AD&D The Complete Cleric's Handbook

[Erthanos]

Does this book exists? My DM and my buddies told me it should exist and I do remember correctly playing with a Cleric 9 years ago.
But I just can't find it.

Can someone confirm this please?
Ty :D

[Human Paragon 3]

Yes, it exists. I was one of my favorite AD&D books back in the day, with detailed rules for creating your own devotions and such.

[Thane of Fife]

It certainly does exist, although I believe that it's called the Complete Priest's Handbook.

Indeed, here it is.

[Fhaolan]

It was called 'The Complete Priest's Handbook' and it was for AD&D 2nd Edition.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Pries.../dp/0880388188

[Erthanos]

Ok so I checked out and an ex-DM told me that The Complete Priest's Handbook contained information about the Cleric AND the Druid.
Just like when you say Warrior you can either refer to a Fighter, Paladin or Ranger.
However the first handbook that I checked was ''The Complete Paladin's Handbook'' and it ONLY spoke about the Paladin and just the Paladin and all his kits.
As I check the Fighter's Handbook I am reading that it's just not only about Fighter's but also contains kits for Paladins, like The Chevalier.

So I guess not every class has its own handbook like The Paladin?

[Thane of Fife]

That would be correct - in fact, the Complete Priest's Handbook is largely about breaking up clerics into more druid-like classes.

But remember that, in 2e, paladins and rangers and druids and such are basically subclasses of the more generic classes.

On the other hand, while the Complete Priest's Handbook does refer to druids, it has virtually nothing particularly appropriate for them; it's pretty much all about clerics.

[LibraryOgre]

Ok so I checked out and an ex-DM told me that The Complete Priest's Handbook contained information about the Cleric AND the Druid.
Just like when you say Warrior you can either refer to a Fighter, Paladin or Ranger.
However the first handbook that I checked was ''The Complete Paladin's Handbook'' and it ONLY spoke about the Paladin and just the Paladin and all his kits.
As I check the Fighter's Handbook I am reading that it's just not only about Fighter's but also contains kits for Paladins, like The Chevalier.

So I guess not every class has its own handbook like The Paladin?

Not quite.

At first, there were just the four basic handbooks... Fighters (which covered Rangers and Paladins, too), Priests (which was mostly about specialty priests, as opposed to generic clerics), Thieves (which only had a few things about bards) and Wizards (which was about wizards in general, who didn't have great subclass variability).

Then came the Psionics Handbook. And the Bard's Handbook, and the four racial handbooks (Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes & Halflings in one book, and Humanoids). After that, they produced Paladins, Rangers, Druids, Ninjas and Barbarians as separate books. However, this was a couple-three years later.

Analogous is the difference between Complete Adventurer and Complete Scoundrel. CA theoretically addressed Rogues and the like, but they really went after the thief-types with CS.

[Erthanos]

Ah ok that makes MUCH more sense!
Thanks for the help guys! :D

[Hawriel]

These books had kits. A kit is sort of like a PRC exept you didnt end your base class but used the kit rules to over write base class. Some books like the fighter and thief book had the same kit, the swashbuckler, but two different rule sets to addapt it to the style of the fighter or thief. Some kits like the bladesinger for fighter/mage elves where really powerful.

[serok42]

You should also check out Demi-human deities, Faiths and Avatars + Powers and Pantheons. Depending on what god your cleric worships.

I wouldn't play a 2nd edition cleric with out one of them.

[horseboy]

Then came the Psionics Handbook. And the Bard's Handbook, and the four racial handbooks (Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes & Halflings in one book, and Humanoids). After that, they produced Paladins, Rangers, Druids, Ninjas and Barbarians as separate books. However, this was a couple-three years later.

There was also a Complete Gladiator. IIRC it had a black cover rather than the Pleather looking cover and was Dark Sun branded. No DM I played with would touch it, so I don't remember what was in there.

[Sebastian]

I remember a complete necromancer, a complete sha'ir and a complete spacefarer (for spelljammer IIRC.

From what I remember the necromancer one was pretty good.

[LibraryOgre]

There was also a Complete Gladiator. IIRC it had a black cover rather than the Pleather looking cover and was Dark Sun branded. No DM I played with would touch it, so I don't remember what was in there.

I was staying with the "red cover", Players books. Complete Gladiator was, indeed, Dark Sun specific, and didn't have a whole heck of a lot for non-DS campaigns (some weapons, but those were designed around DS's "no metal" policy). That goes for Shi'ar's and Spacefarers, as well. Complete Necromancer was a blue-cover, DM's book.

And people keep comparing kits to PrCs, but that's a horrid comparison, IMO. They're closer to a class variant, as in UA.