Regardless of Edition, what do you like about D&D?

Since I am currently involved in rewriting the D&D rules to include everything I like from various editions, I am curious about what others like about various editions and why?

The idea isn't to create an edition war, or to point out wrongbadfun, but to get a sense of the factors that go into a healthy and lively game. IOW, if a lot of people here said they loved X, Y, and Z, and I was planning on dropping them, I would rethink my position. What I am hoping for is that my (currently in alpha playtesting) rewrite can get better than it currently is.

So, how about it? What do you like about various editions? Third party products?

This thread is for praise only!



RC

My absolute favorite part about D&D: being able to find groups.

I can't assume that gamers have heard of other games, like BESM, True20, Mutants & Masterminds, or what have you. But most gamers out there who are still chucking dice are probably playing D&D. Nothing worse than having a game but nobody to play it with. D&D is a touchstone which all gamers have in common, whether they like it or loathe it. It's a jumping-off point for finding games and countless discussions about the hobby.

Whether it deserves it or not (opinions for another thread), D&D is a central pillar of the hobby, and it's one game that you're most likely to find groups with more than any other (with some regional variance, of course).

Basic = Simple characters.

3E = unified system (for the most part), Challenge Ratings/ECLs

Spell Segments is something I love. It makes spell combat very interesting for the casters.

Raise Dead and similar not being a given due to the resurrection roll being required.

Easy to generate and set up characters.

The old five saving throw system. It has varity to keep it interesting.

The restrictions on learning spells and spell books. Rolling to see if you can learn a spell adds some excitment and helps add balance.

The old 1e Psionic system because it's very concise and useable if someone wants to use it.

The 1st ed UA book on race and class selection and restriction.

The age tables from the old DMG for ability score adjustment.

I loved about AD&D 2nd that we were able to create characters within 30 minutes, once we decided what to play. (2 hours of skimming through class kits to get some neat ideas, but no actual work involved in creating a character.)

I loved that I was able to wing close to everything as a DM. Imagination really was the only limit. The system was much simpler and thus easier to master. (There was only one monster progression, for example.)

I love about 3rd edition that it provides me with a great tactical environment, allowing me to create encoutners that will both feel like unique experiences and great challanges on a tactical level to my players.

I love many of the modern elements of 3rd Ed. I love the way the (newer) monsters are created to provide unique encounters, not having an enourmous amount of "useless in combat" stuff in their statt blocks. I can easily wing that.

I like the focus on roleplaying whenever a book tries to gear you towards more than just number crunching.

Oh Planescape books...how I miss thee for 3rd edition.

There is virtually nothing rules-wise that I would adopt from the pre-3e versions of the game into the 3.x version. There are bits and pieces from 3.0 that I wish they hadn't changed for 3.5. In truth though, if I were to do my 'ideal' version, I would start with the 3.5 version of the rules and start stripping things out to steamline it. But I would definately build something that was 3.5-lite rather than trying to hybridise the older versions.

The things I really like about the old editions are the non-mechanical 'creative' bits. 1st Edition (and BD&D) had a lot of really cool adventures. 2nd Edition had some wonderful settings. It is those (or new things in the same style) that I would seek to adopt for an 'ideal version'.

Of course, the best thing about that is that virtually all of those non-mechanical 'creative' bits are system-neutral, which makes running a 3.5e campaign in the Spelljammer setting, or using the old GDQ modules, relatively easy.

(Oh, and all that misses the best part of D&D for me: being part of a good gaming group.)

Thanks for the replies. Keep 'em coming!

RC

I like that it is a chance to escape from reality for a few hours a week... even if my wife and kids are just in the other room jarring me back to reality every so often.

I enjoy the fantastic settings, being able to pretend to run around with a big sword or a magic wand and kill evil beings. Sometimes I read fantasy adventures and picture myself as the hero of the story... I derive much more satisfaction from this than from any fantasy novel.

I enjoy current and new friendships centered around playing a game we all love to play.

I like playing with neato polyhedral dice.

Beyond that, the rules are just the context to play the game. I prefer simple rules, for example I would prefer to play a PHB only game than one that included every complete book out there. I like the structure 3rd edition puts down, but I also like the flexibility from 1st edition to do what you want.

Anyone else share my love of the ethereal filcher? Not as a monster to steal the PC's magic items (its apparent intended purpose), but as a weird creature whose lair is filled with mis-matched socks, wagon wheels, broken crockery, that pen you lost, etc., etc., etc.....?