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Ratskinner, your spell descriptions are nice, especially if there aren't more than a couple dozen spells. Call of Cthulhu spells are written that way, more or less. On the other hand, if you have one or two hundred spells to read through, a more systematic approach (anything from 1e to 4e) is...

Another method is having overlapping bonuses, or only the two highest bonuses, etc. The game could definitely use better stacking rules.

My group, if I recall, played it in an afternoon, which would have been about 4 hours back in the day. We played the full version--the short, tournament version was noted by shading on the map. In any case, a lot of the AD&D modules were either short and designed for single sessions, or broken...

I much prefer the first (standard 4e) format, since it is easier for me to reflavor, reskin, and refluff. Heck the 4e rules even suggest doing so. Of course, either version can be easily reskinned, but the first, with the fluff separated, seems easier to do.

In that system, characters get more proficiencies at a rate based on class. They didn't automatically get better. It was possible, though, to raise a NWP by one point instead of gaining a new proficiency. Weapon proficiencies only improved if you had Weapon Specialization has an option, and...

Slave Pits is only A1, and the abbreviated, tournament version (noted on the cover/map) only takes a couple hours, if that.

Everyone has baseline competence in all three areas? Sounds good to me.

I think part of the problem is that many folks feel that the standard D&D of the edition they like does simulate the realistic style of play they've come to like, and that other people feel that that very same edition simulates the heroic fantasy style of play they have come to like...

Not every spell needs a version at each level. For instance, some spells might have level 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9th level versions. Some other spells might not even be available until level 5, then have versions up through level 9. Likewise, a low level spell might only have versions at levels 1-4...

Not every spell needs a version at each level. For instance, some spells might have level 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9th level versions. Some other spells might not even be available until level 5, then have versions up through level 9. Likewise, a low level spell might only have versions at levels 1-4...

I think some short AD&D modules would be examples of adventures that could be played in a couple hours: 1. Hidden Shrine of Tomoachan 2. Ghost Tower of Inverness 3. Slave Pits of the Undercity 4. Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (each part taking 2 hours, perhaps) An old adventure like Pharoah is...

I've played Blue Box onward, and in every long campaign I ran, we eventually developed house rules to change Vancian magic--added spells that gave an at-will attack for the day, allowed spell choice on the fly (except for ritual-style spells), and spell-focusing items (that allow prepared to...

Good poll, over all. The monster list was interesting . . . but most of the iconic monsters are already set to appear in the new monster book.

Standard Move Minor Free as the base actions. Reactions, Interrupts, and Opportunity as options.

I think the 4e hybrid system was good, but it was clunky--it didn't work well at all with some classes, signature class features were left off of some classes, and a few classes (ones that didn't use the standard powers mechanic) didn't hybridize at all. I would like to see a mix of 3e/4e...

There are game systems where the statistics are things like "vitality, presence, might, and power". In those games, you can make your PC as strong, charismatic, and smart as you like. D&D isn't that game.

By the way, my gaming groups didn't start focus-fire until 3e. The game shifted to encounters favoring fewer, but tougher, monsters.

For me, AD&D refers to 1st edition, and 2e refers to second edition. Sorry for the confusion. Anyway, in 1e, morale rules are an add-on in the DMG, rather than a rule about monsters. Monster entries don't have them in 1e, nor is morale discussed in the 1e MM, MM2, or FF.

I understand older-editions morale rules, but they weren't used frequently in AD&D (they weren't in the MM, nor included in monster entries). I agree with the author that they provided good guidelines about what enemies should do. Morale could be a good rules option, and even could be an...

Kzach, I see two solutions: 1. Don't focus on Str 18 as "Strong". An 18 in a stat at 1st level is amazing. In 4e, having a 16 in a stat means you are little bit less effective, but it certainly doesn't make your PC hopeless to play. When you have 16 as the high stat, you can easily have a few...