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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6141543" data-attributes="member: 42582">The reason that 3E creates CharOp is that it is the first version of D&D to have meaningful mechanical choices in PC building and levelling.In AD&D there was also optimisation, but it was so obvious it didn't need a messageboard: your fighter takes proficiency in longsword, and your MU tries as hard as possible to get Magic Missile as a 1st level spell and Fireball as a 3rd level spell.At least in my experience, those substystems in AD&D that did permit optimisation - for instance, martial arts design in OA - were being optimised by me and my players as soon as we encountered them.As for whether or not the game is broken - if the game (i) encourages PC building as a key part of the play experience, with system mastery (otherwise known as "step on up" gamism) built into that, and (ii) falls apart when people push hard on this aspect of the game, then in my view it is broken.Games like HERO or Rolemaster, which somewhat similarly permit optimisation via points buy, have always at least claimed that PC building is not gamist in this sense, but is to be constrained by simulationist criteria. But 3E never went in this direction as far as I'm aware.</blockquote>