarian) but was a whole freaking new edition necessary? Anyone ever heard of variant classes? Perhaps the thing that bugs me the most is that this new 3.5 is not compatible with 3.0, sure they are similar systems but characters and even monsters are now built differently. This is NOT a revision. 2nd edition AD&D did a real revision in 1995 and it was totally compatible with early 2nd edition AD&D (which was even compatible with 1st edition in many, many ways). As it is, I now await 4th edition, which must be right around the corner, maybe even as early as next year. If you already own 3.0 stuff, save your money on this.
Rating:
Summary: Player Friendly
Review: This version of the players handbook is much better than earlier editions. It is easy to start playing D&D and also to look up things while playing. I definately recomend this to any and all Dungeons & Dragons players. If you have V.3 and think its ok to not upgrade you are wrong. The Cost is small compared to the value of this book.
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