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Introduction
When you play a character in a Dungeons & Dragons game, it's all about the choices you make. Every facet of your character that makes him or her unique is the product of a conscious decision on your part.
Player's Handbook II is all about expanding your choices -- sometimes in ways you might expect (new classes, new feats) and other times in ways you might find surprising, such as a set of rules for re-engineering your character (about which we have more to say below).
Chapter 1: New Classes expands the roster of standard classes by four, with the addition of the beguiler, the dragon shaman, the duskblade, and the knight. Any of these classes would be a fine choice if you want to play a character that doesn't fit any of the archetypes that are represented by the other classes we have published.
Chapter 2: Alternate Class Options revisits eighteen of those other classes -- the eleven from the Player's Handbook as well as seven others (such as the scout and the favored soul) that made their debuts in supplements. We look at these classes with a fresh set of eyes, providing for each one an alternate class feature, three new starting packages, and a discussion of character themes that are appropriate for the class in question. If you're intrigued by the idea of playing a cleric who spontaneously casts domain spells instead of cure spells, check out page 37 for the particulars.
Player's Handbook II would not be a book worthy of its title if it didn't present new feats and spells. Chapter 3: New Feats contains more than 100 additions to the vast selection of feats in the D&D game, and Chapter 4: New Spells presents a similar number of new choices for spellcasters of all sorts.
This book starts to blaze its own trail in Chapter 5: Building Your Identity, which contains dozens of brief discussions on how to add more depth and realism to your character's background and personality, plus some advice on how best to fulfill your role as a player at the gaming table.
Chapter 6: The Adventuring Group takes a step back in perspective, focusing on the characters who collectively make up a particular kind of party. How did these would-be heroes come together in the first place, and what part does each one of them play in a well-rounded group of adventurers? The chapter also includes a few new teamwork benefits, expanding on a concept that was introduced in Dungeon Master's Guide II.
Characters are defined not only by who they are as individuals and by the other PCs they travel with, but also by the relationships they form with likeminded individuals whose heritage or interests compel them to follow a common cause. Chapter 7: Affiliations describes a new kind of group that characters can belong to -- they rise or fall in status within their affiliations according to their deeds and their qualifications, and the most motivated and successful of them all can even advance to a leadership position. In addition to a number of fully fleshed-out example affiliations, this chapter provides guidelines for players and DMs who want to create affiliations that are unique to their campaign.
Perhaps the most intriguing new concept in this book is presented in Chapter 8: Rebuilding Your Character. While many DMs and players have created house rules for handling situations involving the reselection of feats, reallocation of skill ranks, altering ability scores, and so forth, the D&D game has never before had official rules on the topic of revising your entire character. So whether your dwarf fighter just regrets a single bad feat choice or wishes he were actually a half-orc barbarian or an elf sorcerer, Chapter 8 offers rules and advice that covers the subject of character rebuilding from start to finish.
Finally, an extensive Appendix sets forth an efficient method for quick generation of new player characters or NPCs, which (among other things) streamlines the process of selecting skills and feats. The next time you need a character in a hurry -- or even if you don't -- check out this system.
Alcuni Feats
BOUNDING ASSAULT
You can move and attack with superior speed and power.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +12.
Benefit: When using the Spring Attack feat, you designate two foes rather than one. Your movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from either of these foes. While using an attack action with the Spring Attack feat, you can make a second attack with a -5 penalty. You can use both attacks against one of the opponents targeted with this feat, or split your attacks between them.
CROSSBOW SNIPER
You are skilled in lining up accurate, deadly shots with your crossbow. Perhaps you add custom-made sights to your weapon, or you have learned to maximize the stability and precision the weapon offers.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with hand, heavy, or light crossbow, Weapon Focus with hand, heavy, or light crossbow, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: When using a crossbow for which you have the Weapon Focus feat, you gain a bonus on damage rolls equal to 1/2 your Dexterity bonus.
If you have the skirmish or sneak attack ability, the maximum range at which you can make such attacks increases to 60 feet when you are using a crossbow for which you have the Weapon Focus feat.
Special: A fighter can select Crossbow Sniper as one of his fighter bonus feats.
CUNNING EVASION
When an area attack detonates around you, you use the chaos and flash of energy to duck out of sight.
Prerequisites: Hide 9 ranks, evasion.
Benefit: If you are caught within an area attack whose damage you avoid completely due to your evasion or improved evasion ability, you can make a combined Hide check and a 5-foot step as an immediate action. You can attempt this check only if there is cover suitable for a Hide check, and you can take your 5-foot step into cover before making your Hide attempt.
Special: If you have the hide in plain sight class feature, you do not need cover near you to attempt the Hide check allowed by this feat.
ELVEN SPELL LORE
You have studied the mighty arcane traditions of the elves, granting you insight into the intricate workings of magic and the theoretical structures behind spells.
Prerequisites: Int 17 or elf, Knowledge (arcana) 12 ranks.
Benefit: Your understanding of the elven secrets of magic grants you two benefits. When you cast dispel magic or greater dispel magic, you gain a +2 bonus on your caster level check. Your understanding of magic allows you to more easily unravel the power that sustains a foe's spell.
In addition, your knowledge of magic grants you rare insights into forgotten spell lore. Choose a single spell in your spellbook when you take this feat. When preparing that spell you can alter the type of damage it deals to a single type of your choice. You must make this choice when preparing the spell (those who do not prepare spells cannot benefit from this aspect of the feat). You can prepare the spell multiple times, selecting the same or a different energy type for it with each preparation.
You can gain this feat multiple times. The caster level bonus does not stack, and each time you take the feat, a different spell must be chosen.
MAD FOAM RAGER
You fight with the rage that only a rabid badger or a beer-addled dwarf can bring to bear. In combat, you shrug off attacks and continue fighting even in the face of horrific injuries and effects.
Prerequisite: Rage or frenzy ability.
Benefit: When fighting, you can endure tremendous blows with little visible effect. As an immediate action, you can choose to delay the effect of a single attack, spell, or ability used against you. The damage or effect does not take hold until the end of your next turn. You can only use this ability while under the effect of your rage or frenzy ability. You can activate it once every time you use your rage or frenzy ability.
TWO-WEAPON REND
You wield two weapons with an artisan's precision. Each strike builds on the next, allowing you to deal more damage.
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11.
Benefit: If you successfully hit an opponent with both of the weapons you wield, you deal extra damage equal to 1d6 + 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus. This extra damage is treated as the same type that your off-hand weapon deals normally for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and other effects related to damage type. You can gain this extra damage once per round against a given opponent.
Special: A fighter can select Two-Weapon Rend as one of his fighter bonus feats. A ranger who has chosen the two-weapon combat style can select Two-Weapon Rend as long as he has a base attack bonus of +11 and is wearing light armor or no armor.
