Dungeons and Dragons rule book: Complete Divine.

Continuing my recent exposure to and fascination with Dungeons and Dragons, here is another rule book, Complete Divine. This one is focuses in on the divine/spiritual/religious aspects of a possible D&D campaign world. There are lists of prestige classes beyond the standard found in the player's manual, a consolidation of information about deities (I think most, if not all, of these are from the official Greyhawk setting), holy magic items, etc.
　
So many classes and all of them made distinct; I was surprised just how big the "divinely-empowered" category could be. This is more than just mechanical terms but also how these characters fit within the world of the game itself.
　
　
There are sections at the start describing the class in-universe terms and then how they function as part of a setting and then as part of a player's campaign; like bifocal glasses. There are even quotes from or about this class and an illustration that matches the equipment list. It's well-thought out stuff from a lore perspective, and as I have started reading the Dungeon Master's manual, this is just as important in an immersive campaign as stats and rules.
　
　
Reading this book made me want to roleplay a Bard who becomes religious by multi-classing to an Evangelist, and then after becoming unsatisfied with only that class (perhaps after acquiring all of its class abilities), switches to Holy Liberator (because they are basically Chaotic Good Paladins, and Bards are always chaotic). 
　
　
The list of deities was one of my favorite sections and I found myself flipping to it often, because of the interaction with the alignment of the classes, and also because of the magic item/artifact and spell lists. There is connecting lore for all these sections.
　
Trickster Eric Novels gives Dungeons and Dragons rule book: Complete Divine an A+
　
Click here for my thoughts on other D&D manuals: Player's Handbook v 3.5 and Heroes of Battle

Click here for my next book review (a request): When Hope Calls

　
Click here for my previous book review (for fun): No Game No Life volume 4
　
Brian Wilkerson is a freelance book reviewer, writing advice blogger and independent novelist. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).