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Message: <blockquote data-quote="an_idol_mind" data-source="post: 3443409" data-attributes="member: 43749">My experience on character creation through the editions:Basic D&D - As simple as it comes. Roll your ability scores, pick a class, and you're done. I didn't use skills, weapon mastery, or the like, as these were not options introduced in the basic sets. You didn't go into character creation with a concept, because you could only modify your stats a little bit. Also, if your character died, a new one could be rolled up and introduced to the game by the time the rest of the group stepped into a new room in the dungeon.1st edition AD&D - Also fairly quick, but more involved than basic D&D. There were a lot more factors. Your race and your class were separate. Each ability score had its own table instead of one universal modifier. You had to make sure your ability scores fit within racial minimums and maximums - there were no ugly elves, and women had a cap on how high their strength scores were. Things got incredibly slow if you introduced Unearthed Arcana, which involved you rolling a seventh ability score, checking how rich your family was, rolling up the number of siblings you had, and so on. 1e also had longer equipment lists, which meant your character couldn't just buy a polearm -- he had to choose from a list, with each one having their own benefits and hindrances.2nd edition AD&D - At its core, slightly longer than core 1e thanks to the inclusion of proficiencies (which were technically optional but rarely treated as such) and minor bits like the free distribution of skill points for thieves. Increasingly longer as character kits were introduced, and then hours long when Skills & Powers came out. Skills & Powers gave you 18 ability scores instead of 6, and was essentially point buy D&D. Plus, it had kits on top of that.3e - Potentially longer than the other editions at their core thanks to the introduction of skills and feats. However, starting packages speed things up immensly. I don't think character creation itself is slower, but leveling does become slower because there are more options available at each level up.3.5 - About the same as 3e, but things get slower once you go past the core. 3.5 beyond the core books has the same dilemma that 1e had with Unearthed Arcana and that 2e had with the Complete Class series (and which, I would guess, basic D&D might have has with the Gazetteers), in that the introduction of new core classes can provide option overload. Still nothing even approaching 1e with Unearthed Arcana or 2e with Skills & Powers, though.</blockquote>

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