Complete Priest's Handbook

The Complete Priest's Handbook is a comprehensive rulebook supplement for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition. This guide focuses on the priest character class, providing expanded rules, character options, and specialized priest kits. The book contains mechanics for creating distinct priest characters based on their chosen deity's sphere of influence. It includes new spells, detailed information about religious hierarchies, and guidelines for roleplaying different types of priests in fantasy campaign settings. The rules cover both mechanics and roleplaying aspects of clerics, druids, and specialty priests. Additional sections address temple operations, religious ceremonies, and the relationships between different faiths in fantasy worlds. This sourcebook emphasizes the rich storytelling potential of religious characters in fantasy roleplaying games. The material explores themes of faith, duty, and the complex relationships between mortals and their deities.

According to reader reviews, this is one of the stronger AD&D 2nd edition sourcebooks, offering detailed mechanics for faith-based characters. Readers cite: + Clear organization and layout + In-depth specialty priest rules + Useful tables for creating religious customs + Practical examples for each concept + Balance between mechanics and roleplaying content Common criticisms: - Some find the deity creation system overly complex - Limited compatibility with other AD&D supplements - Generic artifacts and relics section Average Ratings: RPGGeek: 7.4/10 (based on 89 ratings) DriveThruRPG: 4/5 stars (32 reviews) Notable reader comments: "The religious customs tables alone make this worth having" - RPGGeek reviewer "Best treatment of priests in any D&D edition" - DriveThruRPG review "Kit system feels tacked on and underdeveloped" - RPGnet forum post

Complete Wizard's Handbook by Rick Swan This D&D supplement expands wizard character options with new spells, kits, and proficiencies in the same system-focused style as the Priest's Handbook.

Player's Option: Spells & Magic by Doug Stewart, Bill Slavicsek This resource presents alternative magic systems and spell point mechanics for priests and wizards in AD&D 2nd Edition campaigns.

Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide by Paul Jaquays and William W. Connors This guide provides detailed instructions for creating temples, religious organizations, and faith-based adventure scenarios in fantasy role-playing settings.

Faiths & Avatars by Julia Martin This sourcebook details the pantheons, priesthoods, and religious practices of the Forgotten Realms setting with mechanical implementations for gameplay.

Tome of Magic by David Cook, Nigel Findley, Christopher Kubasik, Carl Sargent, Rick Swan This supplement introduces new magical systems and priest spheres that expand the divine spellcasting options in AD&D 2nd Edition.

🔮 Aaron Allston wrote this Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition sourcebook while working as a freelancer, before becoming a full-time novelist known for his Star Wars novels. 🎲 The Complete Priest's Handbook expanded the role of clerics beyond traditional healing and combat roles, introducing 95 different specialty priests tied to specific deities. ⚔️ The book was published in 1990 during the height of AD&D 2nd Edition's popularity and helped redefine how religious characters were played in role-playing games. 🏺 Many of the priest specialties included in the book were inspired by real-world historical religions and mythologies, from Ancient Egyptian to Norse traditions. 📚 The handbook introduced the concept of "priest kits" - customizable packages of abilities, restrictions, and role-playing hooks that became a standard feature in later D&D editions.