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Message: <blockquote data-quote="greywulf" data-source="post: 3147098" data-attributes="member: 4285">Good food for thought, all.I think there's something in D&D (all versions) that naturally brings out the anal retentive in some people. It's just how it is. I've played lots of different RPGs - some rules heavier, most lighter - and not had anywhere near the kind of problems I've had with D&D - even with the same players.So yes, I'd say that the problem is with D&D itself.An example might help: HERO system can be terrifically complex, especially when it comes to power creation, with all those Power Advantages and Limitations. In that game, I've GM'd a fair few characters with some form of Shape Shift ability, and never had a problem or rules query in either fantasy and superhero settings.Over in D&D land, Polymorph, on the other hand................I think partly it's a problem of D&D's history. Each version just inherits the FAQ of the older, and adds in some new questions of it's own. But it's also because of the rules themselves. They're just far too open to abuse, and so players will try to min-max, and rules arguments flourish. Yes, the GM's ruling is law, but I know GMs themselves are the worst min-maxers! We always pick the coolest feats for the bad guys, and I'll bet there's not a single Big Villain out there with a DEX less than 16. So yes, we abuse the rules too, and work them in our favour.IMC, the rules take a backseat when a game is live. We've played whole sessions without touching the books at all. That's how it should be, and when it happens, it's D&D at it's very best.Which is very, very good indeed - for all it's faults.As to whether this version is better than what's gone before - I'd say OD&D Rules Cyclopedia is still the single best set of D&D rules ever released. I never liked AD&D, and hated 2nd edition with a vengeance. I'd go out of my way not to play AD&D, simply because the rules were so <expletive> stupid, restrictive and poorly thought out. It was nothing more than a money-spinning travesty (fighting talk, I know).But 3th Edition is better than OD&D Rules Cyclopedia in one important respect; it's much more open-ended, much more flexible and adaptable to many, many campaign settings and gaming styles. And that's why it's the rules system of choice for our gaming group.</blockquote>

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