"First Edition Feel"

[Gentlegamer]

How about a Titanic Celestial Divinely Infused Hypermitotic Myconid Ninja of Legend with an elite array?

That would be a "A Godzilla-sized Ninja Mushroom Man infused with godly power, rampaging through Greyhawk, glowing and destroying all in his path with ninja stars the size of houses, and every time it's killed, it splits into two more."

Waldorf could take him.

 

[der_kluge]

I think some nostalgia is involved in this discussion, which makes it a touchy subject. But I think it largely has to do with people who've becomed disillusioned of 3rd edition and seek something else. They believe that 1st edition D&D might be what they're looking for, but I personally see that as a step in the wrong direction.

I think for some, the true answer lies not up or back through the editions, but rather sideways, to something like HARP, Grim Tales, Castles and Crusades, or True20 (of which I know nothing about).

Let's face it, 1st edition had some problems which are quite quirky. I think what people are really looking for is a system that provides the character creation flexibility of 3rd edition, and the rules simplicity and stream-lined play of 1st edition.

I haven't found that game yet, though I think Grim Tales might be close. But I don't think that's everyone's cup of tea.

 

[PJ-Mason]

No matter how often I hear that, I cannot help but think this as an excuse for powergaming.

That just goes to show the gap between the two points of view. Most people who don't like D&D see the 3.o/3.5 rules as an excuse to power game.

Uhm, "you can't do that" is 2e. 3e is "it is difficult because you never learned to do it" for the most part. You can sunder, you can initiate grapples, you can trip, you can disarm, you can fight with two weapons at once, but if you haven't learned that, it will be difficult.

In a game where effectiveness is so heavily entwined and necessary in the rules and in most D&D campaigns i hear about, then saying you are try something ineffectively unless you purchase the right is just about the same as saying "No you can't do it". I've seen instances in my own games and countless instances in stories on these boards about the scorn one would receive from trying to disarm someone without the feat (basically the character isn't trying his best to be effective or something).

Thats the real problem i see with those who say the extended rules are a way to give players more options. Regardless of whether you like or dislike tons of rules. Because the players are distanced from all those supposedly freedom-inducing maneuvers. There is a disconnect, IMO. Feats should be used for more character flavor or ability enhancing mechanics. Or at least as access to more advanced character options. Not for things that the character should just be able to do naturally. Such as power attack, anyone can choke up on a weapon and swing extra hard. Having a feat for it is just extra white noise no game needs.

Have to? So there's a rule now that I have to take a PrC?

Only if you are interested in keeping balance between character power levels! LOL. Sorry that was a cheap shot, but i enjoyed it too much to resist.

 

[MonsterMash]

3e has (mostly) better mechanics, 1e had better 'feel'.

and the gygaxian prose

 

[hexgrid]

There are at least two new game systems that claim something along the lines of "a 1st-Edition feel". There are some folks who house rule D&D [current edition] to give their campaign an AD&D1 feel.

My question:

Why not just play AD&D1?

Quasqueton

If this was slashdot, I'd mod this post "-1 flamebait."

 

[Silverleaf]

By my count from memory, not including the optional bard class, not including anything outside the core books (UA, OA, DLA, etc.), not including any human dual class options, and not including the optional psionic rules, I count 56 different race/class combinations allowed by the 1e rules.

That's always been enough for me to find something I wanted to play.

Heck, I'm okay with just the 7 Basic D&D classes, with additions on a case-by-case basis. Barbarians & rangers = fighters. Paladins & druids = clerics. And so on...

 

[Breakdaddy]

If this was slashdot, I'd mod this post "-1 flamebait."

If this was /. I would close my browser.

 

[Silverleaf]

If this was /. I would close my browser.

Sorry, there is no browser here.
You are in a maze of twisty little posts, all alike. A natalie portman statue is here, covered in hot grits. Insane laughter echoes all around, interrupted only by shouts of "Praise RMS!" and "BSD is dying!".
>

 

[WizarDru]

I think some nostalgia is involved in this discussion, which makes it a touchy subject. But I think it largely has to do with people who've becomed disillusioned of 3rd edition and seek something else. They believe that 1st edition D&D might be what they're looking for, but I personally see that as a step in the wrong direction.

I personally don't think that's true. I think that some folks have discovered that 3.0/3.5 has it's weak spots, just like every other game system. I'm sure some folks are looking elsewhere for a better system, but I don't think that people who crave '1st edition feel' necessarily crave '1st edition rules' or even a different system. Like I said above, I think they're after an intangible: a style or mood that those older modules evoked. They don't care if they're playing Tunnels and Trolls, The Fantasy Trip, D&D, Rolemaster, MERP, Powers and Perils, Runequest or one of a dozen other games....they want that nostalgic approach that Joseph Goodman summed up in my quote above.

I think they want the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, and just like that module, they don't care about the financial basis for the village; they don't care if Saltmarsh is located on limestone and is the empire's sole source of jellyfish goo; they don't care that the innkeeper once served in the Greyhawk Wars....they just want to get their mission...and GO. That doesn't mean they don't roleplay...just that they want the "Good Parts" version of the Princess Bri.....err, I mean D&D.

 

[Kannik]

Waldorf could take him.

A very very fine reference! }