Why there won't be a "Player's Handbook II"

Players Handbook: The Grouptesting Strikes Back!

 

[happyhermit]

...
When 3.+ editions came out, it was a little confusing. You might say "but why?" after a while, i had a hard time figuring out where a class might be. Was the kensai or kensei in the warrior handbook or the oriental adventures book, or in player handbook 3? Which player handbook in 4e had psionics? How many of these player handbooks do i have to thumb through at the comic shop to find that one class I want to play? And what do I do if they are plastic wrapped? Hope that the blurb on the back will tell me?
...

Sorry, but this cannot be possible.
I have seen various testimonials and treatise, even on this very site, that unequivocally proclaim that a plethora of player options cannot possibly cause any sort of problem whatsoever.



I like the strategy of avoiding the numerical iterations, the name implies "more of the same" or as mentioned here, superseding the previous version, either one is not very interesting. If you make a "MM2" considerably different in nature than MM1, some people will be upset (like always) but at least by changing the name they shouldn't be expecting the same thing.

 

[delericho]

If there is going to be a book wth player options I might wasnt to see them based around a theme.
A example might be the book Sandstorm in 3.5 that had desert and arabian nights options fo all classes, and specific rules for running a desert campaign.

Sure, and both "Heroes of..." books would have been fine - if it hadn't been for the vast amount of repeated material. As it was, in order to get the full set of 'core' classes, you had to buy a book 75% full of repeated material.

 

[JeffB]

Players Handbook 2- Buy the first one first,.Dumb@$$

 

[gyor]

I was at the Dungeons & Dragons panel at Gamehole Con this past weekend. One thing that was brought up by Jeremy Crawford (if I remember correctly) was the reason for not wanting to use a name like Player's Handbook II. It seems that in our electronic games dominated world, people see a title like World of Warcraft IV, the buying public knows that they no longer want to settle for the obviously outdated World of Warcraft I, II, or III. Therefore, why buy the now outdated Player's Handbook when you can get the obviously upgraded latest and greatest Player's Handbook II. Only after its too late do they realize most of the rules aren't included.
So no book titled PHB II. Maybe they should try something like Player's Handbook, Episode 2?

*gathers romulan mind probe* now this will only hurt if you resist, tell the rest of us what you heard and saw at the panel. Was there any references to future products, insights into current design decisions, insights into the 5e realms, was "Labyrinth" discussed at?

 

[DJCupboard]

I think maybe something new like Players Options...


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[CapnZapp]

outdated Player's Handbook

"obviously upgraded latest and greatest Player's Handbook II"

That's about as preposterous and stupid as removing the roman numerals from The Madness of King George

Let's hope this is an urban legend too.

Zapp

 

[AriochQ]

"Arioch Q's Handbook for Players" (of course I would receive a percentage of the sales for use of my name )

 

[Jester David]

Made my own probably gonna maje a 3rd one.

All I can think is:

"Fine, I'm going to make my own Players Handbook 2. With blackjack. And hookers!"

 

[jimmifett]

Building Character: What doesn't kill you only makes you higher level.

 

[Tony Vargas]

"Player's Handbook: Still no Warlord"

ie: "H4ter's Guide to D&D"
;P

Seriously though, I'll accept the OP reason for no PH2. It'd also make the game appear 'more complicated,' give it a more ambiguous retail presences &c.

Volo's is essentially a MMII that avoids all the problems with calling it an MMII, so a not-a-PH2-honest that still contains the material 5e needs that would logically go in a PH2.

"Adventurer's Guide to other Adventures?" ;|

"Volo's Guide to Adventure?"



If they're only concerned about it looking like a new edition, they could call it the Advanced Player's Guide or Supplemental Player's Guide, Character Customization Handbook, or something avoiding the '2,' and conveying that it contains more options for players at the price of more complexity.


... OK, I can't stay that serious...

"Volo's Guide to Murder Hobos?" ;P

I don't think we're going to get a book titled Unearthed Arcana.

Actually, it'd make a lot of sense. It could collect refined/playtested versions of material from UA, and simultaneously call back to the original UA from the 80s, that was much like a PH2 in some of its content.