what edition?

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Hey all. im pretty new to d&d and i was just wonderin what everyone thought was the best edition.

[ October 21, 2004, 22:13: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

 

I prefer a mix of 3.0 and 3.5

 

I like to play with the rules a bit. As long as it seems logical, I see no harm in bending the rules. I therefor like to mix up 3E and 3.5.

If I had to buy new corebooks now, I'd choose 3.5.

 

The original basic edition from the red box. Before they came up with version numbers. Before they invented barbarians. Before they invented multi-classing.

Bring back the ten-foot pole!

 

You know, I guess I have to agree with Harbourboy. The D&D rules were very basic compared to AD&D but there was a certain charm in their simplicity.

Me and my friends started out with the red/blue basic/expert boxed sets and it was certainly easier to get a large group up and running compared to the 1st or 2nd edition AD&D rules. Pretty well only the hardcore D&D people had the patience to learn the AD&D rules which made putting together a casual game a lot of trouble.

I have never played using 3rd or 3.5 edition but from what I know about them this certainly looks like it would still be the case.

 

I agree with Harbourboy and JSBB: the simplicity of OD&D allows combat to proceed very quickly, with a minimum of rule-checking and dice-rolling. And in no way does this get in the way of role-playing: if you want your fighter to RP like a barbarian, or your thief like a monk, more power to you. Also, there's some great content to work with in the old modules and the mystara (sp?) setting.

Edit: Advocating OD&D sure makes me feel old: someone should come up with a white-bearded smiley called

 

Wahey! We've started a groundswell of support for original D&D rules! Let's bring those old red boxes out of the cupboard! Let's do away with Feats, Prestige Classes, Deep Gnomes, Greater Rage, and Lore. Down with AD&D!

By the way, did those Halfings ever find the 'Crucible of Blackflame'?

 

I've actually never played the original rules. I DM a group right now, and 3 out of 4 of us are experienced RPG players, and the fourth has played all the PC/Console RPG's. I've actually mixed AD&D 2d with 3.5. It may sound weird but somehow it works. It took some administrative effort in the beginning to get the characters to sync with each other stat wise and to meld the rules, but it has actually worked out well. All players are at about level 6, so its starting to get interesting. We play a mix of some 3.5 modules I had at the beginning, and now 2d modules I can find at game stores and some things that I make up. The whole group ended up in Sigil for a while, even, soon to be back.

My personal favorite is 2d. Its what I "grew up with". But I do like the simplicity of 3.0 and 3.5. My group isn't easy to run but its interesting and fun.

 

I used to love D&D (now referred to as OD&D).

I actually love all of the editions, for their own reasons. I've played under DMs who have their preferences, and I just go along with it.

If you're truely roleplaying, it won't matter what edition you're playing. If you're truely roleplaying, that piece of paper hardly matters.

 

Another old guy here that cut his teeth on Keep on the Borderlands.

I like the new rule systems and they seem much more open than the old AD&D. Obviously, I agree that 3.5 is the one to go with but as far as I can tell most of the supplemental material is still v3.0.

I just recently bought 3.0 for my kids and I. Shortly thereafter out came v3.5 (thank you WOTC) and I'm now contemplating which books I can buy. What troubles have those of you encountered in trying to encompass both versions?

 

Ah! The Keep on the Borderlands! Classic!

 

If you've brought 3E, stay with it. There's really not much difference, so if you are just playing with your kids, it's really not worth another $150 for a few more rules.

 

Thanks for the response. One more quick question though; what about supplemental material eg.; new Forgotten Realms material like the Shining South etc.? Is it difficult to convert 3.5 back to 3.0?

I think the Keep on the Borderlands is probably the best adventure ever made. I don't know if this is just because it was the first I played or what. I probably went through it half a dozen times and at all different levels. DM's (myself included) would modify the heck out of it.

 

"The Keep on the Borderlands" was my first quest too.

 

I still prefer OD&D as well. All of my players are hung up on 3.0 and 3.5. Regardless, I'm still thumbing through my OD&D books even though I can't find any one that will play. Damn you 3rd edition!

 

Third edition is by far and away the best edition, as far as rules are concerned. Some second edition stuff is great for "fluff" or content. I use to buy the Planescape and Al Qadim box sets simply because they were fun to read with all their content. Unless you're a forgotten realms fan, you'll find the content in 3(.5)E rather lacking. I write all my own campaigns now, so all I'm really concerned with is stats.

 

I'm a 3.5 Ed. man, just because it's the newest I guess.

 

Ah...Keep on the Borderlands...A friend of mine picked up a complete D&D ruleset, the one that came in the box with the "Keep" module, including dice, and it was like three inches long! Anyone sen one of these sets? Pretty cool-it was like a matchbook bible or something.

 

Hehe, for those of you that don't know D&D, the "red box" we're referring to had seven classes:

Fighter
Cleric
Mage
Thief
Dwarf
Elf
Halfling

Incidentally, the first 4 were humans, the Dwarf and Halfling classes were similar to that Fighter, and the Elf was a mix of a Fighter and a Mage.

Like I said above, as long as you're really roleplaying, it doesn't matter what edition you use (although it is kinda funny that there isn't one dwarf in the entire OD&D universe that can't pick a lock) .

If I had my choice, I think I would go with 2nd edition. I played that and OD&D the most, but I always like the options 2nd edition gave. In 3 and 3.5 editions, I tend to find many more powergamers (with the feats and prestige classes) than I did when I played any other edition.

 

I go back to AD&D...I don't remember boxes, just books. So I guess I'm a 1st ED guy at heart....But I really like 3.5 after I got used to it!