Thinking back over the complaints about 3.5e (and 3e) that have been made during the last few years, I get the feeling I'm playing a different game than other people.
A few instances:
Combat speed: Combat seems to go by pretty fast. It only really slows down when I get the maths-challenged people in the group who can't add up 5d6. Otherwise... bonuses stacking? Buffing? Interacting effects? All pretty easy, and fast. And getting better with the more streamlined monsters in MMIV.
Prep-time: D&D is hard to prep for? I often use monsters straight out of the book, grab maps from anywhere (love the Fantastic Locations maps), traps likewise. NPC creation for the core classes is a dream thanks to the DMG info, and even when I have to create an unusual NPC (like the Frost Dwarf Soulborn 9 from last session), it doesn't take more than half-an-hour, and there's no need for many unusual NPC stats. The hard bit is coming up with the actual plot/story (and that's something that's edition-independent).
If I have a pit trap or monster, a reference to the book I found it in is enough.
Overload of options: I, as the DM, don't need to know how all the abilities my players have work exactly. Let's face it: most of D&D is the manipulation of only a few variables. If the net effect of an ability is to stun an opponent if it fails a Fort save, then that's pretty easy to deal with. Sure, the players need to know, but they don't have that much to deal with.
New prestige classes and classes? If the concept is compatible with the campaign, why not? It's not like there are going to be more than a handful of these things in the game at any one time, anyway.
Cheers!
A few instances:
Combat speed: Combat seems to go by pretty fast. It only really slows down when I get the maths-challenged people in the group who can't add up 5d6. Otherwise... bonuses stacking? Buffing? Interacting effects? All pretty easy, and fast. And getting better with the more streamlined monsters in MMIV.
Prep-time: D&D is hard to prep for? I often use monsters straight out of the book, grab maps from anywhere (love the Fantastic Locations maps), traps likewise. NPC creation for the core classes is a dream thanks to the DMG info, and even when I have to create an unusual NPC (like the Frost Dwarf Soulborn 9 from last session), it doesn't take more than half-an-hour, and there's no need for many unusual NPC stats. The hard bit is coming up with the actual plot/story (and that's something that's edition-independent).
If I have a pit trap or monster, a reference to the book I found it in is enough.
Overload of options: I, as the DM, don't need to know how all the abilities my players have work exactly. Let's face it: most of D&D is the manipulation of only a few variables. If the net effect of an ability is to stun an opponent if it fails a Fort save, then that's pretty easy to deal with. Sure, the players need to know, but they don't have that much to deal with.
New prestige classes and classes? If the concept is compatible with the campaign, why not? It's not like there are going to be more than a handful of these things in the game at any one time, anyway.
Cheers!