Explaining AD&D1 to new D&D3 players


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Bregh said:
You beat me to it, Lylanthwol.

To what, ignorance? To not really being able to justify arbitrary rules that give no mechanical feedback for many fluff related questions and more importantly, gameplay? A 'system' that really doesn't deserve the name?

I can't count the number of fallacies. As oppossed to justifying apparently inane rules, he basically questioned a gamer's intelligence because he doesn't wish to put up with mechanics which are simply crude my modern standards. Tell me if I'm missing something.
 

Sure. You're missing the part where I just told people not to insult other folks. Is that difficult to understand?

Keep this polite, folks. It slips into insults or sniping, and it's gone. I happen to love 1e, as do lots of folks here who cut their teeth on it.
 

I'd have to say that the biggest conceptual change is that in 1e, your characters future skills and abilities are set in stone, while 3e allows a character to grow and develop as they adventure.

For example, a 1e fighter is never going to learn to pick a lock, no matter how long he practices. A 3e fighter could take some cross class skills or (if he wanted to be any good at it) take one or more levels of rogue.

As far as first starting to play "what do you mean I can't buy potions and scrolls?"
 

"you are a first level fighter, no CON bonus, you have a 1 for hit points because thats what you rolled. The Magic user( Wizard) has 4 hit points at first level because thats what he rolled." I'm going by the rules here, every game I played/ ran, DM allowed max hit points at first level.
 
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There's only one kind of specialist wizard—illusionist—and he needs a minimum Dex of 16. Oh yeah, he can't cast most 1st-level wizard spells until he is about 15th-level. Hope you don't miss magic missile that much. :)

Steve
 

Piratecat said:
Sure. You're missing the part where I just told people not to insult other folks. Is that difficult to understand?

Keep this polite, folks. It slips into insults or sniping, and it's gone. I happen to love 1e, as do lots of folks here who cut their teeth on it.

You go, Pcat. Whip them youngsters back into line. :)
 

Quasqueton said:
If you were to show them old rule books for AD&D, what would surprise them the most?

"Whaddaya mean I fried the whole party with the fireball!? Oh well, it was worth it 'cuz I also took out half of this entire level!"

"My lightning bolt did what? I hit him with it twice? Cool."

"You mean I can try anything I want, even if it's not written on my character sheet?"

"I can play an assassin starting at level 1, without special DM permission?"

"Wow, my 8th level fighter is pretty buff in this game."

"Bearded dwarf ladies. Bwahahah! I wanna play one!"
 

I play 3e. Started by playing 2e. (I'm 25).

A friend of mine is storing his 1e collection with me (he moved to canada... girl... bad ideas... now he's back... long story)

I've been looking through his books from time to time. (love the MotP)
I think the difference between 3e and 1e is just the feel of the books, the way they smell (sit down! no fart jokes till i'm done), the art (especially the full page stuff and the covers - loved that in 2e).

Like I said, I have never played 1e. So the things I mentioned seem to add up to a different expereince of D&D, and not just rules-wise. It looks like a different game. Less pointy, more castles, more tunnels, more "chivalry".

I've heard it said that the 1e DMG is probably the most usefull and chock full of info of the 3 (4?) editions of D&D DMGs. From what I've seen I think I agree. One of the things about 1e is that it seems to have so much content derived from our own world's histories and myths. 3e seems bland and generic in a comparison of that kind of content. Just the cover of the DMG alone makes me want to boil my current campaign down to the gleefull dungeon crawl evoked there.

Even 2e has it's own feel that takes me back to the days of old, when we were but scratchy voiced yutes hiding our treasured rulebooks from our well-intentioned but ,alas, close-minded parents.

No, I won't ever play 2e again. Just won't... ok, maybe.
 

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