D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

[Gromund Felsbreaker]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

This edition is mind blowing. It's amazing how they managed to compromise between lovers and haters of previous edition without screwing everything up. They invested resources and energy for playtesting and balance to come to this, and THIS, gentlemen, is the fine masterpiece of RPG.Your adventurer path is full of important choices which will determine who you are deeply. For example, we all are now used to backgrounds, but we should realise how this new rule is shapeshifting the way to conceive our character. It really drives the player to expand his perception of his character in terms of past life. And what about the classes, with those new sparkling privileges? Barbarians are now encouraged to throw themselves unarmored inside the battle, Thieves are the masters of cunning and Clerics are no more just healers of Pelor.A personal appreciation goes to the liason with the Realms, fully integrated (not so deeply, though) in this edition.

 

[Zeitgeist]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

I enthusiastically rate this a perfect 5 stars. I signed up for the playlets, but never got a chance to really participate in it due to lack of time. I tentatively bought the book, thinking I would just resell it if I did not like it. Then I got one in my hands a week before it would ship to me. Let's just say I ended up reading almost all of it in the shop. My goodness this is a beautiful book, the art is stunning and frankly, I do not think I have seen as pretty a RPG book. It is also sturdy and really bound well. The color just pops of the page. My book arrived and I have yet to put it down. The writing and editing of this book is also extremely well done. It is not wordy and verbose, but succinctly says what it needs to and moves on. Very well organized and the book just flows. The rules are simple (thank goodness!, exactly what I was looking for), makes sense and not overwhelming. The focus on story telling is exactly what I miss in RPGs. The book is a standalone, but honestly, it would be terribly incomplete and players will want to invest in the Monster Manual and no doubt the Dungeon Master's guide. The playability is great and in a couple of minutes my kids and I were up and running, expanding nicely with the Starter Set we played a couple of days earlier. My kids love it and honestly I am going to have to get them their copies of the books, this one is just to beautiful to have my kids rough handling on it. LOL.

 

[Scottius]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

Back with a new edition the Player's Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons 5.0 in this reviewers opinion is the finest PHB to come out since Wizards of the Coast took over the line from TSR. From a materials standpoint the sturdy hardcover easily sits open on it's own from any page I've tried it with and the paper likewise feels very high quality. Overall the art is very attractive as is the layout and design. Delving into the system I found it lighter than the last several editions (particularly the cumbersome 4th Ed) in a good way. This is the first edition since the days of 2nd Edition that I can see ditching the battlemat and minis for. I definitely recommend the PHB as a worthy addition to any gaming library.

 

[Nilbog]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

An excellent book on so many levels. Well presented with great artwork. Its written in such a way that draws you into the world of DnD and brings out a creative spark. The rules are concise and play even better than they read. The classes are well balanced without being cookie cutter.The downsides? a few minor quibbles. Spell indexing is poor, some rules are ambiguous, relying on DM ruling which maybe be tricky for new players/groups. And the Halfling art....dear god spare from seeing that picture ever again!!Overall, a great product showcasing a system that should appeal to gamers of all stripes new or old!

 

[Umbrathys]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

Ok, Wizards has hooked me. I left RPGs after 3.5 (having played D&D since 1978). This book has fired the imagination and drug me back in Thanks a lot... Now I get to spend money again...Overall, the book is a fabulous combination of old-school feel and new ideas. The combination makes for an invigorated edition that I think will become an amazing entry into the history of D&D.My only quibbles are the Beastmaster (I foresee an errata), the placement of certain items within the book (skills, tools, etc.), and some of the art (trying to be non-offensive is fine, but some of the art is just odd. The Teiflings tail root would be bigger than her hips...). These aside, I plan to buy all the 5E I can find, so Wizards should start feeding my frenzy

 

[Bugleyman]

4 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

Dungeons and Dragons comes surging back looking much more like the game I've always wanted.

Pros:

• This is D20 boiled down to the essentials with a smattering of the best rules from prior editions.
• It runs fast and doesn't introduce too much "processing overhead," letting the DM keep the focus on the story.
• Concentration reins in both complexity and caster power.Raises the bar on art (most of it, anyway; see Cons) and graphic design.
• Lightly armored, dex-focused melee is finally a viable option from the start.
• Plenty of race and class variety right out of the gate. All the important bases are covered. *cough* gnomes *cough*

Cons:

• The halfling art. It's just not good in a creepy, giant-head sort of way.
• Price. $50 is a bit steep. The PHB should be subsidized a bit to lower barriers to entry. In my opinion, $40 would have been ideal. At the very least, $50 should have included a nice, saddle-stitched binding.
• Zero PDF/eBook availability (at least at the time of this writing) is a MAJOR disappointment.

(****-)

 

[Lycanthropos]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

I learned to role play back in the 80's with 1eD&D. I loved to play in Birthright Campaign Setting in AD&D I start GMing to my little sister and his friends using 3e D&D, specially when 3.5 came. I was surprised when 4e D&D was born. Was it necessary? Was it at least convenient? Was it really a RPG? Or was it a computer game on pen and paper. I moved to Pathfinder. I have enjoyed a lot the great creations of Paizo. My little sister and friends grew old and started their professional careers and we still play. And D&D 5e arrived. I'm in love. I must confess. I was looking for an easy RPG to start playing with my kid and nieces. D&D 5e has the flavour of AD&D, the easyness of the 1eD&D, but the multiple options of the 3eD&D. Oh, it has something also from the 4eD&D. But it doesn't hurt. The 5e PHB is your game if you are looking for an easy, fluid and familiar RPG.

 

[Arthalion]

3 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

It is hard for me to truly like any edition since 3.5, but that said...5th edition is certainly better than 4th. When 4th first came out I was excited to know there was something new coming to D~D. Sadly, i was seriously disappointed by the way things had been changed, and especially where the skills and attacks had changed as far as advancement, and the amount of versatility. That said, 5th edition is better than 4th, and I have some hope for D~D again - which I have been playing since 2nd edition...for 24 years. I am still struggling with the way the skills and attacks are done. There just isn't that same advancement possible, but I am still exploring and seeing how well it works for my new players...who are enjoying it thus far.

 

[Critical Hits]

4 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

It doesn’t push a lot of boundaries, and there’s still plenty to learn and cross-pollinate with other game systems to make your best game. Regardless, it is a game that I would am excited to play and run a campaign as soon as possible. And for that alone, I recommend it.

 

[The Mary Sue]

5 out of 5 rating for D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook

The great news is that the newly released 5th edition of the Player’s Handbook (or NEXT, as it was known in testing) has made huge strides in simplifying not only character creation but also gameplay. If you’ve wanted to play D&D but were too nervous or confused, now is the perfect time to try it.