Player's Handbook 3 is a 222-page sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition released in March 2010. It was the last of three Player's Handbook sourcebooks for that edition, and presented new character races, classes, magic items and options. It introduced the psionic power source to D&D 4th edition.
Official synopsis[]
Out of the Far Realm they came: creatures of horror and madness. As the gods rallied against the incursion, brave heroes arose with newfound powers of their own. Together they stood against this threat from beyond, just as they stand today.
This companion to the Player's Handbook and Player's Handbook 2 core rulebooks introduces the psionic power source-powers of the will brought to bear against evil's madness. Player's Handbook 3 includes 4 classes tied to the psionic power source: the ardent, the battlemind, the monk, and the psion. It also presents a new divine class (the runepriest) and a new primal class (the seeker).
This essential book for Dungeons & Dragons players contains other exciting options: new races, powers (including skill powers for all classes), feats, paragon paths, epic destinies, equipment, superior implements, and rules for hybrid characters.
Content[]
Introduction[]
The book's introduction presents the psionic power source, along with new lore linking it to the Dawn War pantheon and World Axis cosmology.
Chapter 1: Character Races[]
Four new races are introduced: the githzerai, minotaur, shardmind, and wilden. Four racial paragon paths are introduced: the minotaur blooded champion, the wilden nature's avatar, the githyanki rrathmal and the shardmind shard disciple.
Chapter 2: Character Classes[]
Six new character classes are introduced, and four paragon paths for each:
- the ardent, a psionic leader, and its paragon paths: the argent soul, psionic binder, stygian adept, and talaric strategist
- the battlemind, a psionic defender, and its paragon paths: the eternal blade, iron guardian, steel ego, and zephyr blade
- the monk, a psionic striker, and its paragon paths: the ghostwalker, initiate of the dragon, mountain devotee, and radiant fist
- the psion, a psionic controller, and its paragon paths: the cerulean adept, dreamwalker, time bender, and uncarnate
- the runepriest, a divine leader, and its paragon paths: the hammer of vengeance, light bringer, master of the forge, and rune shield
- the seeker, a primal controller, and its paragon paths: the crimson hunter, death arrow, seven fates archer, and swift strider
This chapter also introduces the concept of hybrid characters, a multiclassing mechanic.
Six epic destinies are introduced: the monk's diamond soul, the godmind for any psionic class, the battlemind's invincible mind, the seeker's master of the eternal hunt, the runepriest's rune maker, and the ardent's war master.
Chapter 3: Character options[]
This chapter introduces the concept of skill powers, utility powers which require training in a relevant skill.
It introduces numerous feats, including multiclass feats. It introduces various superior implements and magic items.
Development and release[]
Development[]
The book was written by Bruce R. Cordell, Rob Heinsoo, Mike Mearls and Robert J. Schwalb. Art was provided by Ralph Beisner, Eric Belisle, Kerem Beyit and Leon Cortez.
Player's Handbook 3 was the first book of its name; while earlier editions of the game included a Player's Handbook and Player's Handbook 2, D&D 4th edition was the first to release a book titled Player's Handbook 3.
Release[]
Player's Handbook 3 was released by Wizards of the Coast in March 2010 for $34.95 US or $39.95 Canadian.
On February 17, 2015, it was re-released in digital format. It is currently available on DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Masters Guild for $17.99.
Reception and influence[]
Critical reception[]
As of 2023, Player's Handbook 3 reached the rank of Gold seller on DriveThruRPG.
Influence on other works[]
External links[]
References[]
| Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbooks |
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| 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) |