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Player's Handbook 2 expands the range of options available to D&D players with new classes, races, powers and other material.

This book builds on the array of classes and races presented in the first Player's Handbook, adding both old favorites and new, never-before-seen options to the game.

The book adds a new power source for 4th Edition D&D: classes using the new primal power source include the barbarian and the druid.

Contents

The fourth core rulebook in the 4th edition ruleset for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Player's Handbook 2, or PHB2, is meant to be used alongside the original 4th edition Player's Handbook by players for building their characters. The PHB2 includes, among other things, races and classes that were considered "core" in previous editions but were excluded in the initial release of 4th edition. It also adds a number of unique races and classes, as a well as several new paragon paths and epic destinies. The book also includes a number of new feats, powers, and rituals.

The book is slightly slimmer than the first Player's Handbook, as it lacks details on how to introduce new players to the game or an explanation of how the rules work.

The book is organized into four chapters, as follow:

  1. Introduction — This brief foreword, among other things, introduces players to the new primal power source with a basic explanation of its origins and nature.
  2. Races — This chapter introduces the new core races: devas, gnomes, goliaths, half-orcs, and shifters. The chapter also includes a new paragon path for each of the core races, including those from the previous Player's Handbook. Examples inlcude adroit explorers for humans or scions of Arkhosia for dragonborn.
  3. Classes — Core classes from the arcane, divine, and primal power sources are presented here: avengers, barbarians, bards, druids, invokers, shamans, sorcerers, and wardens. New paragon paths and epic destinies are also presented, such as the blood moon stalker, the wild mage, or the lorekeeper.
  4. Character Options — This chapter includes new backgrounds based on societal status, circumstances of birth, or race for players to use, along with new feats, equipment, and rituals. An appendix at the end of the chapter also includes a brief explanation of how to read power cards as well as a revision of the stealth rules for the Dungeons & Dragons.
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