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One I have heard voiced by one of my DMs: 3. Magic items feel less special. Even the weirdest items used to treasured, and very few items other than plain magic weapons were considered "standard". (There is more than a kernel of truth in #3. This is the problem of the Big Six stated another...

IME 1e/2e DMs tended to have builds of certain styles that were notched up or down. We as players got very good at guessing the stats of the NPCs; for most NPCs were were usually within +-1 for AC and <10% off for HPs. The 3e equivalent would be to build the Standard Wizard, Standard Cleric...

Lanefan, I have four issues with your example. First of all, it is better to compare apples with apples rather than apples with palm fronds. It does not really matter how hard or easy the proposed change is in 3e unless it is demonstrably more difficult than making comparable changes to 2e...

Example?

I love Morale rules as a concept. But those is my grognard roots showing. It is actually somewhat realistic that small skirmish combat like D&D is extremely brutal. IME DMs get out of the habit of trying to have their monsters flee because even attempting to do so is so often futile (absent...

2e magic item creation guidelines were a pathetic joke, to put it kindly. After finally achieving middling high level, your mighty spellcaster earns the write to beg for instructions on what bizarre random items he will need to make a single scroll. Having achieved a level of competence in the...

IMHO tiered pluses are B-O-R-I-N-G. Stick the strongest guy in front with the best +n weapon. Burn whatever magic available to keep him healthy. Spellcasters have no other value because "otherworldly, dangerous opponents" are usually immune. If not immune they have SR and other...

I would also suggest that Improved Critical with either Falchion or Rapier works rather well. There is a nice bit of synergy with both Bless Weapon and Divine Might.

I recommend against Cleave. Power Attack + Divine Might are practically a necessity IMHO. Extra Smiting and Leadership are superb as well. Divine Vigor is very good, but compete with Divine Might for Turning Attempts.

Depends on the level of the encounter. The bad guys may be able to DDoor or Dispel Magic, too. A Helpless target is a sitting duck to a Full Iterative Sneak Attack, and may therefore be killable in <1 round. That is a nice option at middling or higher levels.

I am sure the majority will do exactly what you say. The biggest difference is that the minority of players will not automatically be severely punished for exploring the beyond the well-worn track of minmax character design. From my POV, I want enough options that I can easily build effective...

IMO the fundamental problem is that the Wizard has access to too many very powerful options. There is "no room" to boost up the Specialist without reaching insanity. Consider the 1e Illusionist. That class accessed a number of powerful illusions with a spell level of 1 or 2 lower than the...

They do not have to be low-powered. Just not stack trivially. Are Quick Draw, Combat Reflexes, Mobility, or Spring Attack alone really powerful? Not really. They just open up some tactical options. Combat Reflexes only becomes very powerful when stacked up with Reach boosts and boosts to...

Exactly. In principle, this goal is achievable. The designers must restrict feats such that in 80% of the time they have no significant measurable effect on average damage output. So if I am Sir TalksALot, I can make a very similar contribution to Sir HitsALot by knowing how to use...

Assuming the PC is not a bizarre race, if the target does not gain the +4 bonus, then you should consider using Hold Person instead. So the real question is whether this 2nd level spell is too powerful, assuming that the target happens to gain a +4 bonus. Is this versatility really enough to...

The fundamental design problem is Types tend to give stackable resistances and immunities, but give corresponding downsides or vulnerabilities that stack. So you start seeing creatures with a dizzying array of SR + immunities + resistances + a saving throw, there is strong incentive for the...

The Powerful Generalist as the starting point has been problematic from the beginning. A Conjurer should be able to summon significantly better than a Generalist of similar level. Ditto Enchanter, Illusionist, etc. You can think of it as losing the overpowered Generalist, or you can think of...

Kudos to Sanguinemetaldawn. There are things that I disagree with you on. But it was a thoughtfully argued essay. And polite, as well. You also earn brownie points for having some inkling of the differences between editions of Chivalry & Sorcery.

I think you have the right idea. IMHO 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation games have generally not forgotten their wargaming roots and therefore have telltale simulationist genes that are not strictly necessary. I would cite Puppetland and GUMSHOE as 4th generation. I am sure there are other takes...

Sudden. Yes. Thank you.