Player's Handbook

infobox book
name=Player’s Handbook, 4th ed.


author=Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, James Wyatt
publisher=Wizards of the Coast
release_date=June 2008
genre=Role-playing game
media_type = Print (Hardback)
isbn=
pages=320

The "Player's Handbook" (in some previous editions of the game, "Players Handbook") is a book of s for the fantasy role-playing game "Dungeons & Dragons". It does not contain the complete set of rules, but only those concerning players of the game. Additional rules, concerning Dungeon Masters, who referee the game, can be found in the "Dungeon Master's Guide". Many optional rules, such as those governing extremely high-level players, and some of the more obscure spells, are found in other sources.

Since the first edition [cite journal | last =Turnbull | first =Don | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Open Box: Players Handbook| format = review | journal =White Dwarf | volume = | issue =Issue 10 | pages =17 | publisher =Games Workshop | year = 1978-1979 | month = Dec/Jan | url = | issn = | accessdate = ] , the Player's Handbook has contained tables and rules for creating characters, lists of the abilities of the different character classes, the properties and costs of equipment, descriptions of spells that magic-using character classes (such as wizards or clerics) can cast, and numerous other rules that govern gameplay [cite journal | last =Turnbull | first =Don | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =A Dip Into the Players Handbook | format = analysis and critique | journal =White Dwarf | volume = | issue =Issue 12 | pages =24–25 | publisher =Games Workshop | year = 1979 | month = April/May | url = | issn = | accessdate = ] . Both the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Player's Handbook give advice, tips and suggestions for various styles of play. [cite journal | last =Pulsipher | first =Lewis | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =An Introduction to Dungeons & Dragons, Part II | format = overview | journal =White Dwarf | volume = | issue =Issue 24 | pages =10–11 | publisher =Games Workshop | year = 1981 | month = April/May | url = | issn = | accessdate = ]

The "Player's Handbook" along with the "Dungeon Master's Guide" and "Monster Manual" make up the core rulebooks of Dungeons & Dragons. [cite journal | last =Livingstone | first =Ian | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =White Dwarf Interviews Gary Gygax | format = interview | journal =White Dwarf | volume = | issue =Issue 14 | pages =23–24 | publisher =Games Workshop | year = 1979 | month = Aug/Sept | url = | issn = | accessdate = ]

Edition history

"

The "Player's Handbook" has gone through several editions through the years. The original "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" First Edition "Players Handbook", published in 1978 [(Schick 1991)] was written by Gary Gygax and edited by Mike Carr, who also wrote the Foreword. It divided the game rules between the "Players Handbook" and the "Dungeon Masters Guide". Later editions of the game moved the bulk of the game rules to the "Player's Handbook", leaving information needed chiefly by the Dungeon Master in the "Dungeon Master's Guide". The second edition, published in 1989, was the work of several authors and edited by David "Zeb" Cook [(Schick 1991)] . It included major changes regarding character classes, races, and magic, and incorporated many new rules that had been published in supplements such as Unearthed Arcana and Dragonlance Adventures. The third edition, published in 2000, represented a major overhaul of the game, including the adoption of the d20 system. The third edition also dropped the word "Advanced" from the title, as the publisher decided to publish only one version of the game instead of a "basic" and an "advanced" version.

In 2006 "Player's Handbook II" was released, as part of edition "3.5".

On June 6th 2008, the Fourth Edition "Player's Handbook" was released. The cover was released in a preview, though it may change before the releasecite web| url=http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=3735920&postcount=1|title=ENWorld|publisher=Morrus|accessdate=2007-08-28] . The date changed after customer feedback revealed a majority preference among D&D customers to have all three core rulebooks released in the same month. [ [http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?s=b861f70f4f16a0a212ffd95c4aa5bbc5&p=3832899&postcount=26 EN World - Morrus' D&D / 4th Edition / d20 News - View Single Post - Corebooks in June!: News from the Alliance Retailer Summit ] ] [ [http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?s=b861f70f4f16a0a212ffd95c4aa5bbc5&p=3833168&postcount=32 EN World - Morrus' D&D / 4th Edition / d20 News - View Single Post - Corebooks in June!: News from the Alliance Retailer Summit ] ] [Slavicsek, Bill. "Ampersand: Exciting News!", "Dragon Magazine", Published 2007-10-19, Wizards of the Coast [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dramp/20071019] ]

References

*cite book
first = David
last = Cook
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1989
month =
title = Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Player's Handbook
editor =
others =
edition =
publisher = TSR, Inc.
location =
id =
url =
*cite book
first = Gary
last = Gygax
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1978
month =
title = Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook
editor =
others =
edition =
publisher = TSR, Inc.
location =
id =
url =
isbn = 0935696016
*cite book
first = Lawrence
last = Schick
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1991
month =
title = Heroic Worlds
editor =
others =
edition =
publisher = Prometheus Books
location =
id =
url =
isbn =

External links

* [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/alumni/20060602a A Look Back at Player's Handbooks] D&D Alumni article on Official D&D site.
* [http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/phb.html Detailed information on AD&D "Player's Handbook" (1st Edition)] including differences between printings.