Is 3.x Your Favorite Version of D&D?

[jinx crossbow]

Is 3.x Your Favorite Version of D&D?

Yes, but I do not know ODnD

Jinx

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Based on consistent and balanced rules, I'd give 3E the top slot -- no question. However, rules aren't everything, IMO. Based purely on "had the most fun playing 'em," I'd rank them like this:

D&D (classic)
AD&D (1E)
D&D (3E)
AD&D (2E)

(Just as an aside, my "most fun" rankings aren't pure nostalgia, as I played classic D&D just last week. Haven't played AD&D for a while, but I run a C&C game using the C&C PH and the 1st edition DMG, MM, MMII, and FF -- C&C is very similar to AD&D.)

I can break it down a little further for the grognards:

D&D (BECMI/RC - Mentzer)
AD&D (1E)
D&D (B/X - Moldvay/Cook)
D&D (Holmes Basic)
D&D (3.0)
D&D (3.5)
AD&D (2E)

As you can see, I never liked 2E very much (and didn't really play it much, either). I can't put my finger on why, exactly. I remember being really let-down when I finally read the books. The blue interior art sucked. The DMG was a pale shadow of its former self. The writing had lost its magic. Etc.

Here's my "spent the most hours with" list (similar to my favorite list, but a few differences):

AD&D (1E)
D&D (BECMI/RC - Mentzer)
D&D (3.0)
D&D (B/X - Moldvay/Cook)
D&D (Holmes Basic)
AD&D (2E)
D&D (3.5)

Edit - I know I left out the original 3 book edition. That's because I've never really played it or owned it, although I've looked through the books.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

3.5 is the best so far.

3.0 (and now 3.5) had one HUGE improvement over any of the previous versions.

That was the "team" concept for awards. In previous versions awards were based on individual actions (and often those actions were against the other party members) while 3.x gives awads as a team. the better the group works together the more awards (and easier it is to get) there are.

I voted 3.x, but I must point out:

Team awards are not new to 3rd Ed. I have been giving out team-based XP since OD&D. I believe the concept you are thinking of was presented in 2nd Ed as an alternative to the normal shared awards.

 

[shilsen]

Yep.

D&D 3.5 is the one true edition. All others were prototypes.

Listen to the wise man.

 

[KB9JMQ]

I loved the Red Box set and everything since but I enjoy the current version the best.
Someday I may like a newer version better but I will wait and see.

 

[Gold Roger]

There's much room for improvements, but all in all it's great (of course I never played the older edition, though I own some of the old edition and find a lot of the rules and design philosophy in those rather hard to swallow- reading the AD&D DMG DMing advice was a rather humorous activity at times).

 

[mcrow]

I voted no.

I think the mechanics in 3.5 are better that the other edtions, but it totally lost the D&D feel IMO. It's just a little too close to video game/board game for my taste and I think that is what made it lose the old school feel.

That's Ok though cuz C&C managed to take the previous editions, improve on them and still keep the old school fun.

 

[cildarith]

No, it is not. It might even be my least favorite RPG of all time.

 

[Aesthetic Monk]

Nostalgia aside, for me it's no contest: 3.5 is the best. I'm a clarity/precision/consistency hawk, so 3.5 meets my needs there, and I don't find the gameplay experience to be any worse than with previous editions, so tie goes to 3.5.

 

[tvknight415]

In order of overall preference (and I've played them all while they were still in publication):

AD&D 2nd edition
Regular D&D (basic/expert old school stuff)
AD&D
D&D 3.x

IF (a big IF) D&D 3.x is based almost excusively out of the core books, and doesn't go nuts with all the add-ons, then I'd move it up to #3 on the list. A lot of the splat books are making it too weird.

Eric