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Summary: Why a lot of old gamers are coming back to D&D
Review: This book is what Dungeons and Dragons should have been from the year 1989 onward. It takes the great grandfather of all RPG's, the Dungeons & Dragons game, and polishes it brightly, updating a lot of unworkable rules, and keeping those things which made the game appeal to so many people back in the 1970's and 1980's.In this edition of the game, Players can take on the roles of personas (Player Characters) who are not restricted by arbitrary rules as to what they can and cannot do, but are instead given well-defined choices, and the consequences and rewards of making each choice. A person could create a namesake from their favorite works of fantasy, and come closer to re-creating that character in Dungeons & Dragons terms than in any earlier version of the game. In addition, the rules are streamlined, complete, and balanced - all players will feel equally useful while participating in the game, allowing no one player to dominate the action in the game. In conclusion, many players have already come back to D&D because of these rules, and it has clearly shown that this game retains its crown as "the best Fantasy Role-playing game of all time."
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Summary: A Good Start
Review: I've been playing D&D in many variations for over 20 years, and while this introduction into 3rd Edition D&D doesn't have all the features I might have liked (how could it?) it has much to offer. The ability to customize characters is much greater than before. The blending of skills and classes is well implemented. Obviously, the book serves as a springboard for more books and supplements to come but it is still a welcomed step to an evolving game.
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Summary: A welcome change to a great game
Review: What a surprize! I have been a long time fan of the D&D series, and admitidly i was a bit timid about a new set of rules for game i was already very comfortable with. But i had no right to doubt. The new rule sytem is easy to follow even for those of us who have been playing for a long time. new features such as feats and skills, new ways of doing weapons skill. New character class and, a fresh look at the old one, beautifully illustrated and with more information at the players fingertips then in any manual before, a true nessisity to any one who enjoys the game. I just can't wait for the rest of the core rules to come out.
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Summary: An excellent re-working that pares D&D down to essentials!
Review: Although this will sound like mere hype -- Dungeons and Dragons 3rd edition Player's Guide is the must-buy RPG book of 2000. All of the core rules have been reworked, retested, and completely revamped to make way for an infinitely more playable, more adaptable role-playing system. Gone are the hard-to-explain concepts such as THAC0, instead, more sensible and easy to learn rules have taken their place. Fear not - converting your characters to the new system is easy, using the conversion guide available on the Wizards of the Coast website. D&D has been brought into the year 2000 with a bang - an enclosed CD-ROM even will aid you in printing out elegant character sheets and doing the random dice-rolls and calculations needed. (At the time of this writing, the CD-ROM has a patch available on the official D&D website.) Keeping track of leveled up characters is easy - a push of a button and it automatically does all the calculations for you! Further expansions to the CDROM software are available at the official website, and as new supplements emerge, so will new features. And oh, the art. Gone is the endlessly recycled art of 2nd Edition D&D, replaced with all-new glorious full-color illustrations and paintings. Detailed illustrations show every common weapon, skeletal structures of non-human characters, action scenes to spur on your imagination.
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Summary: Well it's finally here :)
Review: For all of te other DMs out there who have been eagerly biting thier fingernails cuz they couldn't get it at Gen-Con. Just let me say the new look is aw inspiring. And the rules are terrific it is an entirely new game. With the same old D&D mix of hack and slash, and story a must have!!!
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Summary: On D&D 3rd Edition...
Review: This really tighted up a lot of the 2nd edition rules. It also expanded the variability of many classes, made others much more viable and appealing, and -- quite frankly -- have made a few things make a bit more sence. I really like what they did with the Rouge class, and Fighters are much more impressive. Some of the changes are more subtle, but well done. There looks to be many more ways to expand in a good story setting. Also, for new gamers, it will probably be easier to learn the rules of combate and such as they have simplified the AC system. It looks like a LOT of fun to play! And character generation has already proven to be much more fun! :)
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Summary: 3E D&D Rules!
Review: 3rd Edition D&D is extreamly better than the 2nd Edition rules. The combats go quickly, the system is simple, and things are very clear. The Book itself is a bit daunting. You do have to know what D&D is about before reading it. It is not an introduction into the Role Playing Hobby. There is a great deal of detail.
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Summary: A new age has dawned on tabletop roleplaying
Review: It's been forever since the last Advanced Dungeons & Dragons core player rulebook came out. And now TSR and Wizards of the Coast have really revolutionized the AD&D world. First of all the 'Advanced' in AD&D has been dropped, implying that the 3rd edition of this RPG is appropriate for everyone. There are tons more changes. The character creation system has been re-vamped, different spells, new stats, a new skill-feats-based ability system. AD&D has been balanced to fit today's standards, but still if retains the same comfortable feel that has made it such a popular RPG system. 3rd edition is a must, with it's slew of new features, new races and classes and altered rules it's an entirely different ballgame. But still, so much the same :)
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Summary: Horribly Written Game Manual
Review: This manual is horribly written. Okay, the third edition was bound to have rules changes to the D&D we all know and love. I accept that. But this manual is so confusing that I can't tell if the new rules are good or bad. This manual begins a bold attempt to step away from the original rules, adding a lot of detail to character development, but is organized very poorly. The second edition rules worked so smoothly because they used the first ed. as a base and expanded on them. This Third Edition Handbook, in contrast, is written like a whole new game system. It ignores the layouts we are all familiar with. For instance; Character classes are sorted alphabetically, not by class type. Subclasses are not found under their parent class, so Paladin and Ranger are found under P and R not under Fighter. Also, Spells are now sorted Alphabetically and not by level and class distinction! But these are minor annoyances compared to other problems. The two most important additions to the game are the source of the most problems, Skills and Feats. These are neat concepts that could really enrich the game. However, while they are referred to as early as page 4 or 5 (and referred to VERY often throughout the manual), they are not explained until chapters 5 and 6. The end result is that the reader is so thoroughly confused by the time they get to the chapters on Skills and Feats that they have no hope in understanding them. This book will have to be read several times by the reader before it will be understood. The page layout is artisticly stunning, but items of important information are difficult to find amongst the brilliant graphics. I eagerly awaited the release of this manual and it's companions. Unfortunately it looks like I will have to wait for the revised edition in order to make sense of the rules changes. From what I can make out many of the rules were changed for no apparent reason other than a new company owns the game now. Some changes are good, most are REALLY bad. This game was supposedly playtested for over a year now, and NONE OF THE PLAYTESTERS COMPLAINED ABOUT THESE CHANGES? All I can say is, next time someone smugly tells you they were one of the playtesters for the 3rd edition rules, remember this book, and PUNCH THEM IN THE FACE AS HARD AS YOU CAN! This book will take it's place in history next to New Coke and highly flammable children's pajamas, as one of the stupidest business moves ever! IMHO
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Summary: Not your Daddy's D&D
Review: Many changes were needed for the 3rd edition of D&D, but some of the changes made in the new Player's Handbook look as if they were changed just for the sake of changing. Overall, however, it is a positive move. Many of the new rules are very efficient, such as Armor Class and attack rolls. The new skill system is wonderful, and the addition of "feats" is great. Things look as if they will be more complicated for the DM, however, as creating NPC's will be much more detailed. A good change for the game, which incorporates many popular ideas with today's gamers, while still remaining true to the core of the game. Many people are going to hate it, and there is much for experienced and novice gamers alike to learn, but I believe that the majority will approve of the new, and definitely improved version.
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