What do you like about...
1. OD&D
2. Basic D&D
3. AD&D 1st
4. AD&D 2nd
5. D&D 3rd
6. D&D 3.5
7. D&D 4th
8. Pathfinder
What do you dislike about...
1. OD&D
2. Basic D&D
3. AD&D 1st
4. AD&D 2nd
5. D&D 3rd
6. D&D 3.5
7. D&D 4th
8. Pathfinder
I want to know what you like and dislike about the different versions of the game.
+1. Open to anything
ReplyDelete-1. Genie is out of the bottle and can't get anyone interested in playing a game where attributes don't matter much and two characters of the same class are pretty much the same mechanically.
+2. easy, fun, race as class
-2. impossible to resist the urge houserule a million things
+3. nostalgia and half-orc assassins
-3. overly complex
+4. streamlines AD&D
-4. soulless AD&D; splatbooks
+5. innovative design
-5. cult of balance, which it doesn't even deliver on
+6. mostly an improvement on 3.0
-6. too much chargen and a stat for everything
+7. fun skirmish game
-7. not D&D
8. never played it
Thanks mikemonaco.
ReplyDeleteWell I have played all the versions listed and have enjoyed them. Here are my opinions.
ReplyDelete1. OD&D
Like: The cool gritty feel of being the first. Everything in all the other games got it from here.
Dislike: Let's be honest the rule books are difficult to read there is a lack of granularity that while some find to be a plus I think of as a short-coming. But still this is the first and I can ignore that.
2. Basic D&D
Like: Great for beginners. Simple to learn yet powerful enough that it has everything you would need for years.
Dislike: Has the perception of being a "kids" game. Never got out of AD&D's shadow. Lacked the company and fan support that AD&D enjoyed.
3. AD&D 1st
Like: The classic edition of D&D. Everything here for decades of gaming.
Dislike: Some of the rules were esoteric left overs from wargaming and other were to easy to ignore. Wizards were too weak at low levels and maybe too powerful at high ones.
4. AD&D 2nd
Like: Addressed some of the issues of 1st ed and brought the system back together into a nice whole. Had the potential of being one of the better editions.
Dislike: The books lacked the soul of the Gygax-era books. In the end the game became uber-munchkin and nearly put me off of D&D forever.
5. D&D 3rd
Like: Revitalized the game like no other edition. Brought modern game design principles to D&D.
Dislike: the d20 glut.
6. D&D 3.5
Like/Dislike: Not different enough from 3.0 to really merit a full edition. Gave people the perception that wizards only wanted you money (they are a business after all).
7. D&D 4th
Like: Great experiment. Focus on the player combat experience and giving everyone something to do every round.
Dislike: Maybe slaughtered too many sacred cows. Essentials brings some back, but people still complain about it.
8. Pathfinder
Like: The best of D&D 3.5. Great support from Paizo.
Dislike: still also has all the issues of 3.0/3.5. Creating high level NPCs and monsters from scratch is a chore. Feat bloat.
I have played all versions and I have enjoyed them all, each for different reasons.
My list would look almost identical to Mike's, with the exception of the positive outlook of race-as-class for Basic D&D. I began in 1980, and I have never liked or understood the concept. I was glad to find that AD&D did away with race-as-class, but disappointed that the game itself was miles away more difficult to grasp than B/X D&D.
ReplyDeleteSo a mixture of Basic D&D and 3rd edition options would be ideal?
ReplyDeleteWhat about some 4th edition options added in in a light way?
OD&D
ReplyDeletelol...I've never played this edition. I've read through the books but have no solid opinion other than characters seem like they would basically be very similar of they are the same class, level, and race.
Basic D&D
I started with Holmes Basic so this has certain nostalgia for me.
Likes - Pretty much everything but especially the simpler rules and wide open feel of the game.
Dislikes - Race as class :-(.
AD&D 1st
I probably got more play of this edition than any other.
Likes - "High Gygaxian" language, and the more complete rules evolved out of OD&D and Basic.
Dislikes - some of the rules explanations could be easier to follow or better organized.
AD&D 2nd
I never owned this edition but did play a bit of it.
Likes - The core wasn't bad as it actually cleaned up many of the confusing areas and reorganized most things in a clearer manner.
Dislikes - It feels like "sanitized" or "politically correct" D&D to me due to the removal of the Assassin, Half-Orc, Demons, Devils, etc.
D&D 3rd
This edition re-sparked my interest in D&D.
Likes - the universal resolution mechanic & almost wide open options in most areas.
Dislikes - the D20 glut and rules bloat.
D&D 3.5
Continued my interest in new D&D.
Likes - more of D&D 3rd.
Dislikes - more of the rules bloat.
D&D 4th
I was excited but ultimately disappointed in this release.
Likes - I like the fact that they tried to open up more character options from the start.
Dislikes - required minis & battle grid, the fact that it's similar to but just enough different from 3 & 3.5 to mean that the rules options between editions do not match up.
Pathfinder
What D&D 4th should have been.
Likes - D&D 3.75!
Dislikes - even more rules crunch.
Oh wait a minute you wanted feedback.
ReplyDelete