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<blockquote data-quote="RobJN" data-source="post: 8280936" data-attributes="member: 21534">&quot;Basic&quot; D&amp;D was initially meant to be the &quot;this is what you play with your friends/personal group&quot; version of the game, whereas AD&amp;D was the &quot;this is what is played at cons/tournaments&quot; edition. Ability score bonuses were more or less uniform across stats in D&amp;D, whereas each had its own fiddly table in AD&amp;D. Rather than just &quot;we go, they go,&quot; AD&amp;D's initiative system included casting time for spells, weapon speeds. An expanded scope was baked into level progression in D&amp;D: emphasis on wilderness adventuring, stronghold building/dominion management, and discovering the secret paths to immortality were intrinsic to each of the expansion boxed sets.Many of the dice rolled for similar mechanics were different between the two systems: turning undead, morale, hireling reaction rolls, etc. Some creatures are classified differently between systems, as well (undead in one may not necessarily be undead in the other. Yes, I'm looking at you, shadow)AD&amp;D assumed around 20 levels of advancement, whereas D&amp;D spread from 1st to 36th (and Immortality took that even further)The paladin, avenger, knight, and druid were proto-prestige classes in D&amp;D, available to Name level fighters and clerics (but, as has been stated, could be house/optionally ruled to start from first). There was also discussion of character options at Name level: to settle (and build that tower/church/thieves guild/castle and attract followers) or wander. Demi human level limits weren't so much done away with as.... given a shot in the arm with the D&amp;D Companion set's Attack Ranks, which basically unlocked fighter combat options at given XP thresholds. Demi human clans were given a brief overview, as &quot;name level&quot; options for the demi human classes. Also discussed were the various clan relics' wondrous powers.Armies-scale warfare was heavily abstracted in D&amp;D, handled with the Companion set's War Machine system. This was expanded to the Sea Machine (naval battles) and Siege Machine (alas, no, it wasn't castle vs. castle) in the Master rules set.D&amp;D had Weapon Mastery: AD&amp;D's weapon specialization on steroids, available to all of the classes, with different special effects and options for most every weapon (or class of weapon) in the game.(The more cynical would say that Basic was kept in print/circulation so the rights to that game wouldn't revert to Arneson, and AD&amp;D was written to try to cut Arneson out of royalties from the game, going forward.)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="RobJN, post: 8280936, member: 21534"] "Basic" D&D was initially meant to be the "this is what you play with your friends/personal group" version of the game, whereas AD&D was the "this is what is played at cons/tournaments" edition. Ability score bonuses were more or less uniform across stats in D&D, whereas each had its own fiddly table in AD&D. Rather than just "we go, they go," AD&D's initiative system included casting time for spells, weapon speeds. An expanded scope was baked into level progression in D&D: emphasis on wilderness adventuring, stronghold building/dominion management, and discovering the secret paths to immortality were intrinsic to each of the expansion boxed sets. Many of the dice rolled for similar mechanics were different between the two systems: turning undead, morale, hireling reaction rolls, etc. Some creatures are classified differently between systems, as well (undead in one may not necessarily be undead in the other. Yes, I'm looking at [i]you[/i], shadow) AD&D assumed around 20 levels of advancement, whereas D&D spread from 1st to 36th (and Immortality took that even further) The paladin, avenger, knight, and druid were proto-prestige classes in D&D, available to Name level fighters and clerics (but, as has been stated, could be house/optionally ruled to start from first). There was also discussion of character options at Name level: to settle (and build that tower/church/thieves guild/castle and attract followers) or wander. Demi human level limits weren't so much done away with as.... given a shot in the arm with the D&D Companion set's Attack Ranks, which basically unlocked fighter combat options at given XP thresholds. Demi human clans were given a brief overview, as "name level" options for the demi human classes. Also discussed were the various clan relics' wondrous powers. Armies-scale warfare was heavily abstracted in D&D, handled with the Companion set's War Machine system. This was expanded to the Sea Machine (naval battles) and Siege Machine (alas, no, it wasn't castle vs. castle) in the Master rules set. D&D had Weapon Mastery: AD&D's weapon specialization on steroids, available to all of the classes, with different special effects and options for most every weapon (or class of weapon) in the game. (The more cynical would say that Basic was kept in print/circulation so the rights to that game wouldn't revert to Arneson, and AD&D was written to try to cut Arneson out of royalties from the game, going forward.) [/QUOTE]

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