Player's Option: Combat & Tactics (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Rulebook/2149) [Hardcover]

L. Richard Baker III (Author), Skip Williams (Editor), Thomas Reid (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 4, 1995

All the optional combat rules any gamer could want--in one volume! This first set of detailed rulebooks for AD&D game play includes alternatives requested by players, supplemental rules with global impact for the game, an advanced and improved tactical combat system, tables for critical hits and their effects, extensive information on armor and weapons, and more. Illustrations.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast; 2nd edition (July 4, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786900962
• ISBN-13: 978-0786900961
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #555,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AD&D Combat will never be the same!, June 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Player's Option: Combat & Tactics (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Rulebook/2149) (Hardcover)

This is a very good book, I believe that everyone who wants more realistic Combat Rules and new Strategies, Proficiency's and Tatics will enjoy a lot this book. Many things is incluided like the new Critical Hit's System and table's of critical Hit's Severity. Ignore The guy that gave 1 star to this book, he probaly never read it or even have played AD&D because if he had, he will not say a stupid thing like a Goblin with a dagger taking off a arm from a Human. So if you want good and realistic Combat to your campaign you should already had this book! GET IT!

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Almost, but not quite entirely useless, January 11, 2000

By 

Christopher Dudley (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Player's Option: Combat & Tactics (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Rulebook/2149) (Hardcover)

I've had this book since the week it came out and I've never used anything from it. I offered my players a chance to vote on using the critical hit system in here, and they were overwhelmingly against it. Their main complaint was that if they were using it against monsters, then monsters would be using it against them, and it was too easy to die on dumb luck.

Perhaps it does make combat more realistic, but when a single swing of a sword involves 6 dice rolls and takes about 10 minutes to consult all the right tables and figure out all the modifiers and effects, I think you're doing something wrong. But, hey, maybe some people like that.

The monster tactics section is more useful, and if a DM uses it properly, he allows his monsters to become more than a ball of hit points that the characters have to reduce.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Campaigns are bloodier, More weapons available., July 9, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Player's Option: Combat & Tactics (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Rulebook/2149) (Hardcover)

This book and all the player's option books should be renamed to "Dungeon Master's option" While the book allows better unarmed combat rules, this book and the others allow the players creation of the "Super Character" and in the wrong hands and experienced player could walk all over an unexperienced Dungeon Master and make his job more difficult..However the fine points to this book are the Critical Hit tables make combat more effective to the players in thinking that their character is seriously injured as opposed to losing a few hit points, and for the descriptive DM monster Deaths can be quite gruesome and epic. Plus for the PC's that are tired of the standard sword and bow, there is a veritable plethora of odd weapons to choose from, that are arranged by "Age Periods"(i.e. Golden Age, Bronze Age, etc,etc..) This also includes firearms. All weapons listed come with speed and damage stats. This book can definately add some spice to the average joe adventure..