Rating: 
Summary: A gutsy redesign is somewhat successful...
Review: With over a decade gone by since 2nd ed, D&D was long overdue for a redesign, and you have to give Wizards of the Coast credit because they sure didn't pull any punches. The Grand-daddy of RPGs has been completely rebuilt from the ground up and for the first time ever feels like it was designed all at once rather than cobbled together inconsistently over time. Rules are easy to find, cross-referenced well, and best of all, consistent. The art is intriguing and the reappearance of gods and demons (removed in 2nd ed, for reputational reasons) opens up bold new possibilities for adventure.Overall, however, 3rd ed. breaks even with its predecessor. For every positive change there is a negative change. Classes and races for example, are now more flexible with the removal of level limits and ability requirements but have suffered several pointless changes such as Rangers no longer getting followers at level 10 (the coolest part about Rangers) and the Halfling max height mysteriously reduced to 3'4 (how do I convert my 4' halfling?). Some of original classes are back - the sorcerer is a cool and necessary edition, but the Barbarian class is pointless - basically a berserker that runs real fast. The monk is interesting, but doesn't fit well into campaigns based on medieval europe. Clerics are now way too powerful. The no longer have weapon limits, can now cast summoning spells, and now can cast any and all cleric spells rather than certain spheres. Worst of all, the "priests of specific mythoi" option, which allowed you to create your cleric's religion and powers has been axed, leaving all clerics as boring and generic undead-turners. The new combat system has thankfully eliminated the unwieldy Thac0 subtraction system, making all combat numbers positive, but has adding a dizzing array of new and pointless rules such as "flanking," "attacks of opportunity" and a crazy combat action system of standard actions, full-round actions, free actions, non actions and partial actions (can YOU keep that all straight? ) The skills system is needlessly complex too, although the spellcasting rules are cleaner and simpler. I give it 4 stars for effort, but for every innovation there is a step backwards. It's worth buying since all new D&D products will now use this system, but be warned that its gonna be really hard to convert old source material.
Rating:
Summary: Water Soluble
Review: Everyone is correct in the rules being a major improvement. However, if you get the book wet the water will cause the ink to run off the page. Big Disappointment. I learned of this while reading the book and watching TV, 20 minutes later I went to move my thumb and notice that ink was removed only leaving my white fingerprint. I then pressed my finger in a clear section of the book and transfer the ink fingerprint to the page. I then licked my other finger and rubbed the ink print off the page and blended the fingerprint out of the illumination (the colored border). I would like a acid free copy with a quality screen print please.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent and well made
Review: There is little I can add to the comments already posted. One excellent comment has described the major changes. Another commented on the excellent artwork. The one thing I can add is the extremely professional way in which the book is put together. To me, the best thing about this book is that they've eliminated much of the ambiguity that plagued the earlier versions. The new D&D team took great care to make sure that the same term is used for a given effect every time (and even provided a glossary), to cross-reference related rules from different sections, and to duplicate important material when it's applicable in multiple places. In all, this is the best edition yet.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent -- ignore the complaints
Review: I'm not even going to bother discussing the rule changes from 2E, they've been discussed in excruciating detail below. Rather, I'd like to point out some "undocumented treasures" on the CD. Some people have complained that it's very difficult to convert from 2E to 3E since there isn't a conversion manual. Well, there is. On the CD along with the character generator, you'll find a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file that tells all on conversion. Also, you'll find a sample module that has a great campagin and setting for the lvl 1-5 character that can be played just with the "Survival Kit" at the back of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Its like a Mike Tyson challenger Overhyped, and Underpowered
Review: I would guess the nicest thing to say about this newest installment is it leaves behind the old giants of the game, and completely seems to have ignored all of the fine articles and comments Dragon Magazine has posted over the years. I'll start from the beginning and let you decide for yourself though whether or not to buy the book. First of all, is it just me or does every race but humans seem to speak four or more languages? Another big problem I had with the races, halflings, those loveable little folk, are now portrayed as wandering gypsy thieves. What happened to Bilbo and Frodo? Second issue, every class uses the same experience advancement, and the old problem of a wizard with 4 HP maximum at first level is still there. Wizards, you still need to watch out for thrown rocks, and kids with sticks. The new barbarian class seems oddly pushed towards half-orcs as if there are so many of the things in existence. Feats, the touted newest and brightest addition to the rules, falls short of the mark, mimicking many of the older books skills, and not adding enough on their own to truly be useful.Four, the skills section. It still makes it hard for any class to learn certain skills. Has no one ever thought that perhaps that warrior grew up with a religious background, and was a fervent follower of the church? Five, the new equipment. Gag me with stupidity. The tinder stick, matches? The smoke stick, smoke grenade? The thunder stone, flash bang grenade? Sun rod, flare? Whoever came up with these ideas should be shot. Moving on to armor. The armor system still does not work. Armor was not made to keep you from being hit, it was made to keep you from being hurt as badly when you were hit. The armor drawings have got to be the worst I have ever seen. Weapons, who was responsible for the Darth Maul style double weapons? I don't know what you guys were thinking, but who in their right mind would use a staff with a chain and spiked ball at each end? Most of these new double weapons weigh well over 20lbs. No one ever used a weapon of that size, it was too impractical and far too tiring. If a weapon like that were used, it should do far more damage than the d8 most of them have been assigned. Just dropping that much weight on a person could kill them, let along swinging it with force. The spell section, super ball dropping here, its listed alphabetically, with no separation of class. Once you get to the description section, it is still the same. If you have a lot of time, then maybe this book is for you. The eighth and ninth level Priest spells added, are mostly rip offs from wizard spells, and the Priests handbook, a real disappointment. The index, normally located dead in the back of the book is overshadowed by the cheesiest advertising plug I have ever seen. The page layout, page numbers are in the bottom left and right corners of the edge should not put there for a reason, most publishers don't place them there so that if you are holding the book, you can still see what page you are on. The section listing on the pages is placed sideways, and is black on a brown background, hard to read in my opinion. The actual listing of things on the page is fine, done in black ink, but the information title for what you are about to read, is done in dull blue, not a problem except most of the pages are a sandy brown color, making that dull blue just that, dull and unattracting of attention, making a page scan when looking for something specific hard to do. Now, if you like power games, and are a power gamer yourself, you may want this book. If you like your game a little better organized and liked second edition, first edition or basic, don't even bother. Save your money for a newer RPG.
Rating:
Summary: Diamond in the rough with common sense
Review: The newest incarnation of D&D is, in most ways, a significant improvement over the prior system. Finally, common sense and logic are applied to the grandaddy of all role-playing games. As someone who has played and been a DM since prior to when the first AD&D books came out, it is nice to see the removal of such artificial and ridiculous concepts as class limitations, race, and for the most part, alignment. In the old system Elves were supposed to be highly magical and Dwarves were renowned as fighters, yet the racial limitations on class resulted in these races eventually being wimps compared to human characters. The multi-class rules are a drastic improvement, again showing a bias towards common sense. The return of the half-orc race, and the barbarian and monk classes were long overdue. It will be interesting to see how the new sorcerer class and the changes to the wizard class work out, but things look promising. Changes to ability scores are a plus, as is the ability to customize characters with the skill and feat abilities. The new edition is a diamond, but it is a diamond in the rough. It appears that some additional polishing might be needed. Although many of the explanations are well done, (this contains far and away the best explanation of alignment), and there are excellent and helpful illustrations to help guide readers, the layout is a bit confusing as it relates to the expalnations of the skill and feat abilities. Also, there has not been enough clear explanation on weapon restrictions. Wizards are limited to certain listed weapons, which do not include the short bow. But Mialee, Wizards' model wizard, possesses a short bow, presumably because all elves, such as Mialee, have proficiency with bows. Clarity is needed, because elves also have proficiency with other weapons not available to the wizard class and there may be conflicts with other class restrictions, especially the druid. Another problem area is the ranger. Back when the old system first introduced skill abilities, they goofed by not automatically giving the ranger the survival skill. Wizards has similarily goofed by not automatically giving the Wilderness Lore skill to the ranger class. I mean, come on, a ranger without wilderness skills? The ranger class benefits by finally getting numerical spell equality with the paladin, and the change to the "special enemy" is also nice. Both changes were long overdue. However, every other special ability granted to the ranger class can be quickly duplicated by a fighter. Not enough care has been spent evaluating this character. Other changes have more of a personal taste quality: halfings are no longer Hobbit clones, but are more like Kender without wrinkles; weapons generally inflict less damage; the changes in the way spells are listed, etc. In short, vast improvements have been made, but rough edges remain which could still use refinement. A full verdict will have to wait until the DM, Monster Manuals and any supporting manuals are published to fully realize the changes which have been implemented.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent New edition!! D&D for a new era
Review: From what I have read so far, this is an EXCELLENT edition of the game. The WotC team did a wonderful job updating D&D to reflect the current personality of RPGs in general. 3E combines the best of a skill based RPG (like the popular Deadlands and L5R systems among others) with the classic level based system that has always been a part of D&D. The result is an exceptional system that is intuitive and solves many of the problems that were apparent in both 1st and 2nd Ed. D&D. The ability to truly customize your character will allow both new and veteran players a wide variety of true role playing opportunities. And finally 1st level characters have some TEETH and just might be a force to be reckoned with. My group may actually start at 1st rather than creating 3rd to 5th level characters just to make things interesting. I highly encourage anyone who may have drifted away from D&D, due to dissatisfaction with the mechanics of the game, to give it another try. 3E represents an excellent time to "come home" to what is likely the first RPG that most gamers ever played. Fortunately, you will find that "home" has been renovated and is a much nicer place to visit.
Rating: 
Summary: 3rd Edition: Use it some, lose it some
Review: Having looked over the new PH & read some reviews, I think both the admirers & detractors have some good points. Being a 1st Edition guy myself, I find some aspects of the new book's presentation ill-considered (like, "why is this stupid marginal artwork here to prevent my making notes?"), and some aspects of the feats, the sorcerer, and the ability scores will have to be tinkered with. But I'm writing to remind everybody of something that hasn't gotten much mention: TINKER ALL YOU WANT. I've played 1st ed. with my own house rules for years. You don't have to accept a darn thing from 3E that you don't like. It's our game. WotC just prints their version of the rules. If you think characters are too powerful now, TONE 'EM DOWN. If you like the old x.p. system, KEEP IT. Etc., etc. Generally, tho some changes seem to be just for the sake of change, 3E looks quite playable and less of an insult to our intelligence than 2E was (I quit buying TSR after 2E came out!). (I was pleased to see that demons & devils are back, btw. The less catering to the Horrified Moms of America, the better. Who knows, I may even learn to call thieves "rogues.")
Rating:
Summary: Onward & Upward!!
Review: Being a "mature" gamer (15 years worth of xp's), I welcome ANYthing that shakes up the game a bit--my fellow gamers & I have been doing that for years! The High-Level Campaigns handbook just reinforced our tendency to stretch the rules & use our imaginations... We've tried Shadowrun, and Planescape is a blast, but somehow, when playing D&D, we could never agree on whether first or second edition rules were better. Now, we are ready to play a mod where we all play by the same rules. The artwork is awesome, there is much more flexibility as far as character classes go, and it's about time that class restrictions went the way of Beta and Atari... For all those stick-in-the-muds out there, remember--CHANGE IS GOOD!!!
Rating:
Summary: The next generation
Review: I have played/ran D&D, AD&D (1st Ed.), 2nd Ed. AD&D, and many others RPGs. 3rd Ed. D&D is another change similar to the others; some will like it, while some won't. I look forward to playing and running it. It continues the move away from instant character creation (although DMs now have computers for that), moving toward a skill based system. Non-weapon proficiencies and secondary skills have been replaced with a skill system. I am happy to see individual weapon proficencies go away. We'll have to see if Kits are still in D&D, although they shouldn't be since it now has a skill system. The magic system has some good changes. "Feats" have been added, which will please those who liked Skills & Powers. Also, the ability to raise ability scores will please my players. I will probably always prefer AD&D (1st Ed.) as my impromptu, deep plotting RPG, but Wizards of the Coast did a nice job.
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