The Basics:

Like all of the hardcover 4e releases, Player's Handbook 3 (PHB3) is an attractive book. It is of solid construction, 223 pages with great full color art and a very readable layout. The content breaks down as follows: Title Page, Credits and Contents, 3 pages; New Power Source (Psionic), 2 pages; New Races, 13 pages; New Classes, 113 pages; Hybrid Characters Rules, 21 pages; New Epic Destinies, 5 pages; Skill Powers, 12 pages; New Feats, 16 pages; Superior Implements, 2 pages; New Magic Items, 16 pages, Appendix (Reading a Power), 6 pages; Glossary, 4 pages; Advertisement ({D&D} Novels), 1 page.

The Power Source:

A short story details how the guardian of a hidden Living Gate in the Astral Sea was slain by a nameless god and the horrors of the Far Realm were unleashed on the planes of existence. While the gate was eventually destroyed, this event somehow led to psionic powers coming into being, whether they came from the far realm or were a response by the gods to give their followers new powers to fight the alien atrocities. A sidebar gives examples of philosophies held by wielders of psionic power. These philosophies seem like a useful roleplaying aid that could help a player decide how to run that new psionic character. What excites me most about the psionic power source is that it paves the way for the Dark Sun campaign setting that will come out later this summer.



The Races:

The races included in PHB3 are supposed to be unusual in the campaign world, representing much rarer PC choices than the more common races outlined in PHB1 and PHB2. The first thing that jumps out about the four new races introduced in PHB3 is the variable ability bonuses. Unlike every previous Player’s Handbook race, which gave a +2 to two abilities, the PHB3 races give bonuses in the following format: +2 to ability X and +2 to ability Y OR ability Z. This makes these races much more flexible in terms of class choices, and begs the question if the other PHB races will be retroactively awarded a similar flexibility. I personally feel like they should, as having more options as a player is clearly a priority for 4e (see the Hybrid Characters section below). Another small change from the previous Player’s Handbook races is that each race no longer includes sample adventurers of that race: instead, two backgrounds (as per the optional player background rules introduced in PHB2) are included in this section for each race.

Githzerai are a race formerly enslaved by mind flayers. They receive a +2 Wisdom and a +2 Dexterity or Intelligence. Their racial power grants a +2 bonus to defenses for one turn as an encounter power when hit by an attack. They can shift three squares when using their second wind and have a racial bonus to saves against daze, dominate and stun effects.

Minotaurs have been changed slightly from their write-up in Dragon Magazine # 369. They receive a +2 Strength and a +2 Constitution or Wisdom. The Goring Charge racial power has been changed so the attack keys on Strength, Constitution or Dexterity; it still replaces a basic melee attack with a charge that knocks the target prone. Minotaurs now gain an extra healing surge, and still gain a +2 AC bonus against opportunity attacks while charging.

Shardminds are literally the fragments of the destroyed Living Gate, and as such are mortal enemies of the Far Realm that the gate was supposed to keep forever separated from reality. They receive a +2 Intelligence and a +2 Wisdom or Charisma. Their racial power is an encounter move action that grants combat advantage against enemies in a close burst 1 then teleports equal to half speed. As a construct, Shardminds do not need to eat, drink, breathe or sleep and are effectively immortal. They can communicate telepathically with nearby creatures and have resist 5 to psychic damage.

Wildens are fey creatures that are part plant. Each Wilden can manifest different aspects of nature’s spirit, appearing differently according to which aspect is being manifested. They receive a +2 Wisdom and a +2 Constitution or Dexterity. They have three different aspects that they can switch between with each extended rest. The three aspects are: “Aspect of the Ancients”, which grants an encounter ability to teleport 3 squares as a free action when an enemy is hit with an area or close attack and also grants combat advantage against the enemy for one turn; “Aspect of the Destroyer”, which grants an encounter ability to make an immediate reaction melee basic attack or charge a bloodied enemy that attacks you or an adjacent ally and dazes the enemy if you hit; and “Aspect of the Hunter”, which grants an encounter ability to shift 3 squares as an immediate reaction when an enemy within 2 squares moves on its turn, also granting 1d6 extra damage per hit on the enemy and allowing you to ignore the penalty to hit from cover or concealment. Wildens can choose Fortitude, Reflex or Will to get a +1 racial bonus to that defense.

The Wilden are my favorite of the two brand new races, because I really like the flexibility that being able to choose a different aspect with each extended rest grants.

Hybrid Characters:

Early versions of the hybrid rules were previewed in Dragon Magazine, and they have been cleaned up considerably here in their final implementation. At its core, it is a relatively simple system. A hybrid version of each class in the game is presented, which is essentially one half of the class in terms of hit points, healing surges per day, skills and features. To create a hybrid character you simply choose two classes and combine their hybrid versions. When selecting powers, you can select them from the lists for either class. You are proficient in the weapons listed for either class, but only have proficiency in armors that both classes are proficient in. Each hybrid class also has one or more hybrid talents, which are drawn from the special class features of the parent class. To gain access to these hybrid talents requires the Hybrid Talent feat.

One of the biggest design goals of 4e was to balance all of the classes with each other from levels 1 to 30. This may have been a reaction to the widely criticized ability of wizards and clerics in 3e to dominate play from mid to high levels, rendering every other character class essentially useless. Why play a rogue or fighter if the spell casters can simply do your job and do it better? 4e solved this problem admirably. In some ways, the hybrid rules are a step backwards. For the first time in 4e, it is possible to create a truly weak character by combining two classes that utilize such different abilities and have such different roles that you will never be able to effectively pull your weight. I think this is more than balanced out by the amazing variety in character creation that this one simple system provides. 4e already had a lot of options for the players; the hybrid character rules turn those options up to eleven. If you haven’t seen Spinal Tap, that means they crank up the volume beyond the original design limitations of the system and blast your brains out with more character options than you can shake a stick at. At this point, if you can dream up a character concept, you can make the character with the 4e rules without having to sacrifice your vision to fit the strictures of a class.


Skill Powers:

A new type of utility power introduced in PHB3, Skill Powers require training in the related skill. For instance, if you are trained in Athletics you can select the level two utility skill power “Scrambling Climb” instead of a class utility power. This particular power is an encounter power that enables you to make an athletics check to climb with a +5 bonus; if you succeed, you climb your speed +2. I can just see the Jet Li like maneuvers that I would pull off with this power, running straight up a wall to leave my confounded pursuers in the dust. Each skill in the game gets its associated list of skill powers. These new powers really add a lot of meaning to what skills a character is trained in, and go a long way toward making that acrobatic rogue or scholarly wizard a truly unique character.


Wrapping it all up and tying a ribbon on top:

This is my favorite 4e book yet published. For the first time, the overriding goal of making sure that every class and option was balanced against everything else succumbs to the goal of adding diversity and options in character creation. I love the hybrid rules; sure, you could create a truly gimped character if you really tried, but if you take your time and are careful you can also create EXACTLY what you envision for your character. Add some awesome new races, a new power source with a very unique implementation and the new skill powers and I think this book has added a tremendous amount of variety to the game. I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up and also raise whatever other appendages I can into the air to demonstrate my infatuation with Player’s Handbook 3!