1st ed again.

[zamoran]

I was reading the thread named "Can someone explain what "1st ed feel" is?" and I wanted to share but the thread is very long and what I had to say was not exactly answering the question to the letter.

What I have to say :

I prefer the 1st ed for many reasons.

It has the real demons from real demonology.
It has a spell to summon some.

It has druids and illusionists as separate classes
even in the spells sections (and the druid is my favorite class).

It has a darker and older feel,
even in the way the printing is done,
the pictures look and feel older and
stimulate the imagination more.

It has 6 saving throws.

It is the original version by the very guy who created RPG
or at least D&D (reason enough?).
Subsequent AD&D and D&D are just copies without the feel.

Legends & Lore had pictures in it !!! (duh)

1st ed Oriental Adventures presented ALL-NEW PC classes
and was written through intensive and passionate research
while 2nd ed Complete Handbooks and I hear Arabian Adventures
only had DISAPPOINTING and NO FUN AT ALL
CHARACTERS KITS which are a real RIP OFF
instead of new PC classes.

It has the assassin and the barbarian NOT CHARACTERS KITS.

I could go on and on.

I live in Québec, 80% French-speaking province of Canada and
I've had to order used copies of every AD&D 1st ed book
to individuals in the U.S. cause since we're French here,
less people understand English and the 1st ed had never been
translated in French, as far as I know, so there was no more
copies around even in the used stores but I really wanted
the real one.

Go buy them all before they become an expensive rarity

I am presently re-reading every book from the 1st ed even if
I'm French though very good in English
and I will NOT play another edition.

I can always take a small thing here and there
from the 2nd edition and add it if I feel the need arise
which I don't till now.

Well, finally, I answered the question.

 

[Left-handed Hummingbird]

You do know we've moved away from 2nd edition, don't you? There's a brand new 3rd edition you really should try out.

 

[Carnifex]

It has the real demons from real demonology.
It has a spell to summon some.

Well, saying 'real' demonology is an interesting concept Nonetheless, both 2e and 3e have 'real' demons (think incubi, succubi, lemures...), and they aren't called 'type I' or 'type II' either

It has druids and illusionists as separate classes
even in the spells sections (and the druid is my favorite class).

Um... 2e also had druid as as seperate class. Fortunately, so does 3e (and I too like druids greatly). However, I don't think an entirely seperate class is necessary for illusionists.

It has a darker and older feel,
even in the way the printing is done,
the pictures look and feel older and
stimulate the imagination more.

Haven't seen enough 1e artwork to comment much on this, though I'd say plenty of 2e and 3e art is very evocative - especially the Planescape range of art, IMO.

It has 6 saving throws.

And in what way is this a good thing?

It is the original version by the very guy who created RPG
or at least D&D (reason enough?).
Subsequent AD&D and D&D are just copies without the feel.

I strongly disagree on this one, at least in terms of 3e which is a huge step forwards.

Legends & Lore had pictures in it !!! (duh)

Eh?

1st ed Oriental Adventures presented ALL-NEW PC classes
and was written through intensive and passionate research
while 2nd ed Complete Handbooks and I hear Arabian Adventures
only had DISAPPOINTING and NO FUN AT ALL
CHARACTERS KITS which are a real RIP OFF
instead of new PC classes.

It has the assassin and the barbarian NOT CHARACTERS KITS.

Fortunately 3e resolves this problem.

I can always take a small thing here and there
from the 2nd edition and add it if I feel the need arise
which I don't till now.


I have to agree with left-handed hummingbird - we're onto 3e now!

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I was reading the thread named "Can someone explain what "1st ed feel" is?" and I wanted to share but the thread is very long and what I had to say was not exactly answering the question to the letter.

What I have to say :

I prefer the 1st ed for many reasons.

It has the real demons from real demonology.
It has a spell to summon some.

So does 3e.

It has druids and illusionists as separate classes
even in the spells sections (and the druid is my favorite class).

Well, Illusionist isn't separate in 3e, but Druid sure is. It has its own spell list.

It has a darker and older feel,
even in the way the printing is done,
the pictures look and feel older and
stimulate the imagination more.)

This is very subjective, but OK.

It has 6 saving throws..

3e has 3. Very simple and inuitive.

It is the original version by the very guy who created RPG
or at least D&D (reason enough?).
Subsequent AD&D and D&D are just copies without the feel...

Since it's very evident you haven't played or even read 3e, this is a judgement without any real substance.

Legends & Lore had pictures in it !!! (duh)

Well, it was called Deities & Demigods back when I played 1e. But, yeah, the pictures were great.

1st ed Oriental Adventures presented ALL-NEW PC classes
and was written through intensive and passionate research
while 2nd ed Complete Handbooks and I hear Arabian Adventures
only had DISAPPOINTING and NO FUN AT ALL
CHARACTERS KITS which are a real RIP OFF
instead of new PC classes.

3e Oriental Adventures has new classes also, and is not that different from 1e. Al-Qadim, or Arabian Adventures, was a FANTASTIC book, almost universally praised. You might want to actually read it before judging it.

It has the assassin and the barbarian NOT CHARACTERS KITS.

3e has the Barbarian as a core class. The Assassin is a Prestige Class, very different from kits. Kits don't exist in 3e.

I could go on and on.

I live in Québec, 80% French-speaking province of Canada and
I've had to order used copies of every AD&D 1st ed book
to individuals in the U.S. cause since we're French here,
less people understand English and the 1st ed had never been
translated in French, as far as I know, so there was no more
copies around even in the used stores but I really wanted
the real one.

Go buy them all before they become an expensive rarity

I am presently re-reading every book from the 1st ed even if
I'm French though very good in English
and I will NOT play another edition..

Then you're missing out, and basing your decision on 3e according to how bad 2e was. 3e is very different from 2e.

I can always take a small thing here and there
from the 2nd edition and add it if I feel the need arise
which I don't till now.

Well, finally, I answered the question.

Yes, you did, but it sems like you may never have even heard of 3e. It's not 2e at all.

Anyway, if you like 1e that much, great! You might want to check out HackMaster, especially if you want to preserve your 1e books.

 

[Left-handed Hummingbird]

*wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*

 

[SableWyvern]

Hmmmmm....

I'm dubious, but I'll bite.

Just one point.

AD&D 1e is not the original.

That would be Original D&D

 

[Psion]

Okay, I may sound like an echo below. However, I really must ask: have you PLAYED 3e? It sounds like you are describing 2e in many places below.

I prefer the 1st ed for many reasons.

It has the real demons from real demonology.

Oh, yeah. I remember reading my folklore talking about type I-IV demons. Not.

If you want authentically named demons, see if you can dig up a copy of Stephan Michael Seechi's Atlantis setting. It is more true to the folklore than anything D&D has done to date.

It has a spell to summon some.

You mean like 3e's summon monster spell (which unlike 1e's version is actually useful) and the planar ally and planar binding spells, which are far more useful that the silly cacodemon spell.

It has druids and illusionists as separate classes even in the spells sections (and the druid is my favorite class).

Druids have a separate spell list. Again, are you sure you are talking about 3e?

It has a darker and older feel, even in the way the printing is done, the pictures look and feel older and stimulate the imagination more.

If you say so. I'll take Reynolds over Trampier and Otus 7 days a week and twice on sunday.

It has 6 saving throws.

Actually it has 5. And unlike 3e, there is little rhyme or reason behind them.

It is the original version by the very guy who created RPG or at least D&D (reason enough?).

Nope.
The players and DMs are ultimately responsible for providing the feel. The mechanics must be funtional. And 3e is much more functional than 1e's, IMNSHO.

1st ed Oriental Adventures presented ALL-NEW PC classes and was written through intensive and passionate research while 2nd ed Complete Handbooks and I hear Arabian Adventures
only had DISAPPOINTING and NO FUN AT ALL CHARACTERS KITS which are a real RIP OFF instead of new PC classes.

Uh... hello! Wake up and smell the new edition. That was second.

It has the assassin and the barbarian NOT CHARACTERS KITS.

So does 3e. The difference is that unlike in 1e, they are balanced.

I could go on and on.

And from all appearances, I could go on an on. Or at least I would if it didn't appear that you are laboring under the incorrect assumption that the current edition is 2e.

Go buy them all before they become an expensive rarity

Uh, want mine?

I am presently re-reading every book from the 1st ed even if I'm French though very good in English and I will NOT play another edition.

At least you are comfortable in your closed-mindedness.

 

[apsuman]

Well, first off, sorry about that figure skating thing last night. I think those Canucks deserved the gold too.

Back on topic, I just recently found my old 1ed player's handbook I re-read it. While I remember how fun the game was, I kept thinking "man am I glad this changed ... this too... this too"

So, I guess I will be getting rid of the 1st ed PHB soon. I have some old 1ed D&D modules too.


g!

 

[adndgamer]

Go 1e! and OD&D! I love 'em both.

http://www.tongue.fsnet.co.uk is a cool site.

I have a few other links at the links page at my site (www.geocities.com/thewizardstower/links.html). I'd post em myself, but I'm too lazy to go fetch them.

 

[Pangias]

the funny thing of these thread is that all editions have been translated in French. Even the 3° one. You can allready find "Le Manuel des Joueurs", "Le Guide du Maitre" et le "Manuel des Monstres" de la 3° edition....