The Inside Scoop on Gaming

I bought the 3rd Edition PHB recently, I really don't know why. But I'm glad I did. I've been a gamer, mainly miniatures, for the last 6 years, but before that I was an avid roleplayer. I started playing D&D back in the early 80's with AD&D and loved it. I moved from game to game and always came back to D&D. When 2nd Edition came out I was dissappointed, and didn't buy into it. Well 3rd edition has reaffirmed my faith in fantasy gaming and the D&D line.

The PHB has been very well thought out. The rules are easy to read, and the artwork is nice and is functional. It seems to me that much effort was taken to make the pictures illustrate the rules. I also like the examples of play givin in the Combat chapter. In addition I would like to applaud WotC for putting short descriptions and examples with almost every rule that is the least bit confusing. This really helps when reading the book.

The content of the book is very good. Being an AD&D player from way back I can tell you that it's very much like playing a new and completely different game. From the little 2nd Ed. I've played it is also significantly different from those rules also. Yes you still have classes and races and hit points and armor class; but the system that brings these together is very flexible and much easier to use.

Combat is a snap and takes much less time than I remember in the old systems. But word of warning here...the combat system doesn't reqire, but I strongly recommend, investing in some miniatures and terrain or at least a gridded dry erase map for combat. There are many more tactical possiblities with the new system and DMs may need some visual representation to keep it all straight.

Magic section is very complete and has numerous explinations about everything. Happily Illusions are explained in much better detail than other editions.

Lastly I would like to say that this game really grabbed me. I am not one to just buy a game off the shelf. I researched Tribe 8 for six months before I bought it. But the look of the game and what I read of the text gave me that same feeling I felt when I was 10 years old standing in the bookstore with a copy of AD&D players handbook in my hands. It felt new and fresh and full of possibilities. That will get my $19.95 every time.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, 3rd Edition
Author: Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook and Skkp Williams Category: game Company/Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Line: D&D Cost: $20.00 Page count: 285 ISBN: 0-7869-1550-1 SKU: TSR11550 Capsule Review by J.A.Noll on 09/20/00. Genre tags: Fantasy	I bought the 3rd Edition PHB recently, I really don't know why. But I'm glad I did. I've been a gamer, mainly miniatures, for the last 6 years, but before that I was an avid roleplayer. I started playing D&D back in the early 80's with AD&D and loved it. I moved from game to game and always came back to D&D. When 2nd Edition came out I was dissappointed, and didn't buy into it. Well 3rd edition has reaffirmed my faith in fantasy gaming and the D&D line. The PHB has been very well thought out. The rules are easy to read, and the artwork is nice and is functional. It seems to me that much effort was taken to make the pictures illustrate the rules. I also like the examples of play givin in the Combat chapter. In addition I would like to applaud WotC for putting short descriptions and examples with almost every rule that is the least bit confusing. This really helps when reading the book. The content of the book is very good. Being an AD&D player from way back I can tell you that it's very much like playing a new and completely different game. From the little 2nd Ed. I've played it is also significantly different from those rules also. Yes you still have classes and races and hit points and armor class; but the system that brings these together is very flexible and much easier to use. Combat is a snap and takes much less time than I remember in the old systems. But word of warning here...the combat system doesn't reqire, but I strongly recommend, investing in some miniatures and terrain or at least a gridded dry erase map for combat. There are many more tactical possiblities with the new system and DMs may need some visual representation to keep it all straight. Magic section is very complete and has numerous explinations about everything. Happily Illusions are explained in much better detail than other editions. Lastly I would like to say that this game really grabbed me. I am not one to just buy a game off the shelf. I researched Tribe 8 for six months before I bought it. But the look of the game and what I read of the text gave me that same feeling I felt when I was 10 years old standing in the bookstore with a copy of AD&D players handbook in my hands. It felt new and fresh and full of possibilities. That will get my $19.95 every time. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook, 3rd Edition