"First Edition Feel"

[Breakdaddy]

Another way to think of it is to treat the AD&D universe as a setting, and apply stylistic and rules tweaks to d20 to simulate the reality of that universe (no dwarf wizards, elf paladins, etc.) The players like the general structure of the d20 rules, but want the flavor of AD&D.

I like the health benefits of Tofu but want the flavor of a Monte Cristo plz and thanks!

Either way, I agree with this post (IAWTP!)

 

[Henry]

Decatur isn't all that far from Birmingham, my friend.

That reminds me -- do you AL guys have a regular ENWorld Gameday going? It might be a great experience if you could get a few people together and find a venue, if you haven't already.

I've played half a dozen one-shots at the NC ENWorld Gamedays over the past two years, things I prior to then NEVER had the chance to play, such as 1st edition AD&D, Feng Shui, Mutants and Masterminds, Arcana Unearthed, GURPS, etc. as well as some things I haven't played in years, such as 1st edition AD&D (long explanation).

If you can get somebody's large house, or a game store, or a university campus to go along, one gameday may actually foster more games outside of the gameday, and new groups, to boot!

 

[Templeton580]

*

 

[TerraDave]

Hmm, no edition wars...hmm

(Much of) First edition had a certain style that was clearly part of its appeal. It was distinct from (many) specific mechanics (which changed between 74 and 84 and where often ignored in any case). When WotC took over D&D they tried to tap into that style, in fact you could describe their strategy between the takeover and 3rd edition as “2nd edition with 1st edition feel”.

3rd edition made a conscientious attempt to retain/restore/reinforce some of that feel in both the large (return to the dungeon) and the small (barbarians, half orcs, assassins…). But introduced mechanics that aspired to be more flexible and streamlined but also more specific and covering a wider range of situations.

I like the 1st edition feel (especially my interpretation of it). I like much of the art, I like the old adventures, I like the attitude in a lot of the old products. WotC has had limited success in capturing that in what they have released over the last few years. A lot of what they done…well, it just isn’t the same.

But, I do prefer the current mechanics (by a wide margin, but no edition wars). And I love the OGL. Whatever you want to say about the great things they did, TSR had a real problem with “dropping the baby”. The OGL spreads the risk and has allowed for a lot of creativity to be put back into the game. (The fact that I read the SRD at work and cut and paste from it is also a bonus).

Yes, I like products from Necromancer and (the few) Fiery Dragon that have that 1st edition feel (I don’t know Goodman or TL enough to comment on them). I like the more “retro” stuff in Dungeon. And I like the 3.5 core rules. For this I do not apologize.

 

[PJ-Mason]

Because 3e allows for more character customization

One can argue that no amount of endless rules can compete with the imagination of players and DMs working together to customize characters. Its certaintly at least as effective as this bizarre dance of powermongering that 3E has apprently intent on generating between players and DMs

and there are more actions you can take that aren't arbitrariliy decided by DM fiat.

Again, i could also argue that the cost of complexity in having the extended rules and the fact that many of them can't be peformed without purchasing the right to do it (power attacks, grappling feats, charging related feats, disarming feats, two weaping fighting) may just not be worth it. DM fiat can quite often be more liberating for a player than a tome of rules.

Player: I do this
DM: Can't, you don't have the feat.
Player: Huh? Okay, i do this.
DM: Can't, you don't have this class ability.
Player: Well what the heck can i do?
DM: Refocus?

 

[Crothian]

Who ever said it is first edition D&D? maybe its first edition Vampire or Gurps or Paranoia??

 

[S'mon]

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

 

[Kae'Yoss]

One can argue that no amount of endless rules can compete with the imagination of players and DMs working together to customize characters. Its certaintly at least as effective as this bizarre dance of powermongering that 3E has apprently intent on generating between players and DMs

No matter how often I hear that, I cannot help but think this as an excuse for powergaming. Now, since the game tells one how many skills and feats you have, one cannot claim anymore that he's good at this and that and that, too, you know...

Player: I do this
DM: Can't, you don't have the feat.
Player: Huh? Okay, i do this.
DM: Can't, you don't have this class ability.
Player: Well what the heck can i do?
DM: Refocus?

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.

...and CHARGING on in to the fun.

Weren't you the one who said that "teenage newbies would charge in like idiots" ? In the thread about FRP?

You have to do the same with 3e.

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

 

[Kanegrundar]

For me, I liked the balls to the walls play style of many 1E modules where it was see a monster, kill a monster, and take his stuff. I enjoy the style of the newer settings these days with the politics, intrigue, and carefully woven stories. However, sometimes I just want to kill stuff. Seeing as how 1E isn't in print and 3E is, but some still want to harken back to the days where they slaughtered their way through waves of monsters designers will make products that market to that idea.

Plus, 3E is just soooo much more fun to play!!! (Just joking, folks, so calm down and put away the torches and pitchforks!!! Though, for me, it is the truth.)

Kane

 

[der_kluge]

Oh, gents, come now, we can do better than that! (The Paladin and Assassin thing won't stack, anyway.) My favorite one person came up with is "Titanic Celestial Myconid Ninja of Legend." As one poster put it, this is "A Godzilla-sized Ninja Mushroom Man, rampaging through Greyhawk, glowing and destroying all in his path with ninja stars the size of houses."

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."