MERGED - "About Edition Wars" threads x9

[Wicht]

The guys who own the property get to decide what numbers go on it.

They could start selling 11.7e next week if they wanted. That would make no sense, but they could do it. And they would be right.

Cheers, -- N

The truth of this is demonstrated by the fact that in the Grimtooth Traps series (of which there were seven total books), the third one is named "Grimtooth's Traps Fore!" and the fourth one is named "Grimtooth's Traps Ate!"

Likewise, the current (second IIRC) edition of Hackmaster is published as the 5th edition.

 

[Diamond Cross]

yeah, Gold box? You mean SSI's Pool of Radiance?


Homes is definitely it's own edition AFAIC- it's got OD&D-isms, AD&D-isms, and it's got plenty of Holmes-isms as well that appeared in neither O or A (the dexterity initiative for example)

No, there was a Gold Box edition of the 1974 publication.

 

[Imperialus]

There were two different versions of the Basic and Expert boxed sets. And then there was the Holmes edition boxed set.

And the compendium of the BCEMI.

 

[M.L. Martin]

No, there was a Gold Box edition of the 1974 publication.

I think that's typically referred to as the 'Brown Box' or 'Woodgrain Box'.

 

[Imperialus]

No, there was a Gold Box edition of the 1974 publication.

You mean white on woodgrain?

 

[Odhanan]

1. OD&D (1974)
2. Holmes D&D -> AD&D First Edition
3. Moldvay Cook D&D
4. Mentzer D&D
5. AD&D 2nd edition
6. D&D 3rd edition
7. D&D 3.5
8. D&D 4E

i.e. Technically Essentials would be the 9th edition of the D&D game. The 10th, if you count the AD&D2 "Player's Options" as a new edition, which I wouldn't.

BUT I actually DO NOT think this is the case. See here how I put "Holmes -> AD&D First Ed"? Well that's because Holmes gave you the first few levels, a basic understanding of the game and expected you to upgrade to AD&D soon after. Sound familiar?

Well. That's because D&D Red Box is the spiritual heir of Holmes D&D, not Mentzer's Red Box.
It's intended to introduce people to the basics of the game, provides a few levels and such, with the expectation that you'll upgrade to the full Essentials line and the full 4E line later on.

I'd put Essentials that way in my list:

D&D Essentials -> 4E

I don't think it's a new edition per se.

 

[Mercurius]

The reason 4E is 4E is that it is technically the 4th edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. The dropped "Advanced" with 3E which has seemingly caused some confusion.

Odhanan, don't forget about Pathfinder .

 

[Odhanan]

Odhanan, don't forget about Pathfinder .

I'd count Pathfinder on the same line as 4E, in the sense that 4E would be 8th edition possibility #1, and Pathfinder 8th edition #2.

 

[havard]

Here's my take:

1. OD&D/Holmes <-> AD&D 1E
2. BX/BECMI/RC <-> AD&D 2E
3. D&D 3E/3.5
4. D&D 4E/Essentials


Yep, its pretty boring, but it takes into account that the Clasic line and the Advanced line ran parallell until the advent of 3E.

-Havard

 

[fanboy2000]

1. ODnD
2. 3.x
3. 4e

So I get to have second place, and whoever lists the most - will be almost last

Sorry, I'm still waiting for Ariosto to post. I belive he's made the argument in the past that there are only two editions of D&D: TSR D&D and WotC D&D.