For those who want the bottom line right away, here it is:
If you definitely know you want to play a certain class or race featured in the PHB3 - or perhaps you want to build a character using the hybrid rules - this is the book for you. Those players who simply like having a lot of options may find some use in (some of) the Skill Powers and the additional Feats this book provides, but probably little else. I got the impression that the developers were really struggling at points to make all the new races and classes unique and distinctly separate from those in the previous two PHB's. At this point, it's hard to imagine they'd be able to scrape together a fourth PHB - and I don't think I'd want one if they did.
Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, I spent the better part of the weekend digesting the PHB3 and taking notes on what jumped out at me. I will confess up front that I did not read every single one of the class and skill powers in detail. So, without further ado:
As an aspiring artist, it would be remiss of me not to point out the incredibly awesome cover illustration. I was really impressed with the rendering and detail.
IntroductionNot a fan of the introduction, which explains the origin of the Shardmind and a (possible) origin of the Psionic power source. I often find the abundance of nameless, faceless figures doing things "a long long time ago, in a place far far away" to be annoying and sloppy writing - but that may just be me.
RacesGith - Has a Wizard's Ability Scores, but a (Ranger/Rogue)'s skills and abilities
Minotaur - So glad they included them, even if they're competing with Goliaths as the party's 'heavy'
Shardmind - A better Eladrin, they'll make tough Wizards. Hate their concept and origin. HATE the fact that they are depicted as male and female. If the developers/artists could stick with one non-gendered living construct with the Warforged, why not another?
Wilden - Kind of like them, but choosing a new aspect every day could get confusing. Add Psionic powers and Monk disciplines to that and you've got a real pain of a PC to keep track of. WHY are sentient autonomous plants depicted as having genders and mentioned as having parents? Most plants reproduce asexually. Last comment for the Shardmind applies here, as well.
Racial Paragon PathsBloodied Champion (Minotaur) is scary.
Shard Disciples' Irruption of the Gate power seems really strong.
As much as I dislike their flavor, powers like Recrystallize are awesome. Min/maxers are going to love the Shardmind.
ClassesArdent = Cleric + Paladin?
There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to the power point progression chart.
Battleminds have a lot of movement and damage resistance powers.
Not a comment on the classes, per se, but let it be known that John Stanko is an awesome artist.
The Monk's Full-discipline rules take a few read-throughs to sink in; even then, it seems complicated. Perhaps if I were able to see it in action, it'd make more sense, but from a strictly text perspective, it's not something I'd encourage an unseasoned player to try.
More confusion: The Monk's unarmed strike is a weapon in the unarmed weapon category; Ki-focus is an implement (along the lines of a holy symbol, if I understand it correctly).
Psion = mind Wizard
A high-level Runepriest will be a force to be reckoned with, by my estimation.
The names of powers seem to be getting a little crazier.
Bloodbound Seeker strikes me as a less damaging, but more fun Ranger.
Cloud of Doom (Lv 20 Death Arrow Paragon Path) could put some serious hurt on a flying creature, due to the fact that it automatically makes it fall out of the sky (landing prone).
Hybrid RulesOh, the min/maxers are going to have a field day with this section. I can only imagine what sort of insane concoctions are being created at this very moment.
The rules do seem fairly straightforward - low level hybrids will be pretty powerful for their level; higher level hybrids will be somewhat less effective for their level.
Epic destinies are tacked on to this section. Rather awkward place to stick them.
Skill Powers, Feats and Magic Equipment
Nice alternative(s) to Utility Powers, but some skills have more options than others. I think the devs could only think of so many ways to use History. In some ways, it's a reflection of PHB3 in general - they want to add more options, but there are only so many new ideas they could come up with before the races and classes start overlapping and losing their distinction from one another.
More feat options are always welcome.
There is 1 multi-class feat for each new class (6) and 3 multi-class feats for the Psionic Power Source.
Superior Implements add a couple of interesting new properties, but Accurate (+1 Attack) and Deadly (+1 Damage) seem redundant to the existing magic items/weapons/implements.
Really like the consumable magic items for psions - more for the fact that they are consumable than the abilities they confer. It adds an extra dimension to the experience, I feel.
Appendix & GlossaryAbout what you'd expect: attempts to explain, in a succinct manner the new and older terms, with an emphasis on effect type keywords.
One of these guys is using Diplomacy while the other uses Insight.
Barring the occasional daemonic pact, the elven peoples of Azeroth, despite a pronounced variation in skin tone, are nearly identical in most other respects. Possessing overly large pointed ears which sweep back past the skull, perhaps the most unique feature of the full-blooded Warcraft elf is the ability to grow facial hair. Elongated eyebrows, not unlike the antennae of some great insect, add to their uniqueness among the elven variants.
Of the elves portrayed here - even among all of the races and variants selected for this series, the elves of the Warhammer world are likely those which most closely resemble humans, albeit ones with the tell-tale high cheekbones and sharp, well-defined features. The ever-present pointed ears should come as little surprise, though the fact that they are proportionate the rest of the head might.
Resembling an early ancestor of humans, D&D ogres have sloped foreheads overshadowing beady, deep-set eyes. Wide noses and large maws full of misshapen teeth take up most of the facial region. Ogres are typically depicted as having a deeply recessed hairline and varying amounts of facial hair - though the area around the mouth tends to have little more than stubble. As with nearly every other monstrous race, the ears are pointed. They are also relatively small in relation to the size of the skull, protruding slightly
Of the selection of Ogres presented, those inhabiting the world of Azeroth are the most generally animalistic in appearance as well as being possessed of the widest amount of variation within a single species. Specimens have been observed possessing either one or two eyes, one or more horns, hair - even two dissimilar heads! Most, however, appear to have large, semi-pointed ears and tusks in common. Surprisingly, these ogres appear to be capable of learning how to harness and utilize magic.
The ogres of the Warhammer reality appear as oversized humans bearing a distinct resemblance to a certain race of central Asian origin. Facial features, while large, are fairly proportionate to a human's, though noses tend to be flat and wide and the teeth will often protrude at odd angles due to a lack of dental hygine and an insatiable and nearly indiscriminate appetite. Facial hair is common and typically worn in a culturally-derived fashion, as are the locks of hair which can occasionally be spotted.
