Player's Handbook (2e revised)

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The Player's Handbook, released in 1995, is one of the core rulebooks for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition. It is the primary rulebook which describes how to play Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and is considered necessary for play.

Player's Handbook is commonly abbreviated to PH or PHB. The officially supported abbreviation PH is more technically correct, as "handbook" is one word, but usage of PHB is common in the D&D community.

Official synopsis[]

Here is the indispensable encyclopedia of fantasy role-playing. Everything the player needs is here: how to create a mighty hero or crafty wizard; uinque aspects of the elves, dwarves, halflings, and other fantasy races; all the weapons, armor, magical spells, and rules for thrilling battles against supernatural monsters. This fresh, new format for the Player's Handbook is your complete and illustrated guide to the world of heroic adventure!

Content[]

Development and release[]

Development[]

The book was written by Dave Cook.

Release[]

The Player's Handbook was released by TSR in February 1989 for $^{[missing data]} US or $^{[missing data]} Canadian.

On August 18, 2015, it was re-released in digital format. It is currently available on DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Masters Guild for $9.99.

Reception and influence[]

Sales[]

Between 1995 and 1998, the revised AD&D 2nd edition Player's Handbook sold a total of 204,619 copies.^[1]

Year	Sales
1995	94,445
1996	55,628
1997	36,477
1998	18,069

Sales figures compared unfavorably to the original Player's Handbook (2e) (1989), which sold over 292,000 copies in 1989 alone.

Critical reception[]

As of 2023, the Player's Handbook reached the rank of Adamantine seller on DriveThruRPG.

Influence on other works[]

External links[]

References[]

↑ Tweet. Ben Riggs, July 26, 2022.

Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbooks
Players Handbook (1e) • Player's Handbook (2e) • Player's Handbook (2e revised) Player's Handbook (3e) • Player's Handbook (3.5) • Player's Handbook II (3.5) Player's Handbook (4e) • Player's Handbook 2 (4e) • Player's Handbook 3 (4e) Player's Handbook (5e) • Player's Handbook (5e revised)

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition
Core rules
Player's Handbook • Dungeon Master Guide Monstrous Compendium Volume One • Monstrous Compendium Volume Two • Monstrous Manual First Quest • Introduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Game • The Complete Starter Set • Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game
Optional core rules
Player's Option: Combat & Tactics • Player's Option: Skills & Powers • Player's Option: Spells & Magic Dungeon Master Option: High-Level Campaigns • Campaign Option: Council of Wyrms
Supplement lines
Player's Handbook Rules Supplement • Dungeon Master's Guide Rules Supplement Monstrous Compendium Appendix • Monstrous Compendium Annual Encyclopedia Magica • Historical Reference • The Magic Encyclopedia • Monstrous Arcana • Priest's Spell Compendium • Wizard's Spell Compendium
Other supplements
Bastion of Faith • Book of Artifacts • Castle Sites • Chronomancer • City Sites • College of Wizardry • Country Sites • Den of Thieves • Dungeon Builder's Guidebook • Guide to Hell • Legends & Lore • Rogues' Gallery • Shaman • Tome of Magic • The Vortex of Madness and Other Planar Perils • Warriors of Heaven • World Builder's Guidebook
Adventures
The Apocalypse Stone • Axe of the Dwarvish Lords • Cleric's Challenge (II) • The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga • Destiny of Kings • Die Vecna Die! • Dragon Mountain • Dungeons of Despair • Fighter's Challenge (II) • The Gates of Firestorm Peak • A Hero's Tale • Labyrinth of Madness • The Lost Shrine of Bundushatur • Moonlight Madness • The Murky Deep • Night Below: An Underdark Campaign • A Paladin in Hell • Return to the Tomb of Horrors • Reverse Dungeon • Road to Danger • The Rod of Seven Parts • The Shattered Circle • The Silver Key • Swamplight • Tale of the Comet • Tales of Enchantment • Temple, Tower, & Tomb • Thief's Challenge (II) • TSR Jam 1999 • Wizard's Challenge (II)

[1] Tweet. Ben Riggs, July 26, 2022.

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