AD&D 1E Edition Experience: Did/Do you Play 1E AD&D? How Was/Is It?

[Snarf Zagyg]

Wait -- which thread is that? I don't know what the heck is going on here half the time....

That's only because you're new.

Stick around for a while, and pretty soon you won't know what the heck is going on here all the time!

 

[kermit4karate]

In my experience, I never met anyone who played Basic. But yes, no one followed every single rule in AD&D - Weapon Speed Factor and weapon type versus armor type were ignored by everyone I played with.

Every gamer I know who played AD&D started with AD&D.

Some did own and read Red Box, and of course we played adventures from Basic, but we never actually played by Basic rules - nobody I know had a character whose class was elf.

Might be an age thing. I was 9 when the PHB was published.

Well met, traveler! Allow me to introduce myself. I'm but a lowly reptilian expert in the Basic Edition. <tips tiny hat>

Actually, they're telling me I misspoke. Apparently, I'm an amphibian.

 

[kermit4karate]

I am currently running a 1st Ed campaign, which is my system of choice.

I do dabble in 5th ed, but 1st ed is where it's at for me. I don't want to get into a whole essay about my reasons, but since getting into D&D in the mid-80s I've played BECMI, 1st ed, 2nd ed, 3rd ed and 5th ed... with some one-off forays into OD&D. I have never tried 4th ed.

And while I love elements of most of the editions I've played, ultimately I've found 1st ed to be the most engaging for me.

Sorry, but glancing over at your Muppet avatar and reading you say, "I do dabble in 5th ed..." made me laugh. Thanks for that.

 

[kermit4karate]

That's only because you're new.

Stick around for a while, and pretty soon you won't know what the heck is going on here all the time!

Oh, that's priceless.

 

[CleverNickName]

Wait -- which thread is that? I don't know what the heck is going on here half the time....

Well, let's just say that I've done surveys like this for all past editions of D&D... and one of them is not like the others.

 

[nevin]

Played it. Loved it. We did NOT use all the rules.

lol same. But to be fair the rules said all the rules were up to DM. So not using them was part of the rules.

 

[kermit4karate]

lol same. But to be fair the rules said all the rules were up to DM. So not using them was part of the rules.

That they did.... That they did.

 

[John Dallman]

This edition (1E) enjoys the highest nostalgia and experience rating so far: three-quarters of all votes are in the "Played it and loved it" category. More than any other edition, and it's not even close.

Whatever else we can say about 1E, we all have to agree: the formula worked.

I think - at least for the groups I've played in - one of the reasons it worked was that it wasn't very prescriptive about the kind of play it was trying to produce. It also had enough inconsistencies that it was clear there was no "best play experience" from rules-as-written. We felt very free to tinker with the system and to play it in our own way, dispensing with things we didn't like.

 

[kermit4karate]

I think - at least for the groups I've played in - one of the reasons it worked was that it wasn't very prescriptive about the kind of play it was trying to produce. It also had enough inconsistencies that it was clear there was no "best play experience" from rules-as-written. We felt very free to tinker with the system and to play it in our own way, dispensing with things we didn't like.

Same!

 

[Willie the Duck]

Stick around for a while, and pretty soon you won't know what the heck is going on here all the time!

Here and elsewhere.