Rating: 
Summary: A dissapointment
Review: In my opinion, this guide is a rehash of information that should not cost this much money. It goes through every race, and class. But this is useless information. Sure, you hear about every possible combination (half orc sorceror, human thier, half-elven paladin...) but this provides only background information, which is not what should be in a hero builder's guide. As for the history generation sections, I thought this game was about imagination! What is the point of using a guide to make your character's past, it's supposed to be personalized! The only thing in the guide I found interesting was the end, which details how to make special characters like necromancers and mage-killers and the like. Interesting, but I'm sure there is are plenty of articles on the 'net covering this. This is a cash in, pure and simple. Dissapointing considering I liked all the other third edition stuff. Not worth your money.
Rating: 
Summary: For Newbies Only
Review: Its a good book, with some good ideas, especially the ones in the back about creating characters based on people like the Ultimate Archer and the Counter-Speller. But the information it has is not useful for anyone who has already been playing D&D before it came out. I wouldn't reccomend it for anyone who has been playing and knows the rules for over 6 months, but anyone before that it could be useful.
Rating: 
Summary: Great For New Players and Those Who Lack Time
Review: Like many others, I was very anxious to see if third edition D&D would do something similar to second edition, by adding tons of new classes and rules with each new book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was the not the case (as of yet). This book was relatively interesting to read since it gave a small description of each class/race combination and gave a quick idea for nearly each one. This quickly sparked some ideas in me for races and classes I would not ordinarily play. The guide to creating a character's background was interesting too, but the tables did spend a little too much time describing obvious things and filling up pages.In fact, most of what I would say about this book boils down to the fact that if you're not a very creative person or you're often stumped while trying to create a character, this is definitely the book for you. It will help a player pick a race and class, create a background, choose which feats and skills the player wants to choose, and even think of a name. In a sense, this would also be a terrific book for a newcomer to D&D. Another person it would benefit is someone who wants to create a unique character in a hurry. It would be very easy to just pick a race and class combination and then just choose the skills and feats suggested while determining if the advantages and disadvantages are worth it. However, I could honestly not suggest this to an experienced player who is creative and has the time to create a history, concept, and name for a character. It was relatively short for the money I paid and much of it was packed with filler. The most annoying thing about the guide (to me) was that a few race and class combinations listed to "ideas" or variants because the race/class combination was too unique. Considering the price of the guide, they could have at least tried to given an idea for a player to use. I have the feeling I'll use it a bit, especially to make NPCs or to come up with a concept for a character. I might even use the suggested feats and skills for certain character concepts, but I doubt I'll use the family/history background for my PCs. So, those who don't have much time, who are not very creative, or who are beginners, buy it. Anyone else, consider this purchase carefully.
Rating:
Summary: Great For New Players and Those Who Lack Time
Review: Like many others, I was very anxious to see if third edition D&D would do something similar to second edition, by adding tons of new classes and rules with each new book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was the not the case (as of yet). This book was relatively interesting to read since it gave a small description of each class/race combination and gave a quick idea for nearly each one. This quickly sparked some ideas in me for races and classes I would not ordinarily play. The guide to creating a character's background was interesting too, but the tables did spend a little too much time describing obvious things and filling up pages. In fact, most of what I would say about this book boils down to the fact that if you're not a very creative person or you're often stumped while trying to create a character, this is definitely the book for you. It will help a player pick a race and class, create a background, choose which feats and skills the player wants to choose, and even think of a name. In a sense, this would also be a terrific book for a newcomer to D&D. Another person it would benefit is someone who wants to create a unique character in a hurry. It would be very easy to just pick a race and class combination and then just choose the skills and feats suggested while determining if the advantages and disadvantages are worth it. However, I could honestly not suggest this to an experienced player who is creative and has the time to create a history, concept, and name for a character. It was relatively short for the money I paid and much of it was packed with filler. The most annoying thing about the guide (to me) was that a few race and class combinations listed to "ideas" or variants because the race/class combination was too unique. Considering the price of the guide, they could have at least tried to given an idea for a player to use. I have the feeling I'll use it a bit, especially to make NPCs or to come up with a concept for a character. I might even use the suggested feats and skills for certain character concepts, but I doubt I'll use the family/history background for my PCs. So, those who don't have much time, who are not very creative, or who are beginners, buy it. Anyone else, consider this purchase carefully.
Rating:
Summary: New users - maybe. Experienced users - forget it!
Review: Obviously Wizards of the Coast is trying to attract new gamers to the D&D world and as such much of the materials they have put out for 3rd edition is geared towards doing just that. It appears that the Hero Builder's Guidebook is another product designed solely for those newer users. For anyone with some fantasy RPG experience and a shred of imagination there is very little in this book that will prove of benefit. If, on the other hand, you are new to fantasy literature & RPGs and are unfamiliar with what a half-orc, paladin or gnome is, then this book will provide a brief overview giving you some direction on how to role-play your new character. In addition some useful info may be found on how to give your character a background and will place alignment in a more "real-world" application. Oh yeah, there's also the three do's and don't do's of naming your character - in case you were wondering! Overall I'm sure some new players who may be little intimidated by fantasy roleplaying will find some comfort in this book. It will definitely get you up to speed and put you on the right track regarding PC classes and races and what motivates them. For the rest of you (unless your a completist like me) - save your cash for when WotC puts out some more materials and adventures providing benefit to longer running RPG campaigns that have adopted the much improved 3rd edition rules. Or better yet, put the money towards a subscription to Dragon or Dungeon magazines!
Rating:
Summary: New users - maybe. Experienced users - forget it!
Review: Obviously Wizards of the Coast is trying to attract new gamers to the D&D world and as such much of the materials they have put out for 3rd edition is geared towards doing just that. It appears that the Hero Builder's Guidebook is another product designed solely for those newer users. For anyone with some fantasy RPG experience and a shred of imagination there is very little in this book that will prove of benefit. If, on the other hand, you are new to fantasy literature & RPGs and are unfamiliar with what a half-orc, paladin or gnome is, then this book will provide a brief overview giving you some direction on how to role-play your new character. In addition some useful info may be found on how to give your character a background and will place alignment in a more "real-world" application. Oh yeah, there's also the three do's and don't do's of naming your character - in case you were wondering! Overall I'm sure some new players who may be little intimidated by fantasy roleplaying will find some comfort in this book. It will definitely get you up to speed and put you on the right track regarding PC classes and races and what motivates them. For the rest of you (unless your a completist like me) - save your cash for when WotC puts out some more materials and adventures providing benefit to longer running RPG campaigns that have adopted the much improved 3rd edition rules. Or better yet, put the money towards a subscription to Dragon or Dungeon magazines!
Rating:
Summary: Really good for new players, so-so for experienced players
Review: On the whole, it's not bad. If I'd never played D&D before, I'd've really appreciated it. Basically, the book details character races and classes, and helps out with background information. There's also a nifty alignment test to take, as well, so you can figure out which alignment would best suit your character. Now, most of this information will be old hat to anybody who's played much at all...everybody knows what dwarves are supposed to act like, elves, etc. Any experienced player should be able to generate their own background, and act like their alignment...but it's still handy, anyway, just for a few things you may've forgotten, or ideas when you can't think of any. The best thing to do, as has been mentioned, is to have one person buy it, and then everyone reads it at their leisure.
Rating:
Summary: A Generally Useful Book, Even For Veteran Players
Review: Ten years ago, long before the emergence of the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons game, I would have condemned this book as another one of TSR's attempts to manufacture as many supplements as possible in an attempt to increase sales for a game that had already been on a breathing machine for several years. These "Dark Ages of AD&D," as one of my cohorts lovingly refers to this period, are gone, and with them, I think, are the days of books as formless and unoriginal as must-see TV. The Hero Builder's Guidebook at first seemed to me (and to many others, based on the reviewers' opinions) to be one of those holdovers from the Dark Ages. However, after giving the book a chance and reading it in its entirety, I realized that it was not necessarily meant to enlighten the gaming career of the ages-old rolegamer. This book is an excellent resource for new players trying to understand the concept of character in a totally imagination-based environment, but it did something even greater than that - it teaches anyone that reads it how to think in terms of 3rd edition D&D. This book was released in the first months of the 3e revolution, and really does shed some light on how to use the rules to the player's advantage - in fact, one chapter teaches a player how to use the multiclassing rules and feats and skills to the greatest possible advantage. This technique would have been called "engineering" or "broken" by some, but in my opinion it gives a solid impression of the true scale of the heroic character Dungeons & Dragons 3e is supposed to produce. Some have criticized D&D 3e as a "powergamers' game." I submit that the whole reason to play this game is to play a character that goes far beyond the normal expectations (what fun would it be to play someone as mundane as yourself, or your neighbor). Bravo, once again, to the wizards of Wizards.
Rating:
Summary: Very good starter, Rehash for experienced players.
Review: The Hero Builder's Guidebook does some in-depth exploration of each class by race, and offers some excellent food for thought in creating new characters. In general, all roleplayers should use this kind of character creation process. However, there is just not enough new material for experienced players. The tables of birth location, community, relatives, background elements, and story hooks are all useful, but may not justify the purchase for every player. The alignment quiz is a nice touch, especially for player-DM arguments about "I am so Chaotic Good!" "Well, you're acting Chaotic Neutral, buddy!" and so on. I recommend making one purchase of this product for a gaming group, and then sharing it around the table. --Steve Semler, RPG Editor, SciFiHaven.com
Rating:
Summary: Cute Addition to the Collection
Review: The Hero Builder's Guidebook doesn't scream "Experienced Players BUY ME!" and it shouldn't, either.
After all, the first line is: "The D&D game is a game about heroes."
No, this is a book for newbie D&D players, and thank you for it, Wizards of the Coast. When I bought this book three years ago, I didn't need a good lot of it because of my own previous experience with the game. However, the ENORMOUS class & race combinations amazed me and my comrades. We were so excited to see Variant ideas for each race and class (unexpected and so good).
The Personal History Creation section may seem a bit wishy-washy for some of the hardcore veterans, but I can tell you straightforwardly and proudly: I created the most in-depth character using the basics in that section. After all, D&D is about using your imagination, and the tables allowed me to get a huge group of ideas and expand even further on them. The cleverness of figuring out why things occurred together - IE. your character lives with a wandering troupe, but owns a home and has bad ethics - is fun, too.
The Alignment Test never fails to prove my character's alignment, and my DM secretly uses it when no one's looking for his NPCs.
The Hero Builder's Guidebook is a very good buy, regardless of your level of experience. New and moderately new players can get a lot from the book, but veteran players may feel the book beneath them.
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