How does each edition shine?

[Vancian Magic]

OD&D - It put down the foundation rules, and took a few steps to show how they might be varied and used. Sadly it's D&D's very own godfather of rock that no-one listens to anymore.

BECMI - It presented the rules step-by-step for an easy learning curve.

1E - It demanded you step up your skills, because reward equaled investment. Toolbox rules, but with a strong guiding hand in their use.

2E - It... Nope, not much actually. Uh, settings? It offered up a hell of a lot of worlds to play in. Mechanically it was not really outstanding.

3E - It offered variety and customization, though it's attempt to streamline and codify the rules was misguided.

4E - Nothing. I'm not a fan.

 

[the Jester]

So let me pose another, related question to you guys.

In an hypothetical "Jazz" edition D&D that took the best of each edition-

How many levels should there be for pcs to attain? 20? 30? 36? Unlimited?
How many hit points should a 10th level fighter who is NOT focused on hps have?
How many hps should a 20th level fighter who IS focused on hps have?
How about a 20th level wizard?

 

[Greg K]

1e
- Gygax references
- Equipment list (including 1e Unearthed Arcana)

2e:
- Settings
- Specialty Priests
- PO: Combat and Tactics critical confirmation
- PO: Combat and Tactics weapon Groups
- PO: Spells and Magic Wizard Specialists
- PO: Spells and Magic Spell Point variants

3e
- OGL/ d20 STL
- Unified Core Mechanic
- Skill List (sans Use Rope)
- Purchasing of Skill Ranks
- feats
- monster stat blocks, but seperate combat powres from non-combat
- Unearthed Arcana style class variants (including the Paladin and Ranger non-casting versions from Complete Champion)
- Unearthed Arcana: Spontaneous Divine Casting
- Unearthed Arcana: Specialist Wizard variant abilities
- Unearthed Arcana: Weapon Groups rules (using 2e: Combat and Tactics weapon group list)
- Unearthed Arcana: Action Points, but use Mutant and Mastermind's reroll method.
- Unearthed Arcana: Incantions
- Sean K Reynold's Fewer Absolutes
- Book of Iron Might maneuvers
- Green Ronin Classes: Cavalier, Psychic, Shaman, Witch
- Green Ronin's Psychic power system
- AEG's Myrmidon Class as warrior mage
- Adamant's d20 Fantasy Occupations for d20 Modern style backgrounds
- Adamant's Hor Pursuit Rules for chases
- Mystic Eye Game's Artificer Handbook magic item creation rules

Pre 4e:
- zero to hero

4e
- removing non-biological abilities and making them feats
- streamlined save progression
- toning down spellcasters
- class armor and weapon proficiencies not gained via multiclassing
- class saving throw bonuses not gained via multiclassing
- skill challenges
- removing level drain
- removing 3e costs for creating items and casting certain spells

 

[Mishihari Lord]

The best thing about AD&D is Gary's writing. It's evocative and descriptive and gives a sense of depth and reality (or at least verisimilitude) to the game world. It also does a much better job of introducing newbies to the concepts of roleplaying than any other edition.

 

[Wik]

BECMI -

1) Quick and easy play. You can drop in a monster with a statblock that goes something like this:
Orcs (5). AC 5. HD: 1. MV 6". HP 5, 5, 4, 3, 2. DMG 1-6. XP 15 each.
(I'm going from memory here, but I think that's roughly what an orc looked like in BECMI. Sue me if I'm wrong, but it's been at least fifteen years).
2) Basic classes. The good thing I've found about really simple classes is that, if my fighter is gonna look a lot like your fighter under the hood, then there's nothing really wrong with my fighter being played how I want to play - You can be a barbarian, and I'll be a ranger, even though we both carry a weapon that does 1d8 damage and we both wear hide armour. Very cool.
3) Large groups. BECMI (and 1e) was intended for groups around 10 players. In many BECMI groups, you played multiple characters. Which is actually kind of fun.

 

[Lanefan]

First things first: Wik, what's with the Sharks logo?!? Gone traitor on us or something? (remember, you *do* live in Canuck nation!)

Second, for Jester: I could type for hours on this, getting into deep detail on how I'd build a playable game using bits and pieces of the various editions...but my cold and the late hour is going to call time here.

Only thing I'll say to counter the ignore-2e trend (whose rules were, admittedly, kinda forgettable) is that if your system needs a setting to play in, 2e is where it'll come from.

Lanefan

 

[Qualidar]

OD&D - emphasis on ad hoc play
BECMI - simplicity, tiered play
1E - Gygaxian obscurities
2E - wealth of settings
3E - core mechanic, feats
4E - stream-lined rules, tiered play, powers, rituals

Mercurius hit's it right on the head, I think. I'm not really loving any aspect of 4e, although I think rituals are a great idea and worthy of the list.

I think that the aspects I loved of both 1E & 2E was all the time we had to play them. Ahhhh, lazy summers.

I think Mercurius makes some good points. My ideal system would provide a d20-like framework, but faster and looser, for smooth ad hoc play. Any spelled-out class abilities would be modular, like the Fighter's bonus feat list, and they wouldn't simply confer static bonuses; like 4E powers, they'd have a right time and a wrong time to use them.

Have you tried True20? It seems like it has a lot of similarity to what you're looking for, minus the last part.