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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 5121679" data-attributes="member: 2209">All editions it is pretty easy to pull a fairly appropriate monster out of a monster manual or rule book and run an encounter on the fly.NPCs get a little more difficult, level 1 warriors are easy to pull out stats for but higher level ones can vary a lot with big impacts. Basic to 2e AD&D were mechanically simple for warrior types, AC, HD, hp, THACO and Damage and you are pretty set to go. Spellcasters and magic made it more mechanically complex both for stat blocks and option wise to run.In 3e NPC stuff gets a little more complicated with lots of semi long lasting buffs of various sorts, feats adding in conditional modifiers and options, and issues of appropriate level of magic gear to be available for loot after defeating the NPC. Coming up with NPCs to combat quickly can be fairly tricky if you don't have available sources of statblocks.In 4e the high level of encouraged reskinning and divorce of monster/NPC stat blocks from things like magic items means it is easy to take say an aboleth stat block and call it a human slime-mist mage using his dominating aquamancy. This could be done in earlier editions but works particularly well with the design ethos of 4e and 4e monsters.Winging it also usually means non combat stuff though like misinterpreting clues leading to the party chasing unprepared for false leads, trying to get things done in unexpected ways, or creating plots on the fly based in part on PC actions. A lot of this is just DM style and comfort level which is entirely edition independent.Winging it for adjudication can be DM fiat or judgment calls or mechanical resolutions. For mechanical resolutions Basic usually had saving throws, ability checks, and thief skills; AD&D added in nonweapon proficiencies along with ability specific subsystems (bending bars, reaction adjustments, etc.); 3e had skill/ability checks using a unified system, and 4e has a similar but universally improving with level skill system with group skill challenges.</blockquote>

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