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Player's Handbook: Arcane, Divine, and Martial Heroes is one of the core sourcebooks for 4th-edition Dungeons & Dragons, published on June 6, 2008.

The world needs heroes.

In a fantastic world of magic and monsters, a new age of adventure unfolds. This core rulebook for the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game provides everything players need to create and run heroic characters through legendary dungeons of dread.

The Player's Handbook features the 4th Edition game rules, including character creation, combat and adventuring, classes and races, equipment and magic items, skills, feats, powers, and more.


Contents[]

The Player's Handbook is the first core rulebook for the 4th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Within, as in previous editions of the Player's Handbook, are contained all that any player needs to know before playing for their first time, including available classes and races from which to build their character, as well as an introduction to combat rules and a listing of magical equipment that player characters can acquire. The rulebook also includes a listing of feats and rituals, which players can use to further optimize and customize their characters. Unlike later books in the 4th edition core rules, the first Player's Handbook focuses on arcane, divine, and martial classes.

The book is divided into ten chapters, as follow:

  1. How to Play — This section, which is written to both introduce new gamers to the basics of roleplaying while also explaining differences between the 4th edition ruleset and previous editions, includes a brief history of the game, and an explanation of the most basic rules (such as the "core mechanic" of rolling a twenty-side die) among other details.
  2. Making Characters — This chapter walks a player through the elementary steps of making their character, such as how to choose a class or race, what ability scores and how to choose them, the basics of roleplaying and alignment, and an explanation of the three "tier" leveling mechanic in the 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. A sample character sheet is also provided with notes to explain what each section means.
  3. Character Races — The core races of the 4th edition ruleset are presented here: dragonborn, dwarves, eladrin, elves, half-elves, halflings, humans, and tieflings. Details include racial abilities as well as a brief description of racial outlook and psychology. These details are broadly meant to apply to all campaign settings, though some are specific to the core setting of Dungeons & Dragons and differ with those of the Realms.
  4. Classes — The core character classes are introduced here: the cleric, fighter, paladin, ranger, rogue, warlock, warlord, and wizard. Also presented are paragon paths, such as the kensei or shadow assassin, as well as epic destinies such as the Archmage.
  5. Skills: — Presented here are a list of skills characters may train themselves in for a variety of useful purposes.
  6. Feats: — Specialized trained features known as feats are listed here, some of which are specific to race or class or require other specifics before they can be acquired by characters. Listed here are some of the channel divinity feats.
  7. Equipment: Equipment is listed here, both mundane and magical, as well as an explanation of coinage in the Dungeons & Dragons core setting.
  8. Adventuring: This chapter provides an explanation of how adventuring works, such as how one may obtain quests, how encounters are constructed, what characters can expect to be rewarded with, and how the resting system works for recovering wounds and alleviating ill effects.
  9. Combat: This chapter focuses on the combat mechanics of the 4th edition ruleset, giving an explanation of different action types and status effects as well as how to work out attack and damage outputs, how movement works in combat, what kind of actions one can take, and how to heal or deal with dying characters.
  10. Rituals: The final chapter focuses on rituals, powerful spell-like abilities that can be used outside of combat for a cost. These include such powerful abilities as raise dead.

Index[]

Click here for index

Creatures[]

Referenced only
basilisksorrowswornvampirewarhorsewerewolf

Magic[]

Armor & Clothing
belt of giant strengthblack iron armorboots of spider climbingboots of striding and springingbracers of defensebracers of mighty strikingbracers of the perfect shotcatstep bootscloak of invisibilityelven bootsexalted armorShadowfell gloves
Channel Divinity
armor of Bahamutturn undead
Holy Symbols
symbol of hope
Items
bag of holdingdimensional shackleseverburning torchflying carpethandy haversackKeoghtom's ointmentportable holerope of climbingsending stonessunrod
Jewelry
amulet of healthring of freedom of movementring of invisibilityring of protectionring of regenerationring of wizardry
Potions
potion of healingpotion of vitality
Rituals
animal messengerarcane lockcommune with naturecomprehend languagesconsult mystic sagescure diseasedetect objectdetect secret doorsdiscern liesDrawmij's instant summonsendure elementsforbiddancegentle reposeknockLeomund's secret chestmagic mouthmake wholepasswallphantom steedraise deadremove afflictionsecret pagesendingshadow walksilencespeak with deadTenser's floating diskwater breathingwater walk
Spells
Cleric Prayers
beacon of hopeblade barrierblessblinding lightcause fearcommandcure light woundscure serious woundsdivine glowdivine powerfire stormflame strikeguardian of faithhealing strikelance of faithmass cure light woundspriest's shieldrighteous brandsacred flamesanctuarysearing lightshield of faithspiritual weaponsunburstweapon of the gods
Warlock
armor of Agathysbeguiling tonguecrown of madnesscurse of the dark dreamdiabolic graspdire radiancedread stardreadful wordeldritch blasteldritch rainethereal strideeyebitefiendish resiliencefiery boltflames of Phlegethosfrigid darknesshellish rebukehunger of Hadarshadow veilspider climbvampiric embracewitchfire
Wizard
acid arrowacid stormarcane gateBigby's grasping handblurburning handschain lightningchill strikecloud of daggerscloudkillcolor spraycombustconfusiondeft strikedimension doordisguise selfdisintegratedispel magicdisplacementdivine glowEvard's black tentaclesexpeditious retreatfeather fallfire burstfire shroudfireballflaming sphereflyforce orbforcecagefreezing cloudghost soundgreater invisibilityice stormicy raysicy terraininspiring reactioninvisibilityjumplevitatelightlightning boltlightning serpentmagic circlemage handmagic missilemazemeteor swarmmirror imageMordenkainen's mansionMordenkainen's swordotherwind strideOtiluke's resilient sphereprestidigitationprismatic sprayray of enfeeblementray of frostresistancescorching burstshieldshock spheresleepstinking cloudstoneskinthunderclapthunderlancethunderwavetime stopwall of firewall of fogwall of iceweb
Weapons
holy avengerpact bladestaff of stormsvorpalwand of eldritch rain

Religions[]

BahamutRaven Queen

Miscellaneous[]

Armor
chainmailhide armorleather armorplate armorscale armor
Food & Drinks
rationwine
Items
backpackbedrollcandleflaskhammerholy symbolincenselanternpitonropetentthieves' toolstorchvialwaterskin
Languages
AbyssalCommonDeep SpeechDraconicDwarvenElvenGiantGoblinPrimordialSupernal
Alphabets
Barazhad • Common • DavekIokharic • Supernal
Materials & Substances
acidresiduumsalt
Paragon Paths
Fighter
Iron vanguardKenseiPit fighter
Ranger
PathfinderStormwarden
Rogue
Cat burglar • Daggermaster • Master infiltratorShadow assassin
Warlock
DoomsayerFeytouchedlife-stealer
Warlord
Combat veteran
Wizard
Battle mageWizard of the Spiral Tower
Vehicles
rowboat
Weapons
falchionglaivegreatswordhalberdkatarrapiershurikenspiked chain

Appendix[]

Connections[]


Core Sourcebooks
5th edition
Player's HandbookDungeon Master's GuideMonster Manual
4th edition
Player's HandbookDungeon Master's GuideMonster Manual
v.3.5
Player's HandbookDungeon Master's GuideMonster Manual
3rd edition
Player's HandbookDungeon Master's GuideMonster Manual
2nd edition
Player's HandbookPlayer's Handbook (revised)Dungeon Master's GuideDungeon Master Guide (revised)Monstrous Manual
1st edition
Player's HandbookDungeon Masters GuideMonster Manual
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