Wizards of the Coast is releasing (in Mid July) an upgrade of the three core rulebooks. These revised editions will be called V.3.5. Although we will be reviewing all three, this review will focus only on the player's handbook. Check back in the near future for the revised versions of the DM's guide and Monster Manual.

In comparing V 3.5 of the Player's Handbook with V 3.0, the first thing you notice is... nothing. This is not to say there are no changes. There are. Most of them are very good and some of them are even substantial. However, you will be able to play your characters, modules and other accessories that were D20 compatible with only minor changes and tweaks.

There were minor changes to the races but they were kept basically the same. The two biggest changes were among the dwarves, whose movement is still slow but no longer encumbered by heavy loads, and the gnomes who now, instead of having illusionists (a subset of magic users) now have bards (which were also revised in this new edition) as their favored class.

The classes themselves underwent some serious modifications. Bards, rangers, and monks were among those most notably changed in that they have more options and a number of their skills, powers, and spells were adjusted. For example, Druids and rangers had some revision on their animal companions, allowing them to improve as the character does, in a manner similar to a wizard's familiar or a paladin's warhorse. Bards and sorcerors gain the ability to change their spell lists, albeit only in small ways, as they advance. And clerics gain new versions of curing and inflicting spells that affect groups of people rather than individuals.

Skills function the same way as previously, but some of them have been rewritten. Some skills, for example, Pick Pocket (now called Sleight of Hand), have been renamed but retain the same function. Other skills, such as ride and perform have become less narrow in their specializations. So if you have the riding skill you can now ride any normal animal, and perform is now done by type of performance rather than specific instrument or skill (ie: comedy, dance, etc.). Some narrow skills, like innuendo, have been folded into other skills (bluff).

Feats have been revised somewhat with changes made to old ones and new ones added to the list. But, they are still recognizable in most cases. Weapon Finesse, for example, now grants its benefits to all weapons that the character is competent with rather than a single weapon, and ambidexderity is no longer its own feat but is part of the "two-weapon fighting" feat.

The biggest changes appear in the spell list. Many new spells have been added, including mass versions of preexisting spells that can affect groups of people rather than individuals.

Among spells that have been retained, names have changed, schools are now different, levels have been rearranged, and some of them have changed effects. The list of spells available to Bards has definitely changed for the better and include spells that can change all of the stats in the same way as the strength spell would change strength. Many spells that had multiple effects have been broken into individual spells. The changes are definitely noticeable but not overwhelming.

Skills and feats were also standardized so that monsters gain spells and feats in the same way that characters do, based on hit dice rather than the arbitrary decision of the writers. But, this is addressed far more in the Monster Manual (Check back in the near future for this review)than in the Player's Handbook.

If you play a spellcaster you will find the changes to be a little disturbing, but in the long-run beneficial. If you play a ranger, bard or monk you will be very pleased at the changes that have been made. Most other classes will not be immediately affected but the changes in skills, feats, and class abilities will be felt in a positive way.

I wouldn't rush out to get this as the changes are not urgent. BUT, when you have the chance pick it up and start converting your characters. I am certain that next year's Origins and Gencon will have the majority of players using the revised rules. So walk, don't run, but do get yourself a copy of this book. All in all, an improvement on a popular system.