Rating: 
Summary: Awesome!!!
Review: I have read all of the old AD&D books and this really simplifies some of the confusing rules. It takes a lot of rolls and makes it easy to figure out. Highly recommendable for any level of user from novice to expert. Anybody that knows 2nd edition rules will appreciate it.
Rating:
Summary: Worthy of the D&D legacy
Review: Coming from a player and DM who has played D&D, AD&D, AD&D 2nd Edition, and the Player's Option version of AD&D 2nd, I have to say in all honesty that the D&D 3rd Edition Player's Handbook is the best yet made. Attributes are greatly simplified, almost all of them using a single chart to determine bonuses (similar to basic D&D). All the familiar races are available, and half-orcs are back. Character classes are no longer the straight-jackets that they once were, but they still provide structure to character development. Barbarians and monks are back, along with a new class, the Sorcerer (casts wizard spells but through natural ability, not study of spellbooks). Every PC has one or more "class levels" (the level he has in a given class) and a "character level" (the total of all of his class levels). There is one experience chart for the PC's character level, and every time he levels he can choose whether to raise a class he already has or to add a new class. With the exception of the paladin and monk, a character can add a level to whatever class he wants without restriction. There are no multiclass restrictions for race, although every race has a "favored class" that it can raise without regards to XP restricitons (you pay a 20% penalty for having classes 2 or more levels apart). Class abilities are additive, so a 3rd level fighter/5th level wizard adds together the attack bonuses, saving throws, hit points, etc., for both. Skills are simplified and are much more integrated into each PC's class, but the variability allows two characters of the same class to be very different. Feats are special abilities (such as ambidexterity or alertness) that are gained at 1st level and then every character level divisible by 3 (3, 6, 9, etc.), although some classes and races have extra feats. Also, at every fourth character level (4, 8, 12, etc.), PCs get to add +1 to an attribute of their choice. Dice-rolling has been streamlined and simplified, and armor and shield rules seem much more realistic in this version. Combat rules are very workable and allow for a degree of tactics and realism without encumbering the players with too many rules or dice rolls. It is possible to cast "counterspells" in combat as well (assuming you ready an action for that purpose, identify the spell being cast, and can cast it yourself ... so a Fireball can counter another Fireball under the right circumstances!). Also, spells are listed w/ basic info by level for each class (bard, cleric, druid, paladin, ranger, sorcerer, and wizard), but the full spell descriptions are indexed alphabetically, making them much easier to find. I was skeptical of 3rd edition for a long time, but having the book in hand has dispelled those fears. Buy the book and you won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: 3rd Edition Player's Handbook has everything you could want!
Review: The first thing that struck me when I opened this book was the fantastic artwork. Although it is a very different style than the D&D books of old, it is quite pleasing to the eye. Every picture has a purpose and most of the artwork in the book goes hand in hand with the text on the page, creating a very easy to use format. The rules have been simplified from the 2nd Edition book, and most of the rules that were unnecessary or confusing have either been clarified or eliminated entirely. This book delivers all the basic rules in a very easy to use format with stupendous artwork and a comprehensive look at the AD&D world. Great Job!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: One word-----BALANCE
Review: Well, it's finally here-3rd Edition. And I can sum up the most important feature that 3rd Edition offers----Balance. Before I get to 'Balance', lets hit the highlights--The Barbarian and the Monk are back--and they Rock! Every attack, saving throw and skill related ability is a simple calculation not a convoluted, chart rearing, abomination. No more THACO. No more 18/27 strengths. No more confusion! All characters have the same experience chart. This obviously means that a 6th lvl thief is roughly equal to a 6th lvl fighter in power, right? YES. Each character class has new and thrilling features. The thief now has 'sneak attack' instead of 'back attack'. This attack can be done with ANY weapon including ranged ones. A Barbarian has his 'Rage'. The system is scalable: meaning that it doesn't break down when you reach 10th lvl. Kudos to Wizards...hhmmph--TSR.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasy RPGs take a quantum leap forward
Review: Well met! Gary Gygax's magnum opus, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, is somewhat akin to holy writ in the world of fantasy RPGs. And needless to say, the Wizards of the Coast were a little squeamish to tinker with the very best game of all time! It seems heretical - like trying shave off Zeus' beard, to see if he looks better without it. But, they made the right choice - instead of arbitrarily implementing a drastic system overhaul that nobody wanted, they implemented a drastic system overhaul that *everyone* wanted. By having this system play-tested, co-designed, torn apart, and rebuilt by hundreds of fanatical players and DMs, and giving the fans a loud (yet cohesive) voice in the reconstructive process, WotC have done the impossible - Dungeons & Dragons (farewell, "Advanced") is now far superior to any other previous incarnation of itself. The first thing that strikes you when you crack the cover is the bold new artwork. If you've played Magic, or love the convoluted machinations of Planescape, you will be delighted. Fans of older, more conservatively heroic styles (like me) will dearly miss the graceful touch of Larry Elmore, or even David Trampier. But the new look is infectious, and it (a) is evocative enough to get you into the mood for a game, and (b) actually illustrates key points in the internal logic of the rules. That's a huge bonus. The bad news? Anyone who's played since 1st Edition (or before) is going to have a stroke. Ability scores have been stratified and cleaned (dare we say scoured?); bonuses and penalties are different from what they were before, Exceptional Strength is gone, Strength now progresses way beyond 25, Charisma actually matters, etc. What this all means is that the game is much more logical now, but your old characters may not fit comfortably into their new surroundings. For a game where a single character's story can often last for years, this can be a serious concern. The nail in the coffin for your old character is this: now, PCs actually gain attribute points (1 every 4 levels) as they progress. So, if you have an "old school" level 24 arch-mage, his stats are now 6 points lower than they should be in 3rd Edition! The best aspect of the new system is its customized universality. What I mean by that is, you can make ANY kind of character. Gnomish Paladin? Go for it. Halfling Mage? No problem. Elvish Ranger/Druid/Monk? Hmmm, ask your DM, and come up with a great backstory, and you're good to go. It's a bit of a system shock for old-timers ("Gasp! A Dwarven Mage? No..."), but for everyone else, it becomes obvious even before the first game that every single character will be a unique creation, and by level 3 or so, the idea of "cookie cutter characters" entirely disappears. And with the new Feat system (which rewards all progressing characters with new abilities chosen by the player), even single-class Fighters are immediately and vastly different from one another! A few brief class notes: Barbarians are back! Monks are back! Cavaliers are still missing in action (overshadowed by Paladins, as they always were), Acrobats are integrated into the existing rogue class, Assassins are missing (and lamented), and a new class, the Sorcerer, makes a wonderfully bright appearance. And gameplay changes: Clerics can now turn undead only a few times per day, making this ability similar to a spell, and far more dramatic; mages can wear armor (if they don't mind their spells fizzling); proficiencies have been vaulted into the realm of a complete new skill system (you knew it was coming!); task management is now understandable and easy (if you take your 1st edition DMG, and look in the index under "Door," you'll see why old school Dungeon Masters lose their hair prematurely); Greyhawk is again the default world for official D&D (rejoice!); counterspells now exist (a nod to Magic: The Gathering); and to answer the question... no, your 2nd Edition character won't fare too well through the conversion process. This is the one (huge) problem I have with this amazing book. But when I slept on it, I decided this was actually a blessing. With all of the new rules for character design, customization, and growth potential, why not leave our old heroes in the vaunted halls of history? I, for one, am going to go roll up a new Half-Elven Ranger/Mage of Celene tonight, point my ears in the direction of the Free City of Greyhawk, and rejoice in the glorious heroic chants a new age. It's that kind of day.
Rating:
Summary: D&D--Better than ever!
Review: This book is awesome! Not only is the combat system finally simplified (Thacq who?), but the illustrations and details make this book the ultimate reference. It even gives a nice little guide in the back for DMs who don't have the Dungeonmaster's Guide, since that doesn't come out til October. Skill levels are easier, the range of races you can play is greater, and the book looks like that ancient tome you always wanted your wizard to carry. Roll that halfling paladin you've always wanted to play. :)
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Summary: Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition
Review: The 3rd Edition of Dungeons and Dragons has not only tons of addendums to the basic rules established in the 2nd Edition, but also several revisions and things missing, for better or worse. Prime example: no more THAC0. Since D&D was first created by Gary Gygax, THAC0 (an acronym meaning "To Hit Armor Class 0") has been used to determine whether or not a player delivers a blow that causes sufficient damage. In the new 3rd Edition rules, THAC0 has been replaced by a simpler system of merely subtracting a foe's armor class from your characters combat value. This alone may not mean much, but rest assured that there are numerous changes that add up to what can be viewed as a whole new set of rules. The new classes are well-defined, albeit a little too powerful (a 20th level Barbarian is eqivocable to a Hill Giant). The new spells are all wonderful, as are the artifacts. I can't wait to see the Monstrous Manual and the first modules for 3rd Edition to get an idea of just how far these rules can take the world of Dungeons and Dragons.
Rating: 
Summary: Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition Player's Handbook
Review: I've played AD&D off an on since 1980 and consider myself a veteran gamer. I hate to say it, but Third edition is essentially an attempt to re-market AD&D and capitalize on the popularity of video games like Diablo and Baldur's Gate, and card games like Magic. The rules have been changed for the worse. Although they're touted as improvements and simplifications, the actual games mechanics are just as, if not more complex that the Second Edition rules. These new rules are great for players who want to create insanely powerful characters and who also ignored all the rules of the previous editions. It's sad when you look at the tremendous wealth of material created in the last decade or so, and realize that it must now be thrown out the window (or converted-and who wants to spend all their time converting instead of playing?) If the new marketing push brings in new players-fine. But it's a bummer that they'll never know what a good game was like. WoTC has to market these rules as the "best" version of D&D in order to satisfy corporate's demands for sales. The reality is that the rules bring up as many contradictions and confusions as the last two versions. The new spell and magic item names don't make any more sense than in the past? So why make the change? Sales... The point of D&D was to provide a flexible structure under which players and DMs could apply their immaginations and intellegence. This isn't the case with 3e... For old gamers-don't buy into the hype. For new gamers-go ahead, try it, you might like it...
Rating: 
Summary: D&D Updated...
Review: It has been some 25 years since Dungeons and Dragons first appeared. With the direction of gaming having changed drastically over the past 10 years, D&D had been left behind. Until now. The systems have been simplified and combined while still keeping the flavor of the original game concepts. There is truly something for all types of gamers in this book. There is story elements, advanced role-play as well as the simple hack and slash that has become the old standby.
Rating:
Summary: 3rd Edition is leaps and bounds above 2nd
Review: First, the new third edition rules are a major improvement over past versions. Everything has been standardized across races and classes and it is most elegant. I have been playing 3E for almost a week now and have yet to find anything that can be exploited or broken (unlike 2nd edition Player's Option). As for the book itself, it is organized incredibly well and it is much easier to find the rules and rulings that were always so difficult to locate in the past. The spell listing is indexed in multiple ways to aid in finding spells and they are now very detailed about what works and what doesn't. Overall, this book is amazing, especially when compared to past efforts.
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