Player's Handbook II (and other May releases)

[M.L. Martin]

We should have known.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_1_23/103-8575272-0679026?v=glance&s=books

Other May 2006 releases:

The Thieves of Blood: The Blade of the Flame, Book 1 by Tim Waggoner

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_1_22/103-8575272-0679026?v=glance&s=books

The City of Splendors: The Cities, paperback, by Elaine Cunningham

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_1_24/103-8575272-0679026?v=glance&s=books

The Ruin: The Year of Rogue Dragons, Book 3 by Richard Lee Byers

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_1_26/103-8575272-0679026?v=glance&s=books

Dissension: Ravnica Cycle, Book 3 by Cory J. Herndon

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_1_28/103-8575272-0679026?v=glance&s=books

Matthew L. Martin

P. S. Thanks to Phoenix555 over at the dragonlance.com boards for noting that Amazon had the May 2006 releases up.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We should have known.

I see a whole lot of thread necromancy coming, as everyone bumps the old threads to see who was right on what PHB2 has in it.

 

[Wycen]

I would suspect much will be like AU/AE and similar books.

 

[Snapdragyn]

Drat. That means 9 months without an enviro series book.

It's dead, Jim!

 

[Gospog]

To me, it looks like the DMG II might be of more use than the DMG I. I'll be willing to give PHB II a chance.

 

[Mercule]

I'll say the same thing about the PHB2 that I said about the DMG2: it'll either be really good or really bad. I don't see much room for a middle ground.

 

[Silveras]

Drat. That means 9 months without an enviro series book.

It's dead, Jim!

It seems to me that the Environment series was likely to be only 3 books, anyway.

The rules divide environments largely by Climate and Terrain. The Core Rules cover pretty much all the Terrain types for the Temperate climate, with the coverage of Aquatic being a bit weak because it requires a good deal more of specialized equipment and magic for the characters to be able to handle it on a par with land-based adventuring.

That means the other two Climates (Hot and Cold), and the remaining Terrain that spans the three Climates (Aquatic), are the areas that could support additional products to flesh them out. Thus, three books: Cold, Hot, and Aquatic.

There might be enough interest to add Underground to the mix, but that's really covered by the Core rules. Clouds and some sort of "aerial" environment seem more likely to me.


That being said, I think the DMG II does have some value (more value for those new to the hobby, but not utterly lacking even for a long-time player/DM), so I expect the same from the PHB II.

 

[ecliptic]

Wohoo!

I am hoping for some more new classes and them not including classes they have already printed.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Yeah, my initial feeling for PHBII was "Wow, so they're going to gut the PrC's from the Complete series and slap that in a big book?"

But while I fully expect a host of reprints, I think there's some real potential with races, new ways to do classes and spells, and who knows what else!

Though I'd wager a fiver on the fact that someone will gripe about too much reprinted stuff in it.

 

[philreed]

We should have known.

Actually, this fits the prediction I made in one of the (many) DMG II threads. Right around the time WotC sent out a press release discussing DMG II sales I said that we should see a PHB II next summer.

It's all about the cash.