Dungeons and Dragons is a widely expansive game as it takes on a form of role-playing that many other games simply do not touch. Players enter a world that is richly crafted and wrought with details. Everything from the locations which they find themselves in to the monsters that they fight have unique properties which have the potential of changing the entire game. One action performed by the same player can have drastically different consequences, based solely on the type of enemy it is cast against as well as the location where the action is taking place.



In addition to all of these details, players will enter and experience the game as a specially crafted player, not as themselves. These players can be any type of class, from warriors to wizards to thief, as well as many different types of race, from human to dwarf to elf or even "halflings." With all of these intricate details to keep in mind over even a simple, short game, it is no wonder that players need a guidebook to aid them throughout the game.

The Player's Handbook is an invaluable guide which will aid any player who wants to get involved in the Dungeons and Dragons world. The book contains all of the rules which would directly affect any player during the course of a game and can often be consulted by any player to figure out if any of their intended moves might be illegal or harmful. The additional rules to the game are all located within the Dungeon Master Guide, but this is typically not permitted to be viewed by any player during the course of a game. The Player's Handbook not only contains the rules applying to the game, however, but will also offer handy guides which can help any player with the creation and control of their character.

Ever since the very first edition of the Player's Handbook produced, the guide has contained many different helpful tables and charts when it comes to a player constructing a character. Each of the different character classes is listed in detail, along with typical attribues and skills common to each type of class. Players can browse the charts and lists to discover exactly what character class will best suit the type of character that they wish to build. Some of these classes have the ability to use magic and the Player's Handbook will also help by giving an example of some of the most common and helpful spells that these characters can use. It will list common weapons and equipment that many characters will find useful, as well as the common properties and costs of these pieces of equipment.

All of these tips to constructing and maintaining a character, as well as the specific rules that each character must abide by are commonly listed in the Player's Handbook. It is greatly recommended that each player participating in a game of Dungeons and Dragons have their own Player's Handbook to help them through the game, as sharing one can often lead to difficulties, since many players, especially novice ones, need to consult the book often. After all, the Player's Handbook can be any serious Dungeons and Dragons player's best friend.