Complete Wizard Handbook (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) by Rick Swan

Player's Handbook Rules Supplement #PHBR4

by Rick Swan

If you thought all wizards were alike, think again! The masters of magic now have a new guide to creating more interesting and imaginative mages, just when you thought you had them "figured out." The Complete Wizard's Handbook will put a whole new twist on wizards from personality and dress codes to schools of magic to building that dream laboratory. Look out, world - you'll never look at a mage the same way again!

Genres: Role Playing Games, Gaming, Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons, Reference, Games, High Fantasy

Paperback

First published August 4, 1990

Reviews

[R J Royer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved using this book back when I played DnD but they changed the rules and I really don't play anymore so I am going to give this one away.

[Sean Helms · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful book if you're seeking to do something different with your wizard character- from being a specialist mage to becoming a split-class. Offers ideas on different personalities too, though if you've played D&D even a little while you shouldn't need any help with that.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good additional resource of wizard characters. It could've been "great" rather than good though. As with the other "complete" handbooks, it tries to cover many aspects of that class.

The book starts off with an analysis of the spell schools and goes into why or why not to specialize. There's a chapter on creating entirely new schools but it felt tacked-on. There are 10 wizard kits of which only 2 or 3 which can be considered interesting, the rest are too plain or too generic for kits. Also, the kits felt very much like the wizard-version of the warrior kits.

Next, it details some roleplaying ideas for wizards, which are ok, and then it goes into wizard-focused campaigns, which does have some interesting content like the campaign variation ideas for wizards. After that came additional optional rules for spellcasting and combat, with good spell analysis and details on special conditions like underwater, physical impairment, and even the planes (although if you don't run planar adventures, that bit would be useless). Next comes the spells itself. Aside from a good list of new spells, there's additional in-depth rules on spell research and magic item creation.

The book's last chapter includes summaries on miscellaneous stuffs and ideas: new familiars, new magical items, alchemy, wizardly learning, laboratory, new materials, and new adventure locations.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are a set of books that will help a player in second edition D&D to build his character. Working with you DM and within the bounds of the game world you're playing in it will help you to have a more effective and enjoyable game.

I'm a long time player of D&D and find it enjoyable....okay, call me a nerd. Sticks and stones :) Think of it as fantasy football only more adventurous.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wizards were always one of my preferred classes to play. This book has a lot of good information about playing a wizard, combine this with spells and magic and tome of magic and you have the makings for greatness in the field of wizardry.

[Nika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember buyin this one at the hobbie shop. I loved this book.

[Cimuchowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um... I think the word complete is a bit of an overstatement.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book for dnd players of wizard's

[R.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two words. Wild Mage.

Pretty much one of the best of the handbooks.