Just got Basic D&D!!

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I'm sure nostalga plays a part in it, but I want less rules. Quick and fun trumps accuracy and detail in my book. Actually I'd probably just run a bastardized version of 1e that uses the classes and spells of 1e and the simplistic combat of basic, no weapon types vs armor or that stuff. The 1e combat system is pretty complex if you use it, we never did.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

And don't take my post to mean that 3e isn't fun or anything negative.

 

[johnsemlak]

And above all else, alignment languages, possibly the most ludicrous concept ever to appear in the covers of an RPG. (Again, IMO.)

Alignment languages were an over-maligned concept, IMHO. They weren't realistic (ah, this is a fantasy game ), but they had a useful game function. Call it something like a freemason-style ID system. It's useful for creatures of the same alignment to be able to speak to each other, particularly with so many races. Plus, I liked it as a way for intelligent swords to talk to tp their masters.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Alignment languages were an over-maligned concept, IMHO. They weren't realistic (ah, this is a fantasy game ), but they had a useful game function. Call it something like a freemason-style ID system. It's useful for creatures of the same alignment to be able to speak to each other, particularly with so many races. Plus, I liked it as a way for intelligent swords to talk to tp their masters.

My objection to alignment languages was simply that they require people to consciously identify themselves with an alignment, and I've always found that concept uber-goofy, even in fantasy. Nobody walks around saying "I'm lawful neutral." To my mind, it's a meta-game concept, something the player knows, not the character. A character wouldn't think of himself as lawful neutral--or even recognize the term--any more than he would recognize that he has a 15 Intelligence or 8 ranks in Knowledge (arcana).

Obivously, if you don't share that viewpoint, alignment languages aren't going to strike you the same way. But even in the most unrealistic (in terms of comparison to the real world) campaign or story, I simply cannot take the notion of characters knowing their own alignments seriously.

But hey, as always, YMMV.

 

[Voadam]

Except that detect alignment spells can tell a character they are a specific alignment.

For alignment to remain a meta rules concept their can't be powers like paladin detect evil as written.

 

[Tonguez]

Except that detect alignment spells can tell a character they are a specific alignment.

For alignment to remain a meta rules concept their can't be powers like paladin detect evil as written.

No it can't - Detect Evil detects EVIL not alignment...

 

[Mouseferatu]

No it can't - Detect Evil detects EVIL not alignment...

Precisely. It's easy to determine something is "evil" in the "It's a nasty, vicious critter" sense of the word. I just don't like the notion of saying "Oh, that creature there is chaotic evil."

I understand, of course, that this isn't strictly the way older versions of the game were written. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

 

[dreaded_beast]

i remember that in basic dnd, the rules books said that it was bad manners and insulting to ask npc's their alignment. lawful npcs would react negatively, while chaotic npcs would most likely lie and say they were lawful.

 

[Abyssenia]

Man I remember the old modual that came with it, Keep on the Borderlands we ran through over and over again. I think a minotaur and medusa were the two extra tough monsters in it. And there some cool item you could get by fighting the Mad Hermit. Its was fun playing without knowing so much about every monster, even fighting orcs was exciting, it all seemed so new. As little kids at least once we tried attacking people in the Keep, after all even the shopkeepers, and militia all have statistics.

 

[Urbannen]

Before 3E came out, I was doing some playing in Basic. It was, I feel, superior to 2E. It had a great, Saturday morning cartoon feel and the mechanics were more elegant. Also, some concepts from Basic seemed to make their way into 3E. For instance, the way stats worked. It was great, it was a bell shaped curve. 9-12 you got nothing, 13-15: +1, 16-17: +2, and 18: +3. It was just better than the 2D system. Also, Basic had prestige classes. Yes, prestige classes - paladin, avenger, knight, and druid. It also had the monster classes from the PC books, done very similarly to Savage Species. In fact, I would say Basic was well ahead of its time.

And the Mystara supplements were just neat. I would definitely go back sometime.