Down with the negativity! Tell me what you like about 3E.

[The_Warlock]

3rd edition is my friend...

Better definitions of everything, from bonuses to schools of magic, to combat maneuvers.

Customizability without loss of archetypal high fantasy classes.

Modular nature, both for house rules (easy to design when there is consistency in the framework) and integration of third party sources.

Straightforward XP, multiclassing, and attribute systems.

Variety in combat, from maneuvers to unique fighters.

Options, options, options.

Large support base of official products and fan interest.

I think that covers it.

 

[Thorin Stoutfoot]

3E got me a job...

3E brought me back into RPGs after 10 years of hiatus. Coincidentally, the first group I DM'd ended up with a bunch of players who worked for Google, and one thing led to another and before I knew it I ended up working there...

 

[Mystery Man]

No more level limits, limits on races etc.

 

[Jaws]

The biggest thing though is that it came out at the right time and got me playing D&D again!

Not only playing again, but actually being a DM.


Peace and smiles

j.

 

[Tonguez]

Skills and Feats - Customisation is key baby
d20+mods mechanic applies to EVERYTHING
No THACO (how does that work anyway?)
Yeah what everyone else said

 

[Narfellus]

No THACO
Higher is Better
Great art from almost all companies, really helps visually
Monster Stat Blocks are all-inclusive and intuitive
Options, options, options
Flexibility
Ability scores all useful
Skills well explained

 

[Doug McCrae]

I love 3rd ed, particularly 3.5. They kept what was good about D&D from Gary Gygax's original concept - classes, going up levels, monsters, magic items - but greatly improved the rules.

Like other posters I think my favourite element is that monsters now have full stats. I remember being very impressed by the same thing in RuneQuest 2 when I first saw it back in the early 80s. It's amazing it took DnD so long to catch up. It's brilliant knowing how strong an owl bear is, an orc's chance to hear an approaching adventurer and also being able to mix n' match monsters, class levels and templates whether for PC or NPC.

All the other unified elements such as stats, class XP, the d20 system and so forth is also good.

I was really pleased they got rid of separate damage form S-M and L creatures. I got a shock the first time I opened 3.5 and thought they'd reintroduced them but I had, of course, misread the chart.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

As soon as I saw the new attribute table, I knew I had a winner.

But since I DM a lot, I'd say that I especially like the way you can customize the monsters - alter their attributes, or slap some character levels or templates on them.

I mean, would I have been able to come up with a half-fiendish wyrmling green dragon that easily under 2E? I think not...

 

[Aristotle]

Finally...

Out with the bad: THAC0, Racial Level Limits, different XP charts for different classes, and so forth...

Streamline everything: All of the mecahnics seem to work together and to work the same way. Feats add a certain dynamic quality to the game and offer customizeable characters. The Saves are more intuitive and easy to understand than the old saving throws. And Skills offer more entertaining and flexible options for things like thief abilities, social interaction, and athletics.

3rd party support: The OGL has made it possible for a huge variety of products to be made available for all kinds of niches. Of course this means the buyer needs to be a little more responsible (make sure you are buying a good product that you actually need/want).

Core and caps: There are only three 'core books'. That is all you need to play the game. The rules provided in those three books are moderate (not rules light, but not complex either). Everything else ("Complete" books, "Environment" books, Psionics, Exalted and Vile, and all 3rd party publications) are cap systems that can be added to an individual game at the discretion of the group and/or the DM.

 

[derelictjay]

What I like about it (and I didn't post on the other threads, because there's very little I don't like about it). NO THAC0, Backwards Armor Class; no vague saving throws that you didn't understand why you saved with that, just have three saves; no level limits; full creature stats; a single experience chart; real multi-classing; no "thief" class; no racial mins/maxes; barbarian, monk and half-orc becoming core again; psionics that work; easier to play monster races; no infravision; ability to create magic items mechanically; bards becoming more than a "worthless class (IMO they never were); feats; no proficiencies (at least not like they were); no kits; oh yeah, no THAC0

I think that about covers it (I can probably think up more)