Players stuck is 2ed

[lord_banus]

I have a dilema that some of you may have faced.

I have an old school player who is constantly comparing the latest editions of dnd to 2nd edition skills and powers. Unfortunately I am the kind of person who wants to please everyone but he will not break out of the old mentality. It is starting to become annoying and bringing the whole game down.

I dont want to toss him out but I need to do something to show him that 3,3.5 edition can be so much more.

Has anyone else encountered this problem and got some way I can improve the situation.

Thanks

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

For us it all comes down to making a convincing argument using comparisons between the different versions and how they would affect the player if you shift during an existing campaign. We did it with 3.0 and it was easy. It has not been so easy with 3.5. People didn't want to spend the money on books, feeling WoTC was just trying to milk more cash from them. People felt the changes weren't significant enough, and yet on the flip side they thought the changes that were made would just cause confusion. I put together a table of the changes that would impact each of them individually based upon their race, class, skills and feats. I showed them what was improved, what had been nerfed etc. It took some work, but I finally managed to win over enough people in the group that momentum took over and everyone agreed. Now everyone has the books they need and we will finally be converting to 3.5, with a few house rule exceptions, at the end of the current adventure we are playing.

 

[Zappo]

He constantly makes comparisons between 2E and 3E? How on Earth can he find something favorable?

 

[the Jester]

He constantly makes comparisons between 2E and 3E? How on Earth can he find something favorable?

2e specialty priests tasted much better than 3e clerics (more flavor), though balance was always a trick.

Other than that, however...

 

[mossfoot]

Simple solution: Play Hackmaster!

Heh... okay, seriously (though I prefer HM to 3.5, I do play both and like both) I would tell him that you are trying to make the whole group happy, and that you need his help on this. Tell him it is a game, and that he should try to enjoy it as a game. Give in a little by admiting some of the advantages he believes 2e has, but ultimately let him know that this is about the needs of the many vs. the needs of the one. He will (hopefully) step up to the challenge and do what I did, enjoy 3.5 for what it is, but revel in the glory of his prefered game on the side

 

[JoeGKushner]

So what exactly is the problem? Is he saying he wants to play 2nd edition with that system or is he just grousing?

If he wants to play 2nd ed using an optional rule book, then perhaps he needs to find such a group that will let him do so. Certain people get something in their head and cannot be moved at that point.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

He constantly makes comparisons between 2E and 3E? How on Earth can he find something favorable?

It's like old people: They always like the old times better, when there was war and everyone starved, and when your life expectancy was worse and a lot of maladies weren't curable, and you only had 2 TV-channels to choose from. They are used to limitations and can't cope with the freedom they have.

I know a couple of players who prefer 2e because you can't play a non-human paladin there. And because you have to have a law decree to use wish without certain TPK. Old gamers. "Get off my battle mat"

 

[Crothian]

Just ask him to stop. It's his choice to be playing the new edition, if all he's going to do is complain then ask him why he's playing.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Has anyone else encountered this problem and got some way I can improve the situation.

There's always the option to tell him to stop living in the past, but that usually makes it only worse.

Seriously: If he's actually bringing the game down with his rants, ask him to be quiet and play. If he sees no difference, make him actually read the rulebooks (I know several that don't do that and then complain about the game)

 

[Basin?]

Kill Him!