The "Dungeon Master's Guide II "builds upon existing materials in the"Dungeon Master's Guide." It is specifically designed to facilitate play, especiallywhen the Dungeon Master has a limited amount of preparation time. Chapters include discussion on running a game, designing adventures, building and using prestige classes, and creating campaign settings. Ready-made game elements include instant traps, pre-generated locations, treasures, and a fully realized and rendered town. JESSE DECKER is the development manager for Wizards of the Coast, Inc.whose recent roleplaying game design credits include "Complete Adventurer"(TM), "Races of Stone"(TM), and "Unearthed Arcana"(TM). DAVID NOONAN is an RPG designer/developer at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Recent credits include authoring "Complete Divine"(TM) and co-authoring "Races of Stone "and "Unearthed Arcana." CHRIS THOMASSON previously served as Editor-in-Chief of "Dungeon"(R)Magazine. His design credits include "Fiend Folio"(TM) and "Monster Manual"(TM)"III," as well as "Bow and Blade "for Green Ronin Publishing. JAMES JACOBS is the associate editor of "Dungeon"(R) Magazine and has published numerous articles in "Dragon"(R) Magazine. His most recent credits with Wizards of the Coast, Inc. include co-authoring "The Book of Aberrations," "Races of Faerun"(TM), and "Frostburn"(TM). ROBIN D. LAWS, game designer and novelist, is best known for the roleplayinggames "Feng Shui," "Heroquest," and "Dying Earth," along with, "Robin's Laws ofGood Gamemastering."

    

    The definitive reference guide of Dungeons & Dragons(R) core rules.Tired of hauling all of your D&D rules supplements to the gaming table? Having trouble finding the rule you need? The Rules Compendium supplement takes all of the game's most important rules and presents them in a single comprehensive, easy-to-reference volume for players and Dungeon Masters.In addition to presenting the rules of the game, the Rules Compendium incorporates official errata as well as behind-the-scenes designer and developer commentary explaining how the rules system has evolved and why certain rules work the way they do.

    Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen novel series. This is the first adventure produced for the "Forgotten Realms" setting since the "Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting" sourcebook was released in the summer of 2001. Designed to take characters from middle to high levels of play, this adventure ties in directly to events occurring in R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen novel series.

    Brilliant burglars and easygoing farmers. Now The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings reveals the secrets of these two popular races - their culture, beliefs, and subraces (including two new subraces), as well as twenty-eight new character kits, from the gnome Goblinsticker to the halfling Forestwalker. If you enjoy playing gnome or halfling characters, or if you're a DM interested in creating an all-gnome or all-halfling campaign, this is the book for you!

    Whether torn from the darkest planes of existence or spawned as blights upon the natural world, the creatures bound within these covers will challenge stalwart adventurers of every experience level.This accessory for the D&D game captures over 150 monsters, including some of the most diabolical beings imaginable. While focused on extraplanar and otherworldly creatures, you'll also stumble across new creatures of every type, with Challenge Ratings that range from 1/8 to 25. Along with three new fiendish prestige classes, six new templates, and rules for swarms, grafts, and symbionts, the Fiend Folio offers a multitude of challenges for every hero.To use this supplement, a Dungeon Master also needs the Player's Handbook, and the Dungeon Master's Guide. A player needs only the Player's Handbook.

     - A deep dive into the lore behind some of D&D's most popular and iconic monsters - Dozens of monsters new to the fifth edition to include in your epic adventures - New playable races to allow you to build characters to fit nearly any type of story in your D&D game.The esteemed loremaster Volothamp Geddarm is back and he's written a fantastical dissertation, covering some of the most iconic monsters in the Forgotten Realms. Unfortunately, the Sage of Shadowdale himself, Elminster, doesn't believe Volo gets some of the important details quite right. Don't miss out as Volo and Elminster square off (academically speaking of course) to illuminate the uninitiated on creatures both common and obscure. Uncover the machinations of the mysterious Kraken Society, what is the origin of the bizarre froghemoth, or how to avoid participating in the ghastly reproductive cycle of the grotesque vargouille. Dungeon Masters and players will get some much-needed guidance as you plan your next venture, traipsing about some dusty old ruin in search of treasure, lore, and let's not forget ... dangerous creatures whose horns, claws, fangs, heads, or even hides might comfortably adorn the walls of your trophy room. If you survive.Research has never been so dangerous!

    Each revision integrates user feedback received since the original product release so as to address the specific wants and needs of the player and Dungeon Master audiences. The overall rules system remains intact, with changes targeted specifically at elements of game play that were considered under-powered or incomplete. These revised editions also contain bonus content, such as new feats, that are exclusive to these editions. In addition, the new and revised content instructs players on how to take full advantage of the tie-in D&D miniatures line planned to release in Fall 2003 from Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Overall changes to all the titles include making complex combat easier to understand and provide more information on interacting with and summoning monsters. Specific changes include the following: the Player's Handbook received revisions to character classes to make them more balanced, and there are revisions and additions to spell lists. Amazon.com ReviewThe Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition Player's Handbook contains all the rules you need to create characters and begin adventuring with the world's most popular role-playing game. Newcomers to the game will appreciate this book's clear explanations, effective examples, pleasing layout, elegant rules, and brilliant art. It's never been easier to create and role-play a heroic human ranger, cunning elf wizard, or any other fantasy character from the game's 7 races and 11 classes.Old-school players will likewise be pleased, as the outdated AD&D rules system has been given a thorough overhaul. Gone are almost all the old restrictions on race and alignment. Halfling sorcerers, half-orc paladins, dwarf barbarians, and gnome monks are now possible. THACO, negative armor class, funky saving throws, inflated ability scores, heat-based infravision, and just about every other needlessly complex rule has been reworked into a faster, more consistent, and more fun system. Players can choose unique special abilities for their characters as they gain levels, which means that even two fighters of the same race and class can have very different abilities. The end result of all these changes is a dynamic game with more customized characters.Almost every page has some form of new artwork, and the art almost always serves to explain a concept or illustrate a point. The book is filled with example montages that help to show the difference between human, half-elf, and elf, or relative size differences between creatures, or what the various levels of cover and concealment look like. These illustrations make the rules much more clear. The style of the artwork is consistent throughout the book and is a definite departure from older editions of AD&D. Instead of the classic medieval artwork of Larry Elmore, the new book has the spiky, leathery, Mad Max-meets-Renaissance look of the Magic: The Gathering card game.We would have preferred less radical artistic changes, but we love everything else that Wizards of the Coast has done with Dungeons & Dragons. The rules are fast and clear, and the characters--including the new sorcerer class and the return of the monk, barbarian, and half-orc--are fabulous. If you're new to the D&D game, then this rule book is the perfect introduction. And if you're an old-school gamer who played D&D back in the day, then welcome to the new era of D&D.

    "Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells" is a supplement designed to be the definitive resource for information about devils and the Nine Hells of the D&D world. Like its predecessor "Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss," this game material is completely compatible with the D&D core rulebooks and is intended for both D&D players and Dungeon Masters. AUTHOR INFORMATIONRobin Laws is a freelance writer who has designed dozens of roleplaying game products, including most recently "Dungeon Master's Guide II." Robert J. Schwalb is a freelance developer and editor who primarily works on game products for Green Ronin Publishing.

    Other lords of darkness have embraced the Demiplane of Dread as their own, and woe to heroes who wander there. Creatures of the night prey freely upon the living in this land, and day is but a prelude to another night of horror.This new edition of the RAVENLOFT game combines the original Realm of Terror boxed set with elements of Forbidden Lore and updated rules from other accessories. Domains destroyed in the infamous Grand Conjunction have been deleted, new domains added, and key personalities detailed.This boxes set includes: Realm of Terror - a 160-page book of rules concerning the reshaping of character classes; fear, horror, madness, and powers checks; curses; spells and magical items,both new and old; psionics; techniques of terror; and more. Domains and Denizens - a 128-page book describing the dark lands of the Core, the islands of terror, and many nefarious personages. Two maps depicting the reshaped Core domains and the islands of terror.A poster featuring a painting by artist Robh Ruppel. A tarokka deck of beautifully illustrated cards for role-playing fortunetelling.A DM screen specifically designed to be used with a RAVENLOFT campaign.

    Join adventures renowned as they trek across Toril in the detailed, beautifully illustrated atlas. Ride with the Ffolk in the magical Moonshae Isles. Brave the brutal elements of Icewind Dale. Follow the gods as they wreak destruction from the Dales to Waterdeep. Watch as empires of East and West collide. Karen Wynn Fonstad, author of "The Atlas of the Dragonlance World", "The Atlas of Middle Earth", "The Atlas of Pern, and "The Atlas of the Land", now brings you the spectacular and dynamic settings of the Forgotten Realms.

    This is the first direct follow up to the best-selling and most used D&D rulebook. It is specifically designed to expand the options available for players by both providing new material and increasing the uses for existing rules. Included are chapters on character race, background, classes, feats, spells, character creation, and character advancement. New rules include racial affiliations that make race matter as a character advances in level, new character classes and alternate class features for existing classes, new feats, tools for rapid character creation, and additional organization and teamwork benefits -- an option first introduced in Dungeon Master's Guide II and Heroes of Battle.

    You know how to take advantage of every situation, and you don’t mind getting your hands dirty. Take the gloves off? Ha! You never put them on. You infuriate your foes and amaze your allies with your ingenuity, resourcefulness, and style. For you, every new predicament is an opportunity in disguise, and with each sweet victory your notoriety grows. That is how legends are made.This D&D supplement gives you everything you need to get the drop on your foes and escape sticky situations. In addition to new feats, spells, items, and prestige classes, Complete Scoundrel presents new mechanics that put luck on your side and a special system of skill tricks that allow any character to play the part of a scoundrel. Tricky tactics aren’t just for rogues anymore.

     - An excellent resource for new and existing Dungeons Masters to engage in both adventure and world creation, with rules, guidelines, and sage advice from the game's experts. - Created as part of a massive public playtest involving more than 170,000 fans of the game.

    Game elements include the gods of Greyhawk, the clash of political factions, and encounters in this wild land.