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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silverleaf" data-source="post: 2372707" data-attributes="member: 30790">Well yeah.  In 3e there are preset DCs for specific situations.  If you deviate from those, or don't include the required modifiers (feats, skills, buff spells, your mother's maiden name, etc.) then the players may get pissy about you not following the rules.  So you end up looking things up a lot, and making sure everything's kosher.In contrast, in OD&D you just guestimate the probabilities and go with the flow.  There's hardly any page-flipping during adventures, and the game moves hella fast.  Combats in particular take probably 1/4 as long as 3e, and I'm being conservative here.And it's not like coming up with a die roll is hard or time-consuming.  You just think about two things:1. what kind of action is this?2. how hard is it?Jumping is a measure of dexterity, so you just make a DEX check.  A 10' pit is a piece of cake if you've got a running start, unless you're very encumbered.  So you ask the player "What's your encumbrance?" and give a -1 penalty for every encrumbance category.  No running start?  Take an additional -2.Not so difficult is it?  It took me a lot longer to type this than it would to arbitrate it in-game.  In practice the action is resolved in a matter of seconds, with very little math or accounting involved.Perhaps the same kind of action won't get the same kind of die roll every time, especially if it doesn't come up that often (jumping is pretty standard, and most everyone uses a simple DEX check for that).  But even so, that's okay.  Not every 10' pit is identical anyway, so it's not like the resolution has to be exactly identical each time either.  Every situation is potentially different.  All that matters is that the DM try to remain fair and impartial.  So long as he keeps that in mind, it all works out.Basic D&D is somewhat of a misnomer.  That refers to only the first boxed set, out of five:Basic (1-3)Expert (4-14)Companion (15-25)Master (26-36)Immortals (everything beyond!)You can see pretty pictures and more descriptions here:<a href="http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/ddindex.htm" target="_blank">http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/ddindex.htm</a>There is also a book called the D&D Rules Cyclopedia which combines all the rules from the first 4 boxed sets into one 300-page hardcover tome.  It's the only edition of D&D ever published into one single volume, and it allows running epic-scale campaigns from level 1 all the way to 36!  After that though you have to get the Wrath of the Immortals boxed set if you wish to venture into those eternal realms...  But it's kind of strange compared to normal D&D, and few have ever made it that far anyway.Nonetheless, the game mechanics remain much the same, whether you're playing at levels 1-3 or 26-36, so it doesn't suffer from the same playability problems as 3e.  There is one optional rule called Weapon Mastery which can add some additional complexity, but it's entirely optional (many don't bother with it) and yet it's much less hassle than the 3e combat stuff.The old D&D also has many less buff spells, and for that matter the spells themselves have much shorter descriptions and stats.  Monsters also have many fewer stats.  And most spells and magic item effects don't stack...This probably sounds horrible to you, but it actually works out great and provides just enough information to the players and DM to move the game along without bogging down in details.</blockquote>

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